Tag: contemporary romance

Book Review: Home Safe by Tracy Baack

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 346 pages
Author: Tracy Baack
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: June 30th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Opposites may attract, but their differences could turn the relationship into a strikeout instead of a home run.

Danae Collins’ stable, quiet life as an elementary school librarian is upended when she becomes the guardian for one of her students in foster care. She carefully plans for every contingency on the road to permanent adoption—every contingency except crossing paths with a famous baseball player.

Griffin West is the star shortstop and “darling” of the Kansas City Crowns baseball team. Everything is on the line as he returns to the major leagues after a season-ending injury. When Danae brings her new son to Griffin’s baseball camp, the tug he feels toward her is a curveball he never saw coming.

On paper, their lives seem incompatible. But as they spend time together, the safety they find in each other only deepens. Will real obstacles ultimately break or bond them forever?

Home Safe is an opposites attract, single guardian baseball romance for fans of meaningful contemporary romance. This is perfect for readers who want a closed-door sports romance with plenty of swoon but no spice.

See Author’s Note for content considerations.

NOT TOO SHABBY.

I kind of wasn’t expecting to pick up another Tracy Baack book because I didn’t love her Christmas romance. But alas, the reviews of friends convinced me to take a shot with this one and as I have been on a baseball romance quest here we are!

It was very interesting to have the perspective of the FMC who hates baseball, and still doesn’t love it by the end. I was frustrated with her not being more understanding of Griffin’s schedule though. It was a consistent flair up and I don’t think Griffin had to continually grovel over it.

I loved how sweet Griffin was though. He’s a athletic teddy bear kind of character that shows up in small ways and big ways. I enjoyed his interactions with Danae and I liked them as a pair by the end. The foster parent content was also good and I liked those parts of the story.

What did bug me about the end though was something that I think is considered a spoiler. It felt like a short cut and I wish it had gone differently. All things end happy!! That is not the issue here.

Overall audience notes:

  • Sports romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: childhood trauma, toxic family relationships

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ALC Book Review: Love Felt Like This by Julie Olivia

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 500 pages
Author: Julie Olivia
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: September 8th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A grumpy rock star and a joyful children’s show creator revive television magic in this cozy small-town romance.

Griffin Harvey lives his life in the spotlight. Reluctantly. The brooding famous singer-songwriter is on the cusp of composing his sophomore album . . . if only he could find the notes. But after gaining custody of his two-year-old daughter, the only music he’s writing is about shapes and counting to ten.

Enter Beverly, who lives her life in the background producing children’s television and laughter. Except joy is hard to find when her nonprofit loses funding. She sinks all of her savings to revive the children’s show by herself, but when her variety show appearance collides with Griffin’s, their banter and chemistry is caught on live television.

Suddenly, Griffin is singing a new tune. He needs a muse, and Beverly needs all the help she can get. With his secret daughter in tow, they hide out in her cozy mountain hometown, attempting to script, compose, and revive television magic. Their dynamic shouldn’t work. He’s all harsh tattoos and rough hands while she’s bright colors and gentle touches. Once their three months of work are done, they’ll return to their separate worlds. But what happens when it seems the true magic might be found in each other?

Thank you to PRH Audio (PRH Partner) for the gifted audiobook.

SWEET & COZY.

🎧: Loved the dual narration audiobook. Fantastic narrators and I thought it made the book feel even more cozy. Highly recommend that format!

I would first like to note if you’re like me and don’t usually read the summaries, this book is NOT set in the 1990’s (like If It Makes You Happy — the covers had the same vibe so I thought they were in the same world, they were not and I was confused for a beat).

Now the story is genuinely cozy. It’s slow and steady with a lot of quiet and tender moments. I loved seeing the relationship develop between Beverly and Griffin. It’s very much strangers to friends to lovers. The conversations are good and the build up to that first kiss was amazing. I was full on swooning at the love confessions and thought the closing chapters and epilogue were just right.

I did struggle a little with both MC’s having a repetitive inner dialogue about all of the reasons they couldn’t be with the other person. I understood and didn’t need to be told that many times.

But that small issues aside, I am still a big fan of Julie Olivia’s books. I love that this also wasn’t SPICY (like I know some of her books are). It gave me that vibe of writing spice for the couple/situation rather than making it spicy to be spicy and that is always 100x better. It made the connection and moments that much more sincere.

Can’t wait for her next book!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 2ish open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Better Luck Next Time by Cara Bastone

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Rating: ★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance + Magical Realism
Length: 4.5 hour audiobook
Author: Cara Bastone
Publisher: Audible Originals
Release Date: May 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Two frenemies find a surprising second chance in this timeslip rom-com, starring Mae Whitman ( Parenthood ), Colin Woodell ( The Flight Attendant ), and a full cast.

Mona and Duncan used to be best friends. Now they can’t stand each other. Too bad that’s not a good enough excuse to miss their two families’ annual trip to the cabin. But things get really complicated when they accidentally drive through a wormhole together on the way. Look what playing nice and carpooling gets you.

Now they’re stranded indoors by an epic storm and stuck in an alternate timeline where things are just slightly … off. Duncan and his dad aren’t speaking for reasons no one knows, Mona’s mom doesn’t like her hair or her career choices, and their siblings are meddlesome as ever.

Oh, yeah, and apparently they’re going through a divorce. Which means that in this universe they are married. To each other.

All they can really do is play along until they figure out how to get back to the real timeline. How hard can it be—they already hate each other, don’t they? But figuring out how exactly Mona and Duncan managed to fall epically in love with one another—and then break each other’s hearts—is easier said than done. Navigating all these big feelings is leading to new ones, but are they destined to hurt each other in any universe? And what happens to this new relationship when they’re back to their old lives?

YEAH, NO.

This was one of those short romances where I am convinced that there is no way the couple made it past the epilogue. You can not make me think otherwise.

The magical realism/sci-fi-ish element didn’t bug me. It’s a quirk to the story that was fine. I thought that helped both of the leads have some growth and acknowledgement of feelings. There were some banter moments that were cute.

But, the love scenes were super cringey and I honestly thought that Mona and Duncan hated each other. And not in the cute enemies to lovers way. Unfortunately not my favorite Bastone book.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance / Magical realism
  • Language: low
  • Romance: vague open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: The Romance Revival by Christina Lauren

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance/Sci-Fi
Length: 352 pages
Author: Christina Lauren
Publisher: Simon Audio
Release Date: July 14th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

An unforgettable novel in which one fateful accident erases a troubled marriage from memory—and love gets one extraordinary do-over.

Three years ago, Emery Finch did something completely out of character: She got married. To Luca—the impossibly charming landscaper she met on one blistering night in Vegas who made her laugh, made her dance, made her feel.

But now, Emery is consumed by her top-secret job, missing dinners, forgetting anniversaries, and promising herself Luca will understand once her cutting-edge research comes to light. Until the unthinkable happens: A tragic accident takes Luca from her.

Desperate not to lose him, Emery breaks every rule to bring him back. And Luca would probably thank her for it, if only he could remember her. Their first kiss, their Sunny Sundays at the beach, the life they built together…all of it is gone.

It may be a miracle of science, but for Emery it’s her one shot at a second chance. And this time, she won’t waste it—because true love is always worth reviving.

Thank you to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook.

WHAT IN THE SCI-FI?

I think I would have liked this book so much better if the COVER MATCHED ANYTHING ABOUT THIS STORY. At least the title had some nods to it. I didn’t read the summary, because I usually don’t, and man, was I thrown for a loop in the first few chapters.

This felt like a loose sci-fi romance more than anything. With some stretched scientific concepts and an amnesia plot to rule the story. There was even a secret villain and a whole villain monologue to go along with it. I just don’t understand why marketing went this way??

I wanted to like this. I tried. But the whole time I was too focused on the revival plot and the romance started to get lusty rather than actually working out their problems. That eventually came, but further down the line. I did like the communication when it happened and it was an interesting take on the *second chance* concept.

🎧: I did love the audiobook! Duel narrators. Great read. An easy listen and I would recommend that format.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: multiple open door
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings: near death experiences, being hit by a car, gun violence, kidnapping

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