Brutal by AJ Merlin

When I say I like dark romance, Brutal by AJ Merlin is what I mean. There’s great spice, an intense relationship, and folks with some messed up ideas of what is wrong/right/sexy. I honestly 100% recommend this read to anyone that is okay with the kinks featured. It was really well written and a joy to read all the way around.

The Ties That Bind by Piper Rhodes

I have been on such a dark romance kick, that I jumped at the chance to pick up The Ties That Bind by Piper Rhodes. This was a great, short read that packed enough plot to keep the novella moving forward and just enough spice to keep it tantalizing.

The Devil’s Bargain by Carin Hart

“The Devil’s Bargain” by Carin Hart stands out as a BookTok recommendation that truly delivers. With well-suited characters, a tried-and-true narrative, and a satisfying twist, this dark romance redeems the author after a lackluster experience with “No One Has To Know.” The chemistry between Linc and Ava, along with their clear boundaries, makes for a solid, spicy read.

A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute by Miya Malai

With such a cute title and cover, I could not wait to dive into A Not So Bollywood Meet Cute by Miya Malai. The concept was super cute, and it was a breezy read on its own, however I think it could’ve been so much better if it was more focused on building up the characters and their relationship with one another, instead of multiple relationships and outside plots.

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater

Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater is a very sweet and charming regency romance with just a bit of fantasy involved. The ending was satisfying, despite the small bumps it took to get there. I definitely think this would be a great read for young adult, and clean romance readers, especially those that love historical/regency period pieces.

Renewed Hope by Carmen Peone / Book Blitz

Sophie Cayes is on the road to success as an artist. Until her ex-husband threatens to sue for full custody of their son. Upon learning of a guest ranch in Eastern Washington that keeps a room open for women in need, she grabs her son and bolts.โฃ

๐‚๐š๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ฒ ๐Ÿ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐ž๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž?โฃ

The Valentine Inn by Jennifer Peel

Romance is romance, but this February, I wanted to specifically read Valentine themed romance. That’s how I ended up finding The Valentine Inn by Jennifer Peel. This was such a sweet romance and definitely out of the norm from what I usually read. This had me laughing, tearing up, and swooning all at the same time.

Here and Only Here by Christelle Dabos

Reading Here and Only Here by Christelle Dabos was a struggle. Despite its short length, the abundance of different points-of-view made it challenging to engage until around 40%. The translated nature felt clunky. As the story darkened, it became more compelling, but the scattered perspectives hindered overall enjoyment. Recommended for mature middle graders or high schoolers with a knack for navigating disjointed narratives.

No One Has To Know by Carin Hart

Despite the BookTok allure, “No One Has to Know” by Carin Hart left me disappointed. Pacing issues and an unexpected twist at the end undermined the dark romance narrative. The characters lacked depth, and the romantic elements felt uninspiring. Recommend skipping this one and trying Hart’s other works.

Their Shattered Hearts by Angie Cole / Cover Reveal

A story of love, loss, and redemption unfolds in the rustic charm of Cardinal Creek, Texas. Will Deluca, a stoic firefighter and ranch owner, bears the weight of his wifeโ€™s untimely demise. His world once filled with warmth, now echoes with the silent grief of his two children and the unyielding Texas plains.โฃ
โฃ
Their Shattered Hearts by Angie Cole is coming on March 1st!

Alex by Sawyer Bennett

Starting my hockey romance journey with “Alex” by Sawyer Bennett was a delight. Despite some dated elements, the story felt fresh with characters Alex and Sutton bonding over genuine issues. It transcended the typical lust-driven narrative, offering a promising introduction to Bennett’s expansive hockey romance universe. Excited to explore more in the series!

In the Shadow of a Dream by Maci Aurora / Book Blitz

With the promise of finally learning her motherโ€™s secrets, Brinna Fareview and her family gather together. Only somewhere between the truth and lies, Brinna wakes to find sheโ€™s trapped in a space in between the world awake and the nightmares of her family. All of them are asleep. Learning she has the ability to move from dream to dream, Brinna tries to find a way out of the dream world, but sheโ€™s stuck, unable to fix whatโ€™s ailing her family. But then an unexpected thing happens, Lucian Uraiahs, god of day and light, walks into her dream…โฃ

Brooklyn Cupid by Lexi Ray

Brooklyn Cupid by Lexi Ray was a major bait and switch from BookTok hype. Lacking tension and suffering pacing issues, it felt unnecessarily long. Jace and Lu’s romance struggled amid distracting Wattpad story segments. Lu’s influencer backstory and Jace’s bounty hunter role lacked coherence. The sudden action in the last quarter couldn’t salvage the overall disappointment. A struggle to get through, it fell short of expectations.

Shadows of the Past by Pamela McCord / Book Blitz

๐€ ๐œ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฒ๐œ๐š๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐š๐ฅ ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ž๐ซ ๐š๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐„๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ž๐ฌ๐ฌ. ๐‚๐š๐ง ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ ๐š๐ฆ๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ž๐ฎ๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ, ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ก๐ž๐ฅ๐ฉ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฆ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ž๐ซ๐ž๐ซ ๐›๐ž๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ๐ž ๐ก๐ž ๐ค๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐š๐ ๐š๐ข๐ง.โฃ
โฃ
The past and present collide in this captivating novel, unleashing a bone-chilling tale of danger, redemption, and the enduring power of justice. Prepare to be captivated by this gripping page-turner.โฃ