March was a complete blur. Last year, I booked an insane three week vacation as a way of celebrating the end of COVID restrictions and resuming normal life. The plan was to drive to Orlando, FL with friends and stay in Myrtle Beach for a day/night, make our way to Walt Disney World for a huge family vacation, then end our trip in the Bahamas at Baha Mar. The vacation never happened though because we got Covid on day one, like of course – of all the times! After spending hours on the phone changing dates and rescheduling (thank goodness for trip insurance!) I was able to change the dates from May 2022 to March 2023 and you wouldn’t believe it but I got Covid AGAIN two weeks before we were suppose to leave. The day we flew to the Bahamas was the first day I felt better and while that is a happy ending to my story, the anxiety was something else. Anywho, between being sick and laying on a beach (there wasn’t a ton of laying because of my tiny travel companion, but still) I was able to make it through a good chunk of my TBR. Check out my recommendations and reviews below!

Things We Hide from the Light (Knockemout, #2) by Lucy Score

Small Town Romance,

Stars: ★★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“Nice butts ran in the Morgan family…Nash’s ass in his uniform pants was considered a local treasure.”

Nash Morgan is everyone’s favorite cinnamon roll MMC whose southern charm is what draws Lina’s attention, but she’s not interested in anything more than a short term fling. Things We Hide from the Light picks up where we left off after Nash is shot in Things We Never Got Over as he tries to overcome his panic attacks and find the shooter, while Lina is keeping her own secrets about her arrival to town.

The Morgan brothers make it easy to fall in love with them! Even Nash’s cinnamon roll exterior has an edgy sexiness. After reading Knox and Naomi’s story I couldn’t wait to find out more about Nash and how he tied into all the drama surrounding Hugo, a local crime boss. While a lot of loose ends were tied up at the end of Nash and Lina’s story I’m sure that we are in for even more with Lucy! Things We Left Behind will be available on KU September 5, 2023!

Brutal Prince (Brutal Birthright, #1) by Sophie Lark

Mafia, Touch Her and Die Vibes, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers

Stars: ★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“I can’t believe this. I’m marrying a child. And not a normal child – a demon hellspawn, like Chucky, or the Children of the Corn…”

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. When Aida makes the decision to crash their family rival’s party she could never imagine that it will end with an arranged marriage to keep the peace. As both families experience problems with the Russians closing in on their territory Aida and Callum are forced to put aside their childish antics and work together. While the story revolved around both characters growing up, I do wish the author had them both be a bit more mature because at times they came across as whiny. Overall, a fun and easy read.

Lust by N. Isabelle Blanco

Stars: ★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“He wants to kill me…more than that, he wants to see me die.”

Well, I’m confused, but in a good way. I think? When I go into a series, I try to make sure it’s complete. There is nothing worse than a cliffhanger and not being able to know the resolution. Call me impatient, but it gives me anxiety. The series is listed as one of six books on Amazon, but these books haven’t been released. Needless to say, it’s misleading. Even though the whole series isn’t available, I felt like the ending of Lust wrapped up all of the major plot lines while giving the reader enough to keep going. I’m still not entirely sure I’ll keep reading. Essentially, Lust has lost the love of his life and in order to get her back he must kill his mate. Fate is such a tricky thing.

Scars (The Killers, #5) and Souls (The Killers, #6) by Brynne Asher

Military Romance, Second Chance Romance

Stars: ★★★★.5

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“When you think he’s happy, up your game. Then do it again. Never stop trying to love him more. Because he’s doing it for you.”

Tears! I’m in tears. Brynne Asher what have you done to me?! The Killers Series has been my go to for months now as I slowly made it through all of these steamy and swoon worthy assassins and their love stories. Now that I’ve finished, I have no idea what to do with myself. Technically there is still one last book in the series, Until the Tequila, which is a Killers Crossover Novella, but it’s just not the same.

Now that I’ve finished these action-packed romance novels I am still no closer to picking a favorite. Brynne Asher does such an incredible job at ensuring you love them all and of course all of her fury farm friends! The bond these men and women share is unrivaled. The bonds created throughout the series kept me reading as I wanted everyone to have their HEA.

Faking Ms. Right (Dirty Martini Running Club, #1), Falling for My Enemy (Dirty Martini Running Club, #2), Marrying Mr. Wrong (Dirty Martini Running Club, #3) Flirting with Forever (Dirty Martini Running Club, #4) by Claire Kingsley

Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Single Dad

Stars: ★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“The derivative for my love for you is 0, because my love for you is constant. – Anonymous”

March has been the month for completing series! My TBR is miles long, but I can’t help feeling lost after I’ve completed a series I’ve really enjoyed. Claire Kingsley’s Dirty Martini Running Club series is phenomenal and I loved that each FMC was so drastically different. All too often I feel like the FMC’s and MMC’s in stand alone interconnected romance series can reflect one another too similarly, but that couldn’t be further from the truth with the Dirty Martini Running Club. Our leading ladies encompass Little Miss Sunshine, a Nerdy Scientist, a Klutz and a Sex Columnist! Claire Kingsley does an incredible job weaving each of their stories while writing from four drastically different personalities!

Mr. Monroe: Billionaires’ Club Series (#6) by Raylin Marks

Billionaire Romance, Arranged Marriage, Enemies to Lovers

Stars: ★★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“The more I thought to distract myself, the more my mind went directly back to you. It was pure torture.”

Ah! I love T.L. Swans books and ever since I finished them I’ve been on the hunt for something similar. Raylin Marks Billionaires’ Club Series is everything and more! Going into Mr. Monroe I thought this would be the end of the series because no new MMCs had been introduced. Every chapter I was like, “Come on Raylin! You’re running out of pages to give me a new swoony man to keep this going!” By the end I was just straight panicking, because I swore it was over. Spolier! It’s not and I’m so happy we will see more of our favorite characters and meet Dr. Aster and Mr. Aster!!! haha rant over.

Spencer and Nat’s love story delivers, friends! Our two relationship hating feisty characters have found love, but it is one hell of a road to get there.

Hallow Heathens (Tales of Weeping Hollow, #1) by Nicole Fiorina

Unique Magic System, Witches, Enemies to Lovers

Stars: ★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶

“You believe you’re gazing at the stars, when, in all reality, the entire galaxy is gazing at you.”

Eeek! Hallow Heathens was incredible! There are some pretty heavy Once Upon a Time TV Show vibes with a town that will only allow those to come and go as it sees fit, but I loved the spooky halloween setting!

Fallon is unusual and misunderstood, until she ends up in a small town she never expected to return to in order to take care of her grandfather and finds out she not as unusual as she has always believed. Julian is a Hallow Heathen, masked and deadly trying desperately to find a cure for his curse. Together, they discover not only mysteries from the past, but each other.

Between Commitment and Betrayal (Hardy Billionaire Brothers #1) by Shain Rose

Arranged Marriage, Fake Marriage, Enemies to Lovers, Billionaire Romance

Stars: ★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶🌶

“I don’t really give a fuck what scene I cause. And if that’s embarrassing, don’t go to a dumbass’s house and expect I’m not going to come for you.”

In January I read, Corrupted Chaos by Shain Rose (check out the review here), but had no idea that Between Commitment and Betrayal was slightly connected. Having enjoyed Corrupted Chaos, I would say that I felt like the plot of BC&B was more complex and definitely focused on that. Don’t worry, though, there was no shortage of steamy scenes! Everly and Declan aren’t fond of each other, in fact, the only thing they each have in common is they think the other is attractive, but when Everly’s father, Declan’s business partner, passes the terms of his will require Declan and Everly to marry in order to keep their shares of the business. But there is more to the will than just that and the two have to decide if its worth it to fulfill the will and keep the business or walk away.

Trigger Warning: There are conversations surrounding rape.

A Kingdom of Venom and Vows (Stars and Shadows #3) by Holly Renee

Fated Mates, Final Installment of Stars & Shadows

Stars: ★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“They thought I was their savior, but I would be no such thing. I would be their destruction.”

Ugh. Talk about a disappointment. Book one and book two were okay and are very similar to From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout, but if you’re looking for a quick fated mates read, its good enough. I’d even say that book two was the best out of the series as it built the most amount of suspense. After finishing with a cliffhanger I was convinced that book three would have been better, but that suspense dies right along with the plot. If I wasn’t already so heavily invested, having read the first two books, I’m not sure I’d have finished. Don’t even get me started on the ending. Meh.

Miles Ever After (Miles High Series) by T.L. Swan

Billionaire Romance

Stars: ★★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶

“So what’s next for the Miles brothers?” Elliot asks. “What happens from here?”

“We watch our kids grow up and take over,” Jameson replies with a shrug.

OBSESSED. SO SO MANY TEARS (both happy and sad). There isn’t much to say other than, if you’ve read the Miles High Series its the closure you need and if you haven’t read it, go immediately start!

The Panel by A.R. Thomas

Mafia Vibes, Touch Her & Die, Enemies to Lovers

Stars: ★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“He deserves to die for what he did to her.”

As a novella, The Panel is short, fast paced and actioned-packed! Avery and Jamieson’s paths cross and he’s forced to make a quick call to save her life, even if the decision infuriates her. Will Avery be able to forgive him?

Brutalize Me (Corrupted Royals) by Michelle Heard

Mafia, Touch Her & Die, Friends to Lovers, Arranged Marriage

Stars: ★★★★

Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

“Home. It’s the one thing I want more than anything. A husband I can love. Children I can give the world to. A house I can call my own. To many, it’s a stupid wish, but to me, it’s everything.”

A steamy suspenseful romance that is the perfect quick read! Tiana’s brother has always protected her, but the moment he is away her adoptive father is arranging a marriage with one of the most brutal men in Russia. Armani is Tiana’s brothers best friend and has sworn to protect her because in a world full of arranged marriages Tiana’s brother has already promised her to Armani. Who will Tiana choose and will they get their HEA?