READ-2-REVIEW - CONTMEPORARY - NOT SO SIMPLE LYRIC by Claudia Burgoa

(Not So) Simple Lyrics 

by Claudia Burgoa

December 30th 2025

BLURB

He was my first love.

My first heartbreak.

The boy who made the one mistake I’ll never forgive.

Roderick Wilder and I grew up side by side—two kids tangled up in music, mixtapes, and lyrics that felt like they belonged only to us. Then he destroyed everything we had and disappeared, chasing a future without me.

Twelve years later, he’s back.

Not the rising star I remember, but a man who’s broken, scarred, and desperate to rewrite his story.

The problem? I’ve already started falling for someone else—an anonymous stranger I trade late-night messages with, sharing lyrics and reliving the bands that shaped us.

He feels safe.

He feels new.

He feels like everything Roderick isn’t.

But soon I might need to choose between the stranger who makes me believe again . . .

and the boy who once destroyed me.

From USA Today bestselling author Claudia Burgoa comes a nostalgic second-chance romance of mixtapes, dial-up confessions, and the one boy who broke her heart before the world ever knew his name.

(Not So) Simple Lyrics is an emotional, nostalgic second chance which features your favorite tropes:

🎸Slowburn
🎸Rockstar
🎸Bad boy
🎸First love, childhood crush, it’s always been you
🎸Wounded /Damaged / Tortured Hero
🎸Epistolary novel
🎸Redemption

 Grab your copy now or download it through Kindle Unlimited: https://geni.us/NSSLZon

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . NOT SO SIMPLE LYRICS . . . Not So Simple Lyric: A Melodic Journey of First Loves and 90s Heartbreak!

Claudia Burgoa takes us on a soulful trip back to 1997 with Not So Simple Lyric, a novel that feels like a long-lost mixtape found in the bottom of a drawer. This isn't just a romance; it’s a nostalgic anthem for anyone who grew up tangled in lyrics, dial-up confessions, and the weight of a first love that refused to fade.

The atmosphere of this story is absolute perfection. Burgoa perfectly captures the era of mixtapes and late-night messages, where every song choice felt like a life-or-death confession. If you are a music obsessive or an "overthinker," this book will speak directly to your soul. The epistolary elements—the anonymous messages and shared lyrics—add a layer of intimacy that makes the connection feel raw and incredibly real.

Roderick Wilder was the first love and the first heartbreak. Twelve years ago, he destroyed everything and chased a future without the girl who grew up by his side. Now he’s back—not as the rising star everyone expected, but as a man who is broken, scarred, and desperate for redemption.

But the story takes a fascinating turn with the introduction of an anonymous stranger. Our heroine finds herself falling for someone she only knows through late-night messages and shared playlists. He feels safe and new, creating a heart-wrenching tug-of-war: does she choose the stranger who makes her believe again, or the boy who once destroyed her?

The Tortured Hero: Roderick is a classic "Wounded Hero" whose journey toward redemption is emotional and hard-won.

Slowburn Perfection: The tension builds beautifully through the lyrics and messages, making every interaction feel high-stakes.

Nostalgic Vibes: From the 1997 setting to the heartbreak playlists, the "90s vibes" are immersive and evocative.

Blurred Lines of Connection: Burgoa masterfully explores how grief and healing can change the key of a relationship, proving that some heartbreaks don't fade—they just evolve.

My Final Verdict

Not So Simple Lyric is an emotional masterpiece that proves Claudia Burgoa is giving us something truly special and different this year. It is a "pull-no-punches" tale of second chances that will leave you reaching for your old headphones and a notebook of lyrics. If you want a story that deals with grief, healing, and the enduring power of first love, this rockstar redemption story is the one for you!

Set in 1997, this is a love story told through anonymous messages, mixtapes, and the lyrics we never say out loud.

It’s for the overthinkers. The music obsessives. The ones who know that some heartbreaks don’t fade—they just change key.

 Late-night chats

 Heartbreak playlists

 Nostalgic vibes

 Grief, healing, and second chances

 Audio narrated by @mallonerin and @jasonclarkereads

Presented by

LISTEN-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE - 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

December 9th 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.

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.

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
KINDLE: https://lnk.to/IW_Kindle
APPLE BOOKS: https://lnk.to/IW_Apple
NOOK: https://lnk.to/IW_Nook
KOBO: https://lnk.to/IW_Kobo
GPLAY: https://lnk.to/IW_GPlay

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) . . . If you consider Melissa Foster’s characters family and her communities true homes, this audiobook is an absolute essential. This is Zander Wicked’s redemption story, and in audio, it is glorious.

The tropes we love—Marriage of Convenience, Reformed Playboy, and 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 he can change, and his catalyst is Shauna Flores, the resilient EMT who helped save his life.

The marriage of convenience born of necessity quickly explodes into something far too real. Watching (and hearing!) Zander, the alpha biker/blue-collar hero, fall first is incredibly satisfying. His protective instinct shifts from a necessity to a fierce, abiding love that you can feel in every chapter.

Audio Excellence: Peachwood & Masters

The narration elevates this "All The Feels" story into a full-sensory experience.

Savannah Peachwood: A true fan favorite, Savannah "hits all the right spots." She perfectly captures Shauna’s strength and vulnerability as a woman rebuilding her life while carrying the weight of her past.

Sean Masters: Sean "makes his presence known" with a performance that embodies Zander’s alpha energy and his intense loyalty.

Together, their chemistry brings the Dark Knights at Bayside and the Cape Cod community to life, making the emotional rollercoaster of Zander and Shauna’s healing journey feel incredibly intimate.

Reasons You Need This Audiobook:

• Wickedly Alpha & Intensely Loyal: Zander is the ultimate reformed playboy.

• Relatable Heroine: Shauna is a powerhouse EMT with a heart of gold.

• Community & Family: The unbreakable bonds of the Wickeds provide a backdrop that feels like coming home.

• Steamy & Scintillating: The "Forced Proximity" heat is off the charts!

Final Verdict: This is a high-stakes, deeply satisfying romance that only Melissa Foster can deliver, made even better by a top-tier narration team. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the Dark Knights or new to Bayside, Irresistibly Wicked is a five-star listen that will leave you breathless!

Be sure to check out Melissa’s other Dark Knights series and stories on Audio for just as amazing.

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

Presented by

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.

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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 

Presented by

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

BLURB

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
KINDLE: https://lnk.to/IW_Kindle
APPLE BOOKS: https://lnk.to/IW_Apple
NOOK: https://lnk.to/IW_Nook
KOBO: https://lnk.to/IW_Kobo
GPLAY: https://lnk.to/IW_GPlay

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

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.

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

* * *

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

Presented by

READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - BEFORE WE BREAK AGAIN by Claudia Burgoa

BEFORE WE BREAK AGAIN

by Claudia Burgoa

October 29th 2025

USA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa delivers a soul-shattering MMF romance with friendship turned to all-consuming love, and the desperate, last hope that maybe love really can survive everything that tried to destroy it.

 A hockey player hiding the boy he used to be
 A rockstar clinging to music while battling addiction
 A doctor who can’t fix everything, no matter how hard she tries
 Friends-to-lovers-to-something bigger
 Found family
 Small-town drama & second chances
 Spicy
 Three-narrator audio that brings every heartbeat to life
 No third-act breakup

We were inseparable once.

Three hearts tangled in a small town no one escapes, bound by secrets, sorrow, and something that always felt like fate.

We were always meant to find each other.

Even if the world tried to break us apart.

Even if love arrived far too soon.

We were just kids trying to make it through.

But together, we made something sacred.

Until the day it all shattered.

Now we’re adults with scarred hearts and fractured trust.

The love we shared wasn’t big—It was everything.

And if we dare to rebuild it . . .

We risk destroying ourselves all over again.

BEFORE WE BREAK AGAIN includes a hockey player who is denying the boy he used to be and the one he loves, a rock-star who clings to his music while addiction claws at him and a doctor who can’t stitch everything together, even though she wishes she could.

The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . BEFORE WE BREAK AGAIN . . . A Soul-Shattering MMF Masterpiece!

Claudia Burgoa delivers an absolute powerhouse of an MMF romance that is as "sexy hot" as it is emotionally devastating. Before We Break Again is a story of three hearts tangled together by fate, scarred by a small town, and fighting for a love that was always meant to be—even when the world tried its best to shatter it.

Three Hearts, One Sacred Bond

This isn't just a romance; it’s an all-consuming exploration of friendship turned into something bigger. The dynamic between the three leads is electric and deeply moving:

The Hockey Player: A man denying the boy he used to be and the love he’s always carried.

The Rockstar: A tortured soul clinging to his music while addiction claws at his heels.

The Doctor: A woman who can stitch wounds but struggles to fix the fractured trust of the men she loves.

They were inseparable as kids, and as adults, they are forced to decide if rebuilding their "everything" love is worth the risk of destroying themselves all over again. The chemistry is spicy, intense, and incredibly raw.

One of the most refreshing aspects of this story is the absence of a third-act breakup. Instead of the typical forced separation, Burgoa allows the characters to face the "small-town drama" and their internal demons together. This creates a sense of found family and unity that makes the resolution feel earned and profoundly satisfying. It’s a "soul-shattering" journey where the "last hope" actually feels like a victory.

Friends-to-Lovers-to-Something Bigger: The history between these three makes every touch and every confession carry massive weight.

Deep Emotional Stakes: Battling addiction and hiding one's true self are heavy themes handled with grace and intensity.

All-Consuming Love: This isn't a "big" love—as the book says, it's everything. You will feel every heartbeat and every fracture.

Found Family: The bond they share transcends traditional labels, proving that love really can survive the things meant to destroy it.

My Final Verdict

Before We Break Again is a beautiful, spicy, and intense emotional rollercoaster. Claudia Burgoa has crafted a story that is perfect for readers who want more—more heat, more heart, and more depth. If you love a "pull-no-punches" tale of second chances and a love that defies all odds, this MMF romance is an absolute must-read!

Presented by