Book Review: Racing Hearts by Ann Adams

🐾🐾🐾🐾 — A slow-burn sports romance about control, courage, and falling for the one person who won’t let you hide.

Review Date: February 3, 2026 | Release Date: February 10, 2026

Racing Hearts is the kind of sports romance that sneaks up on you: part redemption arc, part self-discovery journey, and entirely fueled by tension, sweat, and slow-burn chemistry. At its heart, this story isn’t just about chasing Olympic dreams—it’s about learning when to loosen your grip on perfection.

Kath is a compelling, deeply relatable heroine. Her identity is so wrapped up in discipline and control that when everything collapses—her relationship, her race, her career—she doesn’t just lose her footing, she loses herself. Watching her rebuild from that emotional freefall is one of the most satisfying parts of the book. Her flaws are real, her stubbornness frustrating in the best way, and her growth feels earned.

Adrian, the new coach, is the perfect foil: patient, grounded, and quietly confident. He doesn’t try to “fix” Kath—he challenges her to see herself differently. Their dynamic is full of restrained heat and emotional tension, and the way he pushes her to rediscover joy in rowing (and in life) is both tender and incredibly sexy.

What really stands out is how much heart this story has. The training scenes feel immersive, the emotional beats hit hard, and the romance develops in a way that feels organic instead of rushed. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about falling back in love with yourself.

If you love sports romances with strong heroines, slow-burn chemistry, and personal growth woven into the love story, Racing Hearts absolutely delivers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballentine for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: And the Crowd Went Wild by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Two broken hearts, one woodland escape, and a second chance neither of them planned.

Review Date: February 3, 2026 | Release Date: February 10, 2026

Susan Elizabeth Phillips does second-chance romance like few others, and And The Crowd Went Wild is a masterclass in emotional payoff, messy humanity, and slow-burn redemption. Dancy Flynn isn’t just licking her wounds after a career implosion—she’s reeling from the kind of public humiliation that rewires your entire sense of self. Running to Clint Garrett, her long-lost high school love, feels impulsive… until you realize she’s chasing the last version of herself that felt safe.

Clint, of course, is no longer that boy. He’s a superstar quarterback with emotional walls built thicker than stadium concrete. The way Phillips pits their unresolved history against their present selves is where this book shines. Every interaction is layered—bitterness masking attraction, resentment colliding with longing, humor used as armor.

The forced proximity (hello, woodland caboose) creates delicious tension, but what really elevates this story is how grounded it feels. These are adults carrying real baggage: career failures, old wounds, complicated families, and the terrifying question of whether you can ever truly outgrow who you used to be. Dancy’s journey toward reclaiming her agency is especially powerful, and Clint’s emotional growth feels earned rather than rushed.

This isn’t just about rekindled sparks—it’s about two people learning how to forgive themselves, not just each other. Tender, funny, and quietly devastating in places, And The Crowd Went Wild proves that sometimes love isn’t about going back—it’s about finally moving forward together.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Maybe This Time by Sophie Sullivan

🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Sometimes the love you’re not looking for is the one that finally feels like home.

Review Date: February 3, 2026 | Release Date: February 10, 2026

Maybe This Once is a soft, emotionally rich romance about two people who aren’t running from love so much as quietly hiding from it. Charlotte “Charlie” Ashford has spent her life under a spotlight she never wanted, and when a viral moment threatens the calm, meaningful career she’s built, she retreats to the one place that might help her understand who she really is—her late father’s past. What she finds instead is Grayson Keller, a man who has finally found peace after years of drifting and isn’t looking to disrupt it.

What makes this story shine is how grounded it feels. There’s no manufactured drama, no over-the-top conflict—just two people carrying emotional scars and slowly realizing that “not looking for anything serious” is often code for “terrified of getting hurt again.” Their connection builds in quiet moments: shared conversations, gentle teasing, long looks that say more than the dialogue ever could.

Grayson is the kind of hero who feels real in the best way—steady, thoughtful, emotionally aware. And Charlie’s journey isn’t just about romance; it’s about identity, grief, and choosing a life that feels authentic rather than impressive on paper. Together, they create a love story that feels warm, reflective, and deeply comforting—perfect for readers who love slow-burn romance with emotional payoff.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Risky Business by Annabelle Slator

🐾🐾🐾🐾 — Fake names. Real ambition. One very risky romance.

Review Date: February 1, 2026 | Release Date: February 3, 2026

Risky Business is a sharp, high-energy rom-com that blends mistaken identity, workplace ambition, and swoony international escapism into one deliciously chaotic ride. Jess Cole is a brilliant tech founder who’s done everything right—and still keeps getting overlooked. So when desperation (and systemic bias) collide, she pulls a bold move: enters a prestigious startup competition under her twin brother’s name.

What makes this story shine isn’t just the premise, but the execution. Watching Jess juggle being both the brains behind the company and the invisible assistant “Violet” is equal parts funny and frustrating in the best way. The book nails that specific tension of being the most capable person in the room while getting the least credit for it.

Then there’s Oliver—the charming, emotionally intelligent love interest who thinks he’s falling for a mysterious assistant, not the actual CEO. Their chemistry feels natural and grounded, even as the lies stack higher. The romance unfolds across glamorous European cities, but the emotional stakes stay refreshingly real: vulnerability, self-worth, and the fear of being truly seen.

With its nod to Twelfth Night, the story leans into classic rom-com chaos—secret identities, close calls, and big feelings—while still feeling modern and smart. It’s sexy without being gratuitous, funny without being fluffy, and thoughtful without ever slowing the pace.

This is the kind of book that makes you laugh, swoon, and quietly rage at gender bias… all while rooting hard for the heroine to finally get everything she deserves.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Ruthless Heart by Eve. L. Mitchell

🐾🐾🐾🐾 — He was supposed to forget my name. Instead, he memorized my weakness.

Review Date: February 1, 2026 | Release Date: February 2, 2026

This book drops you straight into chaos—in the best possible way. From the very first page, you’re thrown into a situation that feels equal parts reckless, humiliating, and impossible to ignore. Waking up in the bed of the most untouchable guy on campus should be a one-night disaster you bury forever. Instead, it becomes the start of something dangerously consuming.

Jett Santo is not your soft, cinnamon-roll quarterback. He’s arrogant, emotionally guarded, and fully aware of the power he holds—on the field and off. What makes him compelling isn’t just the confidence, but the way his control slowly fractures when the heroine refuses to be just another name he forgets. Their dynamic is built on tension, secrets, and a constant push-and-pull between desire and self-preservation.

The romance thrives on obsession. Not in a dreamy, idealized way—but in a messy, realistic way where both characters are making bad decisions while knowing better. The stakes feel real, especially as the “alibi” aspect comes into play, turning a personal relationship into something that could ruin futures, reputations, and careers.

What I loved most is how emotionally charged everything feels. This isn’t just spicy for the sake of spice—it’s about power, vulnerability, and the fear of being truly seen by someone who could destroy you. It’s angsty, addictive, and the kind of book that keeps you turning pages at 1 a.m. because you need to know how far it’s going to go.

If you love morally grey heroes, emotionally messy heroines, and sports romance that leans darker and more intense, this one hits hard.

Thanks to Choc Lit for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.