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Fatal Fudge Swirl: An Ice Cream Shop Mystery

320 pages Publisher St. Martin’s Paperbacks Publication date June 27, 2023

ABOUT THE BOOK

A movie production brings drama―and murder―to a close-knit New England village, forcing Riley Rhodes to scoop out the suspects.

Former CIA librarian and amateur sleuth Riley Rhodes is loving her fresh start as the manager of the Udderly Delicious Ice Cream Shop. The leaves are turning, tourists are leaf-peeping, and Penniman, Connecticut is putting finishing touches on the weekend long Halloween Happening. But the village is also buzzing. Former child star Cooper Collins is overseeing the production of a romantic comedy that’s filming on the town green and his domineering socialite mother, Diantha, is planning her lavish Halloween themed wedding at her Inn on the Green. Her fiancé has run the Inn’s kitchen for years, ably aided by his recent ex-wife, chef Mary Ann Dumas. An old friend of Riley’s, Mary Ann turns to her when the bride requests a spooky ice cream wedding cake.

But the weekend takes a frightful turn when Diantha is found dead and suspicion falls on Mary Ann. The cast of potential suspects is long―each wedding guest had a chilling motive to kill the vicious heiress. Can Riley unmask the murderer before another guest ends up on ice?

MY THOUGHTS

Though this is the third book in the series it’s my first read of this series.
It is an intriguing book loaded with Halloween and spooky themes and let’s not forget ice cream.


The town of Penniman, Connecticut is all alight this Halloween weekend as former child star Cooper Collins is in charge of the filming happening on the town green. To top it off his bossy mother getting married is the talk of the town with a lavish Halloween themed wedding at her Inn on the Green. Her husband to has worked in the inns kitchen for years aided by his former wife.


When the bride to be requests a spooky wedding cake and then is found dead all eyes turn to the former wife but is she the responsible one?
What a clever way the murder was carried out I’ve never seen this ingenious way written about in a mystery before.


Loved the twists and turns and now I’m hungry for ice cream.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Books? Travel? Ice Cream? Yes, please! Former librarian Meri Allen loves exploring the back roads – and ice cream shops – of her native New England. She also writes the award-winning Lobster Shack Mystery series as Shari Randall. Check out her travels, recipes, book giveaways and fun in her quarterly newsletter, The Scoop. Sign up on https://www.meriallenbooks.com. Happy reading!

Happy Thursday! Thank you for stopping in.

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The Gingerbread Bakery (Dream Harbor) (Book 5)

384 pages Publisher Harper Collins Publication date September 16, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

❄️❄️❄️❄️

As owner of her beloved Gingerbread Bakery, Annie Andrews should have a love life to match her business; sugary and sweet. But instead, she’s locked in a game of words with the irritatingly upbeat bar owner down the street.

Mac Sullivan has everything he wants, except the girl he dreams of. It’s easier to argue with Annie than get her to talk to him but with Jeanie and Logan’s wedding coming up, they’re about to spend a lot more time together.

As the snowflakes fall and with romance in the air, will Annie see that the one she loves to hate might just be her perfect match after all?

The Gingerbread Bakery is a cozy romantic novel with an enemies to lovers dynamic, small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes:

Forced Proximity

Enemies to lovers

Found family

Small Town

MY THOUGHTS

This is Dream Harbor book number five and it’s absolutely lovely. I’m delighted I got a chance to read it. We continue on with the same characters while adding a few new characters in to make it even better. I love having the familiarity of past characters to anchor a book.
A small-town cozy spicy holiday romance.


Our two main characters have known each other for years and he’s been crushing on her this whole time, but she had no idea.
They did have a bit of a romantic past that didn’t last but that hasn’t kept him from still wanting to be with her.


She’s always treated him as an annoyance and when he’s returned to town she seems to notice him, really notice him. Where have these feelings come from, she wonders, this isn’t supposed to be happening. A second chance romance that’ll have you cheering the characters to actually stay together this time. And yes, there are kittens in the book, who can resist that?


We also meet the main characters from the next book in the series, and I can’t wait to read it next Spring.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Laurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.

She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.

Happy Tuesday may you brighten someone’s day !

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Blog Tour for A Taste of Christmas Spirit plus giveaway UK only

A Taste of Christmas Spirit

AN ALL-NEW CHRISTMAS SPIRIT BOOK FOR 2025

CAN LARA ADD A DASH OF MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS?

The Sugar and Spice bakery sparkles with holiday spirit as Jacob serves up more mouthwatering festive treats, and Christmas spirit Lara tries to sprinkle her magic over those finding the time of year difficult.

Ollie is at his wits’ end. A debt from years ago comes back to haunt him just as he and his girlfriend are buying their dream home.

Rose is dejected as her college sweetheart has dumped her now they’re in their final year. She’s not looking forward to Christmas alone, nor her twenty-first birthday on Christmas Eve.

Sacha has recently moved to Winstanton following the failure of his business. He’s too embarrassed to confide in his family, but can he find the friendship he so desperately needs and begin to trust again?

Diana tries to find her new normal after the unexpected death of her husband earlier this year. All her plans for retirement have been thrown out the window and she feels lost. She needs a renewed sense of purpose and to find her place in the world.

Can Lara provide the answer to a joy-filled Christmas?

A story of hope, love, friendship, community, and of course, Christmas spirit.

For fans of Sarah Morgan, Philippa Ashley, Jenny Colgan and Cathy Bramley.

Praise for the Christmas Spirit series:

‘Christmas all wrapped up!’
‘Right from page one you are drawn into all the joys of Christmas!’
‘A lovely story about love, friendship and hope all wrapped up in a lovely Christmas jumper!’
‘You can taste the hot chocolate, see all the Christmas lights and feel the warmth of a Christmas hug.’

Purchase Link – https://books2read.com/u/4997jw

MY THOUGHTS

This is a new to me author which in my opinion is so fun to try especially when it’s a Christmas book. I felt happy and content while reading the book. It really has a lot of Christmas spirit within its pages.
The characters kept me reading and the welcoming Sugar and Spice Cafe is sure to have you wanting to stop in. A lot of the story takes place in the cafe.
The cafe is such an important part of the story as friendships and romance are formed and strengthened there.
Charming small-town Christmas romance that has me wanting to read the rest in the series now.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio –

Susan Buchanan writes contemporary romance, women’s fiction and romantic comedies, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn, The Leap Year Proposal and You Can’t Hurry Love

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it. 

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors.

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador.

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

Social Media Links –

https://www.facebook.com/susancbuchananauthor

X @susan_buchanan and Instagram @AuthorSusanBuchanan and Threads @authorsusanbuchanan and BlueSky @susanbuchanan.bsky.social

And on her website http://www.susanbuchananauthor.com

Giveaway to Win a signed and dedicated paperback of A Taste of Christmas Spirit (Open to UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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The Strawberry Patch Pancake House- (Dream Harbor Book 4)

384 pages Publisher Harper Collins Publication date March 18, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

🍓🍓🍓🍓

Every book in the Dream Harbor series can be read as a standalone.

As a world-renowned chef, single dad Archer never planned on moving to a small town, let alone running a pancake restaurant. But Dream Harbor needs a new chef, and Archer needs a community to help raise his daughter, Olive.

Iris has never managed to hold down a job for more than a few months. So when it’s suggested that Archer is looking for a live-in nanny, she almost runs in the opposite direction.

Now, Iris finds herself in a whole new world. One where her gorgeous new boss lives right across the hall and likes to cook topless… Keeping everything strictly professional should be easy, right?

The Strawberry Patch Pancake House is a cozy romantic mystery with a single dad and found family dynamic, a small-town setting and a HEA guaranteed!

Tropes

Found Family

Single Dad

Forced Proximity

Slow Burn

MY THOUGHTS

So, when I read the Pumpkin Spice Cafe, I absolutely loved it, and I was really hoping it wouldn’t be a stand-alone and thank goodness it wasn’t. Now I have several others to read still in the series because other books reading obligations got in the way.

Now I need to read the others very soon because who wouldn’t want to continue with this amazing series.
I must say the covers are beyond cute and have really drawn me to them.
In this one, The Strawberry Patch Pancake House we have a man, a professional chef more comfortable whipping up a fabulous new recipe than dealing with children.


Well, that’s about to change when Archer is informed, he has a five-year-old daughter he’s known nothing about, and the mother has passed away. That’s all about to change when the best course of action is the little girl moving in with him.


Fatherhood leaves him in a frenzy, and he must hire a nanny for help, and their meeting is so disastrous that it’s hilarious. When that’s ironed out, we have grumpy meeting sunshine kind of book.


She’s never taken care of a child before becoming his child’s nanny and has some self-doubts about handling things right but as we all know children don’t come with instruction booklets.


Having children in a romance book can make or break the book but I loved the little girl here, Olive. Such a smart girl and a fun personality.
The characters are realistic as is the setting.

The Dream Harbor series is really great, and I love all the characters I’ve met so far. Characters that are down to earth and you just feel like you could meet up for a cup of coffee and have a great friendly chat.
Can’t wait to get started on more books in the series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Laurie Gilmore is a #1 New York Times, Sunday Times, and Globe & Mail bestselling author who writes steamy small-town romance. Her Dream Harbor series is filled with quirky townsfolk, cozy settings, and swoon-worthy romance. The first book in the series, The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, was featured on Good Morning America and was named the TikTok Shop Book of the Year 2024.

She loves finding books with the perfect balance of sweetness and spice and strives for that in her own writing. If you ever wished you lived in Stars Hollow (or that Luke and Lorelai would just get together already!) then her books are definitely for you.

Hope you’re enjoying your weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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When Stars Light the Sky: (A WWI Marriage of Convenience Clean Historical Romance Novel) (The Women of Midtown)

352 pages Bethany House Publishers Publication date January 21, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

In a world on the brink of war, two hearts must navigate shadows of uncertainty.

Inga Klein’s carefree life in New York takes a dramatic turn when she sails for Berlin, Germany, to serve as the secretary for America’s ambassador. Amid the glamour of life at the embassy, she continually finds herself at odds with the straitlaced and imposing Benedict Kincaid, the diplomatic chief of staff who harbors deep misgivings toward the German-born Inga.

As Europe hurtles toward World War I, Benedict’s determination to keep America out of the conflict adds to the already tense atmosphere. Despite their relentless sparring, Inga and Benedict succeed in keeping the embassy afloat through one crisis after another. But when they run out of diplomatic options, a marriage of convenience may be Inga’s only hope of escape from the impending war.

MY THOUGHTS

One thing I love about the author’s books are the historical details given in each book, the more the better. I can so easily visualize what is happening in each of her books and it makes the stories come alive for me.
From all over New York to Germany there is a lot of adventure to be had for our main characters. Oh, so many adventures some delightful some taken warily as WWI is about to happen.
Twists and turns happening that had me even thinking about the book while not reading it.
The most unlikely couple you could think of, an opposites attract team really, hit it off though we wouldn’t think it so at first.
A high energy keep my attention book which I really loved!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Camden is best known for her historical novels set in gilded age America featuring clever heroines and richly layered storylines. Before she was a writer, she was an academic librarian at some of the largest and smallest libraries in America, but her favorite is the continually growing library in her own home. Her novels have won the RITA and Christy Award, and she lives in Florida with her husband who graciously tolerates her intimidating stockpile of books.

Enjoy your weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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The Café at Marigold Marina: The perfect feel-good summer read 


314 pages Apr 08 2022 publication date Bookouture Books

ABOUT THE BOOK

Welcome to the café on Marigold Marina, where the smell of freshly baked cakes fills the air, the boats bob merrily in the mellow evening sun. But will an unexpected meeting mean the chance to love again or a broken heart?

When Rosie inherits the café on Marigold Marina after her husband’s tragic death, she is determined to pour her heart into his dream. Nine months later, as she serves coffee and cakes to customers, she is all smiles and laughter. But when the sunshine-yellow doors of the café are closed, she allows her heart to break all over again.

Rosie doesn’t have much room in her life for anything but the café. But when Kit, the mysterious owner of a bookshop barge, starts to come by regularly for lunch, she finds it difficult to ignore his dark eyes, dishevelled curls and the fact that he has his own sorrows. Rosie finds it easy to talk to Kit and as they swim together in the sparkling marina waters she hopes she can help Kit the way he has helped her.

But just as she is letting herself open her heart, she learns the shocking secret that the husband she loved for so many years kept hidden from her. And when she discovers that Kit is hiding things too, she fears she has been foolish to trust again. Should she close her café and move away from the marina? Or should she take a risk and give love another chance?

MY THOUGHTS

When I want a great evening of reading and relaxation this is an author, I’ll visit time and again.
The café on Marigold Marina was Rosie’s husbands dream but that dream didn’t die when he did. Honoring his memory, she kept it running even though things had been let go and it needed a lot of work. This work helps her to not concentrate on her sadness, and she’s surrounded by friends.


As the cafe becomes busier she needs extra help and the woman she hires is the sister of the man who has just opened a floating bookshop.
When Kit, the owner of the bookshop starts coming by for a daily lunch she starts taking an interest in him and his sister is ever so helpful in bringing them together.


When she finds out a shocking truth her husband had kept from her she starts to reevaluate everything including if she wants to keep running the cafe or if it’s time to let her husband’s dream go.


Such a fun pick me up read. For sure I’ll be reading more by the author.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop assistant, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing. She wrote a novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and hasn’t stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor.

Hopelessly Devoted to Holden Finn was her debut novel; published in 2014 it was an Amazon bestseller in both the UK and Australia. In 2016 she signed to the hugely successful Bookouture and is currently working on her thirtieth Tilly Tennant novel. Christmas bestseller A Very Vintage Christmas was recently made into a movie for Lifetime Channel and she has had many of her books translated for readers all over Europe.

Tilly also writes young adult fiction as Sharon Sant. Follow her on Instagram to keep up with the latest news or find the link to join her mailing list in the back of all her books.

Have a most delightful weekend. Thank you for stopping in.

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The Reinvention of Lottie Potts-Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

The Reinvention of Lottie Potts

Lottie Potts is happy enough – or so she thinks. Her life is slowly ticking away as she spends her days watching old films and daydreaming about another, better, version of herself.

But Lottie isn’t one for change. That is until a blonde bombshell blows into town and knocks her husband Daniel completely off his feet.

Lottie is forced to take a long hard look at herself. She is fat, in her forties and thoroughly fed up. Does she fight for her husband and the safe predictable life she knows? Or is revenge, like her favourite ice cream, a dish best served cold?

With her trusty circle of girlfriends and a surprising return from a charming face from her past, Lottie embarks on a transformative journey. Buckle up for the rollercoaster ride of laughter and tears as Lottie navigates the twists and turns of her reinvention, discovering the genuine essence of life along the way.

A portion of proceeds from all sales will be donated to Epilepsy Society and Great Ormond Street children’s hospital.

MY THOUGHTS

I haven’t laughed out loud or cheered for a main character like I have with Lottie Potts in a long time.


Lottie Potts is middle aged has a teenaged son and a husband who the spark has long ago left. She watches old movies and dreams of her younger fashionable days. There isn’t a problem that comes along that can’t be solved with a sweet of some sort and watching an old movie.
Getting invited out with her girlfriends gives her a bit of a wakeup call.
Charming, witty read. Just my type of book!


With her self-confidence at an all-time low she vows to change things going forward. I loved Lottie’s character, she’s funny, honest with herself and realistic and she has will power. When she says she’s going to change something you better believe she is.


With plenty of support from her female friends Lottie is on her way to becoming the person she was meant to be all along.
Lottie is strong and an endearing character. We all need an encourager like Lottie in our lives, and I look forward to reading more about this wonderful group of women.
Loved this book!

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.eu/d/ceQWqXl

Author Bio –

K. L. Crear is a teenager trapped in the body of a much older woman (she’s still in denial). After decades spent in the grey-suited world of banking, the Civil Service, and property management, she somehow found herself bankrupt, baffled, but never bitter.

Armed with an often inappropriate sense of humour and a well-timed expletive, she has survived two rounds with the Big C, countless sticky situations, and every *Real Housewives* franchise (purely for research, of course).

After years of procrastination—and a gentle shove from Father Time—she finally swapped a pint of pinot for a pen. She now writes laugh-out-loud women’s fiction, with a couple of memoirs under her belt too.

She dreams of owning a permanently cheerful axolotl but recently declined the chance to hug a sloth (because clinging to a tree while peeing on yourself is not aspirational).

A proud Yorkshire lass now living in a quiet corner of the Northeast, she shares her home with her endlessly patient, slightly deaf husband and their rescue cat, Pickle—who has a resting bitch face to rival any Real Housewife.

K. L. Crear donates a portion of book sales to charities close to her heart, including Women’s Aid, Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Epilepsy Society, and Macmillan Cancer Support.

Social Media Links –

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091825794495

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klcrear_author

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@klcrear_author

Giveaway to Win a set of signed paperbacks of the “Teapots & Tequila Shots” series (Open to UK only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Gleam box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Gleam from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Teacakes & Tangos Blog Tour

ABOUT THE BOOK

Teacakes & Tangos

Clara’s dance school is finally open, much to the excitement of the residents of Sunnybrook. The stress-busting, lights-off ‘Dancing in the Dark’ sessions are a big hit with the Little Duck Pond Café girls. But when the school is threatened with closure, will Clara’s dream be over before it’s even begun? Love is in the air for new recruit Anika, but could her dreams of romance be about to turn sour, too?

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DRZZS141

MY THOUGHTS

Such a true delight to once again read a story in the Little Duck Pond Cafe series. I’ve read all or just about all of them and there are quite a few. I always eagerly look forward to reading each and every one of them. At this point the characters have become like friends and it’s so nice to pop in for a visit every so often.

A new dance school has opened, and Sunnybrook’s members are delighted but could it truly be over even before it sems to have begun?

Strong and supportive relationships are formed which I loved seeing. A little bit of drama , a little bit of romance, new relationships being forged and the kind of friends you want to have on your side . Loved this story and I look forward to more upcoming books in this truly lovely series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Author Bio – Rosie Green is the author of the popular Little Duck Pond Café series, set in the fictional village of Sunnybrook. Watch out for more drama and romance in ‘Autumn Wishes & Fireside Kisses’ and ‘A Merry Little Christmas’, which will be published in October and November 2025.

Follow Rosie on Twitter – https://twitter.com/Rosie_Green88

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Falling Like Leaves (Bramble Falls) 

352 pages publisher Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing | Margaret K. McElderry Books Publication date September 2, 2025 Reading age14 years and up

ABOUT THE BOOK

Gilmore Girls meets Jenny Han in this autumnal teen rom-com about a city girl stuck in a quaint small town who must confront her future and her old flame while the town prepares for an annual fall festival.

Ellis has a plan: spend her senior fall prepping her application for Columbia, get into their journalism program, and set the foundation for a respectable career. So when her parents announce that not only are they separating, but Ellis has to move with her mom from New York City to Bramble Falls, Connecticut, to live with her aunt and cousin, it couldn’t come at a worse time.

From past summers spent in Connecticut, Ellis knows Bramble Falls is idyllic and charming. But it also seems to be full of distractions. There’s local barista Cooper Barnett, Ellis’s one-time best friend and first kiss who now wants nothing to do with Ellis. And then there’s the Falling Leaves Festival, a local autumnal celebration run by Ellis’s aunt where people from all over come to see Bramble Falls’s beautiful foliage. The house is stuffed with decorations, and every conversation seems to center around the festival.

Dragged to every oh-so-charming event from apple picking to pumpkin carving, Ellis can’t stop bumping into Cooper…or falling for the quaint town and its quirky residents. As her return to Manhattan gets repeatedly delayed, Ellis finds herself caught between two very different places—and the futures they represent.

MY THOUGHTS

Falling Like Leaves is a teen-age rom com.
Picture this, Ellis is a total city girl. More comfortable with the blare of traffic, sirens and the congestion of people everywhere. New York City is home, she’s happy there and looking forward to her senior year of high school and already has her college planned out there as well.


So, when her mother says they must move to Bramble Falls, Connecticut because she and her father are separating, she feels like she’s been hit by a truck as the surprise is so great.
Sure, she’s been to Bramble Falls to spend the summer a few times but to move there for good is just unimaginable.


Bramble Falls to me sounds idyllic, with its country charm, quiet, peaceful small-town vibes and everyone into decorating for Fall it sounds superb.
When the guy she had a crush on previously wants nothing to do with her she shouldn’t be surprised as she wasn’t the nicest to him.


She adores her father and will do anything to win his approval even though they live separately now, she also finds her mother most annoying. As the story progresses, we see some hard truths come to light as she realizes things may not be exactly as she had assumed.


She does make some pretty rash decisions, and I believe this is because she’s a teenager and doesn’t have the maturity to think of the long-term consequences of her actions.


I enjoyed this fun book and will continue with the series as it releases.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

About the author

Misty Wilson is the author of Falling Like Leaves and the award-winning middle grade graphic memoir Play Like a Girl. Misty is a teacher, registered nurse, and a voracious reader. She loves binge-watching television series and adores rom-coms. She lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband and their two daughters.

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Offside and Off-Limits: A Sweet Small Town Hockey Romcom 

238 pages Publication date August 20, 2025

ABOUT THE BOOK

 survived chronic illness and a cheating ex. Surely I can resist one charming hockey player…right?


Clara
Working as the social media manager for a pro hockey team is all fun and games—until you trip into the arms of their biggest flirt during a livestream. Now the fans are shipping us, my boss is thrilled with the engagement, and I’m stuck dodging feelings for Cade Lennox, aka the certified charmer. The problem? My contract says he’s off-limits. My heart, unfortunately, didn’t get the memo.

Cade
I came to this small town to turn over a new leaf. But you know what they say about the best laid plans. All bets are off the second Clara Johnson literally stumbles into my arms and straight into my heart. She’s focused, loyal, and the most beautiful challenge I’ve ever met. All I have to do is prove I’m worth the risk.


***

Offside and Off-Limits is part of the Love in Maple Falls sweet hockey romcom multi-author series. It’s a forbidden love story between one flirty hockey player and the team’s social media manager in this small town romance with all the sizzle and chemistry, but none of the spice.

Welcome back to Maple Falls—the small town where hockey players fall in love! This is a multi-author series of seven full-length books that could be read as standalones, but we think you’ll enjoy them best in order.

MY THOUGHTS

Small town Maple Falls considers itself lucky as it has a lot going for it with a pro hockey team.
And you know what that means, yeah hockey players but there’s one who has turned over a new leaf. Tired of the partying lifestyle and endless flirting with a different woman all the time, Cade Lennox is ready for something new.
Clara Johnson, social media manager of the team should be used to being around the guys and taking lots of pictures but when an assignment has her literally falling into the arms of Cade Lennox it’s over.
Will this be her downfall, the hockey player with a smile and flirting for all the ladies, could he possibly be ready to find the one?
I’ve read a few other hockey romances, and I’ve enjoyed this one just as much.
A closed door romance we see a hockey player who gives it his all not only on the ice but in this fast paced and fun romance.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Kate O’Keeffe is a USA Today bestselling author known for her fun, feel-good romantic comedies brimming with humor, heart, and happily ever afters. A native of New Zealand, Kate has crafted numerous popular series, garnering a devoted international readership.

With a flair for witty banter and irresistible heroines navigating the ups and downs of modern dating, Kate’s novels showcase strong friendships, comedic entanglements, and the of course sometimes bumpy but always hopeful road to love.

When she’s not writing, Kate can often be found reading romcoms, binging her favourite shows, or spending time with her friends and family in the beautiful Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand.

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