Wednesday, November 19, 2025

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.

๐ŸงกMarriage of Convenience
๐ŸงกForced Proximity
๐ŸงกFound Family
๐ŸงกShe's an EMT
๐ŸงกHe Falls First
๐ŸงกBiker/ Blue Collar
๐ŸงกALL THE FEELS
๐ŸงกThat Opening Chapter

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

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Wednesday, October 29, 2025

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.

๐Ÿ’ A hockey player hiding the boy he used to be
๐ŸŽธ A rockstar clinging to music while battling addiction
๐Ÿฉบ A doctor who can’t fix everything, no matter how hard she tries
๐Ÿ’ž Friends-to-lovers-to-something bigger
๐Ÿฅ€ Found family
๐Ÿ”ฅ Small-town drama & second chances
๐ŸŒถ️ Spicy
๐ŸŽง Three-narrator audio that brings every heartbeat to life
๐Ÿ’– 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!

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Monday, October 27, 2025

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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Thursday, October 23, 2025

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!


BLURB

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. ๐Ÿ”ฅ 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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Thursday, September 25, 2025

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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Wednesday, August 6, 2025

READ-2-REVIEW - CONTEMPORARY - FLIRTING WITH TROUBLE (The Silvers of Silver Island, #1) by melissa Foster

FLIRTING WITH TROUBLE
The Silvers at Silver Island
by Melissa Foster
Releasing August 6th 2025
World Literary Press


BLURB

Forgetting playboy Wells Silver was supposed to be easy. If only he didn’t make it impossible. 

Secrets are made on the sandy shores and in the sweet small towns of Silver Island, where friendships run deep, passions run hot, and the sexy Silvers are considered island royalty. Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone and may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right in and devour this fun, steamy romance.

Being born into the Silver empire comes with certain expectations, but charming restaurant owner Wells Silver has always taken pleasure in breaking the rules—in his personal and his professional life.

Victoria Braden never expected to become a widow at thirty-two, much less still be trying to figure out how to move on five years later. She’d planned to drown her sorrows in alcohol on what would have been her anniversary, not flirt with trouble and lose herself in a night of passion with Silver Island royalty, playboy Wells Silver. Forgetting Wells was supposed to be easy. But apparently the pushy player didn’t get the memo.

Tropes: He falls first, age gap, widow heroine, opposites attract

The Silvers at Silver Island
Flirting with Trouble, #1
The Trouble with Flings, #2
More coming soon…


While you’re waiting for more Silver family love stories, get to know the sharp-witted Steeles. They have a penchant for pranks, a passion for loyalty, and a trunk full of secrets.

The Steeles at Silver Island
Tempted by Love (Jock)
My True Love (Jules)
Caught by Love (Archer)
Always Her Love (Levi)
Wild Island Love (Leni)
Enticing Her Love (Sutton)

Other stories set on Silver Island
Maybe We Will (Silver Harbor)
Maybe We Should (Silver Harbor)
Maybe We Won’t (Silver Harbor)
Searching for Love (Bradens & Montgomerys)
Bayside Fantasies (Bayside Summers)



The Book Junkie Reads . . . Review of . . . FLIRTING WITH TROUBLE (The Silvers of Silver Island, #1) . . . Irresistible Flirtation Meets Unbreakable Walls: The Silvers Arrive!

Melissa Foster launches her new Silvers of Silver Island series with a captivating romance that is pure magic! FLIRTING WITH TROUBLE introduces us to a new family and a hero who is instantly unforgettable.

"The impossible flirt meets the wall of a strong woman and her respect for herself." This pinpoints the delicious tension at the heart of this story. Wells Silver, the charming and seemingly carefree brother, is the life of every party. He's an expert at irresistible flirtation, but he meets his absolute match in Victoria.

Victoria is a woman who deeply values her self-respect and is completely immune to Wells’s famous charm. She’s strong, grounded, and absolutely not looking for trouble—especially not the handsome, silver-tongued kind. Their initial sparks fly with a mix of frustration and undeniable chemistry as Wells works hard to break through the impenetrable defenses Victoria has carefully constructed.

This book is a beautiful blend of steam, emotional depth, and the familiar, warm family bonds that Melissa Foster does so well. Watching Wells finally get serious and put in the work to show Victoria he's more than just a passing fancy is incredibly rewarding. Victoria and Wells Silver have their chance to shine in a story about what happens when you risk your heart for the one person who challenges everything you thought you wanted.

If you love a charismatic hero who is forced to grow up for his strong, no-nonsense heroine, jump right into the beautiful world of Silver Island!


Author Info
Melissa Foster is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, & USA Today bestselling author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

Author Links:  
Website:  http://www.melissafoster.com/ 
Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Melissa_Foster 
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3023973.Melissa_Foster 
Newsletter: http://melissafoster.com/newsletter/ 
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melissa-foster 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafoster_author/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melissafoster_author 

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