Toni Benton Follow

Oh my goodness!! I knew Daddy Roman was going to be special, but this book took the cake. I absolutely devoured this book & only regret that I finished it so quickly.
Roman’s daughter is always pushing him to date, but little does she know that he’s been ruined by his one weekend stand from years ago.
Lexi has been handed quite a rough hand when she becomes the primary guardian for her 17 & 8 year old half sisters after the death of her mom & step dad. She’s tried not to throw their life into turmoil, but maybe a little change is exactly what Fee & Callie need. But when she accepts her dream job as an assistant coach with the Toronto Terror, HER life is thrown into turmoil when she comes face to face with the one man who rocked her world for an entire weekend three years ago.
I loved everything about this book. We know that the Terror “family” is something special, but to watch these girls & the guys just completely embrace & love on Lexi, Fee, & Callie warmed my heart. The tension between Roman & Lexi was so palpable & it’s no wonder that these two caved. They are so absolutely perfect for each other…but let’s be real…Roman is just perfect in general. I loved the relationship that he was able to form with both Fee & Callie. And I loved that he was able to inadvertently fill a void both of them felt after losing both of their parents.
So so so many possible story arcs to explore with these characters & I can’t wait for what’s in store next for the Toronto Terror family.

Audiobook Review:
Stephen Dexter & Stella Bloom absolutely owned this narration. Stephen was a perfect pick for the wise “team dad”, & Stella brought an energy to Lexi that had me loving the character & wanting all of her dreams to come true.

Can I just say how overall surprised I am at Dante…the playboy. From our previous glances at him through the rest of the series, I wasn’t expecting him to be very committed to the arranged marriage. Nor did I really expect much from Polina, the mean girl.

With the Italians and the Russians quite literally at each other’s throats at the Sicuro Academy, something must be done. What better way to bring people together than an engagement! But one between an Italian future boss & a Russian mafia princess…that’s gutsy. And when Dante & Polina first accept their fate, it’s a bit rocky. But watching them slowly let down their walls & slowly learn to trust each other was absolutely perfect. I loved the way that Dante took zero hesitation in promising and making good on protecting Polina at all costs.

The dynamics surrounding both sides and the families involved was intense, and a side character on its own. The duty to family was engrained so deeply in both Dante & Polina, acceptance was a given. But the see them both commit to make the best of a bad situation, to witness their banter, & then to see their passion was more than I hoped for.

This final installment of the Sicuro Academy exceeded my expectations, but makes me sad to leave this world. And we won’t even talk about the mystery& intrigue that has me obsessed with Mr. Smith!! (But for real…let’s talk!) Can’t wait for the next of what’s to come from this writing duo. I don’t care what they write, I’m reading it!

Starting off the brand new series at Tilton U with a bang, Chase Lovett & Cammie Lovelock bring the heat. These two are college freshmen, and while he’s well known & popular on campus as one of the elite hockey players, she’s basically invisible. But one night resulting in a total dorm evacuation from fire, leading to an alphabetical roommate assignment in accommodations of only one bed, on to Cammie finding that maybe she’s not so invisible after all.
This book is a college hockey, jock/nerd, secret crush, forced proximity, accidental roommates had me giggling, swooning, & wanting to impart revenge for Cammie. Chase was such a sweetheart as he fell hard for Cammie. And I loved the way that he completely embraced every aspect of her quirky nature.
I can’t wait for more from this series!!

Audiobook Review:
Jason Clarke…one of my absolute favorites! You can never go wrong with Jason. His portrayal of the semi-obsessive Chase was spot on. And CJ Bloom came through with the quirkiness of Cammie. The way that both of these narrators completely immerse themselves into the characters just sucks me in to the story!

When you find yourself in a dream job & your high school nemesis is one of the hockey team’s best players, you find yourself in uncomfortable situations often. This is the case for Hemi.
Hemi has known Dallas most of her life, & while high school is not always the best time for everyone, Dallas & his friends helped to make it especially miserable for her. So as the PR guru of the Toronto Terror, Hemi finds herself constantly trying to set Dallas straight…which appears to be a full time job with all of his promo appearances.
When Dallas finds Hemi in an uncomfortable conversation while out at a bar, he swoops in to the rescue…unknowingly. What starts off as a quick rescue becomes much more involved. And with their ten year class reunion looming, Hemi really doesn’t want to go alone…insert Dallas coming to the rescue again.
As these two in their “fake” relationship, Hemi finds that the feelings & intentions Dallas may harbor go much deeper than she could’ve ever expected or dreamed of. Seeing them become so much more & watching Dallas as all of his dreams are coming true was the absolute sweetest thing. My heart broke for Hemi a little as she’s trying to shoulder the insecurities many of us possess to realize that she’s been desired all along.
I loved the way that Dallas proved at every turn that he’s always been there & he’s always been watching & waiting. He treats Hemi like the goddess she is & he becomes everything she deserves.

Audiobook Review:
Andi Arndt & Stephen Dexter knocked this one out of the park. Their deliverance of the awkward moments were on point & the passion between these two, both good & bad, was so perfect & believable.

Coming off of a successful transition into a newly tapped side of the wedding planning business, Everly Plum is excited to head up the Bridesmaid For Hire division of Magical Moments by Maggie. But what she hasn’t bargained for is Hardy Hopper in all his glory. As an investor of the business, he presents the perfect kickoff opportunity to help out with his best friend’s wedding.
When the two strike up a deal to help Hardy get his ex back, the maid of honor, they find themselves forming a special bond in their friendship. And while Everly may harbor a teensy bit of a crush on her new billionaire bestie, she’s determined to quell those desires & do what’s best for the business. But as they spend more time together, their undeniable comparability becomes obvious to all those around them.
I absolutely adored the antics of these two. The quirky nature of both Everly & Hardy were so funny yet totally relatable. Seeing these two navigate their pact to friendship to so much more was entertaining to say the least. Their email exchanges & nicknames for each other were hilarious & only added to the quirkiness. And to add to the hilarity, JP Cane strikes again, & he’s concerned about more than just the pigeons this time.

Audiobook Review:
The duet narration from Jason Clarke & Samantha Brentmoor was top notch. Their chemistry through voice was evident in their portrayal of Hardy & Everly. They completely captured the personalities of their characters perfectly.

Fate can be fickle. Lincoln & Avery’s relationship seems that it was quite literally written in the stars. Fate messed with their chance meeting so many times, but she seemed to know exactly what she was doing. These two had completely different lives that were so weirdly intertwined in a carefully woven pattern that seemed to never meet. That is, until the exact perfect time in the exact perfect place under the exact perfect circumstance. The way these two interacted from the second they laid eyes on each other seemed to be electric. There was an underlying desire on both parts & neither thought they deserved the other. To think so highly of the other, it just showed me how perfect they were. They both saw the absolute best in the other, no matter what pasts were being kept secret or what present was actually true. Death was the perfect card for them…a new beginning. It was hard to get to, and it took a lot of (unpronounced) love and trust from both of them. But when love is fated, it’s not hard to see how they were able to make it in the end.
Maria, your “dark soul” calling speaks to my dark soul. This duet was amazing!! I am so glad I have found your books, it makes my heart happy.


Audiobook Review:
JF Harding & Stella Hunter delivered this second installment of the Blood Duet with absolute perfection. Capturing the underbelly of NOLA was a tall order, but these two executed the emotional depth of Lincoln & Avery as well as the cynicism of the plot with precision.

I was so excited for Izzy’s story, & Grace Reilly did NOT disappoint! I loved the forbidden romance between Izzy & her brother’s on ice arch nemesis, Nikolai.
While Izzy always finds herself trying to “measure up” to her successful athletic family, Nik, on the other hand, is finding himself trying to separate his life from his past.
Watching these two together was just kismet. There’s something about the way they are together that just screams destiny. But once their summer together is over, they move on…right? Well, fate cannot be fooled. Nikolai knew that his new team at McKee would be hard, & not the most welcoming considering Cooper, Izzy’s brother, was captain. But having Izzy near, the hard stuff really doesn’t matter.
These two picked up right where they left off & their chemistry just continued to burn hotter and hotter. His love for her & protection of her, even to her own family, was just so admirable. His desire to make all of her dreams come true just showed how deserving and how determined he was to have Izzy’s affections.
As these two found themselves navigating a turning point in their lives & their relationship, they also had to deal with some very real issues. And seeing the absolute support they had for each other just sealed the deal.
I hate to see this series go, but knowing that all of these Callahan siblings have found their true soulmates makes it a little better.

When you grow up as the princess of your dad’s hockey team, you live a different life than many can even fathom. And when your dad’s best friend just so happens to be the sexiest man you’ve ever laid eyes on, you crush, & you crush hard. But at what point does an innocent crush become more? Peggy/Aurora/Hammer is the daughter of the Terror goalie, Roman Hammerstein, & as an adult she finds herself struggling to find someone who understands her life. But her dad has always had one single rule…”No Hockey Players!”
Hollis Hendrix has always been there as a backup father figure for Peggy for the last several years. They share a special bond & find each other always going out of the way to help take care of each other. But when Hollis sees a beautiful woman in the Terror’s office doing a slight victory dance, he’s full on intrigued by the way her body moves. At least until til he realizes that this woman is none other than his best friend’s daughter.
Hollis knows that his new fixation is completely taboo and forbidden. But with every day that passes, he fights seeing Peggy as the intriguing & beautiful woman she’s become. Little does he know, Peggy/Hammer’s crush on him has only intensified as she’s gotten older & become a woman in her own right.
Watching these two fight their attraction, hide their desires, & banter their concealed affections kept me fully invested and intrigued. This team and these characters are a mismatched but perfect chosen family & I love every aspect of their dynamics. Their friend group is so tight knit & so supportive. Even at risk of getting on Roman’s bad side at any given moment. But how do you think Roman will feel when he realizes that his baby girl and his best friend are so much more to each other.
I can’t wait for more from this world & this hockey team!

Audiobook Review:
Zachary Webber & Stella Bloom present a phenomenal dual narration performance. Zachary had me fully on board in swoon mode when it came to Hollis & how he was completely consumed with Aurora. Stella’s delivery of Aurora’s characteristics from her daddy’s girl tendencies, to her sass, to her seductive side was so absolutely perfect.

Blake Montana completely surprised me with his drastic shift to become the ultimate book boyfriend. He was handed the shocking news that he might have a child, and the way that he jumped in full throttle to make sure that this child had the best chance at a loving childhood just completely suckered me in.
Ellie Stone has worked hard her entire life to live a normal life & adapt to a world that doesn’t necessarily welcome her with open arms. Born deaf, she’s overcome so many obstacles and has come out victorious on achieving her dreams. At her new job at the Deaf and Blind School, she finds herself passionate about being able to mentor & advocate for young clients into being able to adapt as she has. So she finds herself on the doorstep of, none other than, Blake Montana.
Blake seriously dives in full force making every effort to ensure that his now daughter, Maisy, has a loving home & a solid way to communicate. Watching them navigate a new relationship that is difficult in the best of times warmed my heart completely towards Blake. And the way that his entire family found themselves going above and beyond to completely wrap this sweet girl in all the warmth & love was absolutely perfect.
Ellie’s relationship with Maisy was magical. Her connection with Maisy on a deeper, kindred level had me in tears (happy ones…but sometimes sad). My heart broke for this little girl who just seemed so lost in a world that seemed unforgiving. And I loved the way that Ellie was able to break through Maisy’s barriers to help her.
I loved the spotlight this book put on the deaf community & how it concentrated on deafness not being a disability. These amazing characters & people are just as able, they just communicate differently. And the comparison of speaking Italian or French verses English really put it into perspective.
I’ve read almost every Samantha Christy book, & I always say “this one may be my favorite”. I really think I mean it for the long haul this time. This trio is going to be hard to top!

Making dreams come true one surrogate at a time. Trista & Wyatt were two halves of a whole in a very unexpected & nonconventional pod.
Wyatt is a family man through & through, but as a man who has sworn off relationships…for good reason…his deep desire to become a father seems unreachable. But thankfully, surrogacy agencies exist & there’s a great chance that he could become a single father sooner rather than later. His first task, find a surrogate that he feels is a good match for him to achieve his dream.
Trista has also never desired a relationship, & while she’s similar to Wyatt in that aspect, they are complete opposites in so many other ways. She has her own dreams & is willing to do just about anything to accomplish them. She loves animals…because they can’t disappoint her…& dreams of opening an animal rescue that could take in a wide range of animals. But that takes money that she doesn’t have. She’s never desired to have children, but she is willing to be that person who can help someone else obtain their dreams.
With a little bit of family interference, the story of how these two met & progressed delivered a quirky, hilarious, & steamy read. Their chemistry & connection was powerful from the beginning, but their business arrangement—and stubbornness—did not allow for that connection to deepen. But watching our favorite grumpy mountain man slowly break down his walls & break all of his rules for our chipper, sunshine wielding, animal lover was a joy to watch. I caught myself laughing out loud multiple times, & found myself completely falling in love with the idea of Wyatt & Tristan right along with the whole town.
This found family, dreams coming true, he falls first, grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract read was all consuming as I struggled with the fact that I had to sleep to work. I could’ve easily devoured this book in a day. Amy Daws has come back with a bang & I cannot wait for more from the mountain men on Fletcher Mountain.

Oh, brother’s best friend at its finest!
Palmer & Brooks are absolutely perfect together.
The quintessential high school crush on one of her brother’s best friends that she knew was going nowhere combined with the “oh wow, she’s grown into a beautiful woman” on his best friend’s little sister made for a nearly perfect unrequited love that was meant to be.
And when Brooks overhears Palmer confess her “I’ve never had” to her best friends, he’s like “challenge accepted”. And boy did he own that challenge! They were so sweet, so intense, & their chemistry & friendship was just completely off the charts. Plus, sneaking around always adds that extra layer of excitement.
Watching these two characters grow & fall in love just showed how perfect they were for each other. I loved the way that all of the characters engaged with each other. I loved the relationship Brooks has with all of his brothers & his cousin/pseudo-sister Ramsey, not to mention how adorable his parents are. And Palmer’s relationship with her brother reminded me a lot of my relationship with my brother, especially when we were younger.
This book set up this series nicely to delivery some amazing reads about the rest of the Kincaid brothers. Color me intrigued when it comes to Declan & his sweet daughter Blakely!

Audiobook Review:
Eric MacArthur & Alexa Elmy are both new to me narrators, I believe. And their portrayal of Palmer & Brooks kept me in the story & begging for more.
I loved the added bonus of getting the series prequel, Stay Always at the end of this audiobook. Because you know we were all wanting to know more about Orrin & Jade. And let me tell you…Orrin has the swoon factor in the bag! His brothers have a lot to live up to!

Best friend’s brother? Yes please!! Dash & Ari were simply destined for each other. An unrequited childhood crush on her best friend’s brother, a brutal rejection, & a departure had skewed Ari’s feeling & opinions of Dash. But when fate deals a brand new hand, Dash finds himself in his hometown for longer than originally planned. And when he finds himself in search of something to do, he finds himself completely drawn to Ari & her family diner.
Ari & Dash develop a perfectly adorable friendship. I loved how they’ve gotten past their previous encounters & just seem so completely easy & comfortable with each other. Watching their friendship blossom & grow was so fun to watch. And then there was the way that they both were able to show their vulnerabilities and trust that the other would support them. But as their friendship grew to flirtation, sexy texts, & scorching phone calls the benefits seemed to not be enough, their feelings also grew…but they have always had an expiration date.
I loved these two so much & watching them both knock down walls that were built sturdy was beautiful. Even with an expiration date & with these two living completely different lives, second chances abound. Cherry Tree Harbor never fails to deliver that small town fun we love so much. The gossip, the sneaking, the banter, the meddling family, & the spice. We’ll just say that Ari & Dash definitely had years worth of built up chemistry that exploded on the pages.