Kayem Reads

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

Lilian doesn’t remember anything about her life before the day Maggie Muir found her on her front porch—a toddler, abandoned and alone. And maybe that’s okay. She has a beautiful life at Muir Farm, including an adopted family she adores and a successful career as a lawyer. But she also has a secret . . . one that raises just as many questions about her future as it does her unknown past. And, of course, it would be private investigator Wilder Monroe, her brother’s best friend and the bane of her existence, who sniffs out her secret before anyone else. Wilder has spent the past three years trying to close the one case his father couldn’t—the mystery of Maggie Muir’s long-lost granddaughter. But the decades-long search has become more tangled than ever. It’s become more personal, too. Not only are the Muirs the closest thing to family he has left, but if he can solve this mystery, maybe he’ll keep himself from drowning in the one he can’t . . . the truth about his father’s death. In the midst of secrets and swirling questions, Maggie asks a favor of both Lilian and Wilder: put aside their bickering and work together to plan her summer wedding. It’s a big ask, made all the more difficult when danger comes calling at Muir Farm. But if the two enemies can stand each other long enough to pull off the event of the year, they just might solve a mystery in the process. And the biggest discovery of all? That sometimes the one your heart longs for is the last person you ever would’ve expected.

Wedding at Sea is the final installment of Melissa Tagg’s Muir Harbor trilogy. I am sad for the series to be over, but am so glad to get all of the answers I’ve been waiting for. If you haven’t read of the rest of the series, stop reading this review and read the series first. You will not be disappointed.

This book was amazing. Of course I loved the romance aspect of the story, but the twists and turns and the mystery of it all is really what made this book great. Melissa Tagg was able to seamlessly weave together a story of forgiveness, redemption, love, family, mystery and so much more.

Definitely one of my favourite books I’ve read recently. Make sure you don’t miss this book or the rest of the series.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip. It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron. Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound. He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man. And Cameron ticks all those boxes—except two.

• He’s my best friend’s older brother.
• He barely knows I exist.

That is, unless you count the fact that I’m a fixture in his life. Cameron probably gives me as much thought as he gives his sofa. It’s there. It’s always been there. Comfortable, reliable, old sofa. I’ll get over Cameron eventually. Don’t we all get over the hum and rush of our first crush? If anything, six or seven days cooped up in a van together on a trip across the country should kill any infatuation I have and kill it good. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, so maybe forced proximity works the opposite way. A girl can hope.

I was sad when Savannah Scott’s Getting Shipped series ended, but as soon as she announced this new series, I got excited. I love it when authors connect their series. It was so much fun to start in Bordeaux and see some of my favourite characters again.

This book was a fun read. Of course, I loved the best-friends-brother trope but there was so much more to it than that. The dynamic of the 4 very different friends travelling together made for some interesting adventures and a lot of laughs.

This book captured my attention so much that now I want to go on a road trip with friends and see some of these wild and wacky attractions.

The fact that Riley was trying to get over Cameron made for a really unique twist to the story. Seeing the journey their relationship went on drew me in and really made me love them both so much more.

Only negative is that my brother’s name is Cameron, so that was weird haha.

I loved this book and already can’t wait for the rest of the series. I am sure you will love this book too.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

He was her BFF until life got in the way. Now he’s back, right when she needs him most. But crossing the line of friendship will risk more than just their hearts. All Jane Porter Allen ever wanted was a big family, front porch, and white picket fence. That dream was laid to rest alongside her husband, Casey, when their life was just getting started. Now, as their son, Noah, faces a similar life-threatening diagnosis, she’s forced to confront her past as she struggles with how to save her little boy’s future. Enter Ryan Engstrom, Jane’s college bestie and Casey’s childhood best friend. A pediatric neurosurgeon, he’s full of regrets and determined to help Noah. He’ll need to move mountains to make sure Noah receives the best medical treatment possible—all the while fighting his own personal demons as he faces a heart-wrenching decision. Though still deeply grieving past traumas, Jane and Ryan are just as in tune with each other as ever. When their feelings grow beyond friendship, everything hangs in the balance, including Noah’s life. Now, they must confront their pain and make a choice—continue on separate paths and miss out on a second chance at love, or risk everything to find a way to build a future together.

If you are looking for a sweet romance with Christian themes that absolutely tugs at your heartstrings, then this is the book for you. I laughed, I cried, I swooned; all of the emotions at once.

This is the sixth book in Kerry Evelyn’s Crane’s Cove series. I have loved the entire series. Love on the Brain has so much to offer and I really don’t know where to start.

I loved the way that this book drew me in so much, that I felt the same range of emotions as the characters. I fell in love with the characters right from the start (even in previous books) and felt like I was on the journey with them.

I loved this book and I am sure you will too.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

She could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her. My friend tells me to forget about her, but how can I when she becomes Maddie’s art teacher and our paths cross again? I ask her out, she turns me down. Rinse and repeat. But I don’t plan on giving up any time soon. My instincts are always right, and they’re telling me Meadow Jane Carter might just be my future wife.

I have been so excited for this book. Ever since Annah Conwell gave us a sneak peek of this book in her previous book, The First Taste. A sports romance, single father, teacher, and he falls first. A combination of tropes I was excited for and of course this book did not disappoint. I absolutely loved this book.

I don’t even know where to start with how much I loved this book. I absolutely loved the way Sebastian pursued MJ. There were so many sweet moments, including him looking after her when she was sick. Maddie was also a fun character. This book made me laugh out loud, swoon a little and cry. The full range of emotions packed into a book that made me fall a little in love with the characters.

I loved the sneak peeks of the couples from the rest of the series, plus the introduction of MJ’s brothers. I am so excited they get their own series soon. I can’t wait to read all the stories.

This book has definitely been one of my favourite reads this year. You don’t want to miss this book.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

She’s Insta-famous. He uses a flip phone. When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell—an engineered marvel of beauty, energy, and fun—falls from her penthouse perch. Des­perate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi docu­menting her disgrace, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park, Montana. About as far as possible from life as she’s known it. Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to lit­eral blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of her­self and begins to ask the hard questions. Can Cat love herself with, and without, the world watching? Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger—and he hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.

Melissa Ferguson has written a fun book about influencers and social media. Although this book is advertised as a romantic comedy, this book is more about personal growth than romance. The romance doesn’t really come into the story fully until the second half of the book. But that did not stop me from enjoying this book.

Despite a slow start to the story, Cat became someone you quickly cared about. Life as she knew it changed in the blink of an eye. And a change of scenery was everything she didn’t know she needed. I loved the journey Cat went on discovering who she truly was and the impact social media and her phone had started to have on her. It was great to see Cat understand that she didn’t need to completely change herself, just start to make some changes to her life. Also understanding that her skills could be adapted and help more than just herself.

If you are looking for a light-hearted book with strong character development and a little bit of romance, I am sure you will love this book.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

Being matched isn’t for the faint of heart. Especially after the relationship train wreck I’ve been through. After a rough year, both in relationships and her career, Kenzie Sullivan has sworn off dating and decided to take the self-employment route. She never thought it would lead her to landing Trey Hatch, her longtime crush, as a client. She tries to keep life separate, but Trey keeps worming his way through every wall she puts up, giving her a sliver of hope that something could happen between them. Trey is ready to share his busy hockey life with someone. When his agent sets him up to be part of a matchmaking docuseries, he’s not sure that’s the way to find love. But after spending time with Kenzie, and convincing her to try the matchmaking app again, he’s hoping she’ll be one of his matches.

Britney M. Mills once again brings a sweet yet swoony matchmaker romance. This is the third book in her Romance by Love, Austen series. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading all of the books in the series.

Kenzie and Trey were fun characters to read about. I loved the development and growth Kenzie undertook in order to truly know and be herself. I also loved the banter between the characters. It was fun, as the reader, knowing more about Kenzie and Trey’s past than they each realised. This was cleverly done in a way that still kept the story interesting.

If you are looking for a clean sports romance, that subtly tackles more serious topics, then this is the book for you.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

How is it possible for the chemistry between two chefs to be hotter than a ghost pepper yet colder than liquid nitrogen? When THE Tatum Elliott shows up to run the catering kitchen at my family’s farm and event center, I don’t trust her anymore than I did back in culinary school. But like it or not, she’s here. On my territory. My turf. In the kitchen that shares a building with my farm-to-table restaurant. And she can’t seem to keep her hands off my parmesan. Our old rivalry flares to life faster than a flambé, but there’s something else flaming between us too. And it’s heating up quicker than anything we’re making in the kitchen. But I can’t forget that Tatum is the daughter of Christopher Elliott—America’s most famous chef. She belongs in a big city, in a restaurant with her name on it. Not running the catering arm of Stonebrook Farm. Whatever her reasons for being here now, I can’t see her permanently walking away from the fame and fortune her father can offer her, no matter how well she fits in on the farm—how well she fits with me. She’ll leave eventually—I’m sure of it. I just have to make sure that when she does, she doesn’t take my heart with her.

Oh my goodness!!! I absolutely loved this book. Jenny Proctor has written a fantastic enemies to lovers romance that you are not going to be able to put down. This is the third book in her How to Kiss A Hawthorne Brother series. This book can be read as a standalone but you are going to want to read the rest of the series as well. They are all amazing books.

There are so many things to love in this book. I’m not always a fan of enemies to lovers but Jenny has written this trope with the perfect amount of competive spirit, teasing and conflict that I am sure you will love. The pages of this book are filled with swoon-worthy moments, chemistry that flies of the page and wonderful characters you are invested in, right from the start.

I loved the growth both characters had to go through in order to be ready for a relationship. These characters are so much more than one dimensional. I fell in love with both Tatum and Lennox from the very start.

If you haven’t read anything by Jenny Proctor before you definitely need to read her books. You will not be disappointed.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Synopsis

If you had asked me if I’d ever be dating Chris St. James, well, let’s just say it’s more likely Jimmy Choo would name a shoe after me. Which, Jimmy, if you’re out there, the “Ella Mae” would definitely be a big seller. Call me, Mkay? But, back to Chris. Sure, he’s handsome. I mean, his arms are as big as my legs! He’s got those lips that would make Michelangelo pause and grab a rock to start sculpting. And when you top his looks off with the whole hero-vibe he has going for him. Yes. He’s a fine specimen of manhood. But, Chris is closed off, and judgy. And even if he weren’t, we’re from two separate sides of our town. Remember Romeo and Juliet? That didn’t end so well, did it? Besides, Chris and I don’t have any desire to date, or even talk to one another most days. We’re not exactly what you’d call friends. But, here’s the thing. You never know what situations life is going to throw at you. And right now, I’m in a doozie. Which means, Chris St. James–yes, that brawny, broody man–is now my boyfriend. Well … He’s not really my boyfriend. But don’t tell anyone.

Savannah Scott brings us the final book to her Getting Shipped series. And as sad as I am about that, I am very happy this book is out. This laugh out loud, small town romance is one I am sure you are going to enjoy.

Chris and Ella Mae are by far the most unexpected couple in this series (and maybe in any book I’ve read). If you love a strong protector who will go out of his comfort zone to help someone in need, then I am sure you are going to fall in love with Chris.

I love the fake dating trope and this book creatively used this trope in real life and on social media. It was an interesting plot point that I don’t think I have seen in this way before.

One thing I will say is that it was a little hard to like Ella Mae because (if you have read the rest of the series) we were taught to not really like her in the other books. This did take me awhile to move past, but I eventually started to understand her and enjoyed the story.

If you haven’t read the rest of the series you definitely should before reading Ripped & Shipped. Yes, it is a standalone book, but major plot twists and spoilers appear from the other books. So grab the rest of the series and then settle in to enjoy this book too.

I received a free electronic copy of this book. All opinions are my own

Synopsis

Do I want to kiss my best friend? Yep. Always have. Too bad it’s not that simple. Jackson Wilson and I are long-distance co-guardians of our friends’ daughter, and even though we’re best friends and we’re totally committed to Phoebe, this isn’t a romcom where the best friends get together in the end. Unfortunately. But now, Phoebe and I have nowhere to go but Jackson’s tiny Tennessee town. And even though it’ll be hard to ignore my feelings, we’ll raise this adorable, sassy ballerina—while patching up the injury-prone busybodies of Charlotte Oaks—side-by-side, as friends. Except … what’s with that fire in his eyes? And why is he smiling at me like that? Uh-oh. I don’t deserve to ride off into the sunset with Jackson and Phoebe. And if we go there and it blows up, Phoebe is the one who’ll pay the price, and not even a pair of former combat medics have the skills to repair that kind of damage. Then again, this job has taught me that there are no guarantees in life or love, but the reward is always worth the risk. Am I brave enough to risk everything for a chance at a romcom-worthy happily ever after, or are we destined to stay in the friend zone forever?

Jess Mastorakos is back with another incredible small town romance. And of course, I absolutely loved this book.

This book made me think of the movie Life As We Know It except the couple aren’t enemies, they are best friends. There were so many cute moments involving Phoebe and all of Jackson’s family. If you love friends to lovers, small town romance and forced proximity, then you are sure to love this book.

One of the biggest things I loved about this book was the character growth. Both Jackson and Bailey had issues from their past that they had to deal with. I love how Jess showed this growth and didn’t shy away from some of the hard topics.

I also loved all the fun moments in this book. I enjoyed the way the whole town got involved in Jackson and Bailey’s relationship. All of the fun of a small country town.

A book I am sure you are going to love and one you definitely need to check out soon.