This story hooked me from the very first chapter and never let go. The banter between the characters had me smiling the whole way through, and the romance was filled with so many moments that had me giggling and kicking my feet

The suspense kept the pages turning, and I found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” long past my bedtime. Every twist made it harder to put down.
And can we talk about the romance? The protective hero, the “my wife” moments, and the way he quietly yearned for her absolutely stole my heart

This quickly became one of my favorite reads, and I already can’t wait to see what Jenessa writes next.

Tropes
Opposites Attract
Grumpy x Sunshine
Protective MMC
“My Wife”
Forced Proximity
He Yearns for Her
Only One Bed

: Descriptive Kisses Only
: None

BLURB: Thea

I’m fine. Really.
My latest breakup? Not a big deal.

Which is why I still took the trip—the one where I was supposed to get engaged. Alone. Totally normal.

Getting mugged in Mexico? Also not a big deal. Sure, I can’t remember where I’m staying, but I’ll figure it out. I always do.

At least there’s a broody, mysterious stranger who says he’ll help me.
Problem is… I’m not sure he’s on my side—especially when our faces start showing up on the news for a crime we didn’t commit.

He’s guarded. Dangerous. And definitely hiding something.

But whatever secrets he’s keeping—and whatever trouble keeps finding us—I don’t have a choice.

If I want to make it home alive…I have to trust him.

Pierce

I don’t fail missions. Ever.

So how did this one spiral so far out of control?

It was supposed to be easy. Get the drive and get out.

But my contact is gone. Enemies are closing in. And somehow, I’ve picked up a civilian who has no idea what she’s walked into.

Now Thea is my responsibility, and while getting her home safely should be simple, things only get worse around every turn.

She looks at me like I’m more than what I am. Like I’m someone worth trusting. Wanting.

I’m not.

I walked away from every relationship that mattered six years ago—and I’m not looking for another one.

But the longer this mission drags on, the harder it gets to remember why.

The mission has shifted. Get Thea home, before they catch us. But what if it’s not safe there either? How long will I have to protect her?
Runaway Rule is an light-hearted adventure romantic comedy full of mystery and chaos.

Click the photo above to read this amazing story!

The post Runaway Rule by Jenessa Fayeth appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

The enemies to lovers dynamic was so well done because they spent so much time walking that fine line between frustration and affection. One minute I was swooning at their interactions, and the next I was completely rooting for them to make up

And can we talk about Mags? She completely stole my heart.

The only part that wasn’t quite my favorite was the miscommunication trope. While I understood why the characters reacted the way they did, I found myself wishing for more communication along the way

That being said, Tenny absolutely won me over. He was so thoughtful, caring, and easy to root for, and I loved watching the relationship develop as the story unfolded.

Most of all, I appreciated the way these characters did eventually work through their challenges and found their way back to each other. And that epilogue? Absolutely perfect.

Workplace Romance 
Golden Retriever MMC 
Sports Romance 
Reporter FMC
He Falls First 
Millionaire MMC
Meet Kiss
Splash of Fake Dating 
Enemies to Lovers

: Descriptive Kisses 
: None 

BLURB: Their banter is relentless. Their chemistry? Even better off-screen. 

Behind our dazzling interview smiles, Tenny Jackson and I bicker nonstop—especially when our long-ago meet-cute kiss revealed he’s as much of a player off the field as he is at first base.

Tenny insists I’ve got him all wrong, but I won’t let sculpted forearms and a swoon-worthy smile distract me from the facts…or my professional goals. Even if he weren’t my enemy, dating a player would sink my credibility faster than the wave that wiped out my surfing career. 

Then my eccentric grandmother shows up, and Tenny and I have to fake it off-camera too. Private dinners, family movie nights, and his hands-on fixer energy push me toward the unthinkable—calling a truce.

Between squashing Tenny’s pre-game superstitions and him encouraging me to get back on a surfboard, it’s getting hard to deny we’re rounding first on something real. But when a disastrous game-day fiasco turns us into a headline, it’s not only my job on the line—it’s my heart.

Click the photo above to read this amazing story!

The post Love Between Innings by Laura Langa appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

I went into this book completely blind, and I’m so glad I did. From the very beginning, this story had me emotionally invested, and I found myself reaching for tissues throughout the entire book 

The journey Zev and Rosalie go on was beautiful, heartbreaking, and ultimately so rewarding. Their story carried so much emotion, and I couldn’t help but root for them every step of the way.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the community surrounding them. The love and support from their friends added so much warmth to the story and made several moments even more emotional

And chapter 15? If you’ve read this book, you know exactly what I’m talking about

This was the kind of story that lingers long after the final page. Five stars honestly didn’t feel like enough for this one. It was a beautiful, unforgettable read that will stay with me for a very long time

Tropes
Second Chance Romance
He Takes Care of Her
He Yearns for Her
Book Lovers
Anxiety Rep
Sports Romance 

: Kisses Only
: 3 uses of p*ssed

BLURB: She needs time. He needs a miracle.

Rosalie doesn’t remember getting a teaching degree, her best friend’s wedding, or meeting Zev. In her mind, he simply doesn’t exist. Instead, she’s stuck with panic attacks, people who swear they know her, and the unsettling realization that six years of her life have apparently gone missing.

Moving to a new city, she’s determined to keep her head down, survive the anxiety, and maybe win her memories back from the universe.

Instead, she finds herself hiding out in books in her favorite café looking for solitude. Tall, redheaded, and buried in a novel, is almost always sitting across from her. He’s got broad shoulders, a handsome face, and absolutely no interest in bothering her. Perfect.

And yet… he feels oddly familiar, like a page torn from a fantasy she doesn’t remember reading.

Zevulun, however, has no trouble remembering.

He shows up at the Sugar Pine Café every Monday for one reason. Her. Rosalie is the love of his life. The woman he was building a future with. And now she doesn’t recognize him.

But Zev knows her inside and out. He knows her favorite foods, her favorite books, and that one very ticklish spot at her hip. He’s going to use all that knowledge to remind her of what they had, to give them their second chance, and to get his girl back.

It may be a long, painful wait, a treacherous journey, but Rosalie is worth every step.

You Again is a closed door romantic comedy full of longing that will warm your heart and make you yearn for more!

Click the photo above if you want to read this amazing story!

The post You Again by Jen Atkinson appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

Side Note: I’m not really a fan of the multiple references to extremely explicit movies/books. It’s just my personal option but it kinda annoys me when that in “clean/no spice” books

Billionaire MMC
Summer Romcom
He Falls First
Workplace Romance
He Yearns For Her
Anxiety Rep

: Descriptive Kisses, Innuendo, contains multiple references to explicit films/media
: None

Content warning: death of parents(past tense), anxiety Rep, cancer(side character)

OVERVIEW: He has it all, except the one thing money can’t buy: her heart.

When Cat Keene finds a medical bill with the horrendous words final notice stamped across the front, she learns two things: first, her uncle/the man who raised her is keeping things from her for the first time in her life. Second, they need money—and fast—or they’ll lose the only thing she has left of her parents: the bed & breakfast she runs with him.

Noah Belacourt is a billionaire with a newly acquired anxiety diagnosis and a one-way ticket to Sunset Harbor for the summer, courtesy of his company’s board of directors. Being on the island he grew up on for a forced sabbatical has a major perk when he runs into the girl he’s harbored a crush on since they were teens. She’s still the same old Cat, except now she’s in some major financial trouble. Noah wants to help her, but Cat is stubborn. She holds onto past biases about his family and takes some convincing.

When Cat agrees to work as Noah’s personal assistant for the summer, she doesn’t realize she’s signing up for a lot more than debt relief. Some of her preconceived notions about the Belacourt family begin to feel wrong. Noah proves that not all first impressions are reliable, forcing Cat to face the past—and to hope that things will end up just peachy keen after all.

Because the alternative is losing everything that matters to her, and she is not about to let that happen.

Beachy Keen is a sweet romantic comedy with a billionaire, a longtime secret crush, and boss & employee dynamic. It’s part of the Falling for Summer series, seven interconnected stand-alones by seven amazing authors:

Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel
Beachy Keen by Kasey Stockton
Plotting Summer by Jess Heileman
Summer Tease by Martha Keyes
Beauty and the Beach by Gracie Ruth Mitchell
One Happy Summer by Becky Monson
Rebel Summer by Cindy Steel

Come visit Sunset Harbor Island today!

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The post Beachy Keen by Kasey Stockton appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: I loved this book so much! Lucas is the biggest green flag out there this book is full of sizzling chemistry, mutual pining, witty banter, and some heart-melting moments
That weight room scene has my cry laughing it’s giving Monica and Chandler before anyone knew about them

PS: I would love to see a book with Jake’s “redemption story” in the future
PPS: I would also LOVE to see Logan’s book next

Fake Dating
Sports Romance
Forced Proximity
Golden Retriever MMC
He Takes Care Of Her
Forbidden Love
Slow Burn

: Kisses Only
: None

OVERVIEW: She’s fake dating the wrong guy. Enter Mr. Right.

Scottie

I’ve spent my whole life cleaning up after Jake Rodgers—the bad boy of Major League Baseball. So when his latest PR disaster threatens to send him to the minors, agreeing to fake date him feels noble. Temporary. Manageable.

Then hot young pitcher Lucas Fischer shows up—with coffee I didn’t ask for and a smile that doesn’t quit—and suddenly none of it feels manageable anymore. Especially when I’m assigned to be his handler.

Now I’m pretending to be in love with the guy I’ve never wanted while trying not to fall for the one I can’t have.

Lucas

I’ve been bringing Scottie Quinn coffee for ten months. I’ve never once guessed her order wrong–no small feat, considering the woman orders coffee based on vibes.

I’ve also never once told her that I know she’s fake dating Jake Rodgers, that she deserves better, or that I’m in love with her. I’m a patient guy. I can wait. What I can’t do is watch her disappear to make everyone else comfortable.

But Jake and I are on the same team now, and our GM has one ironclad rule: no clubhouse drama.

Easy enough. All I have to do is keep showing up until she stops pretending… without blowing up both our careers.

Yeah. Maybe I’m not that patient after all.

The Setup Man is a swoony, closed-door sports romcom with fake dating, workplace romance, banter, forbidden feelings, black cat/golden retriever vibes, and a deliciously slow burn—all with no explicit content. Books in the Catching Feelings series standalone and can be read in any order.

The post The Setup Man by Kate Watson appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: This was a fun, mostly lighthearted hockey romcom! If you love fake dating and second chance romance this is the book for you! It is part of Perfect Crush Hockey Romance Series which can be all read as standalones or in order of release! 

Some internal thoughts while reading:

• No, no, no!! Tell me it’s not a miscommunication trope
• If they would just have one actually conversation literally everything would be fine and there wouldn’t be all these hurt feelings and problems 
• The carnival scene was my favorite! I was giggling and kicking my feet
• Oh I totally know what his tattoo is and means!!!!! I was RIGHT
• I loved the Marco women, or at least most of them

Fake Dating 
Hockey Romcom
Second Chance Romance
He Yearns For Her
Forced Proximity 
Only One Room

: Kisses Only(some suggestive dialogue, nothing explicit)
: 1 use of h*ll

OVERVIEW: He needs a girlfriend for his sister’s over-the-top wedding week. She needs a miracle for her struggling cafe. Now they’re pretending to date—and neither is ready for what comes next.

Scarlett never planned to fake date her brother’s best friend, Brendan Marco. But when the grumpy hockey coach needs a girlfriend for a week of wedding events, she suddenly finds herself playing the part at his hockey games and a long list of lavish family events.

In exchange, Brendan agrees to help her land the arena vendor contract that could save her cafe.
It’s the perfect arrangement—temporary, harmless, and completely fake.

Between a dreamy week at an extravagant estate and wedding week shenanigans, their pretend relationship starts to feel dangerously real.

Scarlett is determined to keep things professional, which should be easy, right?

Except Brendan Marco has always been her weakness—ever since that kiss they shared back in high school that neither of them has ever mentioned again.

Now he’s looking at her differently.
Not like a friend.
Not like a teammate’s sister.
Like she’s the best thing that’s ever walked into the room.

The post Perfectly Pretend by Grace Worthington appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: More than a few tears were shed during this book I loved Chip so much, definitely one of my favorite characters
This was such a beautiful story, navigating through immense grief, rekindling lost relationships, and finding one’s way back home. Very thought-provoking. I am just wowed at the beautiful way it was written! I am excited to read more from this series

Second Chance Romance
Book Within A Book
Forced Proximity
Christian Romance
Splash of Mystery
Adult Contemporary

Quotes I loved:
“It’s okay not to have it together all the time and to receive help.”
“For a long time, I believed God didn’t see my suffering, that He remained invisible during my tuning greatest need, but the truth was I simply didn’t know where to for Him…God is often made visible by the hands and feet of the people He places in our lives.”
“I never needed you to be strong enough. I only ever needed you to be here.”
“I can’t erase the darkness for you, but u can be the one to hold the light when you’re ready to come home.”

TW: death of loved ones(not on page) but very heavy themes.
: None
: Kisses Only

OVERVIEW: Three friends. Two broken promises. One missing manuscript. 

As a senior acquisitions editor for Fog Harbor Books in San Francisco, Ingrid Erikson has rejected many a manuscript for lack of defined conflict and dramatic irony–two elements her current life possesses in spades. In the months following the death of her childhood best friend and international bestselling author Cecelia Campbell, Ingrid has not only lost her ability to escape into fiction due to a rare trauma response, but she’s also desperate to find the closure she’s convinced will come with Cecelia’s missing final manuscript.

After Ingrid jeopardizes her career, she fears her future will remain irrevocably broken. But then Joel Campbell–the man who shattered her belief in happily-ever-afters–offers her a sealed envelope from his late cousin, Cecelia, asking Joel and to put their differences aside and retrieve a mysterious package in their coastal Washington hometown.

Honoring Cecelia’s last request will challenge their convictions and test their loyalties, but through it all, will Ingrid and Joel be brave enough to uncover a twice-in-a-lifetime love?

Have you read this one yet? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

The post The Words We Lost by Nicole Deese appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: This is the type of book that is impossible to put down. It makes you need to keep reading yet at the same time you want to pause and stop simply because if you keep going it will be over all too soon! An absolute brilliant story!

A few internal thoughts while reading:

• if this don’t end how I so desperately want it to, I am going to be heartbroken and crushed.
• It’s going too well I fear
• WHAT?!?!???
• I was not expecting that at all!!
• The ending was even better than I thought!! Historical Fiction
  Christian Themes
  He Yearns For Her
  Victorian Ballet
  Splash Of Mystery
  Hidden Identity

Quotes I loved:
“The only way you’ll go far is to leap big. You may fly or you may fall, but either way, everyone will be looking at you.”
“I need to know the shape of that hole in your heart if I’ve any hope of filling it.”
“Sometimes loving a person means giving them up.”
“A star cannot see its own glow.”
“It’s the flaws that tell us when something’s real. And what real…well, that’s quite valuable indeed.”

: None
: Kisses Only

OVERVIEW: All theater romances are tragedies. Ella Blythe knows this. Still, she cannot help but hope her own story may turn out different than most–and certainly different than the tragic story of the Ghost of Craven Street Theater. Yet as she struggles to maintain her tenuous place in the ever-shrinking ballet company, win the attentions of principal dancer Philippe, and avoid company flirt Jack, Ella cannot deny the uncanny feeling that her life is mirroring that of the dead ballerina. 

Is she dancing ever closer to the edge of her own tragic end? Or will the secrets that are about to come to light offer release from the past?

Mystery and romance make the perfect dance partners in this evocative story from fan-favorite Joanna Davidson Politano.

The post A Midnight Dance by Joanna Davidson Politano appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: Overall this was a fun read. I love the way Niko gets so flustered around Leyla it’s adorable. Niko and Leyla are so cute together and the last quarter of the book had me full on swooning! The whole storyline is based off of a miscommunication/misunderstanding that happened 10 years earlier which could have been so easily fixed when it initially happened, so I didn’t like that, but the MCs were so adorable together! And the faith themes are so beautiful throughout the entire story

Little side note: Ugh, I hate the miscommunication trope so so much! It’s always one little thing that get blown out of proportion and I just don’t understand it!

He Falls First
Enemies to Lovers
Workplace Romance
Faith Themes
Dual Timelines
Opposites Attract
He Yearns For Her
Neurodivergent MMC

: Kisses Only
: None

OVERVIEW: He’s been in love with her for years. Too bad she considers him enemy #1.

Leyla Cooper has an amazing life. She’s the CEO of a multimillion-dollar beauty company in sunny San Diego, surrounded by fiercely loyal friends and a family who loves her. She’s feisty, no-nonsense, and proudly living under a strict, self-imposed man ban after her ex completely shattered her heart. Because of that life-altering experience, she has lost herself.

Nikolas Demir is a shy but brilliant neurodivergent scientist who has been in love with Leyla since college. Unfortunately, she’s convinced he tried to derail her college career, and now she can barely stand him. So, of course, he accidentally ends up hired as the head of R&D at her company, thanks to her best friend, Luke, who conveniently forgot that she’s sworn to loathe Nikolas until the end of time.

When unexpected circumstances throw them together, Leyla agrees to be Nikolas’s dating coach so he can win another woman’s heart.

Their strategy sessions quickly turn into laughter, lingering glances, and a kissing lesson that makes Leyla realize she no longer wants to help him win this other woman.

Because she wants him for herself.
How very inconvenient.

Have you read this one yet? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!!

The post Love By Accident by Mary Henderson appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.

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MY REVIEW: This is the second book in the Another Bailey Brother Series and it is so so good! I absolutely loved it and that epilogue?!?! I think that is the best one I’ve ever read I love it so much
The way that Owen is SO smitten with Annie is I love a man who yearns
I love Owen’s students, Grandma Elsie, little Alice, Bucky, and Steve, Annie and Levi’s relationship, the secret tattoo, yeah pretty much everything about this book

He Falls First
Best Friends to Lovers
Golden Retriever MMC
Yearning
She’s His Matchmaker
Only One Bed

: Kisses Only
: None

OVERVIEW: Dear Ask Annie,
I know my best friend is THE ONE. But how do I tell her that?


Annie Archer has a problem… She can’t get one email—one mind-boggling letter from her advice column out of her head. The one? Does the one even exist?

She should be able to answer this question, just like all the others. Except, she doesn’t have firsthand experience with the one. In fact, except for those few months back in tenth grade when she went temporarily insane and fell for her best friend—she’s never been in love. But then, her advice is based on research and facts, not experience.

So, time to research. Convincing Owen to be her hands-on experiment isn’t too difficult. She’ll set him up, use her guaranteed advice, and find him the girl of his dreams. It’s a foolproof plan… until everyone around them—including half her readers–start asking why she isn’t dating Owen.

Yep—Annie has BIG problems. At the top of the list—falling for her bestie.

Owen Bailey has—you guessed it—a problem. He’s found the one. He fell for his best friend a long time ago, even if she doesn’t know it. He’s been watching Annie go out with guy after guy, only to never be The Guy. And now she wants him to date other women? As in—not her?

He’ll do anything for Annie. But he doesn’t have to like it. Doesn’t she see that they were meant for each other? How can he convince her that he’s the one?

If he’s going to show Annie that it’s time for her to abandon her plans and see what’s right in front of her, he’ll need advice.

Lucky for him, he knows exactly who to ask.

Have you read this one yet? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

The post Owen Bailey Needs Advice by Jen Atkinson appeared first on Lilys Reading Corner.