Book Review: Ruling Out Robyn (Men of the Isles #3) by Deborah M. Hathaway

November 9, 2026June 3, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 350 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Draft Horse Publishing
Release Date: April 10th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Robyn Lane is sunshine embodied. Or so her fans call her. She really has it all—loving parents, protective older brothers, unfailing optimism, and millions of subscribers on YouTube. She also has a dream job that is about to become even dreamier.

Having fallen into the unpredictable world of crowdfunding, Robyn has found her calling in life by filming herself partaking in whatever her millions of fans wish her to do, whether that be skydiving, attempting to repair a 1933 Ford Roaster, or auditioning for every singing competition in America—all without being a singer.

And now? Well, now, she’s about to pack up all her belongings and live out an entire year on a dilapidated sheep farm in Snowdonia, Wales to see if she can revive the farm from the ground up. Does she know one thing about sheep or farming? Not even a lick. Is she even aware if Snowdonia is a real place? Well, she is now, thanks to Google. (It is real, BTW.) But she’s not concerned. She’s thrilled. Everything is going to be amazing. It always is for her.

And yet, running the farm is nothing like she expects. She finds herself falling short in every way—including fitting in with the locals, particularly with her neighbor on the adjoining sheep the surly, impatient, and insanely attractive Cedric Davies. Apparently, the guy used to be some famous soccer—oh, sorry, football—player for England, but after an injury, he chose live out the remainder of his days on this rainy, windy land like some crazy recluse. A recluse who isn’t afraid to express his disapproval with her filming her life from sun-up to sun-down.

Robyn can handle anything life throws at her—even this frigid sheep farm. And yet, when Cedric’s wind-tossed hair and scruff-covered jawline become more appealing than anything else, including her job…she isn’t sure what she can handle anymore.

This is the third book in the clean and sweet romcom Men of the Isles series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, sports, and celebrity romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order as minor spoilers are given about previous characters.

SOFT AS SHEEP.

I continue to adore this series. I am 1000% obsessed with the setting. I loved the moody Wales atmosphere with the rain and small town and hills and vales, just all the things.

I struggled with Robyn as a content creator somewhat though I was grateful to see her character arc and journey through how she wanted to handle her page as time went on. I appreciate that she was respectful and mindful and able to go with the punches.

Cedric and Robyn were all the things I love about the grumpy and sunshine trope. I liked the banter and the slowly working together and the almost kiss?? Are you kidding me?? Honestly could have had more kisses. But boy do I love a slow burn.

And I appreciate the solid friendships, mental health conversations, and reconnecting with your passions in life. There were just many endearing and memorable moments and I’m looking forward to the last book!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: low
Content warnings: parental abandonment recounted, sports injuries

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Book Review: Second Down and Second Chances (River Foxes #2) by Leah Dobrinska

November 6, 2026October 4, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Sports Romance
Length: 310 pages
Author: Leah Dobrinska
Publisher: Self published
Release Date: September 8th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Lawrence Poe, tight end for the Green Bay River Foxes, is a type-A control freak who functions best when his house is clean, his spreadsheets are updated, and his protein shakes are precisely measured. Adding a four-year-old to his structured schedule isn’t going to be easy, but his sister needs him to watch his niece, and he always shows up for his family. Still, with training camp and other football commitments, Lawrence can’t watch Ana alone. Enter Beni Fitzgerald—his sister’s best friend and Ana’s Godmother—a woman who threatens every aspect of his controlled, orderly life.

An artistic free spirit, Beni Fitzgerald is a type-B dreamer who lives by the mantra all will be well. No, she wouldn’t choose to spend the summer living with a man who is her polar opposite, but she’ll do anything for her Goddaughter, even if that puts her directly in the path of Lawrence Poe. Beni has always yearned for a place to belong, and Lawrence made it clear it’s not with him after he gave her the best kiss of her life five years ago only to pull away and call it all a mistake.

But their forced proximity requires compromise, and as the duo grows in understanding and trust, both Lawrence and Beni realize this could be a summer of second chances.

Three months. Two enemies. Under one roof. Everything could go wrong. But what if they’ve stumbled into something right?

Second Down and Second Chances is a snappy and sizzling closed door romance with kissing only and no implied intimacy, perfect for fans of the opposites attract and enemies to more tropes. This is the second book in the River Foxes Football Romance series. All titles can be read as standalones.

FANTASTIC READ.

I liked this one so much!!! With a MMC who has OCD (like yours truly) and a FMC who is rarely ever put first when she’s giving everything to everyone else (also yours truly) this hit hard multiple times. And I loved how they came together in compromise and conversation to see that they could be together.

I love a good forced proximity trope and these two had be in each other’s orbit constantly. It kept the focus on the romance and seeing them go from snappy quips to flirty banter to tender words was the best. I adored it. I loved having little Anna around and all of the football moments too. Even though it’s not the actual season there were plenty of practices and time at the stadium for this to feel like a SPORTS romance. And I always love getting to see previous couples and they strong friendships/found family that’s present.

Y’all know I struggled with the third act. The gesture and conversations to solve everything were solid at least (and it didn’t last too long). I just don’t like ex content often.

Leah Dobrinska is a smaller name in the closed door romance community and I think she deserves so much more hype. If you haven’t tried one of her books please do!!

Overall audience notes:

Sports romance
Language: none
Romance: kisses
Violence: mild
Content warnings: emotionally distant parents, loss of a parent (recounted), OCD on page

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Book Review: By the Flames of Her Fury (The Veridian Empire #4) by V.B. Lacey

October 26, 2026October 23, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 580 pages
Author: V.B. Lacey
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 22nd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Pirates of the Caribbean meets The Mummy in the epic conclusion to the Veridian Empire series of interconnected standalones.

The world wants her power. She wants her vengeance.

Vera Duma has spent a year tracking down the man who stole her freedom and tortured her with magical experiments. She doesn’t care what her retribution costs, even if it means leaving behind everything she’s ever loved.

But the hunt leads somewhere she never expected: a kingdom hidden from the rest of the world for a thousand years, whose rulers believe Vera is the one prophesied to raise them from the dark. They have answers to questions she’s sought her whole life, and an agenda she’s too desperate to see clearly.

Her quest becomes more complicated when Everett Swift, the boy she fell in love with in their captivity, follows her into this new world. Their past love is rekindled as the kingdom’s secrets begin to unravel, and Vera must decide what she’s fighting for before her power is used to unleash something far more dangerous.

Because when her fury ignites, the world will either rise from its ashes…or burn with her.

By the Flames of Her Fury is the fourth and final book in the Veridian Empire series of interconnected fantasy standalones. This book includes a summary of books 1-3 for those who haven’t read them. While it’s advised to read books 1-3 first, it’s not necessary. By the Flames of Her Fury follows a phoenix Shifter FMC and the man she fell in love with in captivity as they go on a revenge quest against their captor, but get caught up in a lost kingdom full of secrets darker than they bargained for. Perfect for lovers of Pirates of the Caribbean, The Mummy, and the Ever Seas series by LJ Andrews, this book is full of no spice second chance romance, epic quests with mythical creatures, feminine rage, a powerful female cast, and a beautiful found family.

Thank you RB Media for the gifted audiobook.

GOOD CONCLUSION.

I’ll miss this series! I had a really good time with every book and I thought this wrapped up the larger arc well. You don’t have to read these in order but it is recommended because the characters and plot does build upon itself in some ways.

I love a man down bad, and Everett embodied that rope fantastically. I loved his nature. He’s soft while being strong and protective. He knows what he wants and is patient and kind too. I also loved Vera. The running away thing kind of bugged me but I did like seeing how all of the things came together.

The Pirates of the Caribbean x The Mummy vibes were 100% present and I loved seeing those little touches woven in. This found family is a strong one and their pop-ups were some of my favorite moments too.

There were a few times where I thought things were going to end and then it kept going?? I wish it had been a bit tighter but that was my only complaint. The audiobook is wonderful and I love that format for this series. I also SUPER appreciate knowing a consistently closed door fantasy author that hits the romance genre so well.

Overall audience notes:

Fantasy Romance
Language: low
Romance: closed door
Violence: high
Content warnings: torture, imprisonment, loss of life

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Book Review: Kissed by the Gods (The Eternal Wars #1) by Caty Rogan

October 25, 2026January 17, 2026 GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★/5
Audience: Fantasy Romance
Length: 556 pages
Author: Caty Rogan
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: September 24th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Leina has spent a lifetime submitting. Kneeling. Enduring.

Then soldiers come for her brother, and divine fury surges through her veins. She expects execution for the bodies she left in her wake. Her people have met bloody ends for far, far less.

Instead, Ryot, a godsworn warrior born to privilege and raised in order, drags her into a world that was never meant for her. One of divine armies and death demons, winged war horses and monsters, sacred power and royal secrets.

A kiss from a goddess changes everything.

No longer a criminal, Leina is a prize. The kingdom’s most powerful men want what the goddess touched. Leina wants only one thing, though: freedom for her people. And she’ll trade herself for the strength to destroy the kingdom that broke them.

Conscripted into a war she never asked for, fighting for gods she doesn’t believe in, Leina must decide how far she’s willing to go and what she’s willing to lose. Because her power is more than a threat to the kingdom’s buried secrets.

It’s a death sentence.

WELL OKAY THEN.

This was totally worth the hype. And I am often reluctant to pick up a book if the hype seems out of bounds but here we are!!

I loved this journey. I felt like I got everything at such a fantastic pace. From understanding the world and how the magic system bends to the intricacies of life as an Altor. I don’t know much about the antagonists yet but I look forward to that expansion in book two.

The romance grew on me. I think there was a little lacking in the swoon factor for me but by the end I was pretty attached to Leina and Ryot. I appreciate a good slow burn and moments together before the heat gets turned up.

And the found family?? Oh I adored them all. It’s a brutal world they are trying to survive and I liked the soft and loving banter that existed between everyone. And the war horses?? They were many nuanced pieces that made this an incredible read.

I’m a fan of a brutal cliffhanger so let me tell y’all I about threw my kindle on this one. WHICH IS A GOOD THING. Gosh dang it someone give me book two ASAP.

Overall audience notes: