Lips Like Sugar by Jess K. Hardy
Published by Pinkity Publishing on February 1, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
Fake Date. Real Feels.
It’s official, Mira Harlow has finally lost it. Between running her small-town bakery, parenting her 14-year-old son, and taking care of her mom, she’s a stretched-thin mess. But kissing a total—and very sexy—stranger before begging him to be her date to Ashley and Madigan’s wedding just so her ex won’t see how lonely she really is? That’s a new level of chaos, even for her.
The last thing drummer Cole Sanderson expects when he drives into the small ski town of Red Falls, MT is to score a date to his best friend’s wedding. But since his life in Seattle is stagnating, when the gorgeous, green-eyed bakery owner propositions him to be her long-distance boyfriend, stirring his punk-shenanigans roots to their core, he doesn’t even hesitate to tell her, “Hell yes!”
Mira hopes for a fun night with her fake date, but when their wedding weekend turns into a genuine connection, when Cole returns to Seattle and she tries to go back to her normal life, she can’t help but wonder if she missed out on something real. But Cole isn’t done with her yet, and when he finds his way back to Red Falls, she’ll have to decide what’s more important, holding down her world, or taking a risk, embracing the chaos, and maybe even falling in love.
Nobody wants to attend a wedding stag when their ex would be there with his new wife. What other choice did Mira have than to lie about her date. Lucky for her, she had a willing accomplice in Cole. But with chemistry galore, this fake date felt like the most real thing in her life. With a lot going on, would she and Cole be able to successfully blend their two lives together?
It was a thrill returning to Bluebird Basin. Like Come As You Are, this romance featured two older characters (and a great song title). If I said it once, I have said it a million times, we just don't see enough "mature" characters getting the spotlight. It's as if people no longer grow, change, or find love after a certain age, but here both Cole and Mira were in their 50s and still trying to figure things out. I loved that! It's an interesting age, where the people may still have kids at home, but are also dealing with aging parents. I think Cole referred to it as a "responsibility sandwich", and I appreciated seeing it here in this story.
As a GenXer somewhere between Cole and Mira's ages, I enjoyed all the old school references. I think, "I gave her my heart, she gave me a cupcake," takes the cake. Such a fun nod to Lloyd and Diane.
Cole and Mira were wonderfully messy characters. Mira believed she drove people away - her father, her step father, her ex boyfriend, everybody left her. And then there was Cole who gave his whole heart to people who wouldn't love him back. Both needed a change in their lives, and it seemed like they found what they needed in each other. I was definitely cheering for these two and hoping they found a way to make it work.
This was a great addition to this series which calls to my GenX heart. This could be sacrilege because they are a bit young for this series, but I really want Kev and Davis's story even if they are not GenXers. I just feel like there is an unfinished tale there. Hopefully, we will return to Bluebird Basin once again.
Wild Ride by Kate Meader
Published by Kate Meader LLC on March 26, 2024
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Goodreads
Chicago Rebels hockey player Dex O'Malley has been a naughty boy ... again.
Only his latest stunt isn’t quite like when he was caught with his pants down at a nightclub or was cited for drag-racing on Lake Shore Drive or even that time he said a few critical things about his teammates on a hockey podcast. Oops. This time, Dex is in real trouble, the kind that could get him kicked off the team and out of the league. And that cannot happen. Hockey is the only thing he’s ever been good at. The only thing he cares about. He’ll do whatever it takes to rehab his rep, even if it means cleaning up dog poop and suffering the steely-eyed disapproval of his new no-nonsense “boss” at the animal shelter, Ashley Adams.
Ashley has enough on her plate between her low-paying job, her high-maintenance family, and a love life she’s trying to resurrect after her divorce. She’s already mom to an amazing nine-year-old; the last thing she needs is mothering a celebrity volunteer with more money than sense. But the troublemaking f-boy needs Ashley to sign off on his good deeds so he can get back to what he does best: lighting up lamps both on and off the ice. And while a guy like that could never interest her mind, it seems her body is not on the same page. Sure, Dex O’Malley is too young, too hot, too flighty for Ashley to take seriously, but maybe a brief ride on the wild side might fit the bill …
Only that’s not enough for Dex. What happens when this notorious player decides the older, single mom is the hottest woman he’s ever met and that he wants to light her lamp … forever?
It's been a while since I read a Rookie Rebels book, and it was great to be back in this world.
Dex was young and dumb until he realized he wanted more. It was his personal journey that I was extremely invested in as I read this tale. The romance was great. Dex was surprisingly sweet and everything Ashely didn't know she needed. But she was also good for Dex. She saw him as more than the playboy without a serious bone in his body, and he really needed someone to believe in him in that way.
This book had so many nods and appearances from Rebels characters, too. I loved those injections from the first series. The bromance was great as well. Dex wasn't initially gelling with the team, but as he grew, so did their love for him. There were some really fun and sweet moments between Dex and the team which delighted me to no end.
It was a treat being back with the Rebels, and I hope Meader has a lot more stories to tell.
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