Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Pick Me by Victoria Schade

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Victoria Schade
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: November 18th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A delightfully sexy romantic comedy about a romance writer determined to learn how to play pickleball to impress her crush, only to fall for her coach.

As a cowboy romance ghostwriter, Brooke Murphy knows a thing or two about happily ever afters. But following her last breakup, Brooke is feeling fresh out of hot and steamy vibes.

With her next deadline looming and desperate for inspiration, Brooke says yes to every possible romantic opportunity, including a mixed doubles pickleball game, where she meets a tall, dark, and handsome guy taking his pickleball very seriously. A couple of dates with this stranger would be all she needs to crank out her next trope-tastic novel. She just needs to learn how to play. Fast. So what if she’s the least athletic person alive?

Enter Owen Miller, aka The Big Gripper, the secret weapon of Manhattan’s most competitive finance bro pickleball players. The surly coach doesn’t look like a former elite athlete—with his bucket hat, oversized basketball shorts, and flip-flops—but the man can move when the ball heads his way. With enough shameless begging, she convinces him to take her on.

As her game improves, her muse comes back in a big way. Could it be that her feelings for the grump who taught her the difference between a dillball and a dink shot run deeper than just student and coach?

Thank you Avon Books for the gifted copy.

IT WAS OKAY.

Ironically enough the day I finished this book was also the day I played a pickleball game for the first time in 8 years. The pickleball game was more fun than this book.

I DO appreciate that this had plenty of pickleball content. You can call this a sports romance easy because it’s always a pet peeve of mine to not have the sport actually included in the book.

Owen was sweet, I liked his personality and he was cute. I was mostly bugged that much of the book was focused on Brooke trying to meet another man through Owen. That + the awkwardly thrown in innuendo made for a forced sexy atmosphere rather than natural. I was tired of hearing about Brooke’s characters and what they were doing.

I like the cover of the book? But I need to find another pickleball romance to try.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2-3ish open door; innuendo throughout
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: We Danced Among Shadows (Meadowbrook Ranch #2) by Ashley Dill

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 420 pages
Author: Ashley Dill
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: January 20th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

“If he took dancing from you, take it back. Every chance you get.”

Six years after losing his wife, Jesse Holmes has dedicated his life to his son and Meadowbrook Ranch. And he’s determined not to let grief or the bottle rule him ever again. But his foundation shakes when a ranch wedding stirs painful memories. On the cusp of a relapse, he finds comfort in a guest who stirs something else entirely—feelings he doubted he’d ever have again.

Hollie Aldridge appears to have it all—a rich husband, two beautiful daughters, and a luxurious lifestyle. But she’s keeping secrets. Isolated by long term abuse, Hollie doesn’t know how to reach out for help. When her husband leaves her, she fends for herself to keep the peace, protect her girls, and manage her family’s expectations.

Masking her grief, she flies to Texas for her sister’s wedding, hoping to avoid drama at all costs. Yet five minutes after she steps off the airplane, she’s thrown into crisis with a handsome cowboy whose wide-open vulnerability cracks her fortress walls. Stealing away after the wedding, they share a dance. And the memories of him haunt her for weeks to come.

When Hollie returns to the ranch to stay for the summer, Jesse’s unflinching pursuit turns her world upside down. But opening her heart requires exposing the betrayals she has protected for so many years. Will their connection be another secret she keeps hidden in the dark? Or the dawn of her healing?

We Danced Among Shadows, is a single dad, cowboy romance set in Central Texas and the second installment of Meadowbrook Ranch—an emotional series about trauma, healing, and love amid crisis.

A TENDER STORY.

I have continued to enjoy Ashley Dill’s books over the years and here we are again with another sweet gem. And the fact that this was set in a special to my heart spot? 1000% worked for me. I loved the ranch and rodeo and cowboy goodness.

There were many soft and tender moments as Jesse and Hollie both worked to show each other that a new chance at love was possible. I liked seeing them argue and communicate. It brings a realistic vibe to the plot that makes me feel more connected to the story. I enjoyed the side characters a lot too and thought they created a well rounded book.

It’s just a well rounded book and I look forward to Ashley Dill’s stories each time.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: make outs
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: divorce, infidelity, a loved one with cancer (recounted), su!cide attempt, loss of a spouse (recounted)

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Book Review: Playing for Keeps by Ranee S. Clark

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Rating: ★
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 300 pages
Author: Ranee S. Clark
Publisher: Sweetly Us Press
Release Date: June 1st, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Football-loving TyAnne Daws has long admired BYU’s star quarterback from afar. This semester, she’s determined to step away from the sidelines and she has the perfect game plan for winning the heart of Anthony Rocket Rogers. When some smart moves land her in one of his classes, she finds herself in the perfect position to make her play. But as she gets to know the real Anthony, away from the lights of the stadium, Ty realizes that this is no game; she’s falling in love . . .
Anthony takes full advantage of his all-star status, holding girls at arm’s length for one reason: it keeps him from repeating the same mistakes that once led to a devastating heartbreak. When he meets Ty, his assumption that she’s just another pretty face is quickly proven wrong. Though he’s completely drawn in by this sweet young woman, her intriguing mix of amusing football know-how, and her quiet selflessness, he will not let himself fall in love. But when faced with the reality of losing the woman he’s come to care for despite himself, Anthony’s resolve is tested. It’s getting harder to keep his head in the game when his heart’s on the line.

IT DOESN’T HAPPEN OFTEN.

I won’t spend a lot of time on this because there’s too many things to touch on that made me rage as I read this book. Essentially all of these “college kids” act like middle schoolers and the drama is roll your eye worthy to the nth degree.

And there’s a stalker that everyone is way too lenient with? I don’t know why they kept brushing him off and then he’d just pop back up again like the worst game of whack-a-mole.

This poor FMC (and the MMC) made me want to bang my head against a wall. BLESS YOUR HEARTS.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Sports Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Content warning: a side character who stalks the FMC

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ARC Book Review: This Changes Everything by Danielle McKechnie

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Danielle McKechnie
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Release Date: September 8th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An aspiring actor caught on the Hollywood roller coaster is torn between following her dreams and choosing between two of her own leading men—her childhood sweetheart and the one who got away, or the fellow actor who understands just what she’s fighting for. A funny, sexy and heartfelt romance for readers of Yulin Kuang, Rebecca Serle and Emily Henry.

Ellie McCain has always dreamed of a bigger life, so when she’s accepted into a prestigious acting school in New York City, she packs her bags—even if it means leaving her family, her friends and Rory Campbell, the boy who held her heart for years, behind.

At first, life in New York is even better than she’d dreamed it would be—she loves her classes, she gets a position at a fancy production company and she’s even falling in love with her classmate-turned-roommate-turned-best friend, Ben. But soon the shine starts to wear her boss has made it clear that the only role he’ll be casting her in is “Unpaid Intern #3,” and while she’s happy that Ben’s career is starting to take off, she’s struggling to stay afloat. And it doesn’t help that everyone around her seems to be passing her by—even her childhood sweetheart, Rory, is living out his dreams as a professional golfer. But when she runs into Rory for the first time in ten years, she starts to wonder what exactly it is she’s running from, where she’s going and who is running with her.

Told in alternating timelines of the past and present and moving between Vancouver, New York and Los Angeles, This Changes Everything is the story of love—first love, one-that-got-away-love and true love—and asks if maybe, just maybe, all those loves can be one and the same.

Thank you Harper Perennial for the gifted ARC.

HIGHLY FRUSTRATING.

I wanted to like this but within the first 50 pages I feared I was in for a downfall and since this is an ARC I tend to not DNF so here we are.

The writing style is what got to me most. It was somehow explaining too much and not enough on the same page. The way that banter and drama was created was a bit cringy and over done. The FMC was wildly ridiculous running off and claiming “she’s a bird” multiple times rather than having the hard conversation. And I understand the negative side to working in this atmosphere but the drama created from that wasn’t woven in well either. It felt out of pocket and only written in to force the plot forward because literally nothing else was.

I liked both of the love interests fine enough. I think my overall disconnect means I wasn’t upset either way in this *loose* love triangle situation. I did hate that time jumps and flashback chapters. Some of the flashbacks helped but others were information that wasn’t needed.

I know I’m forgetting other things that I didn’t like, but you get the picture.

I’m not sure I’d read another book from this author. I’d wait to see what reviews from others looked like first. I might be an unpopular opinion on this one so I’m curious what others will think.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2ish open; moderate innuendo
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: sexual assault (on page)

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