Tag: LGBTGIA contemporary romance

Review:  Speed (Railers Legacy Book 1) by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey

Rating: 3.5 🌈

Speed (Railers Legacy Book 1) by RJ Scott and V.L. Locey continues the Harrisburg Railers Hockey Team multi-series universe with a new addition, Railers Legacy.   Once again, we see a character who the readers have become familiar with and love now grown up and preparing to play for the team his family played for. 

It’s Noah Gunnarsson, son of the fabulous characters and NHL players, Eric Lyamin-Gunnarsson and husband, Stan Lyamin-Gunnarsson , still gloriously happy, retired with grown children and a house full of animals. 

Noah, we see him selected at draft time, and then later when it’s time for the rookies to show up and prepare to play.  

I’ll say I wish there was more ice time and locker room dynamic. That makes a hockey team and a realistic romantic story. And these authors write great hockey. But it’s downplayed so Noah’s diabetes can become a stronger element, which it is.  From Noah regulating the insulin and diet to his health regimen as an athlete and the factors that affect his performance as a diabetic.  It makes Noah an extremely effective character and folds his diabetes in as a important factor.

Noah, and family are a great aspect of the story and come with an established fan base, because honestly, Stan? Still my favorite. 

Brody and his multitude of issues don’t get that same energy or feel of being as well explored or resolved here. He’s got a controlling, abusive grandfather, severe medical problems, bi-awakening, fear of loss of control and direction. And his passion for driving and as a ex F1 driver? Not really established except for the beginning part of the book. The rest is verbiage.

For him to be a completely realized person, there should be more foundation to that race car driver essence of him. Instead the focus switches to his sexuality. Brody becomes instantly obsessed with a man he kisses on the “downlow”, Noah. Someone he tracks down, “stalks” until he’s part of an instant love story.A romance that has elements of “bisexual awakening “, “coming out” and immediate almost overnight partnership, tossed into his and their relationship that reads so quickly done that you’ll be blinking and wondering where the foundation is. 

And the controlling, threatening grandfather just disappears completely here. 

The story ends with a number of things unresolved in the story and relationship, and a clear picture of the next couple coming forward. 

I was really happy to see Eric, Stan and some of the other people who I’ve known in my series show up. Noah is just lovely. 

Read it for the connection to Stan and Eric, and the Railers. And this family as they were in the old novels. 

Cover design by Meredith Russell, Edited by Sue Laybourn”

Buy link

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comSpeed (Railers Legacy Book 1) – Kindle edition by Scott, RJ, Locey, V.L.. Romance …

Blurb 

Hard ice. Fast cars. Fierce love. 

Hockey is as natural as breathing for Noah Gunnarsson. Growing up with two famous hockey stars as his dads, Noah has always aspired to join the Railers to continue the Lyamin-Gunnarsson legacy. With his degree done, it’s time to live that dream; the first step is getting a spot on the team his dads played for. The second step is to pull on that dusky blue-gray sweater and make his fathers proud. His rookie year is bound to be a season of incredible highs and lows, but one of the biggest highlights is meeting Brody Vance at a fundraiser. Brody is the living epitome of a bad boy hiding his pain behind a devil-may-care attitude. As Noah struggles to keep one eye on the puck and not on Brody, it’s only a matter of time before love collides with sport in a chaotic splash of media attention. 

Racing driver Brody Vance has spent his life chasing speed and glory and is only points away from his first world championship when a devastating crash ends his season. Determined to make a triumphant comeback, Brody is blindsided by a diagnosis that forces him off the track for good. With his world flipped upside down, and family and fans questioning why he left, Brody hides his pain by pushing the limits and refusing to let anyone see the cracks. But after a chance meeting with a sweet, sexy hockey player turns into an unforgettable one-night stand, fate keeps putting Noah in his path. With his heart on the line and his body racing against time, 

Brody must decide if he’s willing to risk it all for love—or if he’ll let fear and pride leave him in the dust. Speed is a steamy M/ M romance with a hockey rookie living his family legacy, a bad-boy racing driver with secrets, media attention that would break even the strongest of men, an unforgettable one-night stand, a love that means risking it all, and a hard-won happy ever after.”

Review:  Stay in Your Lane! By Cari Z and L.A. Witt

Rating: 4.25🌈

Stay in Your Lane! By Cari Z and L.A. Witt is a terrific suspense action packed thrill ride of a contemporary romance.  Full of incredible characters, great animals sidekicks like Steve the Piranha, and hilariously crafted but vividly executed locations like the Waffles, this is a highly entertaining novel.

The characters are just amazing. Each with their own issue-based families and unique personalities. Everett Mulligan works with his family in the Mulligan Funeral Home. They are a troubled family and Everett, the youngest bears the brunt of the worst of the family’s dysfunctional relationship. 

Kyle’s comes from a law enforcement family, a tradition he veered away from into a company and job as a crime scene cleaner.  It’s not just the fact he’s stepping away from the family career but them as well. 

They are so well defined and beautifully crafted as characters, each with distinctive qualities that endear to us and each other. 

The case that brings them together is one that looks simple but becomes realistically complicated and horrifying in the implications for a larger scenario as they investigate.

It’s a very complex and well plotted case. Both emotionally and psychologically.

The families are drawn into the process too. And here is where it’s both well written and then, at the end, dropped. 

While one family is brought together, the other side, the one with the most family members in upheaval, is left without resolution. Especially Everett’s dysfunctional relationship with his father.  

With such a strong narrative in every other aspect of the story, I’m surprised that this element was left unexplored. 

A terrific story and a definite recommendation. 

Buy link 

Amazon.comhttps://www.amazon.comStay in Your Lane! – Kindle edition by Z, Cari, Witt, L.A.. Romance …

Blurb 

The tasks are simple. Everett Mulligan is there to collect the body. Kyle Bowman is there to clean up the scene. Easy peasy. Get in, get out, get gone.

But Everett, for all he can be on another planet with fourteen tabs open in his brain, isn’t stupid like the cops think he is. Something about this death scene isn’t sitting right, and he’s going to figure it out. Bonus? He gets to team up with the adorkable crime-scene cleanup guy to solve the mystery.

Kyle, ever the thorough and detail-oriented cleaner, can’t ignore the scene’s irregularities either. He also can’t ignore the seriously attractive himbo from the mortuary who insists they should work together to solve what the cops insist isn’t a crime. Especially when that himbo is also enamored with Kyle’s cats and fiercely determined to make friends with his cranky piranha, Steve.

There’s a reason this death isn’t being treated as a homicide, though, and there are people who are very motivated to keep it that way.

And they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the pair of amateur sleuths from uncovering the truth.

  • Publisher: GallagherWitt Publishing LLC (March 26, 2025)
  • Publication date: March 26, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 290 pages

Review: Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele

Rating: 4🌈

I picked up Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele because I enjoy this author’s work and I was intrigued by the description of the story. 

I haven’t read any of the books in the series but it wasn’t necessary to read and enjoy this contemporary romance. 

The characters are well written, the story is engaging and the romance develops beautifully, with the background factoring in so it reads less like a instant love but more like a real life affection that is growing stronger between two men. 

The ending did feel a bit rushed which was a shame because the rest of the story is so good with the storyline about Jasper Ryan’s charity, his intimate connection and interactions with the kids that come through his programs, and Beckett Shaw’s relationship to him and his passion for these kids as well. 

That’s well written and they really could have done with a longer story.

Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5) by Arden Steele is a terrific read and the couple is one who will make your day as they discover their own HEA. 

A definite winner. 

“Cover Design by Black Butterfly Design”

+One Series:

One Good Thing #1

Ex-Boyfriend Material #2

Mr. Big Shot #3

Bad Habits #4

Fake It Til You Break It #5

Buy link 

        Fake It Til You Break It (+One Book 5)

    

Blurb 

Jasper Ryan has spent his entire life faking it. He smiles on cue, nods when expected, and endures all the banal small talk. It’s exhausting, and without his favorite plus-one, he’s flailing. Worse, since Project SafeHouse depends on donations from the city’s elite, if he doesn’t get it together soon, his social standing won’t be the only thing on shaky ground.

Reluctantly, he turns to +One. All he needed was a buffer. What he gets is Beckett Shaw.

Adept at navigating the nuances of social etiquette, Beckett knows when to blend in and when to stand out. But none of the usual rules apply when it comes to Jasper. Shy, anxious, too polite for his own good—the guy is a walking disaster wrapped in cashmere. And while he’s comfortable being a hired shield, the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to remember that’s all he is.

It was supposed to be simple. It wasn’t supposed to feel like this. But every touch lingers, every glance sparks, and now, pretending is no longer an option.

Because if Beckett has his way? 

Jasper won’t have to fake a damn thing.

  • Publisher: Peccavi Press (April 24, 2025)
  • Publication date: April 24, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 146 pages

Review:  Bright Shiny Love by Pat Henshaw

Rating:  4🌈

In the same universe as Fragile As Glass, Bright, Shiny Love by Pat Henshaw focuses on the relationship between two childhood friends , who have recently reunited as adults. 

Both have become artists in different mediums, with metal artist Martin working in the commercial arts space owned by the artist from Fragile As Glass. 

It’s a sweet, almost instant love story, with a refreshed crush. The other main character, Ty, has many family complications, that are resolved very quickly, which after years of being their doormat, is a bit of a issue here. I thought it needed more attention or exploration.

But if you want a sweet, contemporary story with a hint of fantasy, then this short tale will go nicely. Put it together with Fragile As Glass for a romantic bookend reading experience. 

Buy link

Click here to preorder from JMS Books

Blurb 

Metal artist Martin Murphy knows dragons don’t talk, especially the dragon crafted of sequins on a former flame’s vest. So when the dragon seems to reach out and tells him to help its creator Ty, Marty refuses to believe the illusion. The sparks between him and Ty, on the other hand? They’re as real as it gets.

As he and Ty reconnect after so many years, Marty sees firsthand how the big man’s innate kindness and willingness to help others consume his time and energy. Maybe the dragon was right, and Ty needs saving.

While Marty is willing to try, what he really wants to do is pounce on the man and keep him all to himself while they walk down the path to HEA. Does that count as saving him?

JMS Press

GENRE: Gay Romance

LENGTH: 19,179 words

Review: Short Stack #3 by Lily Morton 

Rating: 5🌈

A delightful collection of short stories that pick up the lives of various characters from the books and series of Lily Morton.  I quickly finished this, looking for my favorite couple’s stories first, then going back through the others. 

A absolutely joy to revisit each one of these characters and see them once again, in various places in their relationships. Moving, funny and always beautifully written. 

A must read for lovers of the books and author. 

“These short stories catch up with the men in my books after their stories have ended. Therefore, there are a lot of spoilers. Please don’t read the shorts until you’ve read the original books.”-Lily Morton 

Short Story Contents :

Gabe and Dylan 

Skating 

The School Trip 

Tricky 

Jude and Asa 

Old Acquaintance 

Henry and Ivo 

Gone Camping 

Oz and Silas 

Three Dozen Red Roses and a Werewolf 

Freddie and Darcy 

The Prize 

Barnaby and Cosmo 

A Honeysuckle Interlude 

The Wishing Tree 

Joe and Lachlan 

Hobbies 

Rafferty and Stan 

A Mystery Tour 

Jed and Artie 

Afternoon Delight 

Bee and Tom 

Sunday Football 

Bee’s Amsterdam 

Mags and Laurie 

It’s a Family Affair 

Short Stacks: 1,2, and 3

Buy link 

 Book 3 of 3: Short Stack 

Blurb 

What happens after the happy ending?

Drawn together for the first time, this is a collection of Lily’s short stories about some of the much-loved men from her books. Follow them through meeting the parents, a disastrous camping weekend, and a rather eventful school trip.

It includes stories previously written for her website, newsletter, and readers’ group, along with five brand new and exclusive short stories—The School Trip, A Honeysuckle Interlude, A Family Affair, Bee’s Amsterdam, and Gone Camping.

  • Publication date: April 20, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 298 pages

Review: Devilish (Park Avenue Kings Book 2) by Ella Frank and Brooke Blaine

Rating: 4🌈

I’m not familiar with the series but really enjoyed the book. Devilish did a great job setting up the world building and establishing the series characters. 

There’s a strong sense of world building and the intensity of the characters and sexual elements are vividly captured, without being graphic or otherwise exaggerated.

I enjoyed the relationship that was slowly built up between Lucien and Kai. From one of fear to that of safety and finding the right balance between being able to trust and express yourself in a positive and loving manner. Both men are great characters and I love them both.

Devilish has what I’d consider a soft D/s sexual preference to the relationship between Lucien and Kai. The relationship is in its infancy, they are establishing their own boundaries and learning about each other’s preferences within this dynamic. Safe word, the use of “sir”, expectations, are all well defined. So if BDSM or a well established D/s relationship might make you uncomfortable, I think this would work for you. 

Another winner. And a recommendation for those who enjoy spicy intense contemporary LGBTQIA romance with a kink.  Can absolutely be read as a stand alone, unlike other books that have come with the same note.

Cover Design: Hang Le Cover Photo: Ren Saliba

Park Avenue Kings (5 book series)

Savage #1

Devilish #2

Immoral #3

Merciless #4

Ruthless #5

Buy link

        Devilish (Park Avenue Kings Book 2)

    

Blurb 

In a world where everything is within his grasp, love is the only thing that’s ever eluded him.

Lucien Vale is temptation incarnate. Devilishly charming, wickedly confident, and sinfully sexy, he rules Manhattan’s most elite clubs, indulging the city’s darkest desires with a knowing smirk and a whisper of seduction. He’s built an empire, played the game to perfection, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it serves the greater good.

But love? That’s always been just out of reach.

Then he sees Kai Daniels—a man too raw, too vulnerable, and too damn captivating to ignore—being used by someone who doesn’t deserve him. And Lucien doesn’t hesitate. He steps in, knowing full well that some things aren’t meant to be owned.

But Kai’s past isn’t ready to let him go. His tormentor is powerful, relentless, and determined to make them both pay. As the stakes rise, Lucien is forced to become the man he’s kept buried—the one who doesn’t just play the game but makes sure his enemies never play again.

Now, with danger closing in and their connection burning hotter than ever, Lucien and Kai must decide if they’re willing to risk everything for a love that was never part of the plan.

* * * * * *
Devilish can be read as a standalone novel in the Park Avenue Kings world, but for maximum enjoyment, read after Savage.

  • Publication date: April 10, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 306 pages

Review:  Unhinged Little Angel (Mafia Bound Book 3) by K.M. Neuhold

Rating: 4.75🌈

K.M. Neuhold ‘s delightfully murderous romance series ,Mafia Bound,  just got another great new addition in Unhinged Little Angel.

The Moretti Crime family continues to expand as each family member finds their own unique romantic HEA, usually with an equally compelling, twisted personality. 

Mafia Bound has its center in the powerful crime family, the Morettis, run by big brother, Lorenzo Moretti.  The first story, which I loved, featured his enforcer, the Ice Man,  Xaviaro Saviano, and his romance with Sparrow, an assassin with an agenda. They are seen again here in all their loving psychotic glory. Perfection.

Dante is the near feral, violent , extremely popular dancer at the Moretti’s nightclub, Wild, that we know from previous books. He’s also got mad  hacker skills which have come in handy in past events.  

The lustfuf focus of many, it’s Salvador Moretti who’s decided that Dante is more than just a dancer, something Dante has noticed.  And plays into Dante’s plans when he decides he needs help to solve a past situation that arises. In an absolutely hilariously mad scheme, Dante “kidnaps “ Sal  to force him into a Las Vegas style marriage.

This entire storyline is amazing. I laughed, it’s perfect in further developing these incredibly intense complex characters in a situation that’s part sitcom and crime drama. The location, clothes , the way Nuehold flips up between them as the emotionally charged situation changes moment by moment, letting the reader into the thoughts of each of them as the night progresses. 

This series is a favorite of this author’s and this couple quickly became my personal favorite too. Dante is so well written that he’s both able to be realistically vulnerable yet still a raw, violently angry man, striking out like a viper.  And Sal is both a deadly criminal threat as well as an old time romantic, intelligent, capable of deep emotional commitment.  They are a perfect combination. 

And this turns out to be a fantastic story. Funny, violent, romantic and sexy. It adds to the growing Moretti family and moves the narrative forward about the antagonism between the Fitzgerald crime family and theirs. 

And sets up Luca for his own romance next. 

So happy there’s more Moretti’s in need of partners. Loving this series and definitely recommending it.

Cover Design Natasha Snow Cover Photography by Xram

Great covers.

Mafia Bound:

  • Deadly Little Sparrow #1
  • Beautifully Savage Butterfly #2
  • Unhinged Little Angel #3
  • Desperately Delicate Viper #4 – June 6,2025

Buy link

        Unhinged Little Angel (Mafia Bound Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Forcing Salvatore Moretti to marry me at gunpoint isn’t the craziest thing I’ve ever done… 


I hate being desperate, being scared. It’s a filthy, helpless feeling. I’d much rather be enraged, violent… unhinged. 

Salvatore watches me dance and calls me Angioletto, his little angel. He doesn’t know the demons that haunt me. He’s too blinded by my beauty to see the blood on my hands. Then again, he’s a mafia capo, so maybe the blood wouldn’t bother him anyway. 

My past is like fire licking at my heels, ready to consume me. But Sal won’t let that happen, he’ll protect me. He has to. 

I learned a long time ago not to trust anyone but myself. It’s dangerous the way he manages to unravel all of my defenses and turn me from a guarded Dom into the submissive brat I’ve never felt safe enough to be. It’s terrifying the way I’m starting to crave him. 

I wasn’t sure I would live long enough to worry about this marriage starting to feel real, but this well-dressed mafioso might just manage to save my life after all. We can argue about divorce once the threat is neutralized I suppose. And in the meantime, he is my husband, I might as well enjoy the perks…

  • Publication date: April 4, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 255 pages

Review: Puck Love (The Elmwood Stories #6) by Lane Hayes

Rating: 4.5🌈

It’s fitting that Lane Hayes brings her heartwarming series, The Elmwood Stories, to a close with one of the boys who we met in the earlier books.  

Now grown and playing in the NHL, Jake Milligan is one of the boys we met from the first Elmwood junior hockey camp, and along with Denny Mellon, who’s been a character we’ve watched as their parents got their own romances in the early books. 

So it’s perfect that the series finale will have Jake’s own story and we get to see many other familiar faces in this book as Jake’s enemies to lovers story unfolds. 

The “enemy” is hockey arch rival Mason Trinsky, a trash talking, exuberant player who has made their  rivalry a media firestorm to Jake’s chagrin.

Elmwood’s Junior Hockey Camp is now a huge success, with famous players participating as coaches and that’s how both Trinsky and Jake end up as partners for a camp weekend.

It’s a terrific story that Lane manages to bring together elements of bi awakening, Trinky’s family members with special needs as well as his mother’s history of addiction and recovery. That balances so well with the fears and need for control of Jake’s upbringing.  

But we get juicy, sexy scenes of discovery, great characters, hockey, adorable kids in Eddie, Nathan, Ella and Charlotte.  Truly a fabulous heartwarming story of love , family and finding your forever home. 

Elmwood and its magical, small town places hold a special place in my heart. I know that I’ll be revisiting it and it’s love stories. 

Lane is going to bring us a new series based in the neighboring town, Wood Hollow, and hopefully we will see some crossovers in characters.  Vermont’s fictional Four Forest area has so much to offer and more towns to explore.

A highly recommended and heartwarming sendoff of a fantastic series. I love it. Read them in order and fall in love with this town and its people. 

The Elmwood Stories:

You, Again #1

Next Season #2

Holiday Crush #3

Thin Ice  #4

Hot Shot #5

Puck Love #6

Buy link

        Puck Love: MM Small Town/Hockey Romance (The Elmwood Stories Book 6)

    

Blurb 

Two rivals, one secret, and a shot at forever… 

Jake

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, family, friends.

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Mason Trinsky.

I have my reasons, but since you’re curious, Trinsky is a showboat and a loudmouth. Sure, he’s a great athlete. Good for him. I accept that we have mutual friends, and I grudgingly accept that he’ll be a coach at w this summer—however, I plan to keep my distance.

Of course, some wise guy pairs us up for a camping expedition, and everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

Guess who I’m stuck with?

Trinsky

Favorite things and peeps: hockey, surfing, and my kid brother

Least favorite person in the entire history of the universe: Jake Milligan

Look, I might be in the minority, but if you ask me, Jake is a nitpicking diva who wants everything his way. I hope my NHL team crushes his, and this summer, I want my campers to out-prank his. Childish? Nah, it’s all in good fun.

Until it starts to feel…complicated. I shouldn’t care if he’s happy, should I? I don’t want to be Jake’s friend. I don’t want to have feelings for him at all.

The only thing that matters is hockey. It’s all about the puck. Not love.

Or is it?

Puck Love is an MM bisexual, small-town romance featuring hockey’s hottest rivals, a hiking trip gone wrong, and a shot at forever…

  • Publication date: March 21, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 280 pages

Review: Cramming at Randy’s (Diner Days Book 3) by Alex Silver 

Rating: 4.5🌈

I forget how much I love this series until I read another book about that fabulous all inclusive diner in Boston and the people who live near it and have found their authentic selves and love there.

Cramming at Randy’s is one of my favorites. Alex Silver’s characters and their stories are so beautifully written and believable, funny, raw, young and compelling.

Ray, coming from the large loving Quebec home, to go to college in Boston, is everything. He’s a fully fleshed out person, multilingual, fearfully setting out to find his true identity and the ability to live as he knows he is, a man, not the girl his family thinks of him as. 

He encounters Jordan, a student, who’s secure in their own right, but has struggled with their past romantic relationship. Together, they find themselves first friends helping each other out in classes and with Ray’s new transition. 

Then it turns into romance.

Everything about them and their storyline is beautifully written.  It sensitive and funny, moments where they become awkwardly young adults yet it’s sexy and loving.  And it has one of the funniest scenes of coming out to a family I can remember. 

And these families? Totally supportive and just as respectful and wonderful as the main characters. 

Honestly, I could have done with a longer version because I enjoyed it so much. 

This is a series not to be missed and this is a must read among them! 

Highly recommended!

Great cover!

Cover design by Cormar Covers

Diner Days series -11 books:

🔷Written at Randy’s by Katherine McIntyre

🔷Final Boy at Randy’s by Loren Leigh

🔷Cramming at Randy’s by Alex Silver 🩷💚🌈

🔷Temptation at Randy’s by Emily Alter

🔷Hitched at Randy’s by A. E. Madsen

🔷Gaming at Randy’s by Duckie Mack

🔷Striking a Chord at Randy’s by K. C. Carmine 

🔷Composed at Randy’s by Zile Elliven❤️ 

🔷Roleplay at Randy’s by Rikki Leighton

🔷Finding Home at Randy’s by Abrianna Denae

🔷Aftercare at Randy’s by R.A. Frick 

Buy link

        Cramming at Randy’s

    

Blurb 

These study buddies are getting randy. 

When Ray transfers to university in Boston, he has every intention of using his new start in a new city to step out of the closet. His family knows he’s bi, but he hasn’t quite figured out how to tell them he isn’t the daughter they always thought of him as. His first new friend, Jordie, is the one who gives him the courage to follow through on living as himself. Ray has Jordie pegged as the one he wants to take from study buddy to steady date—he just needs to figure out how to get Jordie to see him as partner material.

With graduation in their sights, Jordie isn’t looking to mentor another baby queer. Let alone get tangled up in a messy crush after he imprints on them. But there’s something intoxicating about helping Ray embrace his gender euphoria. Is it really such a wild idea to turn their study dates at Randy’s into a love connection?


Love beyond the binary: serving up low angst trans romance at Randy’s Diner.


Cramming at Randy’s is an X/X friends to lovers standalone romance between a newly out demiboy transfer student and an openly genderqueer older student who helps him find the confidence to be himself.

  • Publisher: (September 5, 2024)
  • Publication date: September 5, 2024
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 285 pages

Review:  Paper Roses (Confetti Hitched Book 3) by Lily Morton 

Rating: 4.75🌈

Paper Roses just might be my favorite book of Lily Morton’s fabulous Confetti Hitched series.  The third story in this series about a wedding planning business, Confetti Hitched, the author’s focus turns from its engaging, vivacious employees to its owner, Jed Walker and his PA, Artie.

Jed, a widower, and his adorable PA Artie, are about to tumble into that popular romance trope, the fake marriage.  In Morton’s story, this romantic framework for Jed and Artie’s HEA is a hilarious, poignant, heartwarming tale of two men clearly destined for each other. The obstacles in their relationship, a dead husband’s memory, a timeline , and various misunderstandings are clearly present.  However , Morton’s narrative takes the wonderful slow road in allowing the meaningful aspects to of the past relationship and their current feelings a slow recognition to be fully understood. I enjoyed that the reveal was part of the growing relationship. It was extremely satisfying to see such adult relationships here.

I also adore that Mal and Caden and their farm were very much involved in parts of this story. Hilarious and very entertaining. 

So much laughter here as well as romance. The pages flew by. I can see this couple having so much entertainment and joy in their lives together going forward. 

Paper Roses (Confetti Hitched Book 3) by Lily Morton will be a reread for me.  I loved this couple so and it left me feeling so lighthearted and happy. 

Another win and highly recommended story by this author for me. 

Confetti Hitched:

Confetti Hearts #1

Something Borrowed #2

Paper Roses #3

Book Cover design by Natasha Snow Designs 

Buy Link

        Paper Roses (Confetti Hitched Book 3)

    

Blurb 

Jed Walker thinks he’s having a midlife crisis. The only trouble is that it feels too good to stop.

Widowed at a young age, he’s spent his life since then avoiding any relationships that might end up hurting him again. He has his successful wedding planning business, Confetti Hitched, and a series of uncomplicated hookups, and that’s all he needs in life

The one person disrupting this controlled stoicism is his younger assistant, Artie. He’s sweet and kind and has a funny way of calming Jed’s mind. So, when Artie comes to him with a problem, Jed moves heaven and earth to help, which is how he finds himself entering a fake marriage with the younger man and catching feelings. Too bad it’s all pretend. Or is it?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a story about how love can completely derail the best-laid plans.

This is the third book in the Confetti Hitched series, but it can be read as a standalone.

  • Publication date: February 9, 2025
  • Language: English
  • Print length: 326 pages