Release Blitz: A Wreck, You Make Me by Saffron A. Kent

Title: A Wreck, You Make Me

Author: Saffron A. Kent

Genre: Dark Forbidden Romance

Tropes: Bully Romance, Blackmail, Forced Proximity

Morally Grey Hero, Praise/Degradation Kink, Soccer

Release Date: August 8, 2025

BLURB

I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve. 

He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club. 

Our paths aren’t meant to cross. 

Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun. 

Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape. 

Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback. 

He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next. 

He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg. 

What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good. 

But it has to end. 

Because I have a secret... 

That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave. 

Even his revenge.

Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown

ADD TO GOODREADS

PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL / ALL LINKS

Free in Kindle Unlimited

AUTHOR BIO

Saffron A. Kent is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance.

She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she lives in New York City with her nerdy and supportive husband, along with a million and one books.

WEBSITE

A Wreck, You Make Me by Saffron A. Kent

Saffron A. Kent returns with a provocative tale of toxic obsession, manipulation, and an all-consuming forbidden love that burned up the pages. I was completely enthralled by Shepard and Jupiter's rollercoaster of a romance—even if it did frustrate me at times. I had been highly anticipating their story ever since Stellan and Isadora's book, and the author did not disappoint. Shepard was previously portrayed as this nonchalant and charming playboy but he was so much more than that. As the last Thorne sibling to get his happily ever after, it was shocking to realize that he was just as broken, if not more, than Ledger or Stellan. I was also surprised by how unhinged and insane he was when it came to Jupiter. Their hot and cold relationship was off the charts dirty and kinky. That hotel scene will forever live rent free in my head. Shepard and Jupiter's sexual chemistry and tension was so intense and palpable—Saffron simply excels at writing this. The lengths that he went through to keep an eye on his Little Strawberry… the man was completely crazy and manic, possessive and obsessed over her. Jupiter may have been Shepard's stalker but he became hers. While I felt so bad for Jupiter when Shepard was being intentionally cruel to her, she also made him suffer too.

"I know nothing about love. Not one thing. I can’t even recognize it for what it is so it’s safe to say I have no idea how to love someone. All I know is I want to. I want to love her because I do love her. She’s it for me. She’s my sweet dream and my dark desire. She is my lost bird and my good girl. She’s my Little Strawberry."

In the end, I enjoyed Shepard and Jupiter's toxic romance because even though they kept hurting each other, they were also two pieces of a puzzle made whole together. This was a true cat and mouse relationship because Jupiter loved to run away from Shepard, which would always trigger him to chase after her. Also, I absolutely can't wait for Ark and and Byron's book. These two amused me to no end when they were giving Shepard advice on Jupiter. I highly recommend reading Stellan's book, Oh, You're So Cold, because it's a direct sequel to this book and will provide a lot of context as to why Shepard is the way he is. Overall, I loved seeing everything come full circle between Shepard and Jupiter. Fans of Saffron A. Kent and those looking forward to Shepard and Jupiter's book will absolutely love and devour this one because it has all of the tropes, sexiness, and insanity that the author is known for. I thought Ledger was unhinged but Shepard absolutely took his crown and made it his own. Although their journey was a long and difficult one, Shepard and Jupiter were truly made for each other and I was completely satisfied with their ending.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Pre-order Blitz: A Wreck, You Make Me by Saffron A. Kent

Title: A Wreck, You Make Me

Author: Saffron A. Kent

Genre: Dark Forbidden Romance

Tropes: Bully Romance, Blackmail, Forced Proximity

Morally Grey Hero, Praise/Degradation Kink, Soccer

Release Date: August 8, 2025

BLURB

I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve. 

He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club. 

Our paths aren’t meant to cross. 

Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun.

Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape. 

Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback. 

He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next. 

He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg. 

What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good. 

But it has to end. 

Because I have a secret... 

That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave. 

Even his revenge.

Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown

ADD TO GOODREADS

PRE-ORDER LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL / ALL LINKS

PRE-ORDER INCENTIVE

READ AN EARLY EXCERPT

AUTHOR BIO

Saffron A. Kent is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance.

She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she lives in New York City with her nerdy and supportive husband, along with a million and one books.

WEBSITE

The Gilded Heiress by Joanna Shupe

Joanna Shupe returns with a riveting tale of mistaken identities, secrets, betrayal, and a heartfelt romance inspired by the movie Anastasia—all within the backdrop of the Gilded Age. While this did read more like historical fiction than romance, Shupe still manages to add plenty of spice and angst to Leo Hardy and Josie Smith's relationship. The story begins with a prologue providing additional context on what happened to the Pendleton's missing daughter. Soon, readers are suddenly thrust into Leo Hardy's POV and learns that he has been struggling to support his family. Inspired by the character Dimitri, Leo is a swindler and often takes on unsavory jobs to swindle ordinary people of their money. He holds an intense dislike of the Pendletons because of they dismissed his father and ruined his family. Leo ultimately lays eyes on Josie Smith on the streets and is immediately captivated by her stark resemblance to the missing Pendleton heiress. He soon devises a plan to become her manager while wanting to swindle the Pendletons for their reward money. However, what Leo didn't take into account for was falling head over heels in love with Josie in the process.

“I'm never letting you go. It's you and me until the very end, sweetheart.”

In the end, I enjoyed this captivating story inspired by Anastasia and "doomed" relationship from the start—especially since Leo lied to Josie while the both of them were falling in love with each other. Their relationship was quite angsty near the end, which I appreciated, because Leo finally realized the error of his ways and did everything in his power to gain Josie's love again. I liked that Josie was independent and wanted to becoming a singer no matter what. Even after finding her parents again, she was still determined to follow that dream through. There were a few spicy scenes, but I was left wanting more. Nevertheless, they were still incredibly impactful for our main couple and laid the stage for Leo and Josie's love to blossom. Fans of Joanna Shupe and historical romance in the Gilded Age will enjoy this book because it features an unrepentant and mischievous hero who goes through character development to become the the loving and stable man to win Josie's love—a wonderful heroine who had strong convictions and a desire to do good. I loved that these two were able to eventually find a home in each other.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Punish Me, Daddy by Sara Fields

Punish Me, Daddy by Sara Fields continues the Boston Kings series and features Nikolai Morozov—one of Maxim's brothers, a character who was prominently featured as one of the side characters at the beginning of the series. Nikolai has been matched with Sloane Kingsley, a new character in this world. I was quite surprised by her character since she came across as this bratty, arrogant, and spoiled princess but she was completely the opposite inside. She needed a firm hand and as a result, Nikolai has decided to task himself with disciplining and making her his. I really enjoyed the push and pull between Nikolai and Sloane. It made for some interesting and intense scenes between these two as they tried to fight each other's pull. These two had a very sexual relationship at first, but it didn't take long for them to start having feelings for each other. Their love scenes were incredibly dirty, explicit, and super steamy—which I appreciated.

“I wanted to look a man in the eyes and know he could break me—and trust that he wouldn’t unless I asked him to.”

In the end, this was another solid book from Sara Fields because it features her tried and true tropes and kinks featuring a firm and dominant hero and a prideful heroine who didn't know what she wanted until it forcefully came into her life and shattered all of her expectations. I do have to admit that it took me awhile to warm up to Sloane because she was bratty and came across as childish and manipulative. However, it didn't take long for readers and Nikolai to realize that her misbehavior was a direct result of her loneliness and need for someone to claim her. Nikolai shattered her life and expectations and she was already his by the time he entered her life and laid claim to it. Overall, this was an enjoyable read and fans of Sara Fields won't be disappointed by this sexy read. It looks like the next books will featuring the two remaining Morozov brothers, Ivan and Sergei.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Beg For Me by J.T. Geissinger

J.T Geissinger returns with a highly anticipated sequel that tells a powerful story of new beginnings, personal growth, and finding love again featuring two incredibly endearing characters. Beg For Me is Carter McCord's book and I have to be honest and say that this book surprised me. I never saw Sophia coming and she was the perfect woman and complement to Carter's vulnerability and sunshine personality. Unlike his brothers Callum and Cole, Carter wasn't broody and moody—he smiled often, made jokes, and was super sweet and romantic in general. He was such a green flag and golden retriever of a man—I simply loved his honesty, obsession, and neediness when it came to Sophia. Their love scenes were super steamy but also interesting as well since Sophia was older than Carter. They had an equal but also not power dynamic. At times, Sophia was in control but then Carter would switch it up and take the reins instead. It certainly made for some exhilarating scenes between the two.

“You’re everything I didn’t know I needed. I won’t doubt you again. So please be careful with me, Carter, because I’m giving you my heart. I’m trusting you not to break it.”

In the end, this was an excellent sequel to the Morally Gray series. I loved seeing Callum again and his interactions with Sophia were hilarious. Sophia's mother was another amazing character who made me laugh out loud because of her outrageous antics and behavior, especially when interacting with her daughter and granddaughter. Carter's past broke my heart and I loved that Sophia was not only there for him when he told her but she understood and accepted all of him. Even though Carter was broken, he was made whole by his love for Sophia and the same can be said for her as well because of her past relationship with her horrible ex-husband. There's no denying that Sophia and Carter had undeniable chemistry and I especially loved how they communicated with with each other—it was fun, flirty, honest, but also emotional as well. I highly recommend this series and fans of J.T. Geissinger will absolutely enjoy and be surprised by this reverse age gap romance.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Bartered Innocence by B. Sobjakken

Bartered Innocence is B. Sobjakken's full-length novel and I absolutely devoured this one because of the romance and smut. While this your typical standard mafia romance with an arranged marriage, I loved that it primarily focused on the developing romantic relationship between Rian and Isabelle. The man was completely possessive and obsessed of his wife and I liked that she felt the same way. The story begins with a one night stand between Rian and Isabelle that ultimately turns into something more between them. After their night together, Isabelle leaves Rian wanting more until he comes across an image of her as one of his potential brides. Following their reunion and marriage, Isabelle and Rian are forced to navigate not only their sexual attraction for each other but also their growing feelings while trying to find the traitor in their midst.

“It breaks a little inside me, as if he’s stealing a piece I won’t get back. He’s looking at me like he found something precious, and I hate it because we can never be anything after tonight.”

In the end, I thoroughly enjoyed this book—it was incredibly spicy and sexy. Even though I was frustrated with Isabelle and Rian at times, I appreciated the fact that they were able to resolve their issues quickly. I do have to say that I am rather curious about Sebastian and Gianna's story. Sebastian is the strange man who ended up becoming allies of sort with Rian. There was also the mystery of why Gianna ran away from Sebastian. We're giving a brief chapter of the next book but it's safe to say that I am looking forward to their story and future ones with the rest of Rian's brotherhood. I wonder if Luca will also redeem himself as well. I'm hoping the author will write books for the rest of the side characters because they were all endearing to me. If you are looking for a super steamy and quick mafia romance, I highly recommend this one!

Rating: ★★★★☆

Dark Prince's Mate by Anna Zaires and Charmaine Pauls

Dark Prince's Mate is the conclusion to Aruan and Elsie's story. This was an excellent sequel that not only captivated my attention—due to all of my burning questions, but Anna Zaires and Charmaine Paul also gave us some incredibly spicy and heartfelt scenes for their journey's end. I want to note that this book picks up immediately after Dark Prince’s Captive so I recommend reading that first before picking up this one. Although Aruan and Elsie still had their issues in the first half of the book, the way they were able to resolve it and come to terms with their growing feelings for each other made for a satisfying conclusion to their story. However, it was still frustrating to see Elsie continue to fight her feelings for Aruan but he was also at fault for being too uncompromising when it came to her safety. Their unwillingness to talk to each other made me want to shake them both. Thankfully, I was relieved when Aruan began to slowly change his ways and make concessions for Elsie's happiness.

“The man cradling me in his arms has a terrifying, godlike power, yet I’m not afraid of him. I see him for what he is: dangerous and beautiful, violent and imperfect. And mine. Above all, mine.”

In the end, Aruan made compromises that ultimately won him Elsie's heart. I thoroughly enjoyed their super steamy moments and seeing them "make up" after an argument. The love scenes were spicy and plentiful—which I appreciated because Aruan and Elsie's first time left them and readers disappointed. Prior to the completion of their bond, Aruan was extremely overprotective, overbearing, and stubborn. This clashed with Elsie's personality because she was independent, stubborn, and had modern sensibilities. Nevertheless, I was happy to see them finally talk and learn to love one another. The second half of the book was my favorite because we finally learn who the true mastermind of the kidnappings and attacks was. It made for an exciting turn of events, which also led Elsie to realize her feelings for Aruan and complete their mate bond. I highly recommend this duet to fans of Anna Zaires and Charmaine Pauls, especially if you like reading about the dark, brooding, and possessive hero and his feisty and highly independent heroine with plenty of spice as well.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Dark Prince's Captive by Anna Zaires and Charmaine Pauls

Anna Zaires and Charmaine Pauls have written a fantastical and exciting new world full of action, romance, and danger that will certainly captivate your attention and leave you wanting more. I found the world of Zerra, a parallel world to Earth, completely fascinating and hope the authors will provide more background information about it in the next book. Due to the short nature of this book, it did feel more like an introduction to Elsie and Aruan's story and the world of Zerra. Our heroine, Elsie, starts off on the brink of death but ends up being transported to a completely new world that's similar but unlike her own. After getting kidnapped by these strange and terrifying creatures, she is saved by a mysterious and handsome man who calls himself her mate. Bewildered and scared, Elsie has to not only navigate her confusing new feelings for Aruan but also this magical world and her growing dormant powers. I loved that this had all of the tried and true tropes we all know and love in a romantasy but with the hint of darkness and traits of Charmaine and Anna's obsessive and possessive heroes. However, Aruan has a lot of groveling and explaining to do after the events of this book—to which I look forward to reading.

“I can feel the pull of her being. It’s like a dragon’s claw has hooked itself deep into my chest, but instead of pain, there’s an ache, equal parts sweet and terrible, an exquisite longing that permeates everything I am.”

In the end, this was an incredible start to a brand new series and entry into their romantasy era from Anna Zaires and Charmaine Pauls. I want to know more about Elsie's past and who exactly sent her to Earth to die. Her newfound powers also piqued my interest and I can't wait to see what she'll do with it. On the other hand, Aruan was a very intense, powerful, and dominant character. Although there were times where I felt like he was too high-handed when it came to Elsie, I appreciated that he was already completely obsessed and possessive of her. I'm hoping that the authors will further flesh out Aruan and Elsie's characters and build more on their relationship that currently consists more of lust than love right now. Their consummation was incredibly sexy but frustrating at the same time because of what happened after. Another point that I found interesting was Aruan as the prophesied crown prince who will destroy the world because of his mate. How did this prophecy even come about and what will this mean for Elsie? Is Aruan's mother the villain of this book or someone else? I'm also curious about Aruan's siblings—Gaia, especially Kian who left an impression on me, and Vitai—and hope they will getting their own books. I highly recommend reading Dark Prince's Mate immediately after because this one does end in a heartbreaking cliffhanger due to a miscommunication between Aruan and Elsie.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Cover Reveal: A Wreck, You Make Me by Saffron A. Kent

Title: A Wreck, You Make Me

Author: Saffron A. Kent

Genre: Dark Forbidden Romance

Tropes: Bully Romance, Blackmail, Forced Proximity

Morally Grey Hero, Praise/Degradation Kink, Soccer

Cover Design: Najla Qamber

Model Cover Photographer: Daniel Jaems

Release Date: June 9, 2025

BLURB

I have been in love with Shepard Thorne since I was twelve.

He’s my best friend’s hot older brother, and I am the weird redhead who low-key follows him everywhere. He’s soccer’s bad boy, and I am stuck in a dead end job, serving drinks at the local strip club.

Our paths aren’t meant to cross.

Until one day I catch him getting a lap dance at the club and jealousy makes me ruin his fun.

Now he’s made it his mission to make my life hell and no matter what I do, there is no escape.

Everywhere I turn, there he is, waiting for his payback.

He threatens to kiss me one second, and choke me the next.

He promises to bring me to my knees and make me beg.

What started as a little harmless prank turns into a twisted game of blackmail that’s toxic but oh-so-good.

But it has to end.

Because I have a secret...

That ties me to my tormentor in an irrevocable way, and if he ever finds out, it will wreck everything I now crave.

Even his revenge.

Note: This is a STANDALONE set in the world of Bardstown.

ADD TO GOODREADS

PRE-ORDER LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

UNIVERSAL / ALL LINKS

AUTHOR BIO

Saffron A. Kent is a USA Today Bestselling Author of Contemporary and New Adult romance.

She has an MFA in Creative Writing and she lives in New York City with her nerdy and supportive husband, along with a million and one books.

WEBSITE

Peaches & Cream by Elena Dawne

Elena Dawne returns with an exciting new release featuring an incredibly sweet and romantic hero who falls in love at first sight for his innocent but brazen and sassy heroine. Fans of the Spice in the Mountains series will remember Daryl Winters as one of the side characters in Mountain Daddy's Milk & Honeymoon and Red Flag Bull. I had been highly anticipating his book and it did not disappoint at all because it was both smutty and sweet. I fell for Daryl's romantic, caring, and protective nature even though he was seen as the devil in their small town. He stayed in that judgmental and backwards small town just for Cadence Malone—the love of his life. If I could describe Cadence in one word, it would be wildfire. She was a mix of innocence and daring simply because she took charge of her own sexuality and brazenly asked Daryl to help her. Cadence didn't let her circumstances deter her from finding her own happiness, especially her manipulative father and repressive neighbors. I loved that these two lonely characters were able to find each other. Their relationship was a combination of really sweet but also super spicy moments.

“It means that I’m madly in love with a beautiful girl I can’t ever have. But I’d rather come here and torture myself daily than never see her again.”

In the end, Daryl and Cadence's book was super fun and I enjoyed it immensely. If you are looking for a "he falls first" type of romance where the heroine is a combination of innocence and sassiness, especially when it comes to her desires look no further—this is the one. I really liked Cadence as a heroine but Daryl was my favorite character in the book. He loved her so selflessly and made sure to go along with whatever she wanted to do. He was absolutely a green flag hero. I also want to mention that you can read this book as a standalone. Overall, I highly recommend this series for it's sweet and sexy romance with loveable characters and an "antagonist" you will want to slap. Elena Dawne simply excels at writing smut and Daryl's story had plenty of tropes that we know and love from her such as an age-gap romance, he falls first, forbidden love, and opposites attract. I can't wait to see what Elena Dawne has in store for us next! 

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

The Nanny is Off Limits by Q.B. Tyler

Q.B Tyler's latest release features one of my all-time favorite tropes—a workplace romance but with a twist since Elianna is the live-nanny for Rowan's children. The Nanny is Off Limits features an all-consuming and sexy romance between a young woman who inevitably falls for her older employer. The connection and attraction that these two had for each other was immediate and you could feel the tension between them. I was completely enamored by their relationship from the start and it did NOT disappoint. This book was also really SPICY. Who would have foreseen this workaholic lawyer and father could have such a dirty mouth on him? Certainly not Elianna or readers. Although I really enjoyed this book, one critique that I did have for it was... why did it have to be so short?! I wanted more scenes between Elianna and Rowan. I loved how their relationship felt both natural and yet it was also forbidden because they were keeping it a secret from others for now.

“I’m yours, sunshine. Think I have been since the first time you walked through my front door.”

In the end, I truly enjoyed this book and can't wait to read River's story in The Cheerleader is Off Limits, who happens to be Rowan's younger brother. He was a reliable uncle to his nieces and nephew, a loyal brother to Rowan, and a playful yet teasing type of character overall. Speaking of Rowan's kids, they were so adorable and mischievous. Margot did get on my nerves because of her attitude but she eventually came to terms with Ellie and Rowan's relationship. Back to Elianna and Rowan, I absolutely adored their playful and sexy banter. It was truly a fun palette cleanser, if you are looking for something to get over your book slump. There wasn't any drama between the characters, besides Margot's discovery and Elianna's family situation. Elianna and Rowan pursued both their relationship passionately and relentlessly—which I loved. Fans of Sky Warren's Private Property will surely enjoy this book. If you are looking for a sexy, passionate, and forbidden love story between a single dad and his nanny, I highly recommend this book!

Rating: ★★★★★

Release Blitz: Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly

Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly is now live! 

Courtney

I’m just so exhausted—always living on the edge of desperation, one paycheck away from ruin.

But this new job…

It could be the fresh start I need.

It could change everything.

The contract is only for three months, but if I keep my head down, work hard, and prove myself, maybe I could stay longer.

Maybe I could make Black Mountain Lodge my home.

As I pull down the gravel drive, surrounded by the forest and mountains and bright blue skies, I feel something I haven’t felt in a while.

I feel hope.

Sterling

My new employee is late.

I’m already in a bad mood about having to train him, still salty about my old guy retiring on me.

But while I’m waiting, a woman pulls up my drive.

A woman straight from my damn dreams.

Curvy and pretty, looking at me with wide eyes framed with sooty lashes.

And suddenly, I’m no longer thinking about my late employee.

But then she opens her mouth and asks for me, introducing herself as Courtney, my new hire.

Courtney. Not Court, like the application said.

And I realize there’s been a mistake.

I can’t have this woman working here. Living on my property. Distracting me. I mean, my staff.

No. She can’t work for me. End of story.

Except she won’t leave. She even threatens to sue me.

Fine. If she won’t let me fire her before she even starts, then I’ll just have to make her leave on her own.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4fRHOTa

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/MountainBoss

Audible: https://bit.ly/4iN1gTa

Narrated by Erin Mallon & Connor Crais

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4hb9yTO

Meet S.J. Tilly

Like all her books, S.J. Tilly resides in the glorious state of Minnesota, where she was born and raised. To avoid the freezing cold winters, S.J. enjoys burying her head in books, whether to read them or write them or listen to them.

When she's not busy writing her contemporary smut, she can be found lounging with her husband and their herd of rescue boxers. And when the weather permits she loves putting her compost to use in the garden, pretending to know what she's doing. The neighbors may not like the flowery mayhem of her yard, but the bees sure do. And really, that's more important.

 

Connect with S.J. Tilly

Website: https://www.sjtilly.com/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21212705.S_J_Tilly

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/S.J.-Tilly/author/B08WPK79SN

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Shatter Me by Bianca Cole

Dimitri Ivanov meets his match in the highly independent and firecracker that is Natasha Blackwood. Shatter Me by Bianca Cole is the second book in her brand new mafia romance series, which follows Stalk Me —Nikolai and Sofia's story. I was completely enthralled by the explosive chemistry and tension between Dimitri and Natasha. I loved the push and pull element of their relationship because they were constantly chasing and yearning for each other. Whenever Natasha tried to run away from Dimitri, it was impossible for her to escape him because he was always one step behind her. The man had her in his sights and was unwilling to let her go. The intensity of Dimitri's obsession for Natasha was certainly a heady thing to witness. I appreciated the fact that the author took the time to build their relationship while also increasing the tension between the two main characters. It made their love scenes even more special and sexy when it finally happened. However, war is looming for Dimitri and his brothers because of their escalating attacks on a rival family. This will ultimately place Natasha in the crossfires and change the dynamics of their relationship forever.

“I'm never letting her go. She belongs to me now—mind, body, and soul. And I'll destroy anyone who tries to take her from me.”

In the end, Dimitri and Natasha's love story was beautifully written and broke my heart several times because of the yearning from both characters and secrets he kept from her. The highlight of this book was absolutely the romance between Dimitri and Natasha. As someone who was often portrayed as controlling, dominant, and intense, Natasha was the only one who could easily shatter Dimitri's control. I loved that it was also difficult for Natasha to maintain her composure around Dimitri but she held her own against him many times. It was obvious to everyone around them that they were extremely attracted to each other. It was funny to see Dimitri's family tease him for always being so distracted because his mind was constantly on Natasha. If you are looking for an incredibly sexy and romantic love story between two strong and independent characters who can't help but fall for each other despite their circumstances, I highly recommend this book!

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly

S.J. Tilly's brand new book, Mountain Boss, takes the enemies-to-lovers and boss/employee tropes for a spin and gives us a wonderful backdrop of the Colorado mountains between a grumpy hero and his cute heroine. I adored Courtney and related to her sense of independence, personality, and desire for companionship. Sterling was an interesting character and kind of insane. The lengths he went through to "keep an eye" on Courtney were interesting and hilarious. Although her relationship with him started off rough, it was clearly obvious that both were extremely attracted to each other. I do have to admit that while I enjoyed this book, it wasn't my favorite from the author. I thought the sexual tension between Courtney and Sterling was dragged out for too long—it took them around the 64% mark to finally consummate their relationship! I'm all for a slow burn, but since the chapters were short and switched back and forth between Courtney and Sterling, it felt like everything and nothing was happening at the same time. Nevertheless, I did like our main characters and the spicy scenes were everything I expected and more.

“Never in my wildest daydreams would I have thought this life was possible. Never had I imagined a man like Sterling would be the one to change my life.”

In the end, this was a wonderful start to the Mountain Men series and I look forward to whoever's book is next. The secondary characters were great and I loved the sense of community that Sterling has built for his crew in the Black Mountain Lodge. Even though Sterling was extremely possessive and obsessive of Courtney, he was still a reliable and caring boss to his employees. I found it hilarious that he would often interject himself between her and whoever she was talking to because of his jealousy. If you are looking for a "small town" but it's really just mountain lodge romance, I highly recommend this to those who have been looking forward to a brand new setting, characters, and stories from S.J. Tilly. You won't be disappointed by Courtney and Sterling's steamy and emotional romance.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Stalk Me by Bianca Cole

For my first Bianca Cole book, I was thoroughly impressed by her story-telling, writing, and characters in Stalk Me. Sofia and Nikolai's relationship was incredibly sexy, romantic, and even dirty at times because of the dd/lg kink. The romance between Sofia and Nikolai was the strongest point of the book and the author did an excellent job building the chemistry and romance between our two main characters. I was completely fascinated by Nikolai's constant pursuit of Sofia and how she ultimately fell for him despite knowing that he was a dangerous man. As the main title of the book suggests, Nikolai was completely obsessed with Sofia and wanted to know everything about her—he even went so far as to stalk and monitor her. I would be creeped out in real life but this is fiction so I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I knew it would ultimately come back to bite him, and it did. I loved that Sofia confronted him and Nikolai even felt ashamed because of it.

“From the first moment I saw you, you consumed me. Every thought, every breath—just you. I couldn’t bear not knowing what you were doing.”

In the end, this was a wonderful start to a brand new series and I absolutely can't see what Bianca Cole has in store for Dimitri and Natasha—Nikolai's brother and Sofia's best friend. I'm certain that we'll be getting books for the rest of Nikolai's brothers as well. There was a slight age gap between Nikolai and Sofia but it didn't detract from their romance. I loved that the author primarily focused on their growing relationship. The love scenes were incredibly spicy and had me on the edge of my seat. Although the last part of the book was bogged down by drama between Sofia and her long-lost family, I still enjoyed this book nonetheless. If you are looking for a steamy mafia romance between a totally obsessed and possessive hero who deeply loves his malyshka, I highly recommend Nikolai and Sofia's story because it will hook you right in.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★☆

Cover Reveal: Mountain Boss by S.J. Tilly

S.J. Tilly has revealed the gorgeous cover for Mountain Boss!

Releasing: March 27, 2025

Cover Design: Lori Jackson Design

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

When the flannel-wearing mountain man is your boss... your enemy... and more than a little obsessed with you.

Courtney I'm just so exhausted—always living on the edge of desperation, one paycheck away from ruin. But this new job… It could be the fresh start I need. It could change everything. The contract is only for three months, but if I keep my head down, work hard, and prove myself, maybe I could stay longer. Maybe I could make Black Mountain Lodge my home. As I pull down the gravel drive, surrounded by the forest and mountains and bright blue skies, I feel something I haven't felt in a while. I feel hope. Sterling My new employee is late. I'm already in a bad mood about having to train him, still salty about my old guy retiring on me. But while I'm waiting, a woman pulls up my drive. A woman straight from my damn dreams. Curvy and pretty, looking at me with wide eyes framed with sooty lashes. And suddenly, I'm no longer thinking about my late employee. But then she opens her mouth and asks for me, introducing herself as Courtney, my new hire. Courtney. Not Court, like the application said. And I realize there's been a mistake. I can't have this woman working here. Living on my property. Distracting me. I mean, my staff. No. She can't work for me. End of story. Except she won't leave. She even threatens to sue me. Fine. If she won't let me fire her before she even starts, then I'll just have to make her leave on her own.

Pre-order your copy today!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4fRHOTa

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/MountainBoss

Audio: Coming Soon!

Narrated by Erin Mallon & Connor Crais

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4hb9yTO

Meet S.J. Tilly

Like all her books, S.J. Tilly resides in the glorious state of Minnesota, where she was born and raised. To avoid the freezing cold winters, S.J. enjoys burying her head in books, whether to read them or write them or listen to them.

When she's not busy writing her contemporary smut, she can be found lounging with her husband and their herd of rescue boxers. And when the weather permits she loves putting her compost to use in the garden, pretending to know what she's doing. The neighbors may not like the flowery mayhem of her yard, but the bees sure do. And really, that's more important.

 

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