More Than Second Chances by Sara Jane Woodley

 

Synopsis:

My life as an NFL quarterback was everything I thought I wanted... Married to a beautiful model, on the verge of winning a championship, and making more than enough money to look after my mom and grandpa.

It was perfect… until it wasn’t.

And now that everything’s falling apart, I’m returning to Aston Falls.

It’s been ten years since I’ve been back to my small, quirky hometown. Ten years since that fateful night when I told my best friend’s sister I loved her. Right before I left her.

I broke Grace’s heart that night, as well as my own. I had no choice.

When an accidental run-in forces us back into each other’s lives, I do my best to keep my distance… but I can’t.

Will Grace ever find a way to forgive me for what I did?

Because all I want is a second chance.

My Review: 5 Stars

There's no greater feeling than grabbing a book and being instantly swept away to a place where the world around you ceases to exist. These are books that I will treasure always.

From the very first page, I was transported to Aston Falls where I not only fell in love with Grace and Nicholas, but I fell in love with the entire town. Oh how I wish I could live there! Between Morning Bell Café, Sweets n' Sundaes, Sam's Sled Tours, the playground, the hiking trails, it had the perfect small town feel.

Grace and Nicholas quickly became favorites of mine. I loved how real they were. They were easy to relate to, loving, intelligent and were not afraid to let their vulnerable side show. Their journey from forgiveness, to friends, to more may have been a hard one, but it was absolutely beautiful.

Y'all. I loved every single minute of this book. I had the hardest time putting it down and found myself sneaking in reading time whenever I could. I was literally counting down the hours until my lunch break because I was dying to know what would happen next. I absolutely adored this book!

An amazing book always has amazing side characters and this one definitely had them. I loved getting to know Austin, Ella and JJ. They were always there when Grace or Nicholas needed them and would do anything to help them. I cannot wait to get my hands on Austin and Ella's story. I've already preordered that baby. August 31st can't get here soon enough! This is one of those times that I have to remind myself that writing actually does take some time.

This is my very first book by Ms. Woodley and I already know that it won't be my last. I am extremely excited to see what she has in store for us next!

And I am absolutely loving these two! What do you think?!

Crosscheck by Rebecca Connolly

Synopsis:

He’s a hard hitter, she’s a straight shooter. Can they stop the sparks from flying? Do they want to?

Zane Winchester is a beast on the ice, known for racking up penalties and delivering hard blows. No one would suspect the complicated nature of his personal life, or just what it entailed. And no one, not even him, would have suspected what one unexpected encounter with a remarkable woman would do to his life.

Mara Matthews is a regular woman with a regular job and a regular life. Then she meets the father of one of her little students, and regular becomes the last word to describe her life. Zane is intense, funny, charming, and drop dead gorgeous; he shouldn’t pay any attention to someone like her. But Zane isn’t giving up, and Mara doesn’t want him to.

My Review: 5 Stars

Ever since I started the Northbrook Elite series, I have been dying to read Zane's book. I was crossing my fingers that I would love it as much as the first book in the series. Y'all I'm happy to announce that I loved it more! It may be because the single parent trope is one of my favorites or it may be seeing a big, bad hockey player melt when it comes to his little girl. Either way I loved this book! 

I absolutely adored Mara, Zane and Hope! Seriously you guys.. they are amazing! Their love for each other is strong. They made it so easy for me to root for them from the very beginning. Hope was seriously the cutest! I loved how she had everyone wrapped around her finger. She definitely helped make this on a favorite of mine. And lets not forget all the swooniness going on. I. Was. Dying! WOWZERS! Once again, this girl was a big ol' puddle of goo. Y'all I never wanted their book to end. I finished it a couple of hours ago and I'm still playing out scenes I wish were in the book. Haha. And let me just tell you. That epilogue?! LOVED it! It was just what this girl needed! *dreamy sigh*

One of my favorite things about this series is that everyone seems down to earth, real and easy to relate to. The close friendship between them all is another added bonus and it really showed in one scene of this book. They don't even think twice about rallying around each other when one of them is in need of anything. They stand together like brothers. 

Another great addition to this series! I already know this will be one that I read over and over again. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Crossing my fingers that the other books are just as good. 

Ms. Connolly really knows how to write a great contemporary. I've loved the ones I've read so far. I'm also looking forward to reading her regency books as well. Several of my bookish friends love them! 

And of course we can't forget my casting. I think this is the first time I haven't followed the descriptions to a tee. I'm not going to lie. I'm so not a fan of man buns! But if anyone can pull it off, it's him. *dreamy sigh*

Poweplay by Heather B. Moore

Synopsis:

He’s ready to quit his pro-hockey career. She’s doing everything to keep her career afloat. And neither of them have time for distractions.

Jax Emerson, legendary forward for the Chicago Flyers, is ready to throw it all away when he uncovers the truth behind his NHL contract. The last thing he needs is more media attention, or his father to get involved in his contract, or a beautiful woman apologizing once again for an accident.

Meg Bailey didn’t think her life could get any worse, until it does. Time is running out before her business is forced to close. When Jax Emerson offers a solution, she knows that by accepting his help, she might be getting in too deep. And deep is not a place her heart is prepared to go.


My Review: 4.5 Stars

Confession. I was hesitant to read Powerplay. We learn in Faceoff that Jax comes from money. I'm not quiet when it comes to my dislike of billionaire books and my refusal to read them. I may or may not have searched for the word billionaire before starting this book. And yes, I can see some of you rolling your eyes at me right now. But I'm happy to say that once I started this book, I did not want to put it down. I had to bargain with myself to get certain things done in order to spend the rest of the day reading. 

From the moment we met Meg and Jax, I knew they were going to become favorites of mine. They were both independent and strong but were also vulnerable and easy to relate to. As for their witty banter and their chemistry? WOWZERS! Talk about sizzling and swoony! One can't help but have a silly permagrin on their face while letting out little dreamy sighs. It's hard not to root for these two and feel all the feels! 

One of my favorite parts of the book is seeing old friends and meeting new ones. No book is complete without amazing side characters. My only complaint is that the book just ended. Y'all, I hate that! I know I'm going to see them again in the other books but man! You can't leave me hanging like that. It's just mean! Haha. I will definitely be continuing on with these series. It's fun and giving me that much needed break from reality. 

It's been a few years since I've read a book by Ms. Moore, and I can't figure out why. I always love her books. I guess I better start catching up on them, eh? 

And I'm not going to lie. This casting was hard. Okay.. okay.. he was the hard one. Haha. But I love them! What do you think?

Faceoff by Rebecca Connolly

Synopsis:

She isn’t supposed to want him. He isn’t supposed to want her. But wanting each other is inevitable.

Clint McCarthy has finally achieved his dream of playing for a professional hockey program, and is eager to make his mark with his new team. While getting settled in his new city, he happens across Bree Stone, whom he has known for years, with their respective brothers both being in the famed Belltown Six Pack. But for the life of him, he can’t remember Bree ever looking so attractive. Or being so captivating. Or taking over his every waking thought.

In the middle of her graduate degree, Bree has no time or desire for working on her dating life, or lack thereof, but the impossibly handsome Clint McCarthy coming back into her life makes everything complicated. She shouldn’t be focusing on him, or on them, not when her professional future hangs in the balance. But once she hears about Clint’s past with the Northbrook Hockey Elite program, and where that program stands now, Bree just might find a way to make her career, and a future with Clint, come to life.

My Review: 5 Stars

Confession. I know absolutely nothing about hockey. I have never even watched a game. The closest I got was watching an episode of Leverage that featured a hockey team. But that didn't stop me from enjoying Faceoff.

I'm sure I'm not the only one that loves when a book can sweep you off your feet and give you that much needed break from reality. That's exactly what happened while reading this book. The friends to lovers trope is becoming one of my favorites. There's just something about that friendship turning into something more that has this girl letting out all the dreamy sighs. I may or may not have had one of those permagrins while reading. 

I adored Bree and Clint. Their fun, easy going vibe made it easy to relate to them. I enjoyed watching them strengthen their friendship before moving on to something more. I loved that they were willing to support each other in every detail of their lives. Big or small, they were there for each other. They did what ever it took to make sure they were both happy. And the chemistry between these two?! Off the charts from the very beginning. All I can say is... that first kiss?! WOWZERS!

Can we just take a minute to appreciate all the side characters?! Loved them! In my opinion they were the extra icing on the already perfectly iced cake. I can tell you that I will definitely be reading the Belltown Six Pack. And am I the only one that wants Penny to have her own book?! She would definitely be a fun one to read about! Haha.

Y'all believe it or not, this is my first book by Ms. Connolly and I can already tell you it won't be my last. I have no clue why I waited so long to read one of her books but I'm definitely glad that I did! I can't wait to read more by her. 

And of course I can't forget my casting! What do you think? 

How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days

• Break off all contact for ninety days.
• Stay away from social media.
• Remember all the things you liked to do when you were single and revisit those activities.
• Think carefully about starting any new romantic attachments.
• Wine, lots of wine. No, don’t. It could end badly.
• Be mindful of anxiety and feelings of hopelessness.
• Remind yourself it takes ninety days for your mind to switch gears and picture your life in a new direction.

Presley Benson thinks she found the perfect plan to get over her ex-boyfriend, Jackson Montgomery. All she needs is ninety days. There’s a problem, though. Jackson Montgomery is the newly appointed vice principal of Riverton High School where she teaches drama.

And oh yeah, he wants her back.

So what’s a girl to do? Stick with the plan of course.

My Review: 5 Stars!

Y'all. I just can't even with this book! I'm definitely a sucker for a good lost love romance and this book fit the bill perfectly!

Presley and Jackson are pretty much the "It" couple. Everyone loves them and knows that they are destined to be together. But out of nowhere, Jackson breaks up with Presley and crushes her heart into a million pieces. 

Determined to pick herself back up and move forward with her life, Presley and her best friend, Capri, devise a plan that will have Presley thinking, "Jackson who?" in ninety day. What could possibly go wrong?!

Everything. 

Y'all. Never underestimate a man in love. He will do anything and everything to win back the heart of the woman he loves. After all, failure is NOT an option! 

I absolutely LOVED Ninety Days! It has everything that makes an AMAZING book! The feels are definitely real my friends! You will laugh out loud, get teary eyed, growl in frustration, let out little dreamy sighs and cheer our hero and heroine on as they figure out what's most important to them and strive to achieve their happily ever after! 

Ms. Peel has done it again! She was able to suck me in from the very beginning and not let me go until the very end! I love all the journeys she takes us on and can't wait to see what she has in store for us next! 

And of course there is no way I can forget my casting! These two just scream Southern Charm to me! And I love them! What about you?! 

Narcissistic Tendencies by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

He wants her future. She can’t forget her past.

Psychologist Kate Morgan loves her job evaluating clients for the matchmaking service Binary Search. That is, until the one and only Nicholas Wells becomes a client and the new face of the company. Now Kate must take on a new role as his relationship manager to “fix” the actor-turned-writer-and-producer—not to mention egotistical, possibly narcissistic celebrity—and save Binary Search’s reputation.

Once upon a time this would have been a dream come true, but older, wiser, and live-within-her-rules Kate knows more than she would like to about narcissists. Annulment is an ugly word and one she can’t or won’t forget. But is Nick the man he says he is on paper or is he the man she sees before her eyes? An adoring father with a generous heart who’s willing to smooth out some of his rough edges for the right woman, making her think who’s fixing who?

Can this Hollywood playboy and reluctant matchmaker make the ultimate connection?

My Review: 5 Stars

Serendipity - the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.

Magical - beautiful or delightful in such a way as to seem removed from everyday life.

Kate Morgan will never forget her serendipitous moment with her childhood crush, Nicholas Wells. That magical moment would bring her through some of the toughest times in her life. A moment that will always be hers and hers alone. She never thought that their paths would cross a second time. But working as the Psychologist for Binary Search has brought her face to face with the man again.

When Kate meets with Nick, she sees all kinds of red flags. He's not what Binary Search needs but it's a done deal. He's the new face of the company. Now she will need to become his Personal Relationship Manager and make sure he doesn't do anything that will bring the company she works for down.

While spending time with Nick, his daughter, Skye and his dad, Jack, Kate finds herself extremely confused. Not only does he seem to be one person on paper and another person in real life, but she realizes that connection she felt with him all those years ago is still there. And that just cannot happen. Nick breaks all her rules and she refuses to let herself get hurt a second time.

There's no denying the chemistry between the two of them. She's doing her best to stop all his efforts but Nick's not making it easy. She finds herself opening up to him and letting him in. On top of that, she's developing a friendship with Skye that has her wishing for things of the past.

But just as Kate starts to let her guard down and really let Nick in, she's blindsided. How could she have let this happen again? There were rules in place to stop her from falling in love with someone like Nick. But the heart wants what the heart wants. Now she has to decide if she's going to let him go, pick up her broken pieces and move on with her life. Or if she's going to let all her walls fall, grab on tight to what's in front of her and fight for their happily ever after.

Oh. My. Gosh! You guys! All I can say is WOW! What a roller coaster ride that was! The feels were definitely real my friends! Kate and Nick are definitely favorites of mine. I found myself routing for them from the beginning. I know some people will probably say they found themselves really disliking Nick, but I didn't. There was just something about him. I knew there was more than meets the eye and I couldn't wait to figure out what. I loved watching their relationship develop and seeing the walls come down on both sides. These two really were perfect for each other.

I have to say that one of my favorite parts of this book was watching Kate and Skye's relationship develop. They both had lost a lot in their lives and their hearts were broken. As they got to know each other and spend time together, they were able to help each other heal and fill a void that was missing in both of their lives. Their bond was special and beautiful.

Narcissistic Tendencies is a perfect ending to an amazing series! I loved seeing the characters in the previous books playing a role in this book. We are able to see what they've been up to since we left them. It was icing on the cake for me as I got to see all of their happily ever afters continue on. I'm not going to lie... I'm kinda sad to see this series come to an end! But it's definitely one that I will be reading over and over again! If you haven't read these books yet then I highly recommend you add them to your TBR list!

I have been a Ms. Peel fan from the very first book of hers I read and I don't see that changing anytime soon! She is a very talented author! I look forward to seeing where she takes us next!

And let's just take a moment and stare at these two. I may be a bit bias but I think they are perfect! What do you think?! 

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel

Synopsis:

According to Binary Search’s matchmaking service, Meg Dawson’s and Zander Grainger’s odds of ever having a successful relationship are statistically improbable. Meg has run the numbers and knows the probability, but for some reason she can’t quit thinking about her coworker, and self-proclaimed eternal bachelor, Zander.

To make matters more interesting, Zander approaches her with an unusual proposition. He’s in need of a pretend girlfriend. Meg thinks this could be the answer to get him out of her system; and maybe knock the arrogant man down a few notches in the process. But what she doesn’t realize is, there is more to this man, something he carefully hides behind his arrogant exterior. And when her feelings begin to be anything but pretend, she knows the odds of getting hurt are more than probable.

Will they let the odds overcome them, or will they find that all the reasons they are wrong for each other are exactly what make them a perfect fit?

My Review: 5 Stars

Statistically Improbable. That's what the Binary Search says. But against all the scientific evidence, Meg still finds herself drawn to Zander. She doesn't know what it is but she just can't resist his pull. Maybe it's his charm or his gorgeous face or just him. But whatever it is has her going to goo whenever he's around. 

So when Zander asks Meg to be his fake girlfriend to keep the unwanted women away, she has to stop herself from instantly saying yes! Guys like him don't fall for girls like her. She has to keep her heart safe. But this is a chance to prove science wrong. It's also the perfect chance to bring the King of Arrogance down a notch or two. Zander won't know what hit him... 😉

On the outside Zander is the eternal bachelor, the center of attention, the best friend.. pretty much anything anyone needs him to be. He's got to be in order to keep his secrets locked up tight. He's always been good at hiding the real him. There have been very few people who have ever been able to see past his façade. So when the feisty, sassy, beautiful Meg adds herself to that list, it scares the crap out of him and he does his best to keep her at bay. 

But with all the chemistry and fireworks between these two, it proves statistically improbable to fight against the inevitable. These two bring out the worst and the best in each other. This is all new territory for the both of them. Zander is bound to make mistakes and say the wrong things, but he will not waste a second to make things right between them. It may take some time, but Meg will prove to Zander that if anyone deserves a happily ever after, it's them. 

*dreamy sigh* I absolutely LOVED this book! I have wondered about Zander ever since we first saw him in His Personal Relationship Manager. Some people loved him, other people didn't. But if you really paid attention to him, you would have realized that there was more than meets the eye. What he was on the outside, was not who he is on the inside. He's a diamond in the rough. And it took just the right woman to make him shine. And Meg was that woman. These two were absolutely perfect for each other! 💗

I know I say this all the time but I swear Ms. Peel's book just keep getting better and better! Just when I think I have found my favorite, she releases a new book and I end up changing my mind. I think I have finally come to the conclusion that I will never have just one favorite book of hers. It's impossible! I seriously cannot choose! Do NOT make me choose! Haha. 

And this casting! *dreamy sigh* I don't care what anyone thinks... these two are perfect in my opinion! 😉

The Re-reading Adventures of a Book Dragon!

 

Book Dragons! Do you remember a couple of months ago when I said I was going to dedicate an entire month to re-reading my favorite books? Well, I decided that July was going to be that month! What better way to celebrate my birthday month than by doing something I love!

Now which books will I be re-reading? I'm glad you asked! Here's my list... 😉

Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel

Narcissistic Tendencies by Jennifer Peel

How to Get Over Your Ex in Ninety Days by Jennifer Peel

One Choice I'd Never Make by Remi Carrington

Heart Thief by Taylor Dean

Stone Silence by Taylor Dean

Believing in You by Jess Mastorakos

Romance on the Reef by Jess Mastorakos

More Than Second Chances by Sara Jane Woodley

Faceoff by Rebecca Connolly

Powerplay by Heather B. Moore

Rebound by Sophia Summers

Crosscheck by Rebecca Connolly

Midnight Reckoning by Rebecca Deel

Payback by Rebecca Deel

Best Served Cold by Rebecca Deel
In Plain Sight by Rebecca Deel

Wheels of Justice by Rebecca Deel

Deadly Game by Rebecca Deel

Resurgence by Rebecca Deel
Vendetta by Rebecca Deel

Shadow Guardian by Rebecca Deel

Ambitious? Yep! Am I going to read them all? No clue! But I'm definitely going to try! Haha. And P.S. I may or may not be adding more depending on my mood while reading certain books... 🤣

So. Who are my Book Dragons that love to re-read favorite books? Will you be joining me in my Re-reading Adventures? What books do you want to re-read this month?

Happy reading my fellow Book Dragons!