The Improbable Meet Cute: Second Chances Collection

Six original short stories by popular authors brought together in this Amazon Originals Improbable Meet Cute Second Chances Collection. Most were fun and flirty fade to black romance with the last two heating things up with a little spice. I loved this collection and highly recommend a the perfect gift to yourself for Valentine's day.

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren

After her last job, Veronica is done working with tech bros. When she accidentally enters a zoom meeting full of them instead of her latest job interview, she gives them full honesty about their horrible presentation. She should know as a marketing professional. She's shocked to discover a job offer waiting for her from the zoom meeting she crashed and even more surprised by the way she clicks with the new CEO over email. If only she wasn't so attracted to her new mysterious neighbor...

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young

Georgia receives a letter from her grandmother after her passing that tells of a love she had when she was young and the location of a time capsule. But to open the box, she contacts the lost love's grandson Callum. From the first, he's flirty and they have a lot in common. They continue communicating while making plans to meet up in England and prove that soulmates can be found even across oceans.

Second Act Romance by Julie Soto

Two actors reconnect after eight years on the set of Oklahoma after a majority of the cast get food poisoning. And they're just as starstruck now as they were then. 

The novella was full of the action of a backstage theater production with just a little romance. The book was so short I was wishing for so much more. I was loving Bex and CJ together!

A Play for Love Trilina Pucci

They had an amazing stage kiss during a college acting class years ago. Now, on the day before she leaves New York for LA, Rory and Oliver unexpectedly meet again. One crazy day of touring the sights she never got to see with him followed by an unforgettable night and she's gone again, but this time he has her number. And he's determined not to let her go again. 

I absolutely loved this sweet story, New York at Valentine's, and both of these lovable characters. It was short and sweet closed door romance at its best. 

Death to Valentine's Day by Catherine Cowles

This little novella has a little bit of everything packed into so few pages. Revenge on the ex for Maia, yearning from Decker who has loved her in secret for so long, a little murder mystery, a one bed trope, and even a spicy scene. I honestly needed more Deck!

Valentine's Slay by Navessa Allen

It was fun, suspenseful, dark, shocking, and full of the spice this author is known for. Told from the perspective of Noah, the hot gravedigger, who gets the shock of his life when he has to rescue his high school crush from the freshly dug grave. And hearing the scheming and betrayal behind her being buried alive has them both seeking revenge.

The Seven Rings by Nora Roberts

When Sonya Mactavish inherited Lost Bride Manor in book 1 Inheritance, she was at first terrified by the odd things happening there such as finding outfits laid out for her, cupboards randomly opening, and music randomly playing. But visions of the women that lived there before and a magic mirror that compels her to step into the past make her realize that most of the ghosts are welcoming and only want her assistance to break the curse put on the house by an evil woman whose spirit still lives there. Now in the final book of the series, she's settled into life at the manor along with her best friend Cleo. Her cousin Owen and boyfriend Trey, the lawyer who handled the estate, are there helping her bring the manor back to is former glory one room at a time, stamping her ownership and fighting against the malevolent spirit who's only become stronger over time. The only way to break the curse is to take back the seven rings, but can they do it without becoming a ghostly addition to the manor themselves?

I've been a big fan of Nora Roberts for years and I loved these books. Getting to know each of the brides and their stories, descriptions of the way they brought the house back to its former glory, the relationship between the four main characters, even the welcoming ghosts and the loving way they care for Sonya... it all just clicked for me. In my honest opinion, the trilogy could have been reduced to a duology as the middle of the book became a bit repetitive, but the shocking and exciting ending was well worth it. 

Willing Prey by Allie Oleander

After a messy divorce from her cheating ex, Claire jumps at the chance to pay off her student loans. Her teacher salary and the little she makes as a waitress hardly make a dent, so $30,000 for 30 days seems like easy money. But Shane is nothing like she expected. Sure, in the woods he's the wild hunter, but at home he's socially awkward and even a bit shy and she'll try anything to see him smile. When the contract is up, will she be able to let him go?

This book is definitely dark and spicy, as expected, but I loved seeing the heart and emotions behind the characters as we get to read from both points of view. Shane's chapters especially had me seeing him not as a heartless control freak, but as a lonely man taught to suppress his emotions. The banter between the two was fun to read and the story was fast paced with a lot of action. And OMG... the bear scene!!! I about died laughing. I'm so excited for the sequel now!!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and the author Allie Oleander for my ARC of this book. I was so excited to receive my copy!

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

It's been 22 years since Claire lost her sister Natalie when she was 11. She has since become an investigative journalist but never got over the trauma, especially since Natalie's body was never found. After losing her job, she gets a call from her father to return home to care for her estranged mother, but her mother doesn't want her help. Left adrift with nothing to do, Claire starts going through old pictures and visiting old memories, like the Galloway Farm, the last place Natalie was truly happy. While there, Claire's offered a job and shortly after starting, she finds the owner's old diary and her curiosity won't let it go. The further she reads the more secrets she discovers and she starts to suspect she may finally find the truth.

This is a slow burn thriller with clues sprinkled throughout, some more obvious than others. I enjoyed the southern vibes and the tense atmosphere. This author writes a slower paced thriller than assume, but I speciation her writing style. I look forward to her next. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I Become Her by Joe Hart

It's only been ten days into their honeymoon cruise and Imogen suspects Lev of infidelity. And somehow during the argument that follows Lev goes overboard. It's a miracle he's found alive... an even bigger miracle he doesn't remember what happened that night. After they return home however, she's paranoid that he remembers more than he lets on and she realizes she never knew her husband at all.

Wow! This is even better than Or Else and I loved that book. There are so many twists in this book, told from different perspectives and timelines, and I never completely knew what was going on until the shocking end.

Hemlock & Silver by T. Kingfisher

I received an audiobook arc of this book and the narrator did a wonderful job of making the story come to life. This is a retelling of the classic Snow White fairytale, but through the eyes of a side character and it's a whole new story. Anja is a plant witch that tries out poisons on herself to try and help people. When the king asks her for help to save his daughter Snow, Anja can't figure out why she's so sick... until she goes through a magic mirror into another world. With fascinating, awkwardly realistic characters (including a talking cat that steals the show), awesome world building, and fast pacing, this book is a must-read for fantasy lovers. Oddly enough, this is my first book by this author and now I'm excited to pick up another. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Anywhere With You by Ellie Palmer

Charlie and Ethan have been best friends since childhood and after graduation, Ethan wants nothing more than to leave their small town to travel and sing his music. Charlie grew up moving town to town chasing her father's photography career. She wants to settle down in her own home with a stable career and a reliable husband. Now after her bitter divorce is final, Charlie is convinced she needs to keep her sister from making the same mistake by marrying her on-again-off-again boyfriend. She and Ethan drive cross country in his camper van to catch Laurel before she elopes. But being this close to Ethan may have her changing her own priorities. 

I got so frustrated with Charlie, so convinced she's right that she won't even try a different way. The timeline jumps from past to present to show their friendship through the years, which I absolutely loved. Ethan was so obviously smitten from the start, afraid to get his heart broken again and willing to take whatever Charlie will give. Their third act breakup was hard to read and Ethan deserved so much more groveling! Overall I liked this road trip friends to lovers story.