Book Review: The Cove by LJ Ross
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A quiet escape turns into a haunting game of who’s watching who.
Review Date: May 13, 2026 | Release Date: May 5, 2026
This one sinks its hooks into you immediately and refuses to let go. What starts as a terrifying, high-stakes premise—a killer striking in the chaos of the London Underground—quickly transforms into something quieter, eerier, and somehow even more unsettling.
Gabrielle Adams is a heroine you feel. Her trauma isn’t brushed aside or used as a quick plot device—it lingers, shaping every decision, every hesitation, every moment of doubt. Watching her retreat to a seemingly idyllic Cornish village feels like a breath of fresh air… at first. But the calm never fully settles. There’s always something just beneath the surface—something watching, waiting.
The shift from the fast-paced danger of London to the slow-burn unease of a coastal town is where this story really shines. LJ Ross builds tension in whispers instead of screams—through shadows, silence, and that creeping sense that Gabrielle isn’t as safe as she wants to believe. The isolation of the setting adds to the paranoia, making every interaction feel slightly off, every character just a little suspect.
What makes this especially gripping is the way past and present intertwine. Just when you think Gabrielle might finally be free, the story pulls you back into the question: was this ever an escape at all?
It’s chilling, immersive, and quietly relentless—a psychological thriller that proves sometimes the scariest thing isn’t being chased… it’s not knowing if you ever stopped.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: Caller Unknown by Gillian McAllister
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A gripping thriller about a mother forced to make impossible choices to save her daughter.
Review Date: May 13, 2026 | Release Date: May 5, 2026
There’s a particular kind of fear that only comes from not knowing—and Caller Unknown leans all the way into it. From the moment Lucy disappears, the story doesn’t just build tension—it locks you inside it. Every choice Simone makes feels urgent, messy, and painfully human.
What makes this thriller stand out is how deeply it explores moral gray areas. This isn’t just a race against time—it’s a slow unraveling of what a “good person” is willing to become when the stakes are unimaginable. Simone isn’t written as a perfect heroine. She’s reactive, emotional, and at times reckless—but that’s exactly what makes her believable. You understand her decisions even when you don’t agree with them.
The plot twists aren’t just there for shock value—they reframe everything. Each reveal forces you to reconsider what you thought you knew, layering the story with tension that doesn’t let up. And the Texas desert setting? It adds this isolating, almost suffocating atmosphere that mirrors Simone’s situation perfectly.
At its core, this book asks a brutal question: How far is too far when it comes to protecting your child? And the answer isn’t clean. It’s uncomfortable, thought-provoking, and lingers long after the final page.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: Not Actually Yours by Sophie L. Henderson
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Fake dating, firefighter heat, and chemistry that absolutely burns.
Review Date: May 13, 2026 | Release Date: May 7, 2026
Not Actually Yours by Sophie Henderson is the kind of romance that starts with sparks and quickly turns into a full-on five-alarm emotional fire. The fake dating setup is deliciously messy from the start, but what really makes this story work is the way the tension between Brock and the heroine simmers underneath every sarcastic exchange, every lingering touch, and every moment they try to convince themselves this arrangement is “just temporary.”
Brock is the definition of grumpy firefighter perfection—rough around the edges, emotionally guarded, and carrying enough heartbreak to make every vulnerable moment hit harder. Underneath the tough exterior, though, he’s fiercely protective and unexpectedly thoughtful, especially when it comes to the heroine’s fears about relationships and abandonment. Their chemistry is instant, but it’s the emotional push-and-pull that keeps the pages flying.
The heroine’s determination to stay unattached felt believable instead of frustrating. Her fear of being left behind shapes so much of how she approaches love, and watching Brock slowly break through those walls made the romance feel earned. The fake dating may have brought them together, but the emotional intimacy is what made this story addictive.
And the spice? Absolutely scorching. The fire hall scenes alone deserve their own warning label. But even with all the heat, the story never loses sight of the emotional stakes underneath it all. There’s humor, vulnerability, jealousy, tenderness, and enough tension to keep you hooked until the very last page.
If you love grumpy-sunshine romances with fake dating chaos, emotionally unavailable men who secretly worship the heroine, and chemistry hot enough to melt the pages, this one absolutely delivers.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: One Sunny Day by Shari Lo
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Four lives, one day, and the choices that change everything.
Review Date: April 28, 2026 | Release Date: May 3, 2026
One Sunny Day is a beautifully woven, emotional tapestry of four lives colliding over the course of just twenty-four hours—and somehow, it feels both expansive and deeply intimate at the same time. Shari Low has this incredible ability to make ordinary moments feel monumental, and this story thrives in that space where life-changing decisions happen quietly, almost without warning.
At the heart of the story is Ollie, whose glittering celebrity life masks a deeply human dilemma: choosing between love and loyalty. His storyline is layered with tension, but it’s the ripple effect of his choices that makes this book so compelling. Meanwhile, Kiki’s narrative carries a quiet strength—there’s something achingly real about watching her grapple with being forgotten while raising a daughter who deserves more than secrets. Her chapters hit the hardest emotionally.
Then there’s Netta, whose journey might be the most unexpectedly moving. Her story is a gentle reminder that life doesn’t stop offering possibilities just because you’ve stopped looking for them. And Ginny’s storyline adds a touch of chaos and ambition, balancing the emotional weight with a sense of urgency and reinvention.
What truly stands out is how seamlessly these perspectives intertwine. The pacing mirrors the ticking clock of the single-day timeline, creating a sense of urgency that builds toward a satisfying, emotionally resonant conclusion. It’s not overly dramatic, but it feels big—because it’s rooted in choices we can all imagine making.
This is a story about second chances, hidden truths, and the courage it takes to finally put yourself first. It’s heartfelt without being overly sentimental, and it lingers long after the final page.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
Book Review: You Broke Me First by Lorraine Brown
🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Fake dating, real feelings, and a love that risks breaking everything.
Review Date: April 28, 2026 | Release Date: May 1, 2026
Lorraine Brown delivers a sharp, swoony, and emotionally layered romance in You Broke Me First—a story that perfectly balances public spectacle with private vulnerability.
Ava Whitfield is the kind of heroine you root for immediately—smart, driven, and quietly nursing a broken heart she refuses to let define her. When she’s assigned to profile Marcus Taylor, tennis’s most notoriously difficult star, she expects arrogance and attitude. What she doesn’t expect? The cracks in his armor… or how quickly she’ll want to protect them.
Marcus is the ultimate slow-burn reveal. On the surface, he’s all sharp edges—moody, guarded, impossible. But as Ava peels back the layers, what emerges is a man shaped by pressure, expectation, and a deep fear of being misunderstood. Their fake relationship starts as a mutually beneficial arrangement, but the emotional intimacy that builds between them feels anything but pretend.
The chemistry here is electric—but it’s the quiet moments that truly land. The late-night conversations. The vulnerability neither of them is ready to admit. The way Marcus softens only for Ava, and the way Ava starts to question whether protecting her heart is worth losing something real.
Set against the glamorous, high-stakes backdrop of Wimbledon, the story explores the cost of ambition, the weight of public perception, and the terrifying risk of letting someone truly see you. Ava’s internal conflict—career vs. love, truth vs. narrative—adds a compelling emotional tension that keeps the pages turning.
This isn’t just a fake dating romance—it’s about healing, trust, and choosing love even when it feels like the biggest risk of all.
I had the opportunity to read this book ahead of publication, and these are my honest thoughts.
