Tag: berkley

Book Review: If Not for My Baby by Kate Golden

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 448 pages
Author: Kate Golden
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 5th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

It’s the duet of a lifetime when a rock star and his backup singer find a new kind of harmony off stage in this sensational contemporary romance.

Clementine Clark isn’t looking for love. Growing up with a single mom who weeps over a new guy each week tends to have that effect on a girl. But Clementine doesn’t mind being the rational one—she’s even buried her musical dreams so deeply within herself that she hardly notices the hole it’s left in her life.

That is until her best friend calls her with a life-changing opportunity: to join Irish megastar Halloran on his first US tour as a backing vocalist. Clementine wants to reject the offer, but the pay is enough to change her and her mom’s life. Overnight, Clementine goes from serving enchiladas at the Happy Tortilla to belting high notes before a cheering crowd.

But the whiplash of trading small-town Texas for sold-out stadiums is nothing compared to the rush of performing with the enigmatic Thomas Patrick Halloran. Poet, introvert, and lyrical genius, Halloran quickly gets under Clementine’s skin. The two couldn’t see the world more differently. And yet, over the course of the next eight weeks on tour, the romantic rockstar might just strike an unforgettable chord in Clementine. But will it be enough for an encore?

WELL LOOKIE HERE.

I liked this one y’all!!! I can bet you that the duet narration worked wonders on me and I highly recommend the audiobook path for this one. It is SUPREME.

And reading another celebrity romance?? WHO AM I. They are hitting so well lately and I think I’ve read five+ in the last month alone. I loved all of the touring and friendships and singing and passion. Thomas and Clementine had such a lovely dynamic and I loved seeing them together. I do think the spice jumped in a bit too early but it wasn’t the end of the world.

Because what really made me mad was the third act (and the FMC honestly frustrated me throughout). Past that nonsense is a strong romance that will have you feeling all the things.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 3+ open door
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warnings: loss of a loved one (recounted), a mother with fibromyalgia, sexual harassment, mentions of drug/alcohol addiction

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Book Review: A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Paranormal Romance
Length: 336 pages
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A whimsical and heartwarming novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.

Sera Swan used to be one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her Guild. Now she (slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps her aunt run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests’ shenanigans, tries to keep said talking fox in check, and longs for the future that seems lost to her. But then she finds out about an old spell that could hold the key to restoring her power…

Enter Luke Larsen, handsome and icy magical historian, who arrives on a dark winter evening and might just know how to unlock the spell’s secrets. Luke has absolutely no interest in getting involved in the madcap goings-on of the inn and is definitely not about to let a certain bewitching innkeeper past his walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he agrees to help Sera with her spell. Worse, he might actually be thawing.

Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera Swan is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone…and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.

A SOFT, ENJOYABLE READ.

I just like the way these books make me feel. There’s a cozy quality that makes me yearn for all things fall and warm and homey. The aura of this book was magical and lovely and I adored the inn and all of the characters beneath its roof. This crew is chaotic and kind and full of diverse personalities that made that found family note sing strong.

And I did like the romance (I would have loved even more). Sera and Luke are seriously the sweetest and I loved the push and pull that brought them together. There were many standout (and important) themes throughout that I thought were written well and made me adore the book all the more.

Overall audience notes:

  • Cozy Paranormal Romance
  • Langauge: mild
  • Romance: heated makeouts/fade to black
  • Violence: mild
  • Content notes; parental abandonment, depression, parental abandonment of a child with autism

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ARC/ALC Book Review: First and Forever by Lynn Painter

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Lynn Painter
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: May 12th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A football star and a diehard fan entangled in a PR stunt—that only one side knows is fake—might be the right play in this new romantic comedy by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lynn Painter.

Duffy Distefano loves three things: her dad, the family cat, and Minneapolis Coyotes football. So when she gets booed out of a game and becomes the internet’s villain, she is distraught—and disgruntled. All she did was shove Coyote Carl away when he made a move on her, but everyone else just saw a woman attacking their team’s beloved mascot. Eager to clear the air, Duffy agrees to an interview on a hit morning show. She doesn’t expect a co-guest to join her—especially not the Coyotes’ star tight end.

When MVP Connor Cunningham gets tasked with damage control to help his team out of their PR nightmare, he thought that meant saying a few words on the team’s behalf. Instead, he finds himself in a highly amusing verbal sparring match with a recently wronged fan on live TV. Duffy pelts him with fiery jabs but is also clearly diehard about the Coyotes—color him intrigued…and attracted.

The interview instantly goes viral, and the public is obsessed with them. A strong push from the Coyotes’ PR team to ride the wave results in Connor asking Duffy out. Despite his distaste for PR stunts, he’s surprised to discover being with Duffy is much easier than he thought, and somehow it doesn’t feel fake to him. Harboring this secret can only blow up, but all he knows is that if he messes things up with Duffy, it’ll be the greatest fumble of his life.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the audiobook and Berkley for the eARC (gifted).

WORKED FOR ME!

I devoured this book in a few hours the other evening because I needed a pick me up and Lynn Painter always delivers on that front. I love her romances and the brighter feeling they always leave me.

This was one of her softer, low angst/tension romances. Connor and Duffy just work. They have an awkward meet cute that leads to them falling in love. These little moments throughout added up to such a sweet story. I loved the way Connor showed up for Duffy in the most meaningful ways. And how Duffy returned those sentiments too.

There was enough football content for me to say that it counts as a sports romance (my fav) and I think it would be so fun to see more books with Duffy’s brothers?? One can hope. I even found myself a little teary eyed during a few scenes too. This hit all the notes I was hoping for when I picked it up. Is it perfect? No, but I love the joy of the right book finding you at the right time.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: loss of a parent(s), grief depiction, a grandfather with dementia

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Book Review: The Geographer’s Map to Romance (Love’s Academic #2) by India Holton

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Historical Fantasy Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: India Holton
Publisher: Berkely
Release Date: April 8th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Geography professors in a failed marriage of convenience inconveniently reconnect for an emergency mission in this swoony historical-fantasy rom-com.

Professor Elodie Tarrant is an expert in magic disasters. Nothing fazes her–except her own personal disaster, that is: Professor Gabriel Tarrant, the grumpy, unfriendly man she married for convenience a year ago, whom she secretly loves.

Gabriel is also an expert in magic disasters. And nothing fazes him either–except the walking, talking tornado that is his wife. They’ve been estranged since shortly after their wedding day, but that hasn’t stopped him from stoically pining for her.

When magic erupts in a small Welsh village, threatening catastrophe for the rest of England, Elodie and Gabriel are accidentally both assigned to the case. With the fate of the country in their hands, they must come together as a team in the face of perilous conditions like explosions, domesticated goats, and only one bed. But this is easier said than done. After all, there’s no navigational guide for the geography of the heart.

THIS WAS SWEET.

…and filled with miscommunication. Which was my one main issue. When all of the feelings and talking finally started happening it was way too obvious that all of these could have been fixed much quicker which soured the story for me a little.

I did love the banter and chemistry between Gabriel and Elodie. A marriage of convenience/crisis where the romance is still there, even if buried by some resentment. I thought the plot was fun and charming as always and I found myself chuckling out loud multiple times.

It’s another overall lighter read and I love the quirky characters. India Holton books are a genuine delight each time I pick one up.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical Romance
  • Language: mild – moderate
  • Romance: brief open door
  • Violence: low

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