Reckless Memories: a friends to lovers romance with angst, forgiveness and suspense

Reckless Memories is the first book in The Wrecked series by Catherine Cowles. Bell Kipton has loved Ford Hardy from afar for a long time. He was her older sister, Violet’s boyfriend but he was her friend and confidante. But a tragic accident tears everything apart. Her sister is gone and Ford leaves Bell behind to pick up the pieces alone. Now, eleven years later, she has created a new life without him. However, now he has come home and every wall and defense she has built comes crumbling down. As they both deal with the past, their guilt and their mutual passion, they fight feelings that they are betraying Violet. However, little do they know, a shadow moves in the dark. Someone who holds them responsible. Someone who wants them both gone. Can they discover who is determined to hurt them both before it’s too late? 

Catherine Cowles is my go-to author for steamy romance with angst, deep emotions and suspense. Reckless Memories is a page-turning slow burn friends to lovers romance that fits that bill. There is plenty of drama and sweet moments between the characters. It is a story of forgiveness, trust and love. I loved Bell and Ford from the very beginning. Their pain and feelings of guilt breaks your heart. They fought the growing feelings between them until there was no denying them any longer. When they finally confessed their feelings, it was heartwarming. Their doubts and worries about appearances felt very authentic. The suspense kept me on my toes and I was shocked when it was revealed who was out to hurt them. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I could not put this book down! And I look forward to the rest of the series. I highly, highly recommend Reckless Memories. 

Reckless Memories is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

True North: a friends to lovers romance with plenty of emotions

True North is the first book in the North Brothers series by Amy Knupp. Cole North has always felt like the odd man out. With a high IQ, he falters when it comes to personal relationships. Years ago, he left his rightful position in the family business and began a successful career in construction instead. Cole is the foreman for Sierra Lowell, owner of Dunn and Lowell, a remodeling company. She is creative, hardworking and likes to think outside the box. She has one rule: do not mix business with pleasure. When a last minute break up leaves her without a date for her sister’s wedding. Cole surprises her and himself when he offers to be her fake date for the night. When their evening turns into a family emergency, Sierra sees a side of Cole she never knew and the line between boss and foreman becomes blurry. Can Cole go from her right hand man to the right man for her? 

True North is friends to lovers romance with lots of sweet moments, plenty of angst and filled with emotions. I enjoyed Sierra and Cole from the beginning and wondered what in Cole’s past left him determined to be a loner for the rest of his life. There is a moment when Cole comes to terms with a past he can’t change and words he cannot take back, I cried. I wasn’t expecting tears in this romance. It was a beautiful scene with great descriptions. I loved Sierra’s confidence, her ability to stand up for herself and call Cole out on his self-defeating behavior. I also loved the banter between Cole and his brothers. I enjoyed the sisterly bond between Sierra and her sister. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy a friends to lovers romance with lots of emotions, I highly recommend True North. 

True North is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Wrong Game: sports romance with fun banter and angsty drama

The Wrong Game by Kandi Steiner is a sports romance with angst and spicy romance. Gemma Manchini is a diehard football fan. She bought season tickets to the Chicago Bears as a gift for her late husband. Reeling from his death and a secret she keeps heavily guarded, Gemma has zero interest in a relationship; however, in order to get her back into the dating scene, her best friend, Belle, comes up with a plan: take a new hot, preferably funny, single guy every week to the games. However, Bartender Zach Bowen offers to be a practice round for Gemma and she agrees. Gemma finds him infuriating, overbearing but undeniably gorgeous. She is still determined to keep her heart out of their arrangement. One night. One game. And he’s done. However, Zach wasn’t ready to step aside and decided to play a new game in order to show her he was worth taking a chance on. Will her plan play out? Will Zach win this game and her heart? 

I have been waiting to read this book ever since I saw an ad on Facebook and the premise intrigued me. When the chance came to read it, I dove right into it. I loved the football aspect from a fan’s perspective rather than a player. From the very beginning, Gemma is a woman who has been deeply hurt and yet has to play the grieving widow for the sake of her late husband’s family. From the opening chapter to the ending page, Gemma goes through an amazing growth and my heart broke for her when she finally hit rock bottom and shattered. However, my favorite character, by far, was Zach. He was a man who has a heart for Gemma and will do all he can to prove himself to her. Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was worth the wait. I read it through the night as I could not put it down. If you enjoy sports romance with some spice, I highly recommend The Wrong Game. 

The Wrong Game is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook