Aug 23

Thanks for joining me on this journey:)

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”–Walt Whitman

Feb 07

#sweetpoison

Sweet Poison by Rachel Van Dyken is the perfect dark, decadent finale to Rise of the De Langes. 🖤 This book feels like stepping back into a world of tailored suits, whispered threats, and loyalty written in blood.

Louis and Tempest are explosive together. She thinks she’s choosing the game, the rules, and the weapon. Louis walks in like a man who already survived the fire and decided he’s done burning for everyone else. Their chemistry is sharp, dangerous, and completely addictive. 🔥

Seeing all our favorites from the Five Families make appearances felt like a reunion of legends, and longtime readers will love every nod to the past. We do say goodbye to a couple of OGs, which hurts, but it felt meaningful rather than cruel. I’m just grateful my main man made it through. 😅

The ending gives closure while still hinting that this world isn’t finished with us yet. Sweet, brutal, emotional, and perfectly mafia. A fitting send-off that tastes like honey… with a blade hidden underneath. 🗝️💀

Feb 01

#justforthecameras

Even though I’ve just finished reading Just for the Cameras and absolutely LOVED it, I am counting down the days to the audiobook like it’s a holiday on my personal calendar 🦩🎧

This book was just too fun, too flirty, and too chaotic in the best way not to experience again in audio form. Graydon’s broody energy and Maple’s sunshine chaos are living rent-free in my head, so hearing them actually come to life is going to be next-level magic.

And listen… I know what’s coming and I’m STILL hyped for the text convos and the muffin scene like they’re brand new 💀🧁💬

Meghan Quinn’s humor is already laugh-out-loud on the page, but in audio it turns into a full cinematic rom-com for your ears.

This is one of those rare books where rereading won’t feel like a repeat, it feels like unlocking a deluxe bonus level. Same flamingos, same banter, same swoon… just with voices, timing, and extra sparkle ✨💖

Jan 10

#chasingthering

I had the BEST time with this book. 🏈🌴
Iris is the kind of person you immediately want to be friends with, and Roman is absolute book-boyfriend perfection—confident, swoony, and way more heart than helmet.

What starts as a “just for fun” Hawaiian fling turns into laughs, heat, real feelings, and so many grin-worthy moments.

Lauren Rowe nailed the banter, the chemistry is off the charts🥵, and the HEA made my football & family-loving heart so happy.

I enjoyed Iris & Roman’s story almost as much as they enjoyed each other… maybe more 😂❤️

Jan 02

#justbreakingtherules

Lauren Blakely delivers swoon after swoon in Just Breaking the Rules! 🏒💖 Mabel and Corbin’s story is exactly the kind of sweet, slow-burn romance that makes you melt.

Corbin is the ultimate mix of hockey-star heat and devoted single dad—bossy, possessive, and impossible to resist—while Mabel’s drive to prove herself makes her endlessly relatable. Their chemistry is electric, from braiding hair in the kitchen to testing recipes that feel like foreplay, every moment had me rooting for them. And let’s be honest—Afternoon Delight has never tasted sweeter than when these two are mixing business with pleasure! 🍰💘

The audiobook narration by THE Teddy Hamilton and Ms. Samantha Brentmoor is pitch-perfect. Teddy’s Corbin is playful, protective, and swoony, and Samantha’s Mabel is warm, spunky, and full of heart. Together, they bring the story to life in a way that makes you feel like you’re right there in the bakery with them.

If you love brother’s-best-friend, single dad, workplace, and hockey romance tropes—plus the tension of “don’t mix business with pleasure”—this one will hit every sweet spot. Full of heart, humor, and heat, Just Breaking the Rules is a delicious escape you won’t want to put down.

Dec 20

#notsosimplelyrics

This was such a unique listen, and honestly, a huge part of why I loved it was the music. I loved this time in music so much, and I could absolutely sing along with every song that made Roderick and Kit’s late-night top fives. The mixtapes, the lyrics, the shared memories—it all made the story feel deeply personal.

(Not So) Simple Lyrics unfolds quietly and intimately, almost like reading someone’s private journal or being a voyeur to Roderick and Kit falling in love through their most honest, vulnerable thoughts. It isn’t flashy or rushed—this is a super slow burn, and that pacing makes every emotion feel earned.

Roderick Wilder was Kit’s first love and first heartbreak—the boy who made the one mistake she could never forgive. Twelve years later, Roderick returns not as the rising star he once dreamed of becoming, but as a broken, scarred man desperate for redemption. The epistolary elements—late-night messages, anonymous confessions, and shared lyrics—are where this story truly shines. Music becomes the bridge between who they were and who they’re trying to be.

There’s something especially poignant about a love story that understands timing. As the book so beautifully says, “we weren’t broken, just interrupted.” And it leaves you wondering—what if love isn’t something that ends, but something that waits?

Like the best songs from the 80s and 90s, this audiobook lingers long after it’s over—familiar, emotional, and still knowing exactly how to reach you. 🎶💙

Dec 16

#mybrothersenemy

My Brother’s Enemy by Tijan was already everything I love about her writing—raw, emotional, and impossible to put down—but the audiobook took it to another level. 🎙️💥

Rain and Tyler’s story isn’t just about forbidden love or hockey rivalries 🏒🔥 (though it absolutely delivers on both). It’s about surviving deep, life-altering pain and finding peace on the other side. Tijan handles heavy topics with such care and honesty—it broke my heart more than once 💔, and hearing it performed made the emotional impact even stronger.

Andi Arndt gives Rain so much depth and vulnerability. 🥺✨ You feel every crack in her voice, every hard-earned moment of strength. Rain’s journey hit me hard, but those beautiful life twists—yes, plural—made my heart so incredibly happy 💫💖.

Tor Thom is a perfect Tyler. 🖤 He captures that balance of fierce loyalty and unexpected tenderness so well. His performance makes Tyler linger with you long after the final chapter 📖🎧.

This audiobook is emotional, powerful, and absolutely unforgettable. 💔💫🎧

Dec 06

#FallenGods

Fallen Gods feels like what would happen if Frozen, Marvel, and old-school mafia romance all had a beautifully unhinged baby—and I mean that in the best way. Rachel Van Dyken takes Norse mythology, modern power plays, dark family secrets, and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension and blends them into a story that feels epic, cinematic, and addictive.

We follow Rey, raised to be her father’s weapon—trained, sharpened, and sent into the lion’s den of Endir University on a mission that could rewrite the fate of the world. Her job? Steal Mjolnir. No pressure right 🥴. If she fails, the people she loves pay the price.😳

Aric Erikson is THE ice-cold heir to the enemy line, the last guy she should even look at twice. He’s all frost and distance, until cracks start to form…and suddenly the girl who’s been taught to follow orders finds herself questioning everything.
Their chemistry is sharp and absolutely magnetic.
Their stakes are literally world-ending.

The tension builds like a fuse burning toward a powder keg, with ancient gods stirring, secrets collapsing, and loyalties getting tested from every angle. It’s dark academia meets mythic chaos, with a dash of mafia-style manipulation and a romance that hits with the intensity of a storm.

These Fallen Gods will grab you from page one and refuse to let go.

Nov 20

#fundamentalsofbeingagoodgirl

This book was so much fun😍 Bram and Maddie pulled me in from the very first chaotic parking-lot encounter, and the chemistry between them only gets hotter (and messier) from there. I loved Maddie from page one—she’s feisty, funny, and absolutely determined to reinvent herself.

Bram…Bram…Bram… the quiet, exhausted, ridiculously handsome single dad who you just know has a whole lot simmering under the surface. Spoiler: he does.👅

Once Maddie becomes the nanny—sorry childcare provider 😬—for Bram’s girls, I was completely hooked. His daughters—two wild little twins (Letty & Berry) and a teenager (Fern) who has seen everything—bring so much heart and humor to the story. The Andromeda Club adds to the chaos in the best way. It really feels like stepping into a whole world where people are messy, supportive, loud, and hilarious.

The tension between Bram and Maddie is perfection. Every argument feels like foreplay, every rule they “set” is begging to be broken, and their moments together… whew. Let’s just say class is very much in session.

If you love single-dad romances, nanny/boss tension, or just a really good steamy rom-com with tons of heart, this is one of those books that keeps you smiling (and blushing) the whole way through.

I had an absolute blast with this one. Cannot wait to listen to this one🤩

Nov 08

#mybrothersenemy

My Brother’s Enemy by Tijan is everything I love about her writing—raw, emotional, and impossible to put down.

Rain and Tyler’s story isn’t just about forbidden love or hockey rivalries (though it’s got both in spades); it’s about finding peace and healing after heavy, life-changing pain. Tijan handles some tough topics here with so much care and honesty—it broke my heart more than once, but she always finds a way to mend it back together.

Rain’s journey in particular hit me hard. She goes through so much, yet there’s this lovely life twist (okay, a few of them!) that made my heart so incredibly happy.

Tyler is a mix of fierce loyalty and unexpected tenderness—exactly the kind of hero who sticks with you long after the last page.

This one’s emotional, powerful, and absolutely unforgettable. 💔💫

Nov 06

Halloweenie with me

This Halloween weekend, my daughter, her friend, and I packed up the car in Louisiana and hit the road for a girls’ trip to Asheville, North Carolina! With fall colors in full swing, mountains calling, and the promise of adventure (and maybe a little mischief), it was the perfect time for a getaway.

🍎 Grandad’s Apples: Fall Fun in Full Swing

Our first stop in Hendersonville was Grandad’s Apples, and it was the ultimate taste of fall. We went through a corn maze & wandered the orchard soaking up that crisp mountain air. Between the farm store goodies and the beautiful scenery, it was the kind of simple joy that makes road trips unforgettable.

🍇 Point Lookout Vineyards: A View Worth the Drive

From there, we headed up to Point Lookout Vineyards, where the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains absolutely stole the show. With the golden leaves spread out beneath us, we clinked glasses of local wine and watched the sun dip low—it was pure autumn magic.

🏰 The Biltmore Estate: Christmas Arrives Early

Next up, we spent a day at The Biltmore Estate! The mansion sparkled with twinkling lights, towering trees, and festive garlands in every room. The mix of fall outside and holiday magic inside made it feel like we got the best of both seasons in one visit.

🌄 Blue Ridge Parkway Drive

Of course, no Asheville trip is complete without cruising the Blue Ridge Parkway. The drive was nothing short of breathtaking, with every overlook showing off another burst of orange, red, and gold. We rolled the windows down, turned up the music, and let the mountains work their magic.

🎃 Kate Stewart’s Halloweenie Party

And because it was Halloween weekend, we made our way to Kate Stewart’s Halloweenie Party—and it was a blast! The costumes, the energy, the laughter—it was the perfect way to start our girls’ weekend.

☕ Asheville Adventures

We rounded out the trip with some time in downtown Asheville, exploring coffee shops, local art, and live music spots. The mix of cozy, creative, and mountain-chic vibes made us all fall a little bit in love with the city.

By the time we made our way back to Louisiana, our hearts were full and our camera rolls overflowing. Between apple orchards, Christmas magic at the Biltmore, and a Halloween party for the books, our girls’ trip to Asheville was one for the memory books.