en-US Sat, 12 Apr 2025 14:06:17 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 75572156
It started with tragedy.

And secrets.

Hidden truths that refused to stay buried have come out to chase me. Now I’m on the run, living under a blanket of constant fear, pretending to be someone I’m not. And if I’m not really me, how am I supposed to know what’s real?

-Angelo-

Watch the girl.

It was supposed to be a simple assignment. But like everything else in this family, there’s nothing simple about it. Not my task. Not her fake name. And not my feelings for her.

But Beth is mine now.

So when the monsters from her past come out to play, they’ll have to get through me first.]]> 344 S.J. Tilly Deanna 0 currently-reading 4.29
author: S.J. Tilly
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.29
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rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/12
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]]> 223238432
So it’s kind of a downer when a very hungover, mostly naked man about Ollie’s age answers the door and tells him old man Morris kicked the bucket.

Tyler Morris left town at sixteen as a pariah. Since then, he’s built a good life for himself as an EMT. But even in death, his father has to get in one final Ty can either return to his hometown and act as executor of the family fortune, or let it all go to a hate group.

Between an unexpected job offer and unexpected roommates, coming home doesn’t go the way Ty expects. But Ollie and Theo bring the cold, lonely mansion to life, and golden-boy Ollie provides good cover for the town’s scorn. The only problem is, Ty’s falling head over heels for the world’s sweetest and most stubbornly independent single dad, and if he wants to keep Ollie around, he’ll have to convince him to let Ty help.]]> 300 Ashlyn Kane 1641088044 Deanna 4 4.17
author: Ashlyn Kane
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.17
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/11
date added: 2025/04/11
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]]> 105201886
The party comes to a screeching halt when I meet Ash. Shy, younger, virgin. He’s everything I’m not attracted to. Give me an experienced partner anyday.

But there’s something about him that makes me want to keep him. Maybe I want to stoke that fire I see in his eyes. Or maybe I’m just lonelier than I thought.


Either way, he’s mine. Nobody, and I mean nobody, will take Ash away from me.



(Blurb may change)
Gritty M/M romance.]]> 390 Brea Alepoú Deanna 3 4.05 2023
author: Brea Alepoú
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/09
date added: 2025/04/09
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]]> 227945196
I never anticipated Charlie Florek.

Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true. Alice spent just one summer there at a cottage with Nan when she was seventeen—it’s where she took that photo, the one of three grinning teenagers in a yellow speedboat, the image that changed her life.

Now Alice lives behind a lens. As a photographer, she’s most comfortable on the sidelines, letting other people shine. Lately though, she’s been itching for something more, and when Nan falls and breaks her hip, Alice comes up with a plan for them both: another summer in that magical place, Barry’s Bay. But as soon as they settle in, their peace is disrupted by the roar of a familiar yellow boat, and the man driving it.

Charlie Florek was nineteen when Alice took his photo from afar. Now he’s all grown up—a shameless flirt, who manages to make Nan laugh and Alice long to be seventeen again, when life was simpler, when taking pictures was just for fun. Sun-slanted days and warm nights out on the lake with Charlie are a balm for Alice’s soul, but when she looks up and sees his piercing green gaze directly on her, she begins to worry for her heart.

Because Alice sees people—that’s why she is so good at what she does—but she’s never met someone who looks and sees her right back.]]> 336 Carley Fortune 0735247293 Deanna 0 to-read 4.56 2025
author: Carley Fortune
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/08
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]]> 222376906
Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life―begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. When his request went unanswered, Vincent moved on, becoming the hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda. That is, until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

As Fate would have it, Matilda and Vincent were destined to find each other beyond dreams. There may be a chance for Matilda to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, but at immense sacrifice. She will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: to be vulnerable, and to allow herself to finally be loved.]]> 544 Rebecca Ross 1250373352 Deanna 0 to-read 4.71 2025
author: Rebecca Ross
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.71
book published: 2025
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/08
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]]> 211081102 Return to the world of The Bridge Kingdom in this sensuous fantasy full of romance and intrigue that is perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Silver Flames.

A soldier raised as heir to an empire, Zarrah is motivated by two truths. The first is that the Veliant family murdered her mother. And the second is that her pursuit of vengeance will put every last one of them in their graves.

The Endless War between Maridrina and Valcotta has raged for generations, leaving thousands of Zarrah’s people dead and countless more orphaned. So when she’s given command of the contested city of Nerastis, Zarrah is prepared to do whatever it takes to destroy the Maridrinian forces who oppose her. And to kill the Veliant prince who leads them.

Yet a chance encounter with an anonymous, and handsome, Maridrinian causes Zarrah to question whether the violence she’s perpetrated is justice or a crime. And as she continues to meet the nameless man each night, she finds common ground - and fiery passion - in his arms.

But when identities are revealed, Zarrah must decide whether to embrace a chance at peace…or march to the drums of war.]]> 673 Danielle L. Jensen 0593975243 Deanna 0 to-read 4.07 2022
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/08
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]]> 75422809
Jump in head first.

There’s just one problem; Enzo Vitale. The man is red hot danger, every word a dare from his lips. And I never was one to turn away from a challenge�

But when things get rough, lies reign and deceit is around every corner. I find myself drawn to the one man I should be running from. The criminal whose hands are bathed in blood.

Am I falling for the enemy?]]> 352 Brea Alepoú Deanna 3 3.95 2022
author: Brea Alepoú
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/06
date added: 2025/04/06
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]]> 84280995 Keller

From a poor, underground street fighter, I rose to fame as the world heavyweight boxing champion.
No one knew I was also a monster who hunted in the shadows.
Trapped in the mafia until my debts were paid.
A simple deal held my freedom- unify my belts.
It seemed simple until an enchanting British firecracker landed on my lap, knocking me sideways.
Wanting her was dangerous for us both, but I took her anyway.
Leaving me with the choice, fight for my freedom or hers.
When the truth is unmasked, could she still love me?
Would love be enough to battle our demons and come out on top?

Sienna

Newly single and focusing on building my life in New York, I’ve sworn off men for the foreseeable.
No one had ever stuck around long enough to let me believe in fairytales anyway.
That was until him.
He tried to hide himself from me but I couldn’t stay away.
When the mask shattered and the truth was revealed, could I still stay?
Even if it meant my life was at stake.
Could we get past our fear of love and fight for our Happily Ever After?

Distance is book 1 in the Beneath The Mask Series, a series of standalone dark mafia romances. Distance is a mafia cross sports romance, full of spice and suspense.]]> 430 Luna Mason Deanna 0 to-read 3.85
author: Luna Mason
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2025/04/03
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]]> 60527961 Milo

Unusual. Quirky. Different. I’ve heard it all. I’ve accepted I’m not for everyone. Maybe not anyone.

When I find out I inherited a bookstore and apartment on a small East Coast island, I jump at the chance for a new life.

Turns out, I’ve also inherited a sexy, tattooed guy who not only rents the space next to my store for his tattoo parlor but my apartment too.

Did I mention he’s really hot?

And surprisingly sweet?

Gideon

I wasn’t looking for a roommate, but it’s not like I can stay at Milo’s place while he’s banished to a hotel.

Our unlikely friendship is instant. According to Milo, we’re bestie goals.

And if he doesn’t wear pants at home, who am I to complain?

Milo’s not like anyone I’ve ever known. I like laughing and flirting with him. He’s adorably honest, eager, and sexier than he realizes.

Now I just have to figure out how to convince him that maybe it’s time for an upgrade from bestie to boyfriend goals.]]> 368 Riley Hart Deanna 3 4.20 2022
author: Riley Hart
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/02
date added: 2025/04/02
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]]> 41958093 79 Carlton Mellick III Deanna 2 3.71
author: Carlton Mellick III
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.71
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2025/04/02
date added: 2025/04/02
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]]> 76715522 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Aelin Galathynius has vowed to save her people � but at a tremendous cost. Locked within an iron coffin by the Queen of the Fae, Aelin must draw upon her fiery will as she endures months of torture. The knowledge that yielding to Maeve will doom those she loves keeps her from breaking, but her resolve is unraveling with each passing day�

With Aelin captured, friends and allies are scattered to different fates. Some bonds will grow even deeper, while others will be severed forever. As destinies weave together at last, all must fight if Erilea is to have any hope of salvation.

Years in the making, Sarah J. Maas's New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series draws to an explosive conclusion as Aelin fights to save herself―and the promise of a better world.]]> 984 Sarah J. Maas 1639731067 Deanna 0 currently-reading 4.74 2018
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.74
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> 75572138
I should have run the other way. Paid my tab and gone back to my room. But he was there. And he was� everything. I figured what’s the harm in letting passion rule my decisions for one night? So what if he looks like the Devil in a suit. I’d be leaving in the morning. Flying home, back to my pleasant but predictable life. I’d never see him again.

Except I do. In the last place I expected. And now everything I’ve worked so hard for is in jeopardy.

We can’t stop what we’ve started, but this is bigger than the two of us.

And when his past comes back to haunt him, love might not be enough to save me.]]> 360 S.J. Tilly Deanna 3 4.38
author: S.J. Tilly
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.38
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/31
date added: 2025/03/31
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]]> 58650445
In a world where no entities exist but the Stars, cruel and merciless gods that watch over the world, Elara has been cursed by fate. A prophecy that promises she will fall for a Star, and it will kill them both.

But when one descends to wreak havoc on Elara's Kingdom, she is forced to flee into the arms of her enemy in the neighbouring country.

As she learns more about her own magic, and the depth of the Stars' deceit, she also finds herself learning more about the country she is forced to take refuge in, and the enemy prince forced to train her into a weapon.

Something dark brews within her, a power made of night and shadows that begs to be broken free.]]> 619 Imani Erriu Deanna 4 3.97 2022
author: Imani Erriu
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/29
date added: 2025/03/29
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]]> 219421307 Wingman 101: Make him fall head over heels in love.

Brad
What’s a straight guy to do when he accidentally goes on a date with his brand new gym-bro? Offer to be the best wingman ever, of course! It’s foolproof.

Joey needs a man? I’ll find him one.

He wants someone who looks, well, kind of like me? No problem!

Not into watersports? I’ve got him covered.

The issue is, going on all these dates with Joey makes me realize I want more of his time to be spent with me. I like the guy. And his smile. And the way he makes me feel like anything is possible.

Except� I can’t possibly be who Joey needs. He wants his forever person. His great big love.

And no matter how perfect the dude’s abs are or how skilled he is as a cuddle-bro, the two of us will never be more than friends. Because I’m straight.

Right?

10 Ways to Accidentally Fall in Love is a lighthearted romantic comedy with disastrous dates, more innuendo than is probably healthy, an oblivious sweetheart, the gym-dude who falls for him swiftly, and a HEA loaded with firsts. It has characters who originally appeared in Himbo (Elite 8 Studios Book 4) but is set as a standalone.]]> 327 Emmy Sanders Deanna 4 4.28 2025
author: Emmy Sanders
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/28
date added: 2025/03/28
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]]> 123194683 124 Emily Rath Deanna 3 3.98
author: Emily Rath
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.98
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/26
date added: 2025/03/26
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]]> 221784786 because he didn’t have the balls to do it himself.

I move out and get a new apartment, a job as a bartender, and try to move on with a broken heart. I wonder where it all went wrong, if I hadn’t been enough for him, if I’d been stupid for marrying him in the first place.

I’m at work one night when he walks inside�the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen. He sits at the bar and a forest fire burns between us. I was depressed the moment before he entered, but the second I look at his blue eyes, I forget the dumpster fire that my life has become. I invite him back to my place and it’s the most passionate night of my life. I expect to never see him again.

I just want him as an anti-depressant—but he wants me all to himself. I just got my heart ripped out of my chest so I want something easy and no-strings-attached, but he wants all the strings because he’s hooked.

I don’t get much of a say in the matter, and that’s not surprising when I learn why—because he’s the Butcher. The crime lord of all crime lords, the boss that overshadows all of Paris, that makes everyone abide by his rules—or pay.

And now I’m his.]]> 302 Penelope Sky Deanna 3 3.95
author: Penelope Sky
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.95
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/25
date added: 2025/03/25
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]]> 40601927 Alternate cover edition of ASIN B07DCTFR2K


New York Admirals captain Scott Hunter takes his pregame rituals very seriously. In this case, it’s not just a lucky smoothie he’s craving—it’s the man who made it.

Pro hockey star Scott Hunter knows a good thing when he sees it. So, when a smoothie made by juice bar barista Kip Grady precedes Scott breaking his on-ice slump, he’s desperate to recreate the magic...and to get to know the sexy, funny guy behind the counter.

Kip knew there was more to Scott’s frequent visits than blended fruit, but he never let himself imagine being invited back to Scott’s penthouse. Or kissed with reckless abandon, never mind touched everywhere all at once. When it happens it’s red-hot, incredible and frequent, but also only on Scott’s terms and always behind his closed apartment doors.

Scott needs Kip in his life, but with playoff season approaching, the spotlight on him is suddenly brighter than ever. He can’t afford to do anything that might derail his career…like introducing the world to his boyfriend. Kip is ready to go all-in with Scott—but how much longer will he have to remain a secret?]]> 400 Rachel Reid Deanna 0 currently-reading 3.79 2018
author: Rachel Reid
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/24
shelves: currently-reading
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]]> 218181422 Hayes
Proposing to my first boyfriend at a hockey game wasn’t my smartest move. Not only does said boyfriend walk out on me, but the whole stupid thing goes viral, and it turns out the man I was dating has too many boyfriends to count. Internet fame has crowned me a member of the Jilted Exes� Club, a name I’d do anything to escape.

One thing’s for I’m not making the same mistake again. No more boyfriends, just easy hookups. And I’ll start with this gorgeous catch in Seattle. The only problem…he’s a god in bed, and I’m an inexperienced mess.

Rylan
After a night with Hayes, I play some of the best games of my career. It’s meant to be a one-and-done deal, but when I find out he also lives in LA and doesn’t want anything serious, I see an opportunity.

Hayes wants experience. I want my good-luck charm to help me win the cup.

The media would go wild over a pro hockey player dating a member of the Jilted Exes� Club—a distraction neither of us needs. We want this to stay simple. Easy. No strings, no falling in love.

Except I’m pretty sure I’ve already fallen. After all Hayes has been through, how do I get him to entrust his heart to someone who’s only ever been labeled a player on and off the ice?
]]> 260 Riley Hart Deanna 3 4.09 2024
author: Riley Hart
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/24
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]]> 210205613 From New York Times bestselling author Elle Kennedy and USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen comes the next in the spin-off series of their wildly successful Him and Us books.

"I'm ridiculously attracted to you, Hottie. I figured I should be up front about that."

"Shut up and kiss me again, Snipes."

Hailey Taylor Emery has a hunch that Sniper87, her favorite client at Fetch—the anonymous virtual assistant service she runs with her ex-husband—is actually gorgeous hockey superstar Matt Eriksson. It's against the rules to check his file, but she's pretty sure she spends every day texting her lifelong crush and catering to his every need. Still processing her recent divorce, Hailey is perfectly content for this to be nothing but harmless online flirting…until Sniper87 wants to meet her. Face to face. utter panic.

Matt Eriksson is no stranger to heartbreak. He's still not over the destruction of his own marriage, and it sucks to be the only guy on his team who knows the that hockey and long-term relationships are a toxic mix. He barely sees his kids, and dealing with his ex makes him feel worthless. The only person in his life who seems to understand is someone who won't show her pretty the mysterious HTE, aka "Hottie."

Surely, though, it's nothing a pair of fourth row hockey seats can't fix. Superfan Hailey can't resist the offer, and Matt can't resist Hailey. But when the phone screens come down, can they get past their baggage long enough to build something real?]]> 320 Elle Kennedy 1464227381 Deanna 4 3.98 2017
author: Elle Kennedy
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/21
date added: 2025/03/21
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]]> 127616032 Discover the serial killer romance series everyone is talking about!From the no.1 New York Times bestselling author of the genre-breaking international TikTok sensation Butcher & Blackbird and Leather & Lark comes the final book in the Ruinous Love Trilogy - a friends-with-benefits dark romantic comedy.

Murder.

Mayhem.

And spice.

Doctor Fionn Kane is running from a broken heart, one he hopes to mend in small-town Nebraska, far away from his almost-fiance and his derailed surgical career. It's a simpler head down, hard work, and absolutely no romantic relationships. He wants none of the circus he left behind in Boston.

But then the real circus finds him.

Motorcycle performer Rose Evans has spent a decade on the road with the Silveria Circus, and it suits her just fine, especially when she has the urge to indulge in a little murder when she's not in the spotlight. But when a kill goes awry and she ends up with an injured leg, Rose finds herself stuck in Nebraska, at the home of the adorably nerdy town doctor.

The problem is, not every broken heart can be sewn back together.

. . . And the longer you stay in one place, the more likely your ghosts are to catch up.

***


Friends with benefits
Small town romance
Fish out of water
Forced proximity
Hurt/care
Touch her and die]]> 416 Brynne Weaver Deanna 3 4.11 2025
author: Brynne Weaver
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/20
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]]> 210205698
"We're way more than friends, Jessie."

"µþ±ô²¹°ì±ðâ€�"

"But no worries. I'll just sit tight until you figure that out."

Hosting her brother's wedding for an MVP guest list is the challenge of Jess Canning's life. Already the family screw-up, she can't afford to fail at this, too. Especially after the colossal mistake she made with the best man during a weak moment last spring. Nobody—absolutely nobody—can find out about that, and there will not be a repeat. Absolutely not. No matter how devastatingly sexy his smile, he's a giant manchild who's never been serious in his life. And if Jess wants to prove herself to her family, serious is what she has to get.

For Blake Riley, this wedding is a gift from fate itself. The girl he has his eye on is the maid of honor, and he's the best man? Let the games begin. So what if Jess is giving him a little—fine, a lot—of resistance? He just needs to convince the stubborn blonde that he's really a good boy with a bad rap. Beneath the flirty jokes and goofy smile, he's got layers—even if Jess doesn't want to see them.

Luckily, every professional hockey player knows that you've got to make an effort if you want to score. 

And Jess is just the girl he wants to win.]]> 320 Elle Kennedy 1464227357 Deanna 4 3.63 2017
author: Elle Kennedy
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.63
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/19
date added: 2025/03/19
shelves:
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]]> 217310175
Jethro Hale is the last player Coach Clay Powers wants to see on his roster, but the G.M. pulls a fast one. And it's not like he can even explain why. Nobody knows about their love affair fifteen years ago.

Cue the all-star awkwardness, the painful memories and the reawakening of deep feelings on both sides.

Unfortunately, their attraction still burns brightly. But it can never be. A player and a coach? The scandal would overshadow the team’s banner year.

If only they could resist each other�

If you love grumpy heroes, high stakes hockey, struggling single parents and smoldering kisses, grab your copy of The Last Guy on Earth. ]]> 374 Sarina Bowen Deanna 4 4.40 2025
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.40
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
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]]> 122753552 TOMMASO
The furniture district is my personal hell. I don’t know my ass from an ottoman. But when a hot designer comes to my rescue, I realize my problems are bigger than the house I’m trying to furnish.
A scorching kiss over fabric samples makes me question all my choices. But is it too late to change my entire life to get more of them?

CARTER
I need this gig, but my cocky new client leaves out a couple crucial details:
He doesn’t mention that he's a famous hockey player. And he doesn’t own up to the way he’s always trying to undress me with his dark, broody eyes.
The man throws out more mixed signals than a broken traffic light. I've never been more sexually frustrated in my entire life. I need to back away before I do something stupid, like lose my heart.
Oops. Too late.]]> 348 Sarina Bowen 1950155617 Deanna 4 4.26 2023
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/17
date added: 2025/03/17
shelves:
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]]> 63355404
That was my nickname in Chicago, too. And Vancouver. That’s what happens when you keep getting traded. Brooklyn is my last chance, especially after my poor performance last season.

But I can make this work. The new guy knows to keep his head down and shoot the puck. The new guy puts the game first.

What he doesn’t do is hook up with the other new guy—a hot athletic trainer who lives in my building. Gavin needs this job with my team. He’s a single dad with responsibilities.

We can’t be a couple. My arrogant agent–who’s also my father–will lose his mind if I’m dating a dude. And my team needs me to score goals, not whip up a media circus.

Too bad Gavin and I are terrible at resisting each other…]]> 348 Sarina Bowen 1950155579 Deanna 4 4.25 2023
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/16
date added: 2025/03/16
shelves:
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]]> 60227434 Jamie and Wes are having a blast living and working in Toronto. Until a scout for another team swoops in to make one of them an offer that might complicate the life they've built together.

Previously published in Christmas in the City]]> 48 Sarina Bowen 195015503X Deanna 3 4.20 2020
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves:
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]]> 59754586 Can your favorite hockey players finish their first season together undefeated?

Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves—Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.

Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.

Or can they?

When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?

Warning: contains sexual situations, a vibrating chair, long-distance sexytimes and proof that hockey players look hot in any shade of green.]]> 324 Sarina Bowen Deanna 4 4.24 2016
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/15
date added: 2025/03/15
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]]> 59754569 They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.

Warning: contains sexual situations, hotties on hockey skates, skinnydipping, shenanigans in an SUV and proof that coming out to your family on social media is a dicey proposition.]]> 338 Sarina Bowen Deanna 4 4.24 2015
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/14
date added: 2025/03/14
shelves:
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]]> 208428469 An instant USA Today bestseller.

LobsterShorts, 21. Jock. Secretly a science geek. Hot AF.

So. Here goes. For her birthday, my girlfriend wants…a threesome.

Then you’ve come to the right hookup app.

Have you done this sort of thing before? With another guy?

All the time. I’m an equal opportunity player. You?

[crickets!]

SinnerThree, 21. Finance major. Secretly a male dancer. Hot AF. Well, I’m down if you are. My life is kind of a mess right now. School, work, family stress. Oh, and I live next door to the most annoying dude in the world. I need the distraction. Are you sure you want this?

I might want it a little more than I’m willing to admit.

Hey, nothing wrong with pushing your boundaries...

Tell that to my control-freak father. Anyway. What if this threesome is awkward?

Then it’s awkward. It’s not like we’ll ever have to see each other again. Right? Just promise you won’t fall in love with me.

Now wouldn’t that be life-changing...

Q&A about Top Have we met these characters before in another book?

No! These guys are brand new, and we can’t wait for you to meet them.

Is this story MM? Or is it a MMF / MFM / menage?

This book is MM.

Is this a love triangle story?

Not really. You’ll see.]]> 282 Sarina Bowen Deanna 4 3.99 2019
author: Sarina Bowen
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/11
date added: 2025/03/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 76714487 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Chaol Westfall and Nesryn Faliq have arrived in the shining city of Antica to forge an alliance with the Khagan of the Southern Continent, whose vast armies are Erilea's last hope. But they have also come to Antica for another purpose: to seek healing at the famed Torre Cesme for the wounds Chaol received in Rifthold.

After enduring unspeakable horrors as a child, Yrene Towers has no desire to help the young lord from Adarlan, let alone heal him. Yet she has sworn an oath to assist those in need—and will honor it. But Lord Westfall carries shadows from his own past, and Yrene soon comes to realize they could engulf them both.

In this sweeping parallel novel to the New York Times bestselling Empire of Storms, Chaol, Nesryn, and Yrene will have to draw on every scrap of their resilience if they wish to save their friends. But while they become entangled in the political webs of the khaganate, deep in the shadows of mighty mountains where warriors soar on legendary ruks, long-awaited answers slumber. Answers that might offer their world a chance at survival—or doom them all . . .]]> 663 Sarah J. Maas 1639731040 Deanna 5 4.26 2017
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/09
shelves:
review:

]]> 76713323 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

The long path to the throne has only just begun for Aelin Galathynius as war looms on the horizon. Loyalties have been broken and bought, friends have been lost and gained, and those who possess magic find themselves at odds with those who don't.

With her heart sworn to the warrior-prince by her side, and her fealty pledged to the people she is determined to save, Aelin will delve into the depths of her power to protect those she loves. But as monsters emerge from the horrors of the past, and dark forces become poised to claim her world, the only chance for salvation will lie in a desperate quest that may mark the end of everything Aelin holds dear.

In this breathtaking fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling Throne of Glass series, Aelin will have to choose what—and who—to sacrifice if she's to keep the world of Erilea from breaking apart.]]> 693 Sarah J. Maas 1639731024 Deanna 4 4.66 2016
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/09
date added: 2025/03/09
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review:

]]> 214574116 The only thing worse than letting him in is the thought of letting him go.

Jackson
If there’s one thing I don’t need upsetting my quiet and comfortable routine in the small town of Darling, Montana, it’s newcomer Ash Alcott crash landing on my family’s ranch like some sort of blonde angel.

I don’t need his flirting. Or his smile. I don’t need the way he makes me question whether or not I’m truly happy being alone at forty. I certainly don’t need to be giving him riding lessons or appreciating the meals he cooks for the ranch.

The man is dangerous for my equilibrium. And he could up and leave at any given moment, tiring of this way of life. It’s happened before.

No, I’m better off ignoring the way he looks at home in a new pair of boots and how my family and the ranchers all adore him. Ash may have brought some sunshine into our lives, but it’s best he learn sooner rather than later�

Ain’t nothing sweet about being saddled with a cowboy like me.

Sweet Like Whiskey is a grumpy/sunshine, small town romance between a stubborn cowboy and the optimistic out-of-towner who’s determined to win him over. There’s ranch life, close-knit family dynamics, gorgeous mountain views, moonlit shenanigans in a hayloft, and one very HEA. It’s book 1 in The Darling Brothers series but can be read as a standalone.]]> 308 Emmy Sanders Deanna 4 4.27 2024
author: Emmy Sanders
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/08
date added: 2025/03/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 220205871 Mira
Once upon a time, I was engaged to a Bratva prince.

Our marriage was supposed to bring our two crime families together.
But when my father abruptly called off the wedding...
Andrei Sidorov became our mortal enemy.

Too bad nobody told my traitorous heart.

Three hundred and sixty four days of the year, I’m a dutiful mafia daughter.
I’m obedient. Pliant.

But once a year, I steal one night for myself.
I meet Andrei in secret at a poker game in a luxurious club in Venice.
I spend a few forbidden hours with an enigmatic and ruthless man, a man whose dark eyes promise things I can’t let myself believe.

But when my family arranges my marriage to someone else, I have to choose. Their good fortune�
Or the deepest, darkest desires of my heart.

Andrei
She thinks I come to Venice to participate in a stupid poker game?
Mira’s always been the prize.
And my lisichka is about to realize that I always play to win.

Mafia Prize is a standalone mafia romance novella with an obsessed Bratva heir who will do whatever it takes to win his bride. No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed.]]> 60 Tara Crescent Deanna 3 4.11 2024
author: Tara Crescent
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/03
date added: 2025/03/03
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]]> 223199392 Two good neighbors make the best of a bad Valentine’s Day in a funny and improbably romantic short story by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend, and Charlotte and Seth are not looking for romance. Armed with emotional-support bear spray, Charlotte is in self-imposed isolation and on guard from men. Having a stalker can do that to a person’s nerves. Just across the hall and giving off woodsy vibes is Seth, a recently divorced arborist. As in today recently. Heights, he’s fine with. Trust? Not so much. But when disaster traps them one flight up and no way down, an outrageously precarious predicament forces a tree-loving guy and a rattled girl next door to embrace their captivity. Soon their defenses are breaking away. Considering how close they both are to the edge, Charlotte and Seth could be in danger of falling—in love.]]> 82 Abby Jimenez 1662529082 Deanna 3 4.12 2025
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2025
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/02
date added: 2025/03/02
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]]> 61153578 Sergei

Home,
Bratva is my home.
My sanctuary from the past.
The only place where a killing machine like me belongs.

Sometimes, my demons come rushing back,
And I feel out of control, full of rage,
Close to losing myself completely.

Until a broken, injured woman stumbles onto my path,
Awakening my protective instincts,
And sending my demons to sleep.

Keeping her prisoner is my only option.
If she leaves,
My darkness will resurface,
And there will be no escaping it this time.

Angelina

Escape,
That’s all I can do,
Only to end up in the hands of a crazed killer.

Now, I’m fighting to stay away from my enemies,
And trying to not fall for a man I shouldn’t want.

But what will happen when we both reveal our hidden truths?

*Hidden Truths is a full-length novel with several open-door steamy scenes, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA.

This is the third book in Perfectly Imperfect mafia series. Each book in this series features a different couple and can be read as a standalone, but for maximum enjoyment, follow the recommended reading order. ]]> 266 Neva Altaj 1961423170 Deanna 0 to-read 4.11 2022
author: Neva Altaj
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 76707900 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she’s at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past�

She has embraced her identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen. But before she can reclaim her throne, she must fight.

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die for her. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen’s triumphant return.

The fourth volume in the New York Times bestselling series continues Celaena’s epic journey and builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.]]> 648 Sarah J. Maas 1639731008 Deanna 4 4.64 2015
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/22
date added: 2025/02/22
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]]> 126062562
When Celaena's scheming master, Arobynn Hamel, dispatches her on missions that take her from remote islands to hostile deserts, she finds herself acting independently of his wishes—and questioning her own allegiance. Along the way, she makes friends and enemies alike, and discovers that she feels far more for Sam than just friendship. But by defying Arobynn’s orders, Celaena risks unimaginable punishment, and with Sam by her side, he is in danger, too. They will have to risk it all if they hope to escape Arobynn’s clutches—and if they fail, they’ll lose not just a chance at freedom, but their lives . . .

A prequel to Throne of Glass, this collection of five novellas offers readers a deeper look into the history of this cunning assassin and her enthralling—and deadly—world.

Included in this volume:
The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
The Assassin and the Healer
The Assassin and the Desert
The Assassin and the Underworld
The Assassin and the Empire]]> 451 Sarah J. Maas 1619632217 Deanna 4 4.16 2014
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/14
date added: 2025/02/14
shelves:
review:

]]> 76706470 576 Sarah J. Maas Deanna 4 4.44 2014
author: Sarah J. Maas
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2014
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/11
date added: 2025/02/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 123170270
After spending years training to defend my people from our enemies, I never expected that my enemy would be the one keeping me alive.

Athos is the last human city. A treaty with the Fae keeps the fae, the vampires, and the wolf shifters at bay, while we fight against the dragons at our border. Being a human in this world is dangerous and we all make sacrifices to survive.

When the delegation sent by the Fae King arrives to claim the human tributes required by our treaty, I never expected to forge a connection with their leader.

Ryvin is as dangerous as he is handsome. I know he’s my enemy, and I know I’m supposed to hate him, but with each passing day, he’s more difficult to resist.

But things are changing in Athos. Humans no longer want to bend to the Fae King.

Alliances blur and centuries of lies begin to unravel.

And I’m faced with a choice.

No matter how much I hate him, Ryvin might be the key to preventing war.

But it may mean sacrificing everything�.

Kingdom of Blood and Salt is the first book in a fantasy romance trilogy with fae, vampires, and shifters. This enemies to lovers series contains violence, mature language, and spice. This is a NA/adult fantasy romance and steam level will increase as the series progresses. Mind the cliff.]]> 330 Alexis Calder Deanna 3 3.96 2023
author: Alexis Calder
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/08
date added: 2025/02/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 199908460 In the sizzling hockey romance that has taken TikTok by storm, a dedicated player struggles with the number one team don’t go near the captain’s sister. “Funny, vulnerable, and relatable. Mack writes hot, steamy stories interweaved with real, raw emotions perfectly. Play With Me is a 10 out of 10.� —Hannah Grace, New York Times bestselling author of Wildfire and Icebreaker The second book in the globally popular Playing for Keeps series.He’s found the perfect person—but she’s the only one he can’t be with� Garrett Andersen knows that playing professional hockey requires absolute dedication to the rules. There’s just one rule he’s finding difficult to stay away from his captain’s younger sister. As a professional dancer, Jennie Beckett knows what it takes to excel. She prides herself on being every bit as confident and bold as her brother, sassy as hell, and the only person in charge of her pleasure. No wonder Garrett can’t stay away from her—even if he forgets how to form sentences whenever she’s around. Jennie would rather avoid her brother’s teammate, especially after several embarrassing run-ins, but suddenly they’re neighbors. And as the connection between them grows, Garrett and Jennie decide to have some fun, no strings attached. Between their busy schedules and her brother’s disapproval, they know keeping things casual and low-key is the smartest play. But what if their feelings get in the way? After all, they’re only supposed to be playing with each other…]]> 541 Becka Mack 1668059215 Deanna 5 4.07 2022
author: Becka Mack
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2025/02/07
date added: 2025/02/07
shelves:
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]]> 58902005 Asmodeus, Prince of Hell, just wants to play music. Jazz, specifically.

Unfortunately, he’s a demon, and he’s supposed to be evil. A career as a musician isn’t exactly an option.
And he’s cursed, to top it all off.

Sick of playing by the rules, Ash and his brothers escape Hell in search of freedom on Earth, only to discover it’s harder than they thought to keep their enemies off their tail. The four rogues quickly become the Underworld’s Most Wanted, and if they’re caught�
The consequences will be dire.

Everything changes for Ash when he meets a beautiful violinist who can see through his curse. It must be too good to be true, but he can’t resist the temptation.
No matter the risk, he has to have her.

Evangeline Gregory is just your average human. She works at a jazz bar, plays gigs on weekends�
And, apparently, hallucinates demons.

At least, that’s what she tells herself happens when, moments after she meets the man of her dreams, she sees him shift into a seven-foot-tall, red-skinned monster.

Not believing her own eyes, Eva decides to investigate and soon finds herself caught in the middle of a supernatural clusterf**k of epic proportions. But Ash isn’t the only one keeping secrets, and the search for answers reveals a shocking truth that will change the course of her life forever.

Or maybe just doom it.


My Funny Demon Valentine is a steamy paranormal romance about learning how to love (and what love is in the first place) with an HEA, clothes-ripping-hot love scenes, and a crew of devilish demon brothers who are supposed to be the bad guys.
There’s violence, sex, and too much swearing. You’ve been warned.]]> 360 Aurora Ascher 1777853206 Deanna 2 3.77 2021
author: Aurora Ascher
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2025/02/02
date added: 2025/02/02
shelves:
review:

]]> 203499988 He was my beginning. And my never-ending.

Ellis
There’s a lot I’ve never told my best friend. The fact that I love him. That I miss him every day he’s gone. That, sometimes, I ache for him with a ferocity that leaves me breathless.

Lucky Buchanan tore into my life as a boy, wild and daring, my opposite in every way. He drew me in, stole my heart without trying. He hears me, even though I rarely speak a word. But I always knew this place wouldn’t be enough for my free-spirited friend. I knew he wasn’t mine to keep.

So why, when I finally try to get over him, does he sweep back into town? Why is he upset? Why is there tension between us for the first time in years?

I never saw a future where Lucky could be mine. But now, unless I want to lose my friend, I might not have a choice but to tell the truth. My heart belongs to him. It has from the start.

If only I knew how to hold onto a creature that’s meant to fly.

To Catch a Firefly is a standalone, childhood friends-to-lovers romance told in dual POV. There’s epic levels of pining, a neurodivergent MC with selective mutism, two friends who always come back to one another, glass hearts and romantic declarations, and a HEA beneath the night sky.]]> 313 Emmy Sanders Deanna 5 4.41 2024
author: Emmy Sanders
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/30
date added: 2025/01/30
shelves:
review:

]]> 199908056 541 Becka Mack 1668059193 Deanna 4 3.64 2022
author: Becka Mack
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.64
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/29
date added: 2025/01/29
shelves:
review:

]]> 222867214
As an object shifter, Nash couldn’t wait to see what his form would be. But when he shifted into a sports car at 19, he never imagined he’d be unable to shift back.

The two have been a team for nearly a decade, and this year is their best shot at winning it all. But when things go awry and a cute mechanic named Charlie stumbles into their lives, they discover there may be more to life than just racing.

Will Charlie put aside her fears and embrace her burgeoning feelings for Sloan and Nash? Will the two men choose each other over winning? Or will it all fall apart before the finish line?]]> 157 Clover Holloway Deanna 3 4.59
author: Clover Holloway
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.59
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/26
date added: 2025/01/26
shelves:
review:

]]> 209439446
Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.]]> 527 Rebecca Yarros 1649374186 Deanna 5 4.18 2025
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/25
date added: 2025/01/25
shelves:
review:

]]> 219876684 In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?

Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.]]> 68 Fredrik Backman 1662526520 Deanna 4 3.94 2024
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/20
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:

]]> 107525361 With little-to-no renovation experience but a large sum of inheritance money, Lane enlists the help of her friend Matt—a mechanic by trade, handyman by practice, and hottie by nature.
While their mutual attraction is undeniable, Matt and Lane have silently agreed that a friendship is the only thing that could ever exist between them. Matt's a total family guy with "settle down with me" tattooed across his forehead whereas Lane is entirely commitment-averse.
So, when Matt offers to help her with the bus and in the bedroom with no strings attached, Lane’s feelings evolve faster than you can say “just good friends.� But she soon discovers that in order to build something new, she has to first heal her past.

_____________
Next To You is a standalone friends to idiots to lovers romance featuring a tattooed, anxious, chaotic bisexual lead and a cinnamon-roll hero with a heart of gold and filthy mouth. Featuring meddling friends, an escapee pet rabbit, an aggressive amount of siblings, and a doomed wedding. Read as these two friends who are definitely *not* in love attempt to keep their sex free from attachments and find their happily ever after, after grief has put a pause on life.
_____________
Trigger warnings: Sudden death of parent from car accident (referenced throughout) Anxiety/PTSD symptoms and treatments.]]> 416 Hannah Bonam-Young Deanna 4 3.95 2022
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves:
review:

]]> 209220944
But Sarah has begun to wonder... Who is she without her other half?

When she decides to take on a project of her own, a fundraising gala in memoriam of her late mother, Sarah wants nothing more than to prove to herself—and to everyone else—that she doesn’t need Caleb’s help to succeed. She’s still her mother’s daughter, after all. Independent and capable.

That is until the event fails and Caleb uninvitedly steps in to save the day.

The rift that follows unearths a decade of grievances between them and doubts begin to grow. Are they truly the same people they were when they got married at nineteen? Are they supposed to be?

In a desperate attempt to fix what they fear is near breaking, Sarah and Caleb make the spontaneous decision to join a grueling hiking trip intended to guide couples through rough patches.

What follows is a life-affirming comedy of errors as two nature-averse people fight their way out of the woods in order to find their way back to their roots.]]> 336 Hannah Bonam-Young 0593871863 Deanna 0 to-read 4.01 2025
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 222501188 Giving gifts has never been so deadly�

When Brenda partakes in a game of ‘Secret Santa� with her friends, she is expecting some harmless festive fun. But she gets a lot more than she bargained for when she makes a shocking discovery, one that turns the simple act of swapping gifts into a deadly game of revenge, murder and mystery.

Some gifts are best left undelivered�

A fast-paced psychological thriller short story full of twists from the bestselling author of UK #1 The Doctor’s Wife , The Couple’s Revenge and Til Death Do Us Part ]]> 62 Daniel Hurst Deanna 0 to-read 3.85
author: Daniel Hurst
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.85
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60192737 A USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Amazon Charts bestselling novel

The first letter arrived the day my husband was buried. It was postmarked from the state penitentiary, and contained a single sentence:

I’ll wait forever if I have to.

It was signed by Dante, a man I didn’t know.

Out of simple curiosity, I wrote back to ask him what exactly he was waiting for. His reply?

You.

I told the mystery man he had the wrong girl. He said he didn’t. I said we’d never met, but he said I was wrong.

We went back and forth, exchanging letters every week that grew increasingly more intimate. Then one day, the letters stopped. When I found out why, it was already too late.

Dante was at my doorstep.

And nothing on earth could have prepared me for what happened next.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WARNING:

This novel contains content intended for a mature audience only. Due to explicit language, graphic sex, detailed depictions of death and grief, intense power play dynamics, and other possible triggers, it is not suitable for sensitive readers. (Full list of TWs on author's website.)]]> 320 J.T. Geissinger Deanna 4 4.11 2022
author: J.T. Geissinger
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/16
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves:
review:

]]> 61047552 Mikhail

The Italian and Russian mafias are at war,
And it is brutal.
We’re both ruthless, relentless, and unforgiving.
But then, the decision is made to merge our worlds,
A marriage between the two sides.

The most beautiful woman of the Italian mafia,
And the Bratva's most feared monster.

I loved her from afar for so long,
And I finally get to have her as my own.
But will she run away,
When she realizes who I really am?

Bianca

Anything,
I would do anything for my sister,
Even marry into Bratva to keep her safe.
I expected a vicious, cold-hearted savage,
But I am in for a surprise.

This scarred, frightening man,
Is everything I have ever wanted.

Now, it’s up to me,
To break down his walls,
And destroy the barriers between us
With broken whispers.

*Broken Whispers is a full-length novel with several open-door steamy scenes, no cheating and a guaranteed HEA.

This is the second book in Perfectly Imperfect mafia series. Each book in this series features a different couple and can be read as a standalone, but for maximum enjoyment, follow the recommended reading order.]]> 232 Neva Altaj 1961423162 Deanna 3 4.01 2022
author: Neva Altaj
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> 201017011 “I don’t need another kink.�

That thought pops into my head whenever I pull up my favorite social media app, but alas, every time I scroll, I learn something new about myself, and another one is born. And yes, I know I’m responsible for what the algorithm shows me, but I’m trying to ignore that fact.

Lately, my feed has been dominated by masked men. I’ve favorited videos with them dressed in full cosplay, decked out in futuristic military apparel, and wrapped up like ghouls.

But more than anything else, my FYP is filled with shirtless men wearing ghost masks. Bonus points if they’re heavily tattooed, wielding a knife, or covered in fake blood. At night, I dream about being chased by them, of them catching me and doing deliciously dark things to my more than willing body.

I never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become my new reality.

Lights Out is a fast-paced dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes and scenes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the TWs at the beginning of the book. ]]> 338 Navessa Allen Deanna 4 4.17 2024
author: Navessa Allen
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/12
date added: 2025/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> 125311382 544 Laura Thalassa 1728280133 Deanna 4 3.97 2019
author: Laura Thalassa
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/08
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 123272656 They came to earth—Pestilence, War, Famine, Death—four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

When Pestilence comes for Sara Burn’s town, one thing is certain: everyone she knows and loves is marked for death. Unless, of course, the angelic-looking horseman is stopped, which is exactly what Sara has in mind when she shoots the unholy beast off his steed.

Too bad no one told her Pestilence can’t be killed.

Now the horseman, very much alive and very pissed off, has taken her prisoner, and he’s eager to make her suffer. Only, the longer she’s with him, the more uncertain she is about his true feelings towards her� and hers towards him.

And now, well, Sara might still be able to save the world, but in order to do so, she'll have to sacrifice her heart in the process.

From bestselling indie author Laura Thalassa comes a dark fantasy romance between the Horseman Pestilence and Sara, the girl who shoots Pestilence down only to realize he can't be killed. He takes her as prisoner, but the longer they're together, the more uncertain their feelings for each other grow.]]> 416 Laura Thalassa 1728280168 Deanna 4 3.82 2018
author: Laura Thalassa
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/03
date added: 2025/01/03
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]]> 61769285 I got my name from breaking the bones of a kid who picked on my younger brother, but that’s only where it started. My black heart craves violence, and being a King gives me plenty of opportunities.

When a friend comes to me for help because someone he loves is in danger, I’m happy to do so. After all, my friends are few, and they are my family.

Once I have her, I do what I have to in order to protect her. She thinks she’s in hell, but this is child’s play compared to what she would have faced.

She’s an innocent through and through and completely off-limits. But that’s not enough to stop me from doing what I do best—taking what’s mine.

MIA
I was born into a deadly Mafia family, yet I’m a nobody. To the world, I don’t exist.

Shuffled from Vegas as a child and sent to Italy for my protection, I became invisible. Until they found a use for me. Now I’m a card my father can play. A chance to cash in on the family name to the highest bidder.

Taken from my home, I’m sold to a King. His hard blue eyes take no prisoners. He’s just another pretty face to hide the evil and in no way my savior.

Now I know what hell looks like because I’m living it. But just when I think I can finally be free, it all comes crashing down, and the King I thought would end me is the only one who can save me.

All I wanted was to be somebody, but now I wish I’d stayed the nobody.

BONES is the fifth book in The Dark Kingdom Series and can be read as a standalone. Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. This novel may contain triggers.]]> 329 Shantel Tessier Deanna 4 4.44 2022
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2024/12/31
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]]> 60168464 Have you ever stood next to a fire and felt the heat of it on your skin? Stared into the flames and thought how amazing it would be to be that free? It changes direction with the wind, destroying everything in its wake.

That's what she felt like.

Alexa was a wildfire that torched everything she touched, and I couldn't wait to be consumed by her.

She was off-limits. Even though I promised to stay away, I couldn't resist. She was the spark I had been missing in my life. The fire I craved. I knew from an early age I was destined to burn in hell, but she was born to walk through fire.

ALEXA
I was single-minded, focused, and independent. Just how my mother raised me. I didn't have time for anything other than myself and work.

Funny how everything can change in an instant when you least expect it.

A King entered my life.

What was supposed to be one night ended up being too many to count. He was afraid that I'd see his darkness, but I couldn't get enough of him.

After all, a fire burns the brightest in the dark of night. And it only takes one match to cause total devastation.

CROSS is the fourth book in The Dark Kingdom Series and can be read as a standalone. Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. This novel may contain triggers.]]> 248 Shantel Tessier Deanna 4 4.44
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.44
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/27
date added: 2024/12/27
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]]> 218137764 A small-town Christmas novella by the New York Times bestselling author of LAKEFRONT BILLIONAIRES series that will make you want to pack your bags and spend the holiday in Lake Wisteria.

Catalina
Playing the part of my sister’s maid of honor is easy even if she’s marrying my ex.
But playing nice with the best man? An impossible task given our history.
Sure, Luke Darling may be suspiciously kind, incredibly handsome, and stubborn to a fault, but regardless of how hard he tries to make me see otherwise, I’m not interested.
It’s on me to remind him that he’s my ex-boyfriend’s best friend.
And the one I’m secretly starting to wish I met first.

Luke
My job as the best man is a simple one, except for one minor issue.
I’ve spent so much time avoiding my best friend’s ex that I didn’t consider what could happen if I started craving Catalina Martinez’s company instead.
She is only in Lake Wisteria for the winter wedding, but her January departure date won’t stop me from pursuing her.
Getting her to date me would be nothing short of a Christmas miracle, but I’m determined to make her mine.
‘Tis the season to fall in love…even if I’m the only one taking the risk.

My December Darling is a 50,000 word, Christmas-themed romance between a grumpy maid of honor and an outgoing best man who chases after what he wants. ]]> 252 Lauren Asher 1964990025 Deanna 4 3.72 2024
author: Lauren Asher
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
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]]> 94167610
Agent Tori Hunter is heartbroken at the murders of Cam and Gracie, two college students dating for just a few months, shot dead outside his aunt’s home. With witnesses in this once-peaceful neighborhood saying they saw a black car speed away, Tori is desperately tracking it down when a nine-year-old girl is found sitting alone on a park bench, refusing to speak. No one in this small community knows who she is� is she somehow linked to the murders?

Visiting little Alisha as she huddles in her pink coat, Tori quickly realizes she is deaf. As her hands move in sign language, Tori makes out her message: We had to run from the lady in the black car. I want to go home.

Did Alisha witness Cam and Gracie’s killer? Tori is racing to follow her directions to a lonely cabin deep in the pine forest when she gets an anonymous call from a female voice that makes her blood run cold. “Hello, Tori. To keep Alisha safe you need to do exactly as I say…�

Is Tori speaking to the killer, or is putting her trust in this mysterious woman her one hope of catching the true perpetrator? As more phone calls come, it’s clear the voice knows all about a cold case from Tori’s past—and that Tori must confront this twisted mind, and her own darkest demons before more innocent lives are lost.

An absolutely unputdownable read that will have you gasping at the twists and turns. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Gregg Olsen and Melinda Leigh.]]> 440 Roger Stelljes 183790152X Deanna 0 to-read 4.49 2023
author: Roger Stelljes
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: to-read
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]]> 59512475 Can YOU be Scared... to Death?The most frightening day of the year isn't Halloween. It isn't Friday the 13th. The scariest day of the year, in fact, is today--because today is the day you enter... The House.HAUNTED is a horror story unlike any other -- YOU are the main character. After a mysterious invitation, you're set to spend three nights in a severely haunted house as part of a television show called The Offering. If you can make it through to the end, you'll walk away with one million dollars. But this game, like the uncanny inhabitants of the Tansky House, might prove far deadlier than any horror you've previously imagined.Praise for

"One helluva ghost story."-Shirley Jackson, author of The Haunting of Hill House"I'd seal my enemies in a cellar with a copy of HAUNTED, but that would be too good for them."-Edgar Allan Poe, creator of the horror genre"Decent story. Could've used more gables. ★★�"-Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The House of Seven GablesHere's how it You, Dear Reader, are the main character of this story. The House will change and mold itself to your fears -- based on your own choices. Tansky House holds many secrets...what should you do?

Explore the grounds meticulously. Anything could be a clue! Go to page 232Take a drink (or two) from the ample bar, then hide in my bedroom. Go to page 13Ghost, ghouls, devils, and madmen, oh my! Stop yelling "Don't go into the basement!" and live your own interactive horror movie. Whether you get your chills from Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring, and The Exorcist, or if your goosebumps come from slashers like the Scream, Saw, or The Purge* franchises, you'll find a custom horror story waiting for you inside HAUNTED. You're in control now... but can you make it out alive? Or will you be scared to death?

Get HAUNTED!

* Click Your Poison is in no way associated with these other brands and 1954747020 978-1954747029]]> 283 James Schannep Deanna 0 to-read 3.74
author: James Schannep
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.74
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/24
shelves: to-read
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]]> 204898722 USA TODAY bestselling author Sarah Morgan returns with a heartfelt story of friendship, finding yourself, and the surprising ties that bring us together.

To the outside world, Imogen is a marketing dynamo. Her colleagues don’t know that while her high-achieving professional image is real, the happy childhood stories she spins are as fake as her pretend enthusiasm for Christmas. Working 24/7 has always been her solution to surviving the festive season—until burnout leads to a catastrophic blunder.

Suddenly, Imogen is handed a holiday gift she definitely doesn’t want: enforced time off work to recuperate. Then an invitation arrives from her favorite client, Dorothy, to stay at her guest cottage in the Cotswolds. From the thatched roof to the cozy open fireplace, Holly Cottage is a picture-perfect haven� Can it provide the fresh start Imogen so desperately needs?

For Dorothy, helping Imogen offers a longed-for chance to make reparations for her own past. But as her daughter Sara keeps reminding her, it brings risks, too. Yet Dorothy knows that only a leap of courage will allow her family to grow and heal. And perhaps this Christmas, with Dorothy’s help, the new life that Imogen is slowly piecing together could be better than anything either of them could imagine…]]> 361 Sarah Morgan Deanna 0 to-read 4.24 2024
author: Sarah Morgan
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2024
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/12/24
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]]> 217538341 25 days, 25 chapters. This December, the countdown to Christmas will chill you to the bone.

Hoping to bring his family closer together, Adam Gray arranges a vacation in a remote cabin on a snowy mountain. Things take a dark turn, however, when someone starts leaving gifts in the Christmas stocking mounted on the barn door.

Each morning brings something new, and with every passing day, the contents become more terrifying. Soon, the family makes a spine-chilling they’ve been dragged into a deranged game of Secret Santa, and if they want to survive, they will have to fight.]]> 360 Per Jacobsen 8794319308 Deanna 4 3.65
author: Per Jacobsen
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.65
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
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]]> 219425402 They’re my brother’s best friends.
Three ruggedly handsome triplets.
And now� my fake boyfriends.

What’s worse than finding your fiancé cheating on you with your best friend on your wedding day? Having to return to the scene of the crime.

But when my mother begs me to come back to my small hometown for Christmas, I can’t say no. It’s been a few years since I left, and I miss my family� and the three triplets who are my brother’s best friends (and my secret childhood crushes).

What I didn’t expect was that all three Cooper brothers would offer to pose as my fake boyfriends as a way to stick it to my ex and stop the town gossips from constantly rehashing my wedding day debacle.

Only a fool would turn down an offer like that, right?

Especially when kisses under the mistletoe start to feel real, and they all get growly and possessive if another man so much as looks at me. They even insist I stay with them for the holidays when the place I booked turns out to be a dump.

But when they find the bucket list I wrote after I broke up with my ex—the very naughty bucket list—I get the biggest surprise of all.

Because they want to help me cross off every item on the list.

This is a brother’s best friends, fake dating, forced proximity holiday romance, with a spicy bucket list and an adorable, panty stealing dog. It is a complete standalone.]]> 444 Callie Rose Deanna 3 4.11
author: Callie Rose
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
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]]> 63109129 Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Devney Perry. Three small-town romance novellas about three brothers and the women who make their holiday dreams come true. This collection features The Naughty, The Nice and The Nanny, Three Bells, Two Bows and One Brother's Best Friend, and A Partridge and a Pregnancy.]]> 446 Devney Perry 1957376252 Deanna 4 4.15 2022
author: Devney Perry
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/19
date added: 2024/12/19
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]]> 102189639 Jingle all the way to Silver Bells, Wyoming, for the coziest holiday read of the season!

Clumsy, earnest baker Sylvie West has worked at the Christmas Café in Silver Bells, Wyoming, ever since her boozy eggnog fruitcake won the town’s annual holiday bakeoff fifteen years ago. Her forever happy place, the café compliments her sweet, well-ordered life with her roommates: recently-widowed Gramps and her yappy chihuahua-pug Crumpet.

When Sylvie learns the café might be sold, she’s determined to put the Christmas Café on the map in a big way. Good thing the Holiday Channel* is filming in Silver Bells. And how perfect of bra-snatching Crumpet to have forced an awkward encounter with the film’s charming lead actor, Royce. When Gramps and Sylvie make a pact to be brave this Christmas, Sylvie knows just how to stretch her wings and save the Christmas Café in the process: get the film team to set a scene at the café!

Between her newfound acting gig, a booth at the Christmas Festival, an appearance at the Christmas Parade, and a budding romance with Royce, Sylvie has a lot on her plate. Good thing her old friend, gruff yet reliable Abe has just come back home to manage his parents� goat farm. That is, until she catches herself feeling all too merry and bright in his presence. With a little help from family, friends, Crumpet, and the goat farmer down the way, Sylvie just might make this Christmas the sweetest she’s ever had…]]> 315 Eliza Evans 0593544579 Deanna 3 3.49 2023
author: Eliza Evans
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/13
date added: 2024/12/13
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]]> 205800861 From the author of The Christmas Wager comes a charming holiday rom-com about a young, recently heartbroken woman who is tasked by her sister to complete Advent calendar challenges in the lead up to Christmas to reignite her belief in herself, the holidays, and love again.

She’s given up on love and Christmas…but fate has other plans.

All Callie wants for Christmas is to hibernate. She's still reeling from being dumped by her childhood sweetheart, and under no circumstances will she go home for the holidays considering her ex will be right next door with his new, perfect partner. Callie is officially in grinch mode, but her meddling sister, Anita, won’t let her give up on life, love, and Christmas quite so easily.

Anita stages a Christmas intervention for Callie with a homemade Advent calendar challenge—cheerful tasks to push Callie out of her comfort zone and into the holiday spirit, inspired by a childhood tradition. Callie reluctantly plays along, but when she comes face-to-face with a charming baker who just might be the spoonful of sugar she needs, her strict rules on love and the holidays are tested.

As they strike a deal to do the activities together, could the twenty four little doors on Callie’s Advent calendar not only open up one, but two closed-off hearts?]]> 316 Holly Cassidy 0593716272 Deanna 4 3.65 2024
author: Holly Cassidy
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/10
date added: 2024/12/10
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]]> 220186145 It’s the most hateful time of the year�

There’s only one thing Olivia Griswold hates more than her brother’s best friend, Aaron Marino.

The NHL’s favorite playboy has hordes of adoring fans, but to her, he’s still the cocky jerk she’s loathed since high school.

But when Aaron hears Olivia’s spending the holidays with her roommates from hell, he offers her a place to escape to.

His place, to be exact.

In return, all she has to do is be his date to his hockey team’s Christmas gala. It seems simple enough, but Olivia soon discovers that sleeping behind enemy lines is a dangerous game—especially when the enemy looks like that.

Olivia knows she’s playing with fire, but she won’t let herself get burned again.

And they do say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer�

Get ready for delicious enemies-to-lovers banter and tension with tons of festive cheer in this charming hockey rom com. Holiday Hostilities is a closed door/fade to black romance that includes mild language, innuendo, and suggestive humor.]]> 332 Katie Bailey Deanna 4 3.99
author: Katie Bailey
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.99
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/06
date added: 2024/12/06
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]]> 201919785 ‘Tis the season to get even�

When Maddie Grainger’s longtime boyfriend dumps her on TV for the entire world to see, she thinks she’s hit rock bottom.

Until her parents announce that they’re spending the holidays with her ex’s family� And he’ll be bringing the woman he left her for.

All Maddie wants for Christmas is to stick it to her cheating ex. But how?

Enter Sebastian Slater, the NHL’s most infamous player.

On a drunken night out in Vegas, Maddie asks the superstar athlete to pose as her new boyfriend. She’s kidding, mostly. But Seb shocks her by making a counter offer: he doesn’t want to date Maddie for the holidays� he wants to marry her.

Show up at her ex’s cabin alone, or with a surprise new hockey-playing husband? Maddie opts for the ultimate level up.

Because maybe, just maybe, revenge is a dish best served betrothed.

Sparks fly and Christmas cheer is abundant in this festive marriage of convenience rom com. Season’s Schemings is a closed door/fade to black romance that includes mild language, innuendo, and tons of sizzle without the spice.]]> 262 Katie Bailey Deanna 4 4.02
author: Katie Bailey
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.02
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> 209669184
Thirty-five hours, twenty-nine minutes, and fifteen seconds.

I should know. I counted myself."

Amidst the gaslit alleys and cobblestone streets of Victorian London, two killers find themselves entangled in a waltz they cannot escape.

Alina Lis, a botanist and hobbyist poisoner, has a pastime of killing unsavory men in her twisted sense of poetic justice. When she targets the conceited playboy, Silas Forbes, only to find him in her apothecary the following week, she discovers human men are the least of her problems.

The pair’s unlikely association sparks gossip among affluent society. As their mysterious bond deepens, a chilling truth emerges—concealed identities, lurking foes, and questions as plentiful as the hydra’s head brew within this haunting Gothic tale of violent passion.

Will Silas and Alina find themselves in each other's arms, or will the shadows of their past keep them apart?]]> 442 I.V. Ophelia Deanna 3 3.44
author: I.V. Ophelia
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.44
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/30
date added: 2024/11/30
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]]> 44415674 My life went to hell years ago, and I've had a death wish ever since then with fast cars, women, and drugs. They don't call me Grave for nothing!

But I do it because I need to feel something... anything. What's life worth living for without the high?

And then I saw her!

She's too good for me, and I should stay away. But like an addict, I switch one drug for another, and I'll be taking her to hell with me.

APRIL
I'm anything but sweet, despite what people think, so when he tells me I'm too good for him and I'm better off without him, I don't listen.

My life was simple before Grave stepped through that door, but who wants simple?

He makes me feel alive. It took one touch, and I became addicted!

But therein lies the problem. Addiction is Grave's middle name, and when he tells me he's taking me to hell with him, I don't know whether to take that as a threat or a promise!]]> 244 Shantel Tessier Deanna 3 4.36 2020
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/28
date added: 2024/11/28
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]]> 210298804 The TikTok sensation from the UK has come to North America! This special first edition hardcover will include a gorgeous, shimmering jacket with effects, beautifully illustrated endpapers and detailed-stained edges.

A mind-blowing murder mystery on a ship full of magical passengers. If Agatha Christie wrote fantasy, this would be it!

For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor’s ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain. Aboard are the twelve heirs of the provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

All except one: Ganymedes Piscero—class clown, slacker and all-around disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people and without a Blessing to protect him, Ganymedes’s odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret Blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?]]> 464 Frances White 0778387429 Deanna 4 3.80 2024
author: Frances White
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
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]]> 221764098
In her Bright World, follow Grace, a young girl with special needs, as she navigates school, friendships, and everyday adventures. Whether she’s figuring out how to communicate, play with her friends, or simply understand something new, Grace shows that every obstacle is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Grace's determination is contagious! She discovers that with a little creativity and a lot of perseverance, she can turn difficult moments into successes. This inspiring story will encourage children to see challenges as stepping stones and remind them that being different is something to celebrate.

Join Grace on her journey of self-discovery and resilience. OH YES I CAN is a beautiful reminder for all children to embrace their uniqueness, help others, and never give up. Get your copy today and let Grace’s story inspire your own adventures!]]> 27 Ricky Arsenault Deanna 5
The simple verse style writing and beautiful, colourful illustrations was a joy to read. A great story for teaching young children that no matter what people say, you can do whatever you set your mind to.]]> 5.00
author: Ricky Arsenault
name: Deanna
average rating: 5.00
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2024/11/24
date added: 2024/11/24
shelves:
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What a delightful little story about an amazing young girl who doesn’t let anything stand in her way.

The simple verse style writing and beautiful, colourful illustrations was a joy to read. A great story for teaching young children that no matter what people say, you can do whatever you set your mind to.
]]> 127305713
Spending her days pretending to be nothing more than a vapid young socialite, Rune spends her nights as the Crimson Moth, a witch vigilante who rescues her kind from being purged. When a rescue goes wrong, she decides to throw the witch hunters off her scent and gain the intel she desperately needs by courting the handsome Gideon Sharpe � a notorious and unforgiving witch hunter loyal to the revolution � who she can't help but find herself falling for.

Gideon loathes the decadence and superficiality Rune represents, but when he learns the Crimson Moth has been using Rune’s merchant ships to smuggle renegade witches out of the republic, he inserts himself into her social circles by pretending to court her right back. He soon realizes that beneath her beauty and shallow façade, is someone fiercely intelligent and tender who feels like his perfect match. Except, what if she’s the very villain he’s been hunting?

Kristen Ciccarelli’s The Crimson Moth is the thrilling start to a romantic fantasy duology where the only thing more treacherous than being a witch� is falling in love.]]> 406 Kristen Ciccarelli 1250866901 Deanna 4 4.16 2024
author: Kristen Ciccarelli
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/19
date added: 2024/11/19
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]]> 935308
Unlike the situation with his ex-wife, his estranged daughter, or the beautiful but married young prosecuter who has piqued his interest, in this case, Wallander finds a problem he can handle. He quickly becomes obsessed with solving the crime before the already tense situation explodes, but soon comes to realize that it will require all his reserves of energy and dedication to solve.
--back cover]]> 280 Henning Mankell 1400031575 Deanna 0 to-read 3.79 1991
author: Henning Mankell
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.79
book published: 1991
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/16
shelves: to-read
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]]> 203690472 339 Hannah Bonam-Young Deanna 4 3.89 2022
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/14
date added: 2024/11/14
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]]> 49127718 A poignant, charming novel about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined

Looking at real estate isn't usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can't fix up their own marriage. There's a wealthy banker who has been too busy making money to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can't seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment's only bathroom, and you've got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in a motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.

Humorous, compassionate, and wise, Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope—the things that save us, even in the most anxious of times.

Includes short story - The Last Round of Golf]]> 336 Fredrik Backman 198216963X Deanna 4 4.17 2019
author: Fredrik Backman
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/13
date added: 2024/11/13
shelves:
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]]> 203147386
Evie Sage has never been happier to be the assistant to The Villain. Who would have thought that working for an outrageously handsome (shhh, bad for his brand) evil overlord would be so rewarding? Still, the business of being bad is demanding, the forces of good are annoyingly persistent, and said forbidding boss is somewhat…er, out-of-evil-office.

But Rennedawn is in grave trouble, and all signs―Kingsley’s included―point to catastrophe. Something peculiar is happening with the kingdom’s magic, and it’s made The Villain’s manor vulnerable to their enemies...including their nemesis, the king.

Now it’s time for Evie to face her greatest challenge: protecting The Villain’s lair, all of his nefarious works, and maybe (provided no one finds out) the entire kingdom. No pressure, Evie.

It’s time to step out of her comfort zone and learn new skills. Like treason. Dagger work. Conspiring with the enemy. It’s all so…so…delightfully fun.

But what happens when the assistant to The Villain is ready to become his apprentice?]]> 368 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649377177 Deanna 4 4.07 2024
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/10
date added: 2024/11/10
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]]> 68688298
Dave and his four-year-old, Jacob, find a circus tent in the woods behind their house. A strange voice invites them through the dark doorway.

When they refuse, the tent swallows them.

What follows is a nightmare fleeing through a maze of circus tents. Strange performers lurk inside. They want Dave and his little boy to put on a show. The a shifting figure on a platform high above the trapeze wires.

With Jacob perched in the crook of his arm, Dave determines to outsmart the boss of this dark circus, and escape this horrifying tent.]]> 108 Ben Farthing Deanna 3 3.76 2023
author: Ben Farthing
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/08
date added: 2024/11/08
shelves:
review:

]]> 57795665
While eleven-year-old Nora Davis was up in her bedroom doing homework, she had no idea her father was killing women in the basement.

Until the day the police arrived at their front door.

Decades later, Nora’s father is spending his life behind bars, and Nora is a successful surgeon with a quiet, solitary existence. Nobody knows her father was a notorious serial killer. And she intends to keep it that way.

Then Nora discovers one of her young female patients has been murdered. In the same unique and horrific manner that her father used to kill his victims.

Somebody knows who Nora is. Somebody wants her to take the fall for this unthinkable crime. But she’s not a killer like her father. The police can’t pin anything on her.

As long as they don’t look in her basement.]]> 313 Freida McFadden Deanna 3 4.00 2021
author: Freida McFadden
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2022/07/24
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 57046737 Eighteen Baffling True Crime Cold Cases--Solved! including; The Darkest Shade of Evil: Two little girls go missing from the mall. What happens to them is beyond your most terrifying nightmares. Cold-Blooded: Karen was the former wife of an American icon. But celebrity is no shield against a determined psychopath. The Janitor: When a preteen girl goes missing from a school, suspicion falls on the one person all of the female students are wary of--the creepy janitor. Neighborhood Monster: It was a simple errand, a quick run to the store in a safe neighborhood. It should not have cost a little girl her life. Plus ten more horrific true murder cases. Contains mature themes.]]> 109 Robert Keller Deanna 3 4.11
author: Robert Keller
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.11
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/07
date added: 2024/11/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 36578543
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.]]> 432 Rosaria Munda 0525518215 Deanna 0 to-read 3.89 2019
author: Rosaria Munda
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.89
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 207298106 “Come for the Gilmore Girls anecdotes, stay for the revealing truths about what it takes to build a lifelong career in and out of Hollywood� (The A.V. Club) in this candid and captivating memoir from award-winning and beloved actress Kelly Bishop, spanning her six decades in show business from A Chorus Line, Dirty Dancing, Gilmore Girls, and much more.

Kelly Bishop’s long, storied career has been defined by landmark achievements, from winning a Tony Award for her turn in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line to her memorable performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing. But it is probably her iconic role as matriarch Emily in the modern classic Gilmore Girls that cemented her legacy.

Now, Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future with The Third Gilmore Girl. She shares some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she’s learned on her journey. From her early transition from dance to drama, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to the losses and achievements she experienced—among them marching for women’s rights and losing her second husband to cancer—Bishop offers a rich, genuine celebration of her life.

Full of witty insights, The Third Gilmore Girl is a warm, unapologetic, and spirited memoir from a woman who has left indelible impressions on her audiences for decades and has no plans on slowing down.]]> 256 Kelly Bishop 1668023776 Deanna 0 4.35 2024
author: Kelly Bishop
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/06
date added: 2024/11/06
shelves:
review:

]]> 211929737 A new winter holiday, enemies-to-lovers romance, from the undeniably funny and always spicy, USA Today bestselling author, Meghan Quinn.

Living in a year around Christmas town has it's drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave--I mean house--keeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits.

And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

Well guess what? Over my cold-hearted body.

There was no way I was going to let her win, not after the history we'd shared.

So despite my promise to myself of never participating in the sickening Christmas season, I entered the competition as well. That's right, I planned on beating Storee at her own game by pretending this grump’s heart grew three sizes this season.

And it was working until feelings between us started heating up.
We pretended to date.
We kissed.
And well, sparks flew from there.

Which led to one explosive night involving Christmas lights, the competition, and a ladder. Don't let me convince you who stole Christmas, I think you need to find out for yourself...]]> 482 Meghan Quinn Deanna 4 3.77 2024
author: Meghan Quinn
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/05
date added: 2024/11/05
shelves:
review:

]]> 124950295 397 Hannah Bonam-Young 1778027784 Deanna 4 4.25 2023
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/01
date added: 2024/11/01
shelves:
review:

]]> 60167751 I know I have a black soul. Bloodshed and danger are what I live for. A King is supposed to rule his Kingdom using any means necessary to demand respect.

I’m not a weak man� A King kneels to no one.

I’ve only ever cared about one other person in my life, but the thing is, she never belonged to me. And before I could tell her how I felt, she left.

Now she’s returned, needing someone to save her. Emilee York was always meant to be mine, and I’ll see to it that happens. I always get what I want, even if that means I have to take it.

And she’s no different. She’ll be my queen, one way or the other.

EMILEE
When I left Sin City behind me, I had no plans to return. I avoided everyone, even my friends, to stay in my bubble. I’ve always been the kind to pull away and run when things get difficult.

But one phone call changed everything, and I was racing back. If only I had known what was waiting for me.

Titan reappeared like a ghost haunting me. One look and I knew he recognized me. I never forgot him or what we shared. Those feelings that no one else knew existed between us.

I ignored them back then, but now they are more intense than ever. “Get on your knees…� He demanded I kneel for him.

I tried to act like he didn’t affect me, but he knew. He remembered the way I reacted when he would touch me. And just like he was taught to do—he used my weaknesses against me.

He staked his claim, and I became his queen to use how he saw fit. What makes it worse is that I crave him, and when I kneeled, it was willingly. But was it for nothing?

TITAN is the second book in The Dark KIngodm Series and can be read as a standalone. Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. This novel may contain triggers.]]> 303 Shantel Tessier Deanna 4 4.36 2020
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/23
date added: 2024/10/23
shelves:
review:

]]> 60167660 A Mafia Romance

AN AMAZON TOP 80 BESTSELLER

#1 BESTSELLER IN ORGANIZED CRIME

Dangerous and feared.

Those words describe my future husband. Who just so happens to also be my ex-boyfriend.

It’s complicated. Two years ago, he broke my heart when he left me to do his father’s bidding. After months of crying, I finally accepted he was gone and wasn’t going to look back. That maybe he’d never loved me at all. I never wanted to see Luca again.

Now a cruel twist of fate has signed me over to him in a heartless deal. I’m his. He thinks he did me a favor, but I feel like I’ve been given a death sentence. He doesn't want to get married because he still loves me. No, he did it for money. More power.

I’m going to be a mafia wife. And there’s only one way out of it. Death.

But as it turns out, someone else doesn’t want me to marry the ruthless Luca Bianchi. And if he has his way, I’ll see that early grave.

Due to mature content and themes this book is recommended for readers aged eighteen and over. Code of Silence is an arranged marriage and a complete standalone. This novel may contain triggers.]]> 323 Shantel Tessier Deanna 3 4.00 2020
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/13
date added: 2024/10/13
shelves:
review:

]]> 200523127 A high-profile murder has Sam and her team chasing an elusive killer�

Just back from their anniversary trip to Dewey Beach, there’s no slow roll back to work for the first couple as Sam is immediately thrust into a baffling new case that has everyone on edge. The FBI wants in on this one, and she’s determined to figure out what happened before they can take over her investigation. Avery Hill and his team is also nosing in on the new investigation into Stahl’s nefarious past, forcing her to go on defense as she strives to protect her team and her beloved Uncle Joe from intense criticism.

In the midst of the new case, she’s got to put on her first lady hat for the Canadian Prime Minister and his wife, who are in town for the Cappuano administration’s first State Dinner. Once they get through that event, Sam and Nick will finally meet with Nick’s mother, who's asked for a chance to make things right with her son.

With all of that going on, who has time to breathe let alone give an in-depth interview designed to stop the “illegitimate president� nonsense once and for all?]]> 392 Marie Force 1958035548 Deanna 0 to-read 4.64 2024
author: Marie Force
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.64
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 122765470
I was awoken by an angel.
That’s the only explanation I have for the sudden onset of feelings that hit my heart like a lightning bolt, the moment my eyes connected with hers.

However, this particular angel doesn’t know she’s just evoked a demon.
The way my body reacts to her presence, the way my soul recognizes its counterpart, it’s a dangerous fatal attraction.
This unhinged desire I have for my angel isn’t going to end well. For either of us.


Lucy

When you wake up to the silhouette of a man standing in the shadows of your bedroom, you probably shouldn’t invite him into your bed.

I did though. And now I don’t know how to fall asleep without him.
We’re like two opposing forces being drawn together.
My positive to his negative.
No matter how much I try to pull away, he’s there.
Ready to drag me back into the darkness of his soul.]]> 306 Kylie Kent 1922816574 Deanna 3 4.19
author: Kylie Kent
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.19
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/11
date added: 2024/10/11
shelves:
review:

]]> 125274093 The men in the secret society known as the Lords think they rule the world. And in a way, they do. Each has sold their soul to the devil at a young age in exchange for power and wealth. Like anything else, they have different levels of success. The more they’re willing to serve, the more power they have.

Among them are the Spade brothers, who run Carnage. It’s where the Lords who have not held up their oath go to live out the rest of their lives in shackles. Tucked away from the world as if they never existed.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I once belonged to a Lord—Saint Beckham Carter. Although nothing was holy about him, I still kneeled as if he could grant me eternity in a world where only evil existed.

At the time, I willingly vowed to be his and allowed him to share me with his “brothers.� But things changed. And what I thought couldn’t get any better got exceptionally worse. So I did the only thing I could and ran from him, knowing I could never return.

Now he’s found me and dragged me back to his hell, where he will make me his pet. The world already thinks I’m dead, so no one will miss me. And I’m just another name on a long list of those who will never know freedom.

What he doesn’t know is why I ran from him in the first place. A Lord doesn’t listen to reason, so it’s not like he’d care anyway. Saint was born a Lord, and he will die as one.

If life has taught me anything, it’s that we all pay for our sins. And Saint will never let me forget that my place is at Carnage, serving him on my knees until death is granted.]]> 628 Shantel Tessier Deanna 4 4.31 2023
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 58733693 Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.]]> 368 Shelby Van Pelt 0063204150 Deanna 4 4.35 2022
author: Shelby Van Pelt
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/07
date added: 2024/10/07
shelves:
review:

]]> 57742077 “Oh, my goodness,� she whispered. At the bottom of the box was a stack of letters. Tied with a ribbon, the pages were faded with age. “These are all addressed from here,� she said, “but they’ve never been sent.�

When her gram passes away, Melanie Simpson feels utterly lost. She has no idea what to do with her life after she has devoted years to looking after her beloved grandmother.

But Gram’s will may hold the answer, instructing Melanie to use her inheritance to buy a crumbling house in Rosemary Bay. They used to visit the village every summer, sit by the sparkling gulf on a beach the color of a fresh pearl, and daydream about turning the place on the corner into a bed and breakfast.

Fulfilling her grandmother’s legacy, Melanie decides to restore the beach house to its original glory. She sets out on renovations of the wrap-around porch weathered by the coastal breeze, and the peeling white paint faded by the sun.

When Melanie runs into local carpenter, Josh Claiborne, whose eyes match the dazzling sea, she jumps at the chance to ask him for help. But that’s the last thing he wants. He’s off to New York soon, leaving his troubled past behind. Over a game of darts Melanie gets her wish, even if Josh isn’t happy about it.

As they work together, Melanie tries to ignore their undeniable chemistry and how Josh’s rare smiles take her breath away––because soon they’ll be thousands of miles apart. But hiding in a closet is a yellowing stack of letters that could change everything. The looping handwriting reveals the mystery of the rickety house––a buried history that touches everyone in Rosemary Bay. Will its secrets bring Melanie and Josh together or tear them apart?

An absolutely gorgeous and heartwarming read about never-ending love, new beginnings, and how family is always with you, no matter where you are. Fans of Pamela Kelley, Mary Alice Monroe and Susan Mallery will adore this romantic page-turner.]]> 300 Jenny Hale 1800196504 Deanna 3
This book was just ok for me. I had such high hopes for it. It sounded exactly like the type of book I usually really enjoy. But somewhere this one just fell a bit flat for me. It was ok, it was a nice little story, but it took me a long time to get into this one. I kept putting it down and going back to it before I could really get myself into it.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the story of the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother, but I found most of the story a bit slow in places and I think that's where it lost me a bit.

However, it was an easy summer read and I enjoyed it enough to finish.

Merged review:

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

This book was just ok for me. I had such high hopes for it. It sounded exactly like the type of book I usually really enjoy. But somewhere this one just fell a bit flat for me. It was ok, it was a nice little story, but it took me a long time to get into this one. I kept putting it down and going back to it before I could really get myself into it.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the story of the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother, but I found most of the story a bit slow in places and I think that's where it lost me a bit.

However, it was an easy summer read and I enjoyed it enough to finish.]]> 4.19 2021
author: Jenny Hale
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2021/09/02
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves:
review:
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

This book was just ok for me. I had such high hopes for it. It sounded exactly like the type of book I usually really enjoy. But somewhere this one just fell a bit flat for me. It was ok, it was a nice little story, but it took me a long time to get into this one. I kept putting it down and going back to it before I could really get myself into it.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the story of the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother, but I found most of the story a bit slow in places and I think that's where it lost me a bit.

However, it was an easy summer read and I enjoyed it enough to finish.

Merged review:

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.

This book was just ok for me. I had such high hopes for it. It sounded exactly like the type of book I usually really enjoy. But somewhere this one just fell a bit flat for me. It was ok, it was a nice little story, but it took me a long time to get into this one. I kept putting it down and going back to it before I could really get myself into it.

I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the story of the relationship between Melanie and her grandmother, but I found most of the story a bit slow in places and I think that's where it lost me a bit.

However, it was an easy summer read and I enjoyed it enough to finish.
]]> 63874606 HIS LADY

A Lord is to marry after he graduates from Barrington University, an elite college for the rich. A Lady’s job is to help him fit into a world unaware of his secret society. The Lord does not get to choose who he spends the rest of his life with. But there is always an exception to the rule. And I just so happen to be his.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

I was to wed a Lord of my parents� choosing. Wealth can’t buy you everything, or I would have had freedom years ago. Instead, my strict parents made sure I lived a dull life in a mansion resembling a prison.

But on my wedding day, I was handed over to another man—an even more ruthless Lord that my family hated.

Tyson Riley Crawford only wanted me for his revenge. I’m nothing more than a debt to be paid. I didn’t have a say in the matter. So when I said my vows before the congregation, I knew I’d break them. Consequences be damned.

Too bad I underestimated my husband and didn’t realize he was more determined to punish me than I was to succeed at escaping. He’ll make me choke on those words I used to bind myself to him.

Yet even he couldn’t have seen what our future held. Ultimately, we’re all just pawns in a game that none of us can win unless you’re willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice � and even that may not be enough.]]> 644 Shantel Tessier Deanna 4 4.32 2023
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/29
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> 213354598 When the monster gets the girl, everyone will bleed.

2023 Lambda Literary Award Winner, LGBTQ+ Speculative Fiction
2023 Golden Crown Literary Award Winner, Paranormal/Occult/Horror

Singapore, 1927.

Verity Edevane needs blood.

And not just anyone's blood. She craves the sweet, salty rush from a young woman's veins, the heady swirl of desire mixed with fealty—such a rarity in this foreign colony. It’s a lot to ask. But doesn't she deserve the best?

Gean Choo needs money.

Mrs. Edevane makes her an offer Gean Choo can't refuse. But who is her strange, alluring new mistress? What is she? And what will Gean Choo sacrifice to earn her love?

Po Lam needs absolution.

After decades of faithfully serving Mrs. Edevane, Po Lam can no longer excuse a life of bondage and murder. She needs a fresh start. A clean conscience. More than anything, she needs to save Gean Choo from a love that will destroy them all.

***

A destitute maidservant must choose whom to love: her vampire mistress, or the woman trying to save her life in The Wicked and the Willing, an award-winning sapphic historical gothic horror vampire novel. This novel contains two mutually exclusive endings, although most of the story is not interactive. Due to the mature content and dark themes, it is intended for adult readers only. It contains potentially disturbing scenes and an abusive romantic relationship between two women. Further content information is available from the author’s website and inside the book.]]> 430 Lianyu Tan 0648994848 Deanna 3 3.47 2022
author: Lianyu Tan
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.47
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/29
date added: 2024/09/29
shelves:
review:

]]> 217885191 Find out how Maddy and Doug met in this sweet and hilarious short story from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer.

Travel nurse Maddy doesn't have time for a relationship, not even with the ruggedly handsome farmer who she feels a spark of attraction to.

Doug is a walking green flag. After a run in with Maddy thanks to the Wakan town mascot, Kevin Bacon the pig, he can't help but feel the spark too.

Even though she doesn't plan on staying in Minnesota forever, Maddy believes she and Doug can still have a fling� or maybe they’ll just find themselves in a situationship. 

“The Situationship�was originally published as a bonus chapter in the Target exclusive edition of Just for the Summer. This ebook original also includes a first look at Abby’s new release, Say You’ll Remember Me.]]> 37 Abby Jimenez 1538773724 Deanna 5 3.96 2024
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/09/25
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:

]]> 62585880
LITTLE DEMON

I was raised in a world where money and power are at your fingertips. My father is a LORD, a very respected member of a secret society that knows no bounds. When tragedy struck my family, we discovered we weren’t untouchable. Just when I thought life couldn’t get any worse, I was shown what hell is really like. Then he came and saved me. The devil disguised as my personal hero. But of course, nothing is for free. Not when a soul is up for grabs.

I VOW. YOU VOW. WE VOW.

Easton Bradley Sinnett—Sin—uses his power for his own sick pleasure. Like a typical Lord, he never thought about the consequences of his actions. I grew up with him, obsessed over him, craved him. He was who I pictured when I imagined doing things my body shouldn’t want.

One day, I realized he was not who I thought he was. It didn’t change anything, though, because I was already too far gone. If anything, I fell for him harder.

Every now and then, someone enters your life who flips it upside down. Sin wrecked me in the worst way, and I thanked him for it by serving on my knees.

As they say, nothing lasts forever. Men like him never stay with a woman like me. I’m what they use, not keep. So when he threw me away, I shouldn’t have been all that surprised.

My body had always craved the darker side of love. The kind that left bruises and scars. I was what most would call unholy. And when the devil whispered in my ear that he loved me, I was more than determined to show him just how devoted I could be.]]> 640 Shantel Tessier Deanna 3 4.13 2022
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/25
date added: 2024/09/25
shelves:
review:

]]> 199347538 Somewhere Beyond the Sea is the hugely anticipated sequel to TJ Klune’s The House in the Cerulean Sea, one of the best-loved and best-selling fantasy novels of the past decade. Featuring gorgeous orange sprayed edges!

A magical house. A secret past. A summons that could change everything.

Arthur Parnassus lives a good life built on the ashes of a bad one.

He’s the master of a strange orphanage on a distant and peculiar island, and he hopes to soon be the adoptive father to the six dangerous and magical children who live there.

Arthur works hard and loves with his whole heart so none of the children ever feel the neglect and pain that he once felt as an orphan on that very same island so long ago. He is not alone: joining him is the love of his life, Linus Baker, a former caseworker in the Department In Charge of Magical Youth. And there’s the island’s sprite, Zoe Chapelwhite, and her girlfriend, Mayor Helen Webb. Together, they will do anything to protect the children.

But when Arthur is summoned to make a public statement about his dark past, he finds himself at the helm of a fight for the future that his family, and all magical people, deserve.

And when a new magical child hopes to join them on their island home—one who finds power in calling himself monster, a name that Arthur worked so hard to protect his children from—Arthur knows they’re at a breaking point: their family will either grow stronger than ever or fall apart.

Welcome back to Marsyas Island. This is Arthur’s story.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it.]]> 416 T.J. Klune 125088120X Deanna 4 4.17 2024
author: T.J. Klune
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/18
date added: 2024/09/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 61273371
1971: As a teenager, Dr. Evelyn Taylor was sent to a home for “fallen� women where she was forced to give up her baby for adoption—a trauma she has never recovered from. Despite the constant threat of arrest, she joins the Jane Network as an abortion provider, determined to give other women the choice she never had.

1980: After discovering a shocking secret about her family, twenty-year-old Nancy Mitchell begins to question everything she has ever known. When she unexpectedly becomes pregnant, she feels like she has no one to turn to for help. Grappling with her decision, she locates “Jane� and finds a place of her own alongside Dr. Taylor within the network’s ranks, but she can never escape the lies that haunt her.]]> 400 Heather Marshall 1668013681 Deanna 3 4.33 2022
author: Heather Marshall
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/15
date added: 2024/09/15
shelves:
review:

]]> 58941251
I vow. You vow. We vow.

Barrington University is home of the Lords, a secret society that requires their blood in payment. They are above all—the most powerful men in the world. They devote their lives to violence in exchange for power. And during their senior year, they are offered a chosen one.

People think growing up with money is freeing, but I promise you, it’s not. My entire life has been planned out for me. I never got the chance to do what I wanted until Ryat Alexander Archer came along and gave me an option for a better life. He offered me what no one else ever had—freedom.

I chose to be his. He made me believe that anyway, but it was just another lie. A way that the Lords manipulate you into doing what they want.

After being sucked into the dark, twisted world of the Lords, I embraced my new role and allowed Ryat to parade me around like the trophy I was to him. But like all things, what started out as a game soon became a fight for survival. And the only way out was death.

This book can be read as a standalone but the timeline of the Lords books is as follows:
The Ritual
The Sinner
The Sacrifice
Sabotage (the H isn't a Lord but he works for a Lord)]]> 606 Shantel Tessier Deanna 3 4.06 2021
author: Shantel Tessier
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/08
date added: 2024/09/09
shelves:
review:

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Holly Greene is on a mission to find her happily ever after. And her journey to love does not include a detour to Bad Boy Bartenderville, population Jax Grainger.

Jax may be witty, smart-mouthed, and handsome, but he’s the kind of guy who views love as a four-letter word� and the last thing Holly needs is to waste any more time.

She’s in her seeking Prince Charming era, not her playboy villain era.

But after he saves her from the world’s worst date, Holly sees an opportunity: Jax may not check any of the boxes on her list, but he’s the perfect person to help her find a man who does.

All she has to do is stick to the plan—and stay out of the sexy bartender’s arms.

Easy peasy lemon sque... Oops.]]> 346 Katie Bailey Deanna 4 3.96 2024
author: Katie Bailey
name: Deanna
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/02
date added: 2024/09/02
shelves:
review:

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Want to know what happens to a man who barely claws his way out of a tragedy, only to fall right into the arms of the one girl in the world he isn't allowed to love? Another tragedy, that's what.

When Brant was six years old, his father made a choice that altered the course of his entire life. Because of what he did, the only girl Brant ever loved became the only girl he couldn't have.

Though in a lot of ways, he did have her...

He had her first steps, her first words, her first smile. He had her milestones, her heartbreaks, her dreams. He had her heart so woven in with his, he didn't know where she ended, and he began. Only, as the years pressed on, lines became blurred—and the blurrier the line, the easier it is to cross.

They say tragedy comes in threes. For Brant, that was true. The first one changed him, the second one broke him, and the third one healed him. But at the center of all that tragedy, there is a love story.

And at the center of that love story, there is June.]]> 474 Jennifer Hartmann 1728290546 Deanna 4 4.16 2022
author: Jennifer Hartmann
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/30
date added: 2024/08/30
shelves:
review:

]]> 210331622 Following her explosive debut thriller Falling and its harrowing follow-up Drowning, #1 internationally bestselling author T.J. Newman is back with Worst Case Scenario.

When a pilot suffers a heart attack at 35,000 feet, a commercial airliner filled with passengers crashes into a nuclear power plant in the small town of Waketa, Minnesota, which becomes ground zero for a catastrophic national crisis with global implications.

The International Nuclear Event Scale tracks nuclear disasters. It has seven levels. Level 7 is a Major Accident, with only two on record: Fukushima and Chernobyl. There has never been a Level 8. Until now.

In this heart-stopping thriller, ordinary people—power plant employees, firefighters, teachers, families, neighbors, and friends� are thrust into an extraordinary situation as they face the ultimate test of their lives. It will take the combined courage, ingenuity, and determination of a brave few to save not only their community and loved ones, but the fate of humanity at large.]]> 336 T.J. Newman 0316576794 Deanna 4 4.05 2024
author: T.J. Newman
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/26
date added: 2024/08/26
shelves:
review:

]]> 59050133
The Diamond

Death walks alongside me,
But the reaper is no match for me.
I'm trapped in a world full of monsters dressed as men, and those who aren't as they seem.
They won't keep me forever.
I no longer recognize the person I've become,
And I'm fighting to find my way back to the beast who hunts me in the night.
They call me a diamond,
But they've only created an angel of death.

The Hunter

I was born a predator,
With ruthlessness ingrained in my bones.
When what's mine is stolen from me in the night,
Like a diamond hidden within a fortress,
I find that I can no longer contain the beast.
Blood will paint the ground as I tear apart this world to find her.
And bring her back to where she belongs.
No one will escape my wrath,
Especially not those who have betrayed me.

Warning: This is the second and final installment to the Duet. You must read Haunting Adeline first.]]> 702 H.D. Carlton Deanna 5 4.05 2022
author: H.D. Carlton
name: Deanna
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/12
date added: 2024/08/21
shelves:
review:

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