Romance level: Descriptive Kisses Only
Language: None 
Content Warning: Emotional abuse to child(past, not shown) dysfunctional family
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: Absolutely adored 

I absolutely LOVED this one so much! Willow’s sunshine personality paired with Shane’s extra-grumpy one was the PERFECT combination

This was such a lovely story, and I absolutely devoured it! I especially loved how Willow always stood up for Shane, even when it meant standing up to his own family

And Shane The way he took care of Willow and supported her through her new diagnosis, encouraged her painting dreams, and honestly just supported her through EVERYTHING He was seriously the sweetest. Truly one of those grumps who only smiles for her

Sports Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Type 1 Diabetes Rep
Marriage of Convenience
He Yearns for Her
Protective MMC

BLURB: rumpy right fielder. Sunshine artist. Fake vows. Real feelings.

Getting kidnapped while out with friends wasn’t the curveball I expected. Turns out, the tattooed mountain of a man who hauled me away on his motorcycle was actually rescuing me.

Shane Seaver has the league convinced he’s the grumpy right fielder with a permanent scowl. Unfortunately for him, I’m a hyperrealist painter—so I notice what everyone else misses, like his quiet kindness and dry humor.

Between three part-time jobs and a pricey new diagnosis, my art career is stuck on the bench. Even my sparkling optimism and knack for turning mishaps into adventures can’t save me. Then I discover the penthouse I clean belongs to Shane—and he has a wild-card proposal.

Playing happy wife through Waves media events and his brother’s disastrous wedding is a small price for health insurance and the chance to create again. So I set out to give Shane the childhood he missed—with arcade games, beach days, and a cabin getaway with one very inconvenient bed.

Now my biggest challenge isn’t painting the perfect masterpiece—it’s remembering our fake marriage has an expiration date.

The post Love Beyond The Diamond by Laura Langa (Book 2) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only
Language: None 
Content Warning: death in the past, alcoholism, 
Genre: Historical Romance 
Lily’s verdict: It was good 

I am loving this series and am SO excited for more to come

The storyline started off a little slowly for me, but things really picked up in the second half and I found myself enjoying it much more!

I absolutely loved the yearning on Donald’s part It was so well done! And the dual timelines worked beautifully together, adding so much to the story.

I was SO happy to see Donald and Madelene finally get their much deserved happily ever after

Historical Fiction
Dual Timeline
Second Chance Romance
Hidden Identity
He Yearns for Her

BLURB: Lord Donald Bradley has always done what is right, noble and honorable. So when his parents pressure him to marry, he forces himself to look beyond his own desires, and do what he can to measure up to the dream they have for him. But what they don’t realize is that his heart was stolen long ago, and he has no idea how to give it to another.

Madelene Curtis has lived not one life, but two. Now going under an assumed name and hiding from those who might wish to throw her into the gaol, she works in the quiet and obscure life of a lady’s companion. But when she is confronted with her past in the most intimate of ways—in that of a handsome future marquess she once loved—she is now forced to battle between her old wants and desires, and what will keep her safe.

Can two loves, suddenly separated, find a way back together?

The post A Noble Gentleman by Audra Wells (Book 2) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only 
Language: 2 uses of as*, 3 uses of d*mn, 2 uses of h*ll
Content Warning: loss and grief
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: It was good 

I felt like I could relate to Jo SO much and everything she was feeling There were moments when I felt like we were so similar, and her story really hit close to home for me!

And little Dutton?! Absolutely ADORABLE I loved his character so much! He was easily one of my favorite parts of the entire story.

Overall, this was such a fun, heartwarming read and a great addition to the series! I especially loved the found family elements woven throughout

Brother’s Best Friend
Forced Proximity
A Splash of Fake Dating
Age Gap
Single Father Figure
Found Family

BLURB: Forever wasn’t part of their agreement…

Josephine Michaels has a big problem.

Several problems, TBH.
1. She’s unemployed and stuck living with her parents. Again.
2. Her ex is coming to her sister’s wedding. With his new fiancée.
3. The super-hot PT she’s crushing on is not only too busy to date, he’s also friends with her protective older brother.

Noah Stadler has his own problem: His lengthy PT job description now includes being a full-time, single father-figure to a preschooler.

Enter Jo.

She agrees to be Noah’s live-in help until his sister arrives to take care of her son and make a fresh start. In the meantime, Noah pretends to be Jo’s boyfriend for the wedding.

At first, their temporary arrangement seems perfect: Co-parenting and fake dating with no strings attached and a guaranteed expiration date.

Nothing could go wrong, right?

Until both their hearts start making plans that break all the rules…

The post You Fall First by Julie Christianson (Book 4) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only
Language: None
Content Warning: murder, assassins, mention of torture, child abuse(past), loss of parents, attempted assault on a teen(not graphic), violence 
Genre: Contemporary Mafia Romance
Lily’s verdict: A new favorite 

I fell in love with this story immediately! I think Christian mafia romance may officially be my new favorite genre

Grace is a new favorite character of mine, and I absolutely LOVED the way she broke things off with Bryan (FINALLY lol). She was such a sunshine character, making friends everywhere she went, and I just adored her personality so, so much!

This book has EVERYTHING… laughs, tears, mafia drama, and of course, SO many butterflies The humor was perfectly woven throughout the story, balancing out the more intense moments without taking away from them.

And can we talk about the faith themes?! Carrie did such an amazing job weaving them throughout the story, and I genuinely loved seeing faith play such an important role in a mafia romance!

Definitely found a new favorite right here I seriously cannot get enough of this story and am on pins and needles waiting for book two to release!!!

Christian Mafia Romance
He Hunts Her
Mistaken Identity
He Takes Care of Her
Grumpy x Sunshine
“Who Did This To You?”

BLURB: Grace Goodwin doesn’t look like a killer. She doesn’t act or think like one, either. But after accidentally witnessing a back alley murder, Grace finds herself the number one suspect and a target of both drug cartel and mafia organizations. There’s no one left whom she trusts except for her Italian pen pal—and she doesn’t even know his real name. Armed with nothing but “Jesus and jokes,” Grace zigzags the globe, running for her life while trying to uncover the truth.

Mafia enforcer Rafael Moretti was born into a world of darkness, where disloyalty is deadly and violence is expected. Trying to keep his family safe, he takes on another unwanted assignment. A pink-haired, kitten-loving American has been uncovered as the ruthless assassin known only as “The Ghost.” The longer she eludes him, the more his curiosity is piqued by the cat-and-mouse game they’re playing. But no matter how much he secretly wants her to survive, Rafe knows he will lose everything if he fails in his mission.

Will Grace and Rafe discover the truth about their identities before they irrevocably destroy their future?

The post Made Like The Moon by Carrie Cotten (Book 1) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only, Innuendo 
Language: None
Content Warning: One scene involving suggestive sounds/phrases (nothing happens between the characters)
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: Absolutely loved it

Okay, I loved this story SO much! It was absolutely adorable. Pierre and Tasha are seriously one of my favorite couples ever I loved watching the progression of their feelings and seeing their marriage of convenience slowly turn into something so much more. Their relationship was just so sweet and had me smiling the entire time!

I also absolutely loved Rene He was easily one of my favorite parts of the story, and I am SO excited that we get his story in the next book of this series!!!

This was such a fun, cozy fall romance and definitely one of my favorites from this series

Fall Romance 
Marriage of Convenience 
Author MMC
Bookish FMC 
Dual POV 
Forced Proximity

BLURB: I live for happily ever afters.
And I’m finally meeting my favorite romance author in person!

Only, all this time, I thought author, Amelie De Pierre, was a woman.

It turns out, Pierre Toussaint is the man behind the books that make me weak in the knees.
He could be the consummate book boyfriend with his dreamy hazel eyes, strong jawline, and those black-rimmed glasses. Not to mention that accent. Oh, that French accent. When Pierre speaks, I feel like I’m curled in his arms on a riverbank being fed chocolate-dipped strawberries.

Not Pierre’s arms, of course. We barely just met. And I’m just me. And he’s Pierre, internationally renowned romance author.

Seeing Pierre in person has me stammering and blushing—two things I don’t usually do.

Imagine my surprise when I receive a call a few weeks after meeting Pierre—from his agent—proposing marriage. Not that I’d marry his agent.

They want me to marry Pierre

The post A Not So Fictional Fall by Savannah Scott (Book 1) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

 Romance Level: Kisses Only
 Language: 3 uses of hll, 2 uses of dmn
 Genre: Contemporary Romance
 Lily’s Verdict:  Soft DNF (30%)

My Thoughts:

I had such high hopes for this cozy fall romance Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the FMC, and her personality just wasn’t clicking with me. By around 30%, I found myself losing interest and decided it was time to set this one aside.

I’m calling this a soft DNF because I really did love the autumn atmosphere and the adorable premise! I may give it another chance someday when I’m more in the mood for this type of story

The post Soft DNF – Pumpkin Spice And Not So Nice by Becky Monson appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only
Language: None
Content Warning: Grief 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: Absolutely Adored 

I loved this one so much! The slow burn was EVERYTHING and this was the perfect ending to such an amazing series

Juliet and Archer were so much fun to read about. I loved watching their relationship develop, and Archer’s story was so touching. The way Juliet understood him, and understood the reasons behind his past many actions was beautiful

And Archer himself?! Easily one of my favorite characters I loved everything about him, and his rivalry with the Mayor had me laughing SO much. The man had entirely too many ideas

And after following the Mayor’s mysterious dating life throughout the entire series, FINALLY finding out who he was dating was so much fun!!! I’ve been waiting for that reveal

Overall, this was such a sweet and satisfying ending to the series, with plenty of moments that had me swooning, kicking my feet, and giggling. I’m genuinely sad to say goodbye to these characters

Cowboy MMC
Fall Romance
Small Town
Slow Burn
Forbidden Romance
High School Crush

BLURB: The good news? My five-year crush finally noticed me. The bad news? My dad noticed, too.

I told myself I’d outgrown my crush on cowboy Archer Kade—somewhere between braces, pimply skin, and writing his-name-plus-mine on every page of my diary.

Turns out, I was wrong.

I’m back from college for the fall, and that old crush is back, too. But this time, Archer’s not the young, ex-rodeo star I used to dream about. He’s a man making me laugh, walking me home, and trying to get my attention as much as I used to want his.

The only person who isn’t thrilled with this development?

My dad, the mayor of Autumn Ridge.

He says Archer’s trouble. I say I know he is—but I just can’t help myself. Especially when Archer’s suddenly everywhere. Helping with the fall festival. Running Horseshoe Holler Stables. Looking at me like I’m not that teenager who used to wear too much sparkly eyeshadow to catch his attention.

I left Autumn Ridge to get over him. This autumn, Archer might prove I never really did.

The post Autumn Kissed by Deborah M. Hathaway (Book 8) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only, Mild Innuendo 
Language: None
Content Warning: Deception/lying throughout 
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: It was good 

This was such an entertaining read! I absolutely LOVED Marlowe’s grandma, she had me laughing so much She definitely stole the show with this one!

I really enjoyed the combination of second chance romance + fake dating, although I struggled with Jace’s character at first. The way he tried to make Marlowe seem like such a horrible person to his entire family was pretty off putting to me. And fake dating your ex to prove that she’s worse than your current (on-a-break) girlfriend? JACE. SIR. That is not a great look

He did redeem himself for me as the story went on, though! I especially loved how supportive and encouraging he was of Marlowe’s ideas and dreams

Overall, this was a fun, quirky second chance romance with plenty of family drama, ridiculous situations, and a meddling grandma who was easily one of my favorite parts of the entire book

Fake Dating
Small Town
Family Drama
Second Chance Romance
High School Sweethearts
Meddling Grandma

BLURB: He needs a fake girlfriend. She needs someone to watch her grandmother. It should have been the perfect business arrangement… if they hadn’t already broken each other’s hearts.

Seven years ago, Marlowe fell hard for Jace Clark. He was handsome, smart, and going places—going places, in this case, meant he went to college without giving her a second thought.

Yeah, she only cried for two weeks after he dumped her. And after that, she refused to ever tell another guy that she loved him. So, a normal teenage breakup.

Marlowe hasn’t gone places and still lives in the same small town, but that isn’t her fault. She’s the caretaker for her spirited grandmother, and keeping Grams out of trouble is harder than it looks.

Now Jace is back in Lark Springs for six weeks before finishing medical school, and his family has made it their mission to replace his on-again, off-again girlfriend. To avoid their matchmaking attempts, he decides his best bet is to fake-date Marlowe, and when he offers to stay with her grandmother so she can attend business classes, she can’t afford to say no.

A few fake dates shouldn’t be that hard.

Until the old chemistry comes back. Suddenly stolen kisses stop being pretend, and Marlowe realizes that the only thing more dangerous than falling in love again is realizing she never really fell out of it.

When it’s time for Jace to leave, will history repeat itself or will they find a way to rewrite their past?

The post A Longtime (and now fake boyfriend) Heartbreaker by Janette Rallison (Book 4) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Romance level: Kisses Only 
Language: None
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lily’s verdict: Loved it

I loved this story! It pulled me in right away, and I absolutely flew through it I especially loved the themes of redemption and forgiveness woven throughout the story.

And of course, it’s always so fun seeing characters from the other books make appearances I love those little connections that make the whole series feel like one big world.

As someone who loves baking, I thoroughly enjoyed watching Sadie come up with all of her delicious sounding creations I seriously wish I could have tried some of them!!

This was such a sweet fall romance with plenty of small town charm, complicated history, and characters I really enjoyed rooting for

Single POV
Small Town
Fall Romance
Forbidden Romance
Brother’s Ex-Best Friend
Town Prodigal

BLURB: He’s the villain in everyone else’s story. What happens if he becomes the hero of hers?

Sadie Stevenson is very good at three things: baking, avoiding conflict, and pretending she never had a crush on her brother’s best friend—ex best friend, that is.

She’s about to get worse at all three.

When James Carver returns to Autumn Ridge after eight years away, Sadie tells herself that working alongside him at Carver Maple Farm is just business. She tells herself she can handle this.

She cannot handle this.

In a town with a long memory and with a brother who will never forgive, falling for James isn’t just complicated, it’s forbidden.

Too bad James Carver turns out to be nothing like the villain she was promised.

The post Forbidden To Fall by Martha Keyes (Book 7) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

I was fully invested in this story from PAGE ONE!! It was genuinely impossible to put down

And I LOVE HUNTER SO MUCH!!! Forget green flags, this man is the entire forest The way he cared for and supported her throughout this story?! His character was absolutely top tier. Hunter Dawson is the new standard! 

OH MY GOODNESS the hot tub scene had me in TEARS. It was one of the absolute sweetest moments and I don’t think I’ll be recovering anytime soon.

The romance, the small town setting, the characters, the emotional moments, I adored all of it. I just felt completely invested in these characters and their story from beginning to end.

Tiffany and Lindsay did an absolutely stunning job with this one, and I need everyone to read it immediately!! I genuinely don’t think I’ll ever stop ranting about Hunter

Small Town
He Falls First
Marriage of Convenience 
Protective Marine
Splash of Suspense 
He Yearns For Her

BLURB: Hunter Dawson left town nearly a decade ago with two goals: serve his country and get over Ellie James.

He accomplished exactly one of them.

Now he’s back in Starlight Valley—and Ellie is the one thing he never managed to leave behind.

Ellie James never imagined she’d be back at her parents’ house—pregnant, overwhelmed, and recovering from an abusive marriage. The last thing she expects is for Hunter—the boy who always made her feel safe—to walk back into her life.

When Ellie is in need of protection, Hunter is willing to do just about anything to provide it. A marriage of convenience seems like the perfect solution.

Publicly, they’re the ideal couple. But privately? It’s getting harder to remember where the act ends and the truth begins.

The post Promise You The Moon by Lindsay Rochester and Tiffany Noelle Chacon (Book 1) appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.