ARC Reiew: Honeymoon Phase (Mountain Men Matchmaker #3) by Amy Daws

 

Fact or fiction: becoming a lumberjack and marrying your best friend so she can inherit her family business is a great idea.

When Addison “Roe” Monroe tells me she’s going on a husband hunt at the local lumberjack competition so she can inherit her father’s lumberyard, I think she has finally lost her mind.

But my stubborn friend, who would rather drive a forklift than get her nails done, refused my first marriage offer. And since I can’t stomach watching Roe hitch her wagon to some hulking ax wielder who might be a serial killer, I decide that desperate times require desperate measures.

Call me Lumberjack Luke.

I’ll do whatever it takes to get her to accept my proposal because she’s more than just a friend. And the way she looks back at me? I think she knows it.

On the surface, I’m offering a marriage of convenience to protect her. But the truth is…I’m hopelessly in love with my best friend.

Marrying her and moving her up to Fletcher Mountain might mean I’ve lost my mind too, but so be it.

Because the only thing I would regret more, is never trying.

And that’s a fact.

Title: Honeymoon Phase (Mountain Men Matchmaker #3)

Author: Amy Daws

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Expected Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Edelweiss and Canary Street Press for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

So far this series has been cute. I was really looking forward to reading Luke's story. As the youngest Fletcher brother, he was a bit pushed aside and I wanted to see him fall hard and fast. I definitely got that.

Luke is a big Golden Retriever, Cinnamon Bun mush. He's been in love with his best friend, Addison Monroe, since they met. But he's too afraid to move the relationship forward for fear of losing her. When a marriage of convenience situation presents itself as Addison needs to fulfill this obligation to keep her family's business, Luke does everything in his power to win Addison and show her he's the one she should marry. I love the way he presents it: they are best friends, they know each other, he doesn't want her to have to worry about a stranger, etc. It's hard to believe Addison doesn't see through his scheme to the love that's right there below the surface. But as their bond grows stronger through their pact, she slowly realizes that perhaps she has sone feelings for him she never really acknowledged.

Addison is a tough cookie. Working in a lumberyard all her life has made her so. And the tragedies she has endured have also hardened her heart and made her realize she never wants to put herself out there for love. After all, she's been burned a few times and it's easier to just keep herself guarded. But Luke breaks down those walls, slowly but he does it. It was fun to watch them grow as a couple, even if it was pretend to begin with.

I really enjoy all the side characters in this book. They are so supportive and fun. Especially Everly, and you know I cannot wait for her story!

Daws does a good job with "third act break up" not really being that. There's strife and conflict, but it's not as heart wrenching as most third acts I've seen. She does it with a gentle hand. And with the thought in mind that the characters truly need to grow from their revelation.

Pacing is good with this one. There were some slow spots and some things that I thought could have been left out. It was longer than I would normally like for a romance of this caliber. And the writing could have been tighter in places.

As with many romances, this one definitely relies on a lot of miscommunication. It's not my favorite trope but I also understand that level of conflict makes sense when the characters are still learning about themselves along the way. I also would have liked to see more background on the friendship between Luke and Addison. We are told so many times they are best friends, but it would have been nice to see that blossom and grow with maybe flashbacks to the past or at least stories told by the characters that show how special the relationship truly is.

Daws infuses a ton of humor into her books which I really appreciate. So many times I found myself giggling or even laughing out loud because of the antics of the characters. I do wish we would have seen a bit more of the rooster in this one. I feel like the animals played a big role in the first and second books and that wasn't carried through in this one as much as I'd like to have seen.

Overall, a solid addition to this series which continues to be fun. If you enjoy Amy Award's books in The Cocky Kingmans series, give this series a try! I cannot wait to see what Daws does for Everly's book!

Author:

Number 1 Amazon Bestselling author Amy Daws writes spicy love stories that take place in America, as well as across the pond. She's most known for her footy-playing Harris Brothers and writing in a tire shop waiting room. When Amy is not writing, she’s likely making charcuterie boards from her home in South Dakota where she lives with her daughter and husband.

For more of Amy's work, visit: http://www.amydawsauthor.com

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Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday November 4, 2025

Here's what I'm looking forward to seeing release this week.

The House Saphir by Marissa Meyer

I love Meyer! I was fortunate to get a copy of this and I really enjoyed it. It was a unique fantasy based on Bluebeard. I don't know anything about that story so it was all new to me! You can see my thoughts HERE.

A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold #1) by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

I got a print copy of this from Tor and then was approved for the audio. I will say I wasn't a huge fan of the narrators but I did like the story. You can see my thoughts HERE.

Thrown for a Loop (New Your Legends #1) by Sarina Bowen

I love me some Bowen. But also I adore hockey romance. I knew she'd do it justice and I was excited to get an audio copy of this one. I cannot wait to see the next installment in this series. Check out what I thought of this book HERE.

What are you looking forward to?

 

ARC Review: A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold #1) by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

 

TWO CHOSEN ONES WITH ONE CHOICE: THE WORLD OR EACH OTHER

A Fate So Cold is the first of a new blockbuster duology from the New York Times bestselling authors of All of Us Villains, Amanda Foody & C. L. Herman.

For most of the year, Summer reigns peacefully over Alderland. Then, for six brutal weeks, Winter rages, obliterating towns and wreaking casualties. Magicians bond with powerful wands of Summer to defend the nation, a duty that costs many their lives.

Domenic Barrow never wanted such responsibility—but destiny hasn’t granted him a choice. The greatest Summer wand has awakened for the first time in a century, warning that an icy cataclysm looms on the horizon. And despite his reputation as the least suited of his classmates, the wand Chooses Domenic to wield it.

Ellery Caldwell spent years striving to be a perfect Summer magician—and burying her fears of her own power. But her worst suspicions are proven true when she accidentally creates the first ever Winter wand.

Now, as the unprecedented Chosen Two, Domenic and Ellery must thwart the oncoming cataclysm together. And in trying to fulfill their destinies, they wonder if they were brought together for a second fate: to fall in love.

Until they discover the unthinkable truth. The Chosen Two aren’t fated allies, but eternal rivals, and the only way to save their home is for one of them to slay the other.

This is no love story. It's a tragedy.

Title: A Fate So Cold (A Fate So Cold #1)

Author: Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Audio

Expected Publication Date: November 4, 2025

Review:

Thank you to Tor, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a print copy and audio copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love me some dark academia and this definitely fit that bill. I was excited to jump in and see what the magic system was about and how the world would build out. It is very unique for sure!

The narrators for this title, Andre Bellido and Mia Wurgaft, were new to me. They did a fairly good job but I didn't love them. Their voices felt a it flat and I kept hoping they would have a bit more inflection during the action scenes but they didn't. I won't rule them out for future titles, but I did enjoy the book more when I as reading it in the print ARC as compared to the audio.

I love a good dual POV story. It's so much fun to get into both main characters's heads and see where they are at. This book did a great job with that. I really enjoyed the FMC and the MMC. Both characters have traumatic backgrounds. It definitely is something that shapes them, and their relationship with each other. I did feel like there could have been just a bit more background on their trauma. At times I was confused by it but in the end I did understand it.

I'm not sure how much I believed in the romance between the two main characters. It felt a bit forced given their forced proximity. I didn't feel it grow as it should. 

The world is quite unique with it's living wands and the wands choosing their wielder. I also enjoyed the dichotomy of the winter versus summer wands. The pacing is done well. I kept wanting to move forward to see what would happen. The authors infused a good amount of action into the story, as well. This is my first book by this duo and they write well together, I didn't feel like the story was disjointed or weird in any way given there are two authors.

Theses authors built a solid fantasy. And that ending! I kind of figured we'd be seeing that particular character again (no spoilers here!) but I didn't know how it would happen. Now I need the next book so I can see how things play out. Fans of Harry Potter and dystopian books will really enjoy sinking their teeth into this one.

Author:

Amanda Foody is the New York Times, USA Today, and indie bestselling author of All of Us Villains (with C.L. Herman), the Wilderlore series, the Shadow Game series, and more. Her work has appeared in publications including Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Culturess, and Amazon selected All of Us Villains as the Best Young Adult Book of 2021. Originally from Pennsylvania, she lives in Boston, MA with her partner and their orange tabby, Jelly Bean. When not writing, she unironically loves to cook.

The Night Compass, the fourth installment in the Wilderlore series, releases on March 5, 2024. A Fate So Cold, her next novel with C.L. Herman, follows in Fall 2024.

C. L. HERMAN is the New York Times, USA Today, and national indie bestselling author of atmospheric, magical novels, including the All of Us Villains duology (with Amanda Foody), The Devouring Gray duology, and The Drowning Summer. Their work has received critical and commercial acclaim and has been translated into over ten languages. Their next co-written project, A Fate So Cold, will release in fall 2025. 

They currently reside in the Boston area with their partner and cat.

Fat Stack Friday October 31, 2025

 

This week was a busy one. Lots of goodies from so many places!

Kindle:
NetGalley/Edelweiss:

The Storm by Rachel Hawkins

I have the kindle version of this but I love having the option to listen at work and also read along. Cannot wait to jump in!

Magic and Mischeif at the Wayside Hotel by Elizabeth Everett

This one just looks so cozy and cute. I'm really a fan of cozy fantasy!

Love and Other Brain Experiments by Hannah Brohm

Sent by the publisher to me via widget. This one reminds me of Ali Hazelwood, so I hope it's good!

A Fate So Cold by Amanda Foody and C.L. Herman

I have a print ARC of this one but it's fun to also have the audio. I'm currently reading and listening along and really enjoying it. I think I'm liking the pring better, though.

The Ex-Perimento by Maria J. Morillo

I marked this one as potential request and then it popped up as a read now. I'll take it!

A Latte Like Love by Michelle C. Harris

This one popped up as suggested for me and then becamse read now so I grabbed it. I'm always down for a good Berkley Publshing book!

Most Likley To Muder by Lish McBride

Another read now I could not resist. I love a good YA mystery/thriller!

In The Mail:

FOR REVIEW

A Wild Radiance by Maria Ingrande Mora

Steampunk fantasy? SOLD! This one looks quite good. Hope I'm able to get to it.

Crown of War and Shadow by J.R. Ward

I have not read any Ward! I hear great things and two of my favorite authors blurrbed this one so I am looking forward to diving in.

PURCHASED

Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by B.K. Borison

Why, yes, I have the kindle version! Why, yes, I am awaiting the audio to become available on Libby. Why, yes, I had to have this copy, as well. I've already read it and needed a trophy. I love Borison so much!

Fairyloot Subscription

Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

I haven't read anything by this author. I know people love her and this book is gorgeous!

Thorn Season by Kiera Azar

I actually had an eARC of this one and really enjoyed it. You can see my review HERE.

Libby/Hoopla:

Mate (Bride #2) by Ali Hazelwood

I cannot believe I haven't read this yet. But I have a lot of review copies to get through so it hasn't been priority. I'm glad I have it on audio so I can get to it sooner. I will be starting it right after I finish A Fate So Cold. I also have the Kindle version so I can read along with that if I choose.

I'm Gonna Get You Back by Elena Armas

I have been waiting for this one to pop up on Libby or Hoopla as I don't have the ability to listen on Spotify (my son is the owner of the account!). I was excited to see this one on Hoopla so I grabbed it. It's short so it shouldn't take me long to listen (after I listen to Mate, of course!).

What did you get?

Review: Good Spirits (Ghosted #1) by B.K. Borison

 

The New York Times bestselling author of First-Time Caller, B.K. Borison is back with a whimsical new holiday romance—this time with a magical twist—that will have everyone falling in love with the Ghost of Christmas Past.

He’s the Ghost of Christmas Past. She’s not exactly Scrooge.

Ghost of Christmas Past Nolan Callahan intends to spend this holiday haunting like every other—get in, get out, return to his otherwise aimless existence as a ghost awaiting the afterlife. But when he’s faced with Harriet York, the sweetest assignment he’s ever had, he suddenly finds himself wishing for a future.

Harriet York has no idea why she’s being haunted. She’s a good person—or, at least, she tries to be. A people pleaser to her core, she always does what’s expected of her. But as she and Nolan begin to examine her past, they discover there are threads that bind them together— and realize there might be more to moving on than expected.

With the deadline of Christmas Eve fast approaching, will they find the key to their futures in each other’s pasts? Or will they stay firmly in the present, indulging in their unexpected, spirited connection?

Filled with magic, mayhem, and cozy holiday charm, this swoony romance is B.K. Borison’s best yet!

TItle: Good Spirits (Ghosted #1)

Author: B.K. Borison

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: October 21, 2025

Review:

THIS BOOK!

I absolutely adore Borison so I knew, I KNEW, I would love this story and I was right.

Give me all the ghosts and the romance and the magic. Borison rolled that all into a fabulously fun tale of a ghost trying to move forward. And to top it off, she wrote it based on A Christmas Carol. How fun, right? I'm so happy Borison jumped into paranormal romance because she nailed it!

I absoltey adored these characters.

Harriet York, not interested in her family or anything to do with them. They have never treated her right and all she's ever wanted was their love. I felt for this character so much. It was hard to watch her be treated so poorly. Hard to watch her take it all, absorb it all, and still try to be ok. Who can be ok when your family doesn't believe in you? when your family treats you like you aren't good enough no matter how hard you try. But she grows. And that's thanks to her new relationship with a certain ghost: Noah Callahan.

Noah is tasked with ensuring people right their wrongs. He's the ghost of Christmas Past. He helps people find their past trepasses and then hands them off to the other ghosts for further redemption. But he gets stuck on Harriet and he cannot figure out why. When they both realize it's because Harriet is meant to help him move forward, they focus on that. But along the way they feelings grow and neither one really wants to let go.

The BANTER and fun times in this book are top notch. I loved the side characters so much. I loved the world building. I loved the flow.

I don't think there's anything Borison writes I will not love. Her stories are INTENSE. Every book I read, my heart is in my throat. My chest literally clenches because I just don't see a good outcome for the characters. But Borison makes it work, every time. I should know by now. Her pacing is on point; I never want to put her stories down. And once I'm finished, I want to dive right in. I literally put the audio on hold as soon as I finished the Kindle version. Then I ordered a hard copy so I could have the trophy on my self (plus it's just so freaking pretty - see below).

I cannot wait for more stories in this world. I heard the next book involves a certain Reaper! I know Borison will make it just as fabulous as all her other stories. If you love magic, Christmas, found family, romance, and witty banter, jump into this story and let it's magic take you away!

Author:

New York Times, Sunday Times, and USA Today Bestselling author B.K. Borison is the author of cozy, contemporary romances featuring emotionally vulnerable characters and swoon-worthy settings. When she’s not daydreaming about fictional characters doing fictional things, she’s at home with her family, more than likely buying books she doesn’t have room for.

ARC Review: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2) by Mary E. Pearson

 

From NYT bestselling author Mary E. Pearson comes the thrilling conclusion of the Courting of Bristol Keats romantic fantasy duology.

Everyone needs something to hold onto, even if it’s a lie.

After Bristol Keats nearly loses her beloved King Tyghan to the monsters her mother had unleashed, their love deepens to a whole new level. Together, Bristol and Tyghan work to understand and reconcile their differences, moving forward with their common goal of saving Elphame. But when a daring rescue attempt turns into a disaster, and a beloved knight dies, Bristol is forced to confront the fact that her mother is more powerful than she could have ever imagined—and more dangerous. Meanwhile, Tyghan’s heart is laid bare when he encounters his former best friend and betrayer again, Bristol's own father, and must wrestle with a new secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his past into question.

Bristol is Elphame’s last chance for survival, but where do her loyalties truly lie? If she fully embraces the magic that has always been her birthright, she could become a different kind of monster from her mother. Is she willing to risk losing the people she loves most, if it means keeping them safe?

Brimming with dark secrets, lush world-building, and addictive romance, The Last Wish of Bristol Keats is the unforgettable conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Mary E. Pearson's first adult series.

Title: The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (The Courting of Bristol Keats #2)

Author: Mary E. Pearson

Publisher: Tor/Macmillan Audio

Expected Publication Date: November 11, 2025

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Tor for providing me with a copy of this title to listen to and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own. 

This is one of my most anticipated releases this year. I adored the first book, which I also got to listen to on audio. Brittany Pressley is the perfect narrator for this book. She does such a wonderful job with the pacing. She's also fabulous with the character voices, making each one distinct. Plus, she infused the perfect amount of emotion into the story. She brought ever single character to life,. She's one of my favorite audio book narrators and I was so happy to listen to her tell this tale.

This book jumps right in where the first book leaves off. It cannot be read as a stand alone if you want to know what's happened and has happened as it's truly connected to the previous book. There is a lot tied to what happened in The Courting of Bristol Keats which won't make much sense if you read this by itself. Pearson does a good job of tying that book in, but I don't think I could have followed along well had I not read the first book of this duolgy. I wish I could have gone back and re-read the first book before having to dive back into this one. While I remembered the story for the most parts, I really felt like I wanted to remind myself. But overall it didn't change how I felt about this installment.. Bristol and Tyghan are fighting for Elphame and trying their hardest to keep it out of the hands of Cormick.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it's told in third person in multiple points of view. This presents a so much more cohesive and deep story for me. I truly ejoyed hearing from every character and watching their contribution move the story forward and give so much more depth to the tale.

The romance! I just love Bri and Tyg together. They have their moments where they fight but they always come back to resolve it. I've seen some chatter about them being a bit juvenile, but, honestly, they are not all that old, so I don't expect them to be particularly mature. But the times when they are romantic together are top notch. And Pearson really knows how to write a great love scene. She infuses just the right amount of spice and adoration so you truly know these two are in love.

The world building continues to be fantastic. Pearson truly knows how to emerse her readers in such a all consuming way.

I will admit, I had a few issues with this book that I feel were a bit unresolved. Since they are both potential spoilers which happen towards the end of the book so I will be as vague as I can be. The first was with the betrayal from a beloved character. There was not much depth to that part of the story. It happened and then the characer retaliates and that's it. The story starts wrapping up. Even in the epilogus we don't get anything about what happened to this character who was so essential throughout the story. The second thing was the time jump. Perhaps Throughout the story we know that time passes differently in Fairy and the mortal world. Short times in Fairy equal long times in the other. There is a time jump at the end that is mentioned on both sides and, while perhaps it was just a mention in Fairy, it makes it seem like the same amount of time has passes there and that was confusing for me as I know that's not what was presented throughout the story. Third, a rescued character didn't make as much of an impact as I would have liked to have had them make. I needed a bit more from that part of the story. While their rescue was significant, I wanted that character to play a bigger role at the end then they did.

Finally, the wrap up seem too tidy and neat for me. It made it a little unsatisfying after all we when through with the characters. It was too easy for the characters to carry out their HEA with easy resolution when I really needed there to be more tension and conflict before that happened. It almost felt like the author ran out of ideas of how to make it happen.

Overall, I completely enjoyed this book. I was sad to see it wrap up as I felt like there could definitely have been a third book. So many twists and turns happend in this instsallment. I enjoyed jumping back into this world, watching all the characters (Pearson does amazing side characters), and following along as the battle ensued. Once again Pearson has solidified she is top notch when it comes to fantasy writing and I will absolutely read anything she writes. If you're looking for a muli-POV story with romance, betrayal, political intrigue, fabulous magic, found family, power struggles, angst, a fantasy Fairy world that draws you in, and an epic story, give this duology a try!

4.5 stars rounded to 5

Author:

Author:

Mary E. Pearson is the NYT bestselling and award-winning author of eleven YA novels and one novella. Her works include the completed trilogy, The Remnant Chronicles, which in a starred review, Publisher’s Weekly called “masterfully crafted.” Her favorite activities as a child were climbing tall trees imagining she was a hero in some fantastical world, or running along fence tops and roofs pretending she was a spy with a bagful of amazing gadgets. She was rarely herself. Amazingly, she never broke a bone until she caught a basketball in gym class. Catching real balls was not her forte. These days she continues to live in make-believe worlds she creates in her books. Her latest 2-book series, Dance of Thieves, allows her do all kinds of dangerous things without breaking any bones. So far.
You can learn more about Mary and her books at www.marypearson.com

Most Anticipated Releases Tuesday October 28, 2025

 

Here's what I'm excited about this week!

Hazelthorn by CG Drews

Love me some gothic fantasy and this one looks good. There was another book by this author I had seen around prior that also looked good. Might grab that one when I get this one!

The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow

I actually have this copy of this book and unfortunately have not had a chance to get to it before publication. I have read one other book by this author and I enjoyed it.

Some Kind of Famous by Ava Wilder

The blurb for this gives me Elsie Silver vibes so I'm interested to see how it compares.

The Book of Autumn by Molly O'Sullivan

Dark academia is my jam. And this book is compared to some authors I love so I'm excited to give it a try!

Never Ever After by Sue Lynn Tan

I love me some fairytale retellings. I actually have a copy of this from my Fairyloot subscription.

Never Over by Clare Gilmore

I almost requested this one but then I knew I would not have time to get to it. So I had to grab it since it's out today!

Witches of Dubious Origin by Jenn McKinlay

This one just looks so cozy!

Julia Song is Undateable by Susan Lee

Another one I was going to request but didn't have time for. I hope it's a good one!

Pickle Perfect by Ilana Long

I know nothing of pickle ball but I love that someone made a romance about it. I definitely have had my eye on since seeing it on NetGalley. It just looks so cute!

While It Was Snowing by Julia London

I'm getting into my holiday book era and I'm looking forward to this one!

Undead and Unwed by Sam Tschida

I have a paper copy of this one the publisher sent me but I didn't get to. Maybe some day! It looks fun.

What are you looking forward to reading?