READ-2-REVIEW - HOLIDAY CONTEMPORARY - FAKE IT 'TIL CHRISTMAS by Claudia Burgoa

Fake it 'Til Christmas
by Claudia Burgoa
November 19th 2025

From USA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa comes a fake-dating holiday romance filled with slow-burn tension, awkward family dinners, and one grumpy man who might just ruin Christmas for anyone else.

BLURB

All I agreed to was a fake relationship.

A weekend of pretending I’m in love with my grumpy, emotionally constipated, private-jet-commuting neighbor.

Easy, right?

Except nothing about Soren Thorn is easy.

He doesn’t believe in horoscopes, hates throw pillows, and treats feelings like they’re contagious.

He’s all sighs, black coffee, and unreadable expressions—and for reasons I still don’t understand, he needs me to be his girlfriend for one very public, very awkward family event.

I thought I could handle it.

Play the part. Make it cute.

But then he started trusting me—with real pieces of himself.

Now I know his favorite coffee, some of his secrets, and the exact look he gives when he's about to self-destruct but pretends he’s fine.

And I’m starting to realize this whole fake dating thing might be getting too . . . well, not fake.

Because I don’t just want to survive the weekend.

I want to know what it would feel like if none of it were pretend.

 What to expect:

 Grumpy/Sunshine

 Neighbors to Lovers

 Fake Dating Shenanigans

 Holiday Mayhem

 Frenemies-to-Lovers

 Romeo & Juliet vives (minus the tragedy)

 All the cozy, spicy, small-town romance feels

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . FAKIN IT TIL CHRISTMAS . . . The Only Thing Fake Is Their Relationship!

Get ready to snuggle up with a mug of black coffee (Soren's choice, of course) and a whole lot of holiday shenanigans! Fake it 'Til Christmas is a deliciously witty, fabulously detailed, and profoundly heartfelt slow-burn romance that perfectly captures the chaos and cozy magic of the season.

This story is built on the most electric of foundations: Frenemies-to-Lovers, Fake Dating, and Grumpy/Sunshine. Our heroine is the wonderfully ambitious Winnifred Wendalyn Wolfcraft, aka Fred, the lovable "black sheep" who is determined to win her family’s annual Holiday Olympics title. Her grand plan hits a snag, however, leaving her desperate for a solution before heading back to their rival hometown, Winterberry Cove.

Enter her annoying, private-jet-commuting neighbor, Soren Thorn. Soren is the embodiment of "grumpy," a man who hates throw pillows, thinks feelings are contagious, and is dreading the engagement party with his demanding family. When Fred throws out the ridiculous idea, a lightbulb moment strikes: they’ll be each other’s fake dates to survive their respective family rivalries and holiday obligations!

The genius of this book lies in the execution of the slow burn. What begins as hilarious "frenemies, neighbor edition" head-bonking quickly morphs into something deep and real. As Fred and Soren navigate the awkward family dinners and Christmas mayhem, they start to trust each other with the real, vulnerable pieces of themselves. Watching the prickly Soren melt for the sunny, determined Fred is so worth the wait. This cleverly plotted journey is the perfect balance of drama, laugh-out-loud humor, emotional shenanigans, and a genuinely earned Happily Ever After.

The audio production turns this fabulous story into a five-star immersive experience.

• Jason Clark is flawless as the grumpy, emotionally constipated Soren Thorn. Clark’s delivery of Soren’s sighs, his disdain for throw pillows, and the subtle shift in his tone as he allows Fred past his massive walls is pure magic. He expertly handles the reserved side of the slow burn.

• Grace Grant brings the warmth and determination necessary for Fred. She captures the fun of the sunshine dynamic and makes Fred's desire to win and her struggle with family expectations relatable and deeply emotional.

Together, Clark and Grant master the witty banter and the escalating sexual tension, making the inevitable moment when their "fake" feelings turn real feel explosive and genuinely earned. This is a must-listen holiday treat!

 Ready to binge? One-click on Amazon or start reading for free in Kindle Unlimited:

 https://geni.us/fitxmaszon

 ➺ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHF8JS6Z

 ➺ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FHF8JS6Z

 ➺ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0F5GDSFF5

 ➺ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0F5GDSFF5

 Audio lovers, you’re gonna love this one. Narrated by @msgracegrant and @jasonclarkereads: https://geni.us/FiTCAudio 

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - IRRESISTIBLY WICKED (The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside) by Melissa Foster

Irresistibly Wicked: Zander Wicked
The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside, #7
by Melissa Foster

November 19th 2025

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Get ready to fall hard for everyone’s favorite playboy, Zander Wicked, in Irresistibly Wicked. When the woman who helps save his life needs a little saving herself, Zander takes on a role he never saw himself playing—husband of convenience. Irresistibly Wicked may be enjoyed as a standalone romance or as part of the larger series.

Zander Wicked lives life fast, on his bike, on the job, and with women. But one split second shatters his world and forces him to face truths he’s spent a lifetime outrunning. His family doubts he can change, but Zander knows better, and when the woman who helped save him needs more than a little help herself, he sets out to prove everyone wrong.

Shauna Flores knows what it means to fight for survival. As an EMT and a person in recovery, she’s rebuilt her life piece by piece while carrying the weight of a best friend she refuses to give up on. The last thing she expects is to end up bound to a man like Zander Wicked, or to find herself in a marriage of convenience that blurs every line between right and wrong.

Two people with checkered pasts, an arrangement that ties them together, and a future neither sees coming—one that will test their limits, their loyalties, and the lengths they’re willing to go to for the people they love.

Marriage of Convenience

Forced Proximity

Found Family

She's an EMT

He Falls First

Biker/ Blue Collar

ALL THE FEELS

That Opening Chapter

SHOP: https://shop.melissafoster.com/collections/irresistibly-wicked-collection
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Audio narrated by Aiden Snow and Erin Mallon
EXCLUSIVE PRE-ORDER SHOP: https://shop.melissafoster.com/products/irresistibly-wicked-audiobook

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . IRRESISTIBLEY WICKED (The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside) . . . The Reckless Playboy's Redemption: A High-Stakes Marriage Of Convenience That Forges A Dark Knight's Fiercest Love.

That blurb for Irresistibly Wicked: Zander Wicked is loaded with high-stakes emotional potential and classic Melissa Foster charm! Knowing you love her characters and communities makes this analysis and review particularly fun.

For those of us who consider Melissa Foster's characters family and her communities true homes, Irresistibly Wicked delivers an intense, scorching, and profoundly healing chapter that demands your attention from the very first page. This is Zander Wicked’s redemption story, and it is glorious.

The tropes—Marriage of Convenience, Reformed Playboy, Protective Alpha—are executed with signature Foster depth. Zander, the notorious playboy, is forced to confront a lifetime of avoidance after a crisis shatters his world. He's fighting to prove to his doubting family and himself that he can change. His chance comes in the form of Shauna Flores, the strong, resilient EMT who helped save his life.

Shauna is a deeply relatable heroine, having rebuilt her life piece by piece while battling her own checkered past and carrying the burden of helping her best friend. The marriage of convenience that binds them is born of necessity, but quickly explodes into something far too real. Zander, the alpha biker/blue-collar hero, falls first, and you can feel the intensity of his realization as his protective instinct shifts from a necessity to a fierce, abiding love.

This book is ALL THE FEELS. It’s more than just Forced Proximity; it’s two wounded souls finding sanctuary in the last place they ever expected. The unbreakable family bonds of the Dark Knights at Bayside and the Cape Cod community provide the perfect backdrop for this intense journey of healing. Zander is wickedly alpha, intensely loyal, and seeing him fight for Shauna—and for his own redemption—is the kind of high-stakes, deeply satisfying romance only Melissa Foster can deliver. This story will test their limits and their loyalties, guaranteeing an intense emotional rollercoaster that leaves you breathless.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Easy-to-read Entertaining Great world building Page-turner Steamy Wonderful characters Family Community

Tropes: Small-town, found family, MC / biker romance, close proximity, protective hero, alpha hero, he falls first, strangers to lovers, chance meeting, reformed playboy, marriage of convenience.

About The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside
Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. These men are wickedly alpha and intensely loyal, but they are not alphaholes.

Be sure to check out Melissa’s other Dark Knights series and stories.

Get more WICKED sexy love stories

A Little Bit Wicked

The Wicked Aftermath

Crazy, Wicked Love

The Wicked Truth

His Wicked Ways

Talk Wicked to Me

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE - INSIDE SILENCE (Silence, #2) by Freya Barker

 Inside Silence

Silence Series , #2 
by Freya Barker 
Release Date: October 27th 2025 
Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Savannah (Savvy) Colter is not easily overwhelmed, which is a good thing, since she is the sheriff of Edwards County. It’s rare to find someone her age— a woman to boot—carrying such responsibility, but over the years, Savvy has more than proven herself worthy of the position…to most.

However, when in a matter of a few weeks an old flame resurfaces in Silence, and two particularly violent murders land on her desk, her steady and predictable life becomes a little much to handle.

New full-time single parent, Nate Gaines, reluctantly returns to his hometown, Silence, to offer his teenage daughter some much-needed stability. As a contractor he can work anywhere, and it’s not like he left a particularly fulfilling life behind, but he’s not too sure how much work he’s going to get here.

Although, some of the changes he encounters in Silence are a surprise. The most shocking one is seeing the woman he once craved like air, now wearing the sheriff’s badge he so despises.

Coming home is definitely not turning out the way he’d envisioned. Especially when a sudden crime spree has the law knocking on his door…again.

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The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . INSIDE SILENCE (Silence, #2) . . . The Badge and the Broken: A High-Stakes Second Chance for Two Adults With Too Much History.

For those of us who appreciate a romance where the characters have actually lived some life and carry the scars and wisdom that enrich a relationship, Freya Barker is a must-read, and Inside Silence is no exception. This book takes the angsty premise of a second-chance romance and embeds it deep within a gritty, high-stakes romantic suspense setting.

We meet Savannah (Savvy) Colter, a woman who has earned her powerful role as County Sheriff. She's competent, steady, and exactly the kind of strong heroine we love. Yet, her carefully constructed life is shattered not just by two violent murders, but by the unwelcome, chaotic return of her "old flame," Nate Gaines.

Nate's situation is immediately complex and deeply sympathetic: a new full-time single parent desperately seeking stability for his teenage daughter. But Nate's baggage is heavy; he despises the badge Savvy wears, and his history means the law is knocking on his door...again. This is not a fluffy reunion. It’s a collision.

What makes this story compelling for an adult-focused reader is the immense, dual pressure on both characters:

• Savvy must find the killer while compartmentalizing the intense pull toward the man who once "craved her like air," even as he becomes a person of interest in a crime spree.

• Nate must confront his past, swallowing his contempt for law enforcement, and realize that the stability he seeks might only come by trusting the very woman whose job he despises.

This is a story about the hard work of rekindled love, where old passions meet new realities and deep-seated grudges. If you appreciate a narrative where the emotional stakes are as high as the suspense, and where bruised but capable characters fight to earn their slice of happy, you'll be captivated by this tense, heartfelt journey back to the small town of Silence.

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

Grab your copy of Finding Silence and preorder Guilty Silence (coming February 9, 2026)

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - LIGHTING THE LAMP (Portland Timberwolves, #3) by AJ Alexander

I can’t stop looking at her like she’s the only thing keeping me upright.

Lighting the Lamp, an all-new childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, small town hockey romance and the third standalone book in the Portland Timberwolves Series from USA Today bestselling author AJ Alexander is now available!

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I’ve always known exactly who I was: the calm and steady one. The goalie with the best save percentage in the league. The Hendrix brother who never let anyone down. Until my body stopped playing by the rules and suddenly, I’m the one who needs saving.

I came home to heal, not to fall for Alise Moore.

My childhood best friend. The girl who’s always been my safe place. The one person I’ve never had to pretend with.

But now we’re older. Everything’s messier. And I can’t stop looking at her like she’s the only thing keeping me upright.

She’s soft where the world’s been sharp. Quiet, but never weak. And when she looks at me like I’m still whole, even when I don’t feel like it, I start to wonder if maybe I could be.

Hockey was always the plan.

But Alise Moore?

She’s the reason I’ll fight to stay standing. 

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . THE LIGHTING THE LAMP (Portland Timberwolves, #3) . . . Healing Friends-to-Lovers Story That Proves Childhood Love is the Only Safe Place

The Goalie Who Fell

If you love your sports romance with deep, gut-wrenching vulnerability and a love that acts as a lifeline, then Lighting the Lamp is the book that hits the net. This installment is an exquisitely painful and perfectly satisfying childhood best friends, wounded hero story that reminds us why the entire Portland Timberwolves family is pure fire. 🔥 We know these heroes, and watching Beau fall is the most intense ride yet.

The hero, Beau—the calm, steady goalie who never let anyone down—always knew who he was. Until his body betrayed him. When he comes home, the trauma of his injury brings the intense vulnerability we've come to expect from the Hendrix brothers. You will feel every single agonizing moment as he struggles to feel whole again.

He came home to heal, not to fall for Elise Moore. But Elise, his childhood best friend and the one person he’s never had to pretend with, becomes his quiet, non-negotiable anchor. The transition from "safe place" to passionate lover is messy, intense, and wonderfully complex. You'll absolutely love the familiar back and forth trash talking between them—it’s hilarious and perfectly shows their lifelong bond and easy chemistry. And, of course, the heart and wisdom provided by mama is exactly the grounding force these men need.

This is the kind of powerful, adult romance we crave. The stakes are immense, but watching Beau realize that his fight to stand tall isn't for hockey anymore—it's for Elise—is the kind of emotional payoff that makes this series unbeatable. Prepare for high angst, stunning chemistry, and an HEA that is fiercely earned within the love of this unforgettable hockey family.

Reasons I enjoyed this book:

Entertaining Great world building Wonderful characters Page-turner Easy-to-read Romantic Hockey (Should I say more)

Start reading today!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/45ZAZx3   

Add Lighting the Lamp to Goodreads: https://tinyurl.com/ltlpt3gr  

For more information about AJ Alexander and her books, visit her website: 

https://www.authorajalexander.com

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READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY SUSPENSE - FINDING SILENCE (Silence, #) by Freya Barker

Finding Silence 
Silence, #1
by Freya Barker 
Release Date: September 25th 2025
Genre: Romantic Suspense 

Phyllis (Phil) Dubois has long left her performing days behind, opting for a more anonymous role in the music industry instead. Something not everyone is happy about.

When the pressure for her to return to the stage mounts, she packs her things in an old RV and hits the road in search of some peace and quiet.

She thinks she’s found it when she rolls into the small town of Silence.

Former sheriff, Brant Colter, is still trying to get used to his abrupt retirement after a health scare last year. He’s not good with change and likes things just the way they are.

That’s why, when a purple-haired hippie moves into the empty house down the road, he’s convinced trouble won’t be too far behind.

He’s not wrong. However, it’s not his annoyingly cheerful neighbor he should be worried about, but the danger that follows her to town.

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The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . FINDING SILENCE (Silence, #1) . . . Heading in to a new release from author extraordinary of the adults with life experience romantic suspense. Freya Barker brings to life romance of adults that have lived some life and have something more to give. I absolutely love her blend of romance with hints of suspense, and this first book in her new series is a fantastic start! It features adults that have lived life, bringing a richness to their story.

With this release we meet Phil and Brant. Both are in the same small town one a but out loud and the other a little low-key. There was a little something that brings them both together. The characters are wonderfully relatable, and neither Phil nor Brant disappointed! They are both drawn together in the same small town, yet for entirely different reasons. Their dynamic is captivating, with one being a bit more out loud and the other wonderfully low-key, creating a fantastic balance. This book was a quick, engrossing read—perfect for a one-sitting escape. The story was truly entertaining from beginning to end, and I was happy with where they left off.

Finding Silence was not a long drawn out romance. It was a one-sitting read with a beginning with an ending that made you happy. Neither of out leading people disappointed you.  

USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

With forty-plus books already published, she continues to create characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy.

Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We've Read All Year Award for "Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!

 

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