Blog Tour Spotlight: Hexy Beast (The Sherwood Witches #3) by Avery Flynn

 

An impulsive witch and a buttoned-up werewolf discover love is its own beast in this spicy rom-com from USA Today bestselling author Avery Flynn.

As the eldest daughter of the magical Sherwood family, I’m supposed to have everything together. Well, joke’s on them—I, Effie Sherwood, am chaos incarnate, and you’ll never be able to guess my next move.

Like jumping on the back of Darius Aetos’ motorcycle. Not only is Darius grumpy, gruff, and hot, he’s also the head of the Aetos werewolf pack.

My spur of the moment decision has quickly become a much bigger commitment, because a pack elder is convinced this hunk of a man (or wolf, depending on the hour) is my fated mate.

Even though I’m a witch and he’s a werewolf, we’re stuck together until we can find our way out of the tricky pack politics. But under the light of the blue moon, it’s almost starting to feel like Darius doesn’t want to stay away from me. And I’m not sure if it’s my magic going haywire or the starlit skies, but I can’t imagine leaving his arms either.

Title: Hexy Beast (The Sherwood Witches #3)

Author: Avery Flynn

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Publication Date: September 8, 2026

Author:

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has sold more than a million books, which have been translated into multiple languages. She has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. She lives outside of Washington DC with her family and a pack of five dogs all named after food. If she’s not reading romance or binging reality TV, she’s most definitely plotting to take over the world so she can banish Crocs from existence. Also, if you figure out how to send Oreos through the Internet, she’ll be your best friend for life.

Join her reader Patreon for special sneak peeks, chats, book boxes and more!

ARC Review: Disenchanted (Rewitched #3) by Lucy Jane Wood

 

Sage Hemlock has no interest in embracing her witchy side. Magic has betrayed her before, bringing nothing but heartache, and she will not let something so foolish happen again.

Instead, Sage has thrown herself into her work and studies, running the local museum and largely preferring the company of her library and her cat to other humans. Her one goal is to fly under the coven's radar so that she can finally shed her blasted powers forever.

But when a strange historical book accidentally triggers a curse, Sage's quiet, small-town life is suddenly overrun and magic is running rife. A beanstalk grows in her garden, and her friend and co-worker Casimir starts to look an awful lot like a handsome prince. Fairytales are coming true . . .

Now, with the threat of the coven on her tail, Sage must confront the magic she’s always denied to solve the mysteries of the book and save everyone she’s come to love from being lost to a fairy tale forever. The question is, can she finally learn to be her own happily ever after?

Title: Disenchanted (Rewitched #3)

Author: Lucy Jane Wood

Publisher:

Expected Publication Date: September 8, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group/Ace and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I've really enjoyed the previous books in this series. Each has been unique and fun with a hint of overlap in characters and themes. This one was more out of the ball park. Very separate from the others until the very end when it's all tied together. I have to admit, it started out slow for me. I wasn't sure where it was going or if I would like it, and that upset me a bit. But then suddenly at about the 25% mark it took off and I didn't want to put it down.

Sage Hemlock wants nothing to do with her magic ever since her parents died. She believes it was her magic's fault and she would do anything to be rid of it. In the mean time, she runs a small witch museum in her small home town with her enemy turned best friend, Casimir. She has always been obsessed with Lilimar, the witch who rid herself of magic believing it was a curse. When she falls upon Lilimar's grimoire, suddenly the town begins to morph and change before her eyes, living out fairytales long since told to children and adults alike. But when the fairytale magic begins to take away the town she knows, she needs to find a way to get it back and rid herself of magic for good.

Sage was a great character. You could feel her heartache as she tries so hard not to use her magic. Her life is very emotional. But while she struggles to see her magic as anything good, others see it for the potential it has. She's kept herself under the radar, far away from where the coven might be able to find her. She loves her family and would do anything to keep her brother and sister safe. I really wanted to give Sage a little shove throughout this book. She couldn't truly see the forest for the trees. No matter how many times people told her the death of her parents was not her fault (though you could eventually see why she thought this), she would not listen. She held tight to keeping herself locked in a box, not allowing anyone in, not allowing herself to be happy.

Casimere is a fun character. I loved his interactions with Sage. Right away you could tell they had some chemistry, even as best friends. Their banter was really fun. And I loved his character in the fairytale story. 

The side characters were, as usual with Wood, fantastic. They all leant so much to the story. The house witch Maggie, who plays so much of a bigger role towards the end of the book that I was not expecting. Sages brother, Rob, and her sister, Laurel, who love Sage with all their hearts and just want her to be happy. And Mal, Sage's familiar (definitely one of my most favorite characters in this story).Plus all the side town folk who run the stores or have interactions with Sage throughout the book. Every character was unique and well developed.

The story line was probably my favorite of all the books so far. I loved the hints of all the fairytales I grew up loving. I also appreciated Wood diving into the darker parts of these stories and demonstrating the moral dilemmas the characters of those stories face and what lessons the reader was taught.

I also appreciated to overall theme of self-acceptance. While there is some romance in this story, it really is about seeing who you are and seeing how your life has shaped you. While this is slated as a cozy fantasy, the romance definitely is a slow burn that takes a back seat to Sage figuring out who she is to herself and to her being able to share that with others.

I see potential for future books as Wood really pulled this story together with the others at the end. This series is perfect for anyone looking to read some coziness during the fall/Halloween/witchy season!

Author:

I found myself falling into the world of writing almost by accident. My blogging friends at university were applying for swanky magazine internships, and I decided I should probably do something useful like that for myself. It was an obvious decision that almost made itself on my behalf, because writing is just who I am, and reading has always just been what I do.

Since happily stumbling my way into my first paid writing position for teen website Sugarscape back in 2013, I've been lucky and thrilled to find myself working freelance for giant titles like Marie Claire US, Cosmopolitan UK, MTV and Metro amongst others.

I am currently attempting to write my first fiction book. Wish me luck! I'm going slowly insane with it, and I am reassuringly told that's a good sign.

Blog Tour Spotlight: Bound By Fate by A.N. Caudle

 

Ryker

Lost without his mate, Ryker is driven to the point of madness. He won’t let her escape her shadow. Not this time, not ever. But now, his enemies are threatening what was once lost. Will he find Kya before it’s too late, or will he be forced to choose between his bond and the realm?

Kya

Having just evaded the clutches of death, Kya is now bound by the nightmare of her reality. Forced to bend until she breaks, she has to submit her will or face the wrath of dark forces. Can she make the choice to sacrifice more than just her own fate, or will she escape before she shatters?

Zalen

After the brutal murder of the King, Zalen’s plan is thrust into motion, allowing him to take the opportunity to claim the Kingdom. With his new-found supremacy, he can finally capture his worthy prey—Maera. But his greatest prize is now in peril. Can he discover the veiled threat to his power, or will his reign come to an untimely end before it’s even begun?

Malina

Malina struggles to bear the weight of what she’s done. Unable to cope, she turns to the one thing that will help her forget. She finds it’s the obstacle she must vanquish to complete the task that has been laid before her. Can she overcome the hold her new obsession has on her, or will she fall to her demise?

Full of heartache, morally gray-to-black characters, excruciating choices, and spine-chilling action that will have you on the edge of your seat, Bound by Fate is the second installment of the Realms In Peril series. This dark fantasy romance deals with themes that may be triggering to some. Please check the content information.

Title: Bound By Fate (Realms of Peril #2)

Author: A.N. Caudle

Publisher: Ace

Publication Date: September 1, 2026

Author:

A.N. Caudle has a history in engineering with a degree in Organizational leadership (and to make her even nerdier, she went to space camp). After spending over a decade poring over architectural schematics, she was hit with the idea for a story that demanded (yes, demanded) to be told.

What was supposed to be one singular book turned into a series (did not see that coming) and much more, going far beyond anything she could have imagined.

Caudle lives in Arkansas with her husband, two sons, and a menagerie of pets.

Blog Tour Review: Keeping Score by Brittany Kelley

 

Love is on the line, and this goalie is playing for keeps, in this steamy soccer romance from Brittany Kelley, author of Relationship Goals.

Michelle Oxford lives and breathes soccer. After an injury that ended her dreams of going pro, she snagged the next best thing: a position as the director of operations for the LA Aces. And even if it’s not quite what she imagined it would be, it’s still better than cutting out soccer altogether.

The only problem? Carefree, wonder boy goalie, Tristan Gold.

Tristan has wanted more than just friendship with Michelle since the moment he laid eyes on her, but nothing would kill her career faster. When she loses a bet, the team gleefully insists she has to take lessons on “being chill” from Tristan himself.

They couldn’t be more different, but Tristan’s always met her perfectionist tendencies with good-natured goofiness, so she reluctantly agrees. The more time she spends with him, the more she likes what she sees . . . and Michelle starts to think that with him by her side, she could do just about anything—even saying goodbye to the future she thought she always wanted.

Title: Keeping Score
Author: Brittany Kelley

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: August 25, 2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

You don't see a lot of soccer romances. I was excited for this one. And a goalie? YES PLEASE!

I didn't realize this was second in a series. I do wish I would have read the first book to have some background from regarding the supporting characters. I think it would have been very helpful as I didn't understand the dynamics quite as much as I know I would if I had read that first. As a series reader, I like to read books in order. Even if they are only interconnected. But this one definitely seemed like you needed to understand what happened in the past to see why it was important in this story. I would recommend anyone wanting to read this, read that one first.

This one was definitely fun. I loved the push and pull between the MMC and the FMC. There's a good amount of chemistry, though, again, I feel like I would have understood that more had I read the first book. I can see they were introduced in that book and that perhaps there was some of that tension introduced there, as well. I would have liked a bit more depth to their relationship, though. It felt a little surface level. I would have especially liked to see the FMC's background with having been a soccer player and how they really affected her. The reader is told over and over again how upset she is that she didn't get to go professional but it's not really shown how this it important to the story. More exploration in this area would have made the story more engaging.

I would have liked a bit more soccer in the book. By 50% all I had was practices. I wanted to see the sport and how it was important to the MMC and even the relationship he had with the FMC. When you are a professional footballer (or professional in any sport, really), that sport dominates your life. It's lived 24/7, especially during the season. But that didn't seem to be the case with this book. I almost felt like the soccer aspect took a bit of a back seat. I didn't feel like the author did much exploration of the sport or research into how it actually works. I've been a soccer fan (and coach) for many years, so this part bothered me a bit.

The side characters were fun. I wanted to know more about them. Especially Abigail and Luke, who I see were the main characters in the first book.

I will say if you are a Ted Lasso fan, this book gives those vibes for sure. It was a fun, light, cute romance with banter and chemistry that kept the book moving forward. The characters were well developed and had their own personalities and self-doubt they needed to work through. Kelley did a nice job with them.

Overall this was a fun story and I enjoyed Kelley's writing. If you're looking for a fast, cute romance without a third act break up, and some sports trickled in, give this a try!

Author:

Brittany Kelley writes romantic comedy with a shot of spice. If there's a chance she can tip it into the absurd, still spike up the heat, and get the characters to a happy ever after? Well, she's going to write it. From monster rom-coms to haunted halloween romances and spicy sports romps, Brittany's going to add her brand of humor and heat.

Brittany lives in the northeast US with her family, overgrown garden, and too many pets to name here. 

For rights and subrights inquiries, contact Ashley Reisinger at Triada US Literary.

ARC Review: Embrace (Off the Ice #4) by Bal Khabra

 

An unexpected spark between a hockey player and the coach’s daughter might cause them to cross the line in the next Dalton University book from international bestselling author Bal Khabra.

Kian Ishida is all about parties, hockey, and living in the moment. But when he realizes he’s headed to the NHL without his degree, his late dad’s one wish for him, he’s determined to make up those last few credits. Desperate for help, he joins a study group led by none other than Scarlett Kilner. She’s as gorgeous as she is smart. Too bad he doesn’t know yet that she’s his coach’s daughter.

After making a reputation for herself, all Scarlett wants for her senior year is to prove she’s more than her mistakes and graduate without tarnishing her well-respected father’s name. But when Kian Ishida, one of her dad’s star hockey players, joins her study group, things get complicated.

As Scarlett helps Kian, their study sessions turn into something more—stolen glances, lingering touches, and a connection neither of them expected. Kian has to decide what’s more the dream he’s worked for his whole life or the girl he never saw coming.

Title: Embrace (Off the Ice #4)

Author: Bal Kahbra

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Publication Date: August 4, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I have to say I was really excited to read Kian's story. I loved him from the first time I met him. He's the most golden retriever or golden retriever book boyfriends and I needed him to have his HEA. Plus, watching his story unfold with the coach's daughter? A little forbidden love trope? Sign me up! My love of Khabra's stories has been up and down. I loved Collide but Spiral fell a bit short for me. Then I really enjoyed Revolve so I was really expecting something great with this story.

I was surprised to see this book kind of dropped in in the middle of another couple's story. It was honestly a little disorienting for me. I kind of wish I had that background before I started reading because I didn't expect this to coincide with Revolve. But it does. If you haven't read the first three books, I highly recommend doing so. While this could be read as a stand alone, I think reading the others gives a better background of all the side characters and their relationships. If I didn't know the other characters, I'm not sure some of those relationships would have made sense to me.

Kian and Scarlett's connection is interesting. She's tutoring him to make sure he graduates and he's helping her mend her reputation. I liked the idea of this relationship and could see how it might turn into more between the two characters. Of course they bring with them their own baggage: her reputation and her biological father who is in jail and him with the death of his father and his family treating him like he's glass. I kind of wish both of these things were explored a little more. The baggage almost felt like it was pushed to the back of the story when it was supposed to be what made the characters the way they were. I think it would have made more sense so the two connected on a level above just being in college and helping each other. I feel like I would have connected with them better had this been the case. Their chemistry was kind of there but didn't quite come across well enough for me to believe in their true attraction.

The plot is interesting enough but the pacing was so uneven. It felt choppy and all over the place with some chapters flowing right into each other in the same time line and other jumping far ahead with any segue. It made it hard for me to really want to push forward. And there were just some things that were put into the plot that seemed unrealistic and others that just became plot holes. Plus the conflict didn't really come across in this book. I didn't truly understand it and that's pretty essential in a romance that relies on this type of trope. The way the conflict was displayed didn't really make any sense to me and so I didn't really care about anything else that was happening.

Add to this the miscommunication trope that just keeps on giving. I can't imagine these two just never talking. Never sharing what was happening between them, what was happening in their lives, what was happening overall. Where was the work they were supposed to be doing to get to the part where they are ok? It wasn't there and then suddenly they are magically just great. It made no sense.

I see many great reviews for this title so take what I say with a grain of salt and explore this title for yourself. While I"m not giving up on this author all together, I'm going to be more cautious with what I read from her until I can see there is better consistency in her writing and stories.

Author:

Bal is a Canadian writer, romance enthusiast, and book lover. Before she decided to jump into the romance pool, she spent her time gushing about books on social media.

She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself. There really isn’t much else that gets her heart fluttering the way HEAs do. She fell in love with writing and hopes to continue living out her romance author dreams.

Blog Tour Spotlight: Embrace (Off The Ice #4) by Bal Khabra

 

An unexpected spark between a hockey player and the coach’s daughter might cause them to cross the line in the next Dalton University book from international bestselling author Bal Khabra.

Kian Ishida is all about parties, hockey, and living in the moment. But when he realizes he’s headed to the NHL without his degree, his late dad’s one wish for him, he’s determined to make up those last few credits. Desperate for help, he joins a study group led by none other than Scarlett Kilner. She’s as gorgeous as she is smart. Too bad he doesn’t know yet that she’s his coach’s daughter.

After making a reputation for herself, all Scarlett wants for her senior year is to prove she’s more than her mistakes and graduate without tarnishing her well-respected father’s name. But when Kian Ishida, one of her dad’s star hockey players, joins her study group, things get complicated.

As Scarlett helps Kian, their study sessions turn into something more—stolen glances, lingering touches, and a connection neither of them expected. Kian has to decide what’s more the dream he’s worked for his whole life or the girl he never saw coming.

Title: Embrace (Off the Ice #4)

Author: Bal Kahbra

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: August 4, 2026

Bal is a Canadian writer, romance enthusiast, and book lover. Before she decided to jump into the romance pool, she spent her time gushing about books on social media.

She loves reading about love, watching movies about love, and now, writing about it herself. There really isn’t much else that gets her heart fluttering the way HEAs do. She fell in love with writing and hopes to continue living out her romance author dreams.

ARC Review: The Final Score by Lana Ferguson

A hockey player and a grad student are on thin ice until they meet their match in this sexy romance by USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson.

Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.

Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.

Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.

Title: TheFinal Score

Author: Lana Ferguson

Publisher: Berkley

Expected Publication Date: July 7, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Ferguson is one of my auto-read authors and I was excited to read Jack's story after enjoying the first book in this series. Jack was a bit of an enigma to me in the first book. I knew there was more to him than his playboy ways so I was excited to see this book dig down deep into his story. Unfortunately, I just didn't enjoy this one as much as I would have liked. I'm 100% sad I have to even write this review.

Heads up, if you didn't read the first book, go do that first. I thought perhaps Ferguson would maybe give us a small wrap up from the first book so there was a bit of context to the story. But this book relies heavily on the fact that you know exactly what happened in book 1 including the huge family dynamics between the FMC, her brother, and her father. Given it's marketed as a standalone, I found this very problematic.

Overall, Ferguson made the characters fun enough but there was nothing particularly special about them.

Jack spends the book having a existential crisis about his injury, which he refuses to accept and continues to play despite doctors telling him not to. I actually found it hard to believe his professional team would agree with him playing. In real life this would never happen. A team would not risk one of their players being injured further or potentially never being able to play again. It just made zero sense to me. And Jack makes his whole life hockey, or at least thinks his whole life is hockey and he has nothing else to fall back on so why would he risk it? Also, it's obvious he has some anxiety issues and he alludes to ADHD at some points. I don't really get either vibe from him. I will say I liked his golden retriever vibe during the book.

Abby spends the book worrying everyone is like her father who she doesn't trust. She continuously questions the intentions of those who surround her. And, yes, given how she grew up I'd say it makes sense for her to be like this. But, as I stated above, some background reminders would have been good since, again, the relationships rely heavily on what happened in book 1. She's still in school but has no job to support her. She has to move out of her apartment (paid for by her father) due to water damage and you never truly hear anything else about it. Everything with her seems so surface level and I didn't really connect with her and her damage as I would have liked to.

Then there's the romantic chemistry I was looking forward to seeing. Hint: it's not there. Jack and Abby just kind of fall into each other due to their forced proximity. Their romance didn't build at all. It came off as more of an insta-love situation. And then there was the push and pull that was supposed to be happening: Jack falling fast and hard and Abby questioning if any of it was a good idea. I just didn't feel anything for them as a couple. I didn't care they wanted to keep it secret from their siblings. It was also all too easy for me given their siblings are dating. And I felt like once they actually got together, every other chapter was a spice scene. I will say there is some great banter between the characters which made some scenes really fun to read.

There is also a lot of repetition used in this book. Jack uses the same phrases over and over again. To the point it just got annoying. I found the same problem with the spicy scenes. They never introduced anything new or intriguing for me. Especially given how frequently they were happening.

Finally, this book had zero plot. Was there potential for it? Sure. Jack's injury and his anxiety over believing he's nothing more than his hockey career. This could have opened up a great opportunity to explore some mental health issues, but that doesn't every happen. Abby's unwillingness to open up due to the hurt she has endured in the past, her fraught relationship with her father, and her being in school. Where were these things explored? They were never more than a surface level glance. And Abby was constantly acting like this therapist even though she has zero experience because, again, she's still in school! I felt like the complexity of the FMC and MMC's situations could have been explored in so much more of a deeper way to make the plot more interesting and to keep me engaged.

Was this book fun? I guess it was fun enough. If you're looking for a fluff romance that relies heavily on the characters having sex/fooling around with not much plot otherwise, something that is easy to read and reads fast, this could fit that bill. But, for me personally, I was just bored. Does this mean I won't read more Ferguson in the future? Of course not! I've really enjoyed almost all her books so far so I'm hopeful this is just a one off.

Author:

Lana Ferguson is a USA Today bestselling author and sex-positive nerd whose works never shy from spice or sass. A faded Fabio cover found its way into her hands at fifteen, and she’s never been the same since. When she isn’t writing, you can find her randomly singing show tunes, arguing over which Batman is superior, and subjecting her friends to the extended editions of The Lord of the Rings. Lana lives mostly in her own head but can sometimes be found chasing her corgi through the coppice of the great American outdoors.

ARC Review: Wild Goose Chase by Sarah Adler

 

An antique dealer and his inconvenient(ly irresistible) new colleague must contend with an illicit stuffed goose and their sizzling attraction, from USA Today bestselling author Sarah Adler.

Antique store owner Callahan Leitner has an illegal taxidermy goose in his living room.

Why? It’s…complicated.

But it may end his career unless he finds a legitimate way to dispose of the bird ASAP. Unfortunately, there’s an unexpected wrench in his plans—the frustrating, effervescent Annie O’Neill.

Annie is happy to fill in for her uncle at his antique store; it’s the perfect opportunity to gain more experience before opening a shop of her own, and to finally meet his handsome young business partner. Unfortunately, Cal is nothing like the charming man she expected. She’s tempted to take his apparent dislike personally, until she stumbles upon the source of his the contraband waterfowl hiding upstairs.

When the goose goes missing, it puts both of their professional reputations on the line. As Cal and Annie attempt to track down the bird before it can be traced back to the store, their tentative alliance turns into something much deeper. Will the hunt for their felonious fowl lead to true love, or end in ruin?

Title: Wild Goose Chase

Author: Sarah Adler

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: July 28, 2026

Review:

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Who doesn't like a good goose hunt? This was my first Sarah Adler book and it was fun. 

Callahn Leitner spent 15 years with the same woman until one day, it wasn't working. But when she calls him to come help her and her husband with something, he doesn't hesitate. And when that something is a very illegal stuffed goose, he assures her he can set things right. Annie O'Neil is Cal's partner's niece and has come to help him for a month while the partner is off getting married. When Annie accidentally finds out about the goose, she agrees to help Cal figure out the mystery of where it came from and how to handle it. When the goose goes missing and they start chasing it's whereabouts all over Baltimore, an attraction ensues.

I have to say I did like the characters in this book. They were fun and quirky. I did feel like Cal was different on the page in many of the chapters. Sometimes forward, sometimes bashful. But all the time tightly wound. Annie is a free spirit who has always relied on her looks and sexual prowess to keep her moving forward, making herself smaller than who she truly is. But she's tired of it and has decided to just be herself and have that be enough. The character development is mostly there but not totally there. I wish Cal's background was more concrete than what Adler chose to give us. And Annie's background just revolves around all the boyfriends she's had to make herself small for, but we don't see how that initially happened.

The side characters were fun. I wish we could have gotten to know some of them a bit better.

I didn't truly feel the chemistry in this book. It was all tell and now show. I needed more tension. I wanted to feel them falling for each other but it just wasn't totally there for me.

The banter was cute. I giggled a few times. 

The pacing was a bit slower for me. While the goose chase was fun, sometimes the chapters felt stagnant.

I liked the flashbacks to Ora and her involvement in the goose debacle.

Overall this one had a great premise but kind of missed the mark for me. I felt like some of the chapters really didn't push the story forward. And the spicy scenes weren't really vibing for me, probably due to the lack of chemistry I felt between the FMC and MMC. I won't rule out reading more books by this author in the future because I did enjoy the writing. And I seem to be the minority with my rating so give it a try if you find the premise interesting or love the author.

Author:

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Adler writes romantic comedies about lovable weirdos finding their happily ever afters. She lives in Maryland with her husband, daughter, and very mischievous cat. When not working, you can find her attempting to course-correct an ill-advised late afternoon nap with an equally ill-advised late afternoon coffee, as she is incapable of ever learning a lesson.

ARC Review: Extracurricular by Rachel Lynn Solomon

 

When a former pop star enrolls in college, the last thing she expects is A-plus chemistry with her psychology professor in this sexy and tender romance from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Ramona Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids’ TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she’s done—with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she’s starting with college.

Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career.

Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick’s buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can’t be so easily finished with her old life, and they’ll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.

Title: Extracurricular

Author: Rachel Lynn Solomon

Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group

Expected Publication Date: July 14, 2026

Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for supplying me with a copy of this title to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I've not read any titles by this author before. I have seen them around but haven't had a chance but the reviews have been good so I wanted to give her a try. And I was not disappointed at all. I enjoy a really well written forbidden love story and Solomon did a really good job with this while also including an age gap!

Romona Wilder has retired from being a pop star after years of abuse from the industry. She's gone back to school at UCLA to see where she wants her to go. Nick Navarro is just off a divorce from his childhood love. He's trying to make a new life for himself but is also having a hard time moving on. What does keep him going is his niece and his job as a psychology professor at UCLA. When Romona chooses his class as one to take, he is skeptical she is in school for the right reasons, But there's an attraction between them that neither seems to be able to ignore. As they grow closer as "friends," Nick finds himself at risk of not only losing his job but also losing his heart.

Romona is a fabulous character. She is extremely well developed. It was easy to relate to her despite having no association in the music industry. So much has been brought to light in the last few years about how pop stars are treated and what they go through and Romona's character embodied so much of that.  I was impressed with how Solomon addressed some very difficult topic in this book: abuse. Romona's character was emotionally and sexually abused by those she trusted. It took pulling herself out of the industry and an accusation of assault against her ex-boyfriend to reveal these things to her. She is slowly learning none of what she went through was ok and trying hard to take her life back. She does not expect her attraction to Nick, nor does she expect the friendship they form and now it supports her.

Nick is such a golden retriever but with a bit of a dominant side hiding beneath. I loved his character. His own trauma, while different from Romona's, was just as powerful in shaping who he is. He's experienced so much pain. I really loved how he and Romona had honest conversations with each other that helped them truly understand one another. And I love his relationship with his niece. It's just so sweet that they are so close and she feels like she can come to him and call on him for things.

I'm not going to lie, the plot for this one is messy. It was hard for me to see a good outcome in the distance while reading this. I just could not see how things would work out. And the actual attraction was little on the fast side for me. It was not insta-love, but I wish there was just a bit more build up to it. Thankfully, Solomon does choose to give us happiness at the end (I'm not good at total heartbreak). And she does it without the third act break up which I was very happy about. Solomon explores self-discovery, growth, and resilience. Both characters work through their traumas and help each other realize it's ok to be a little messy.

What this book did was made me realize I need to read everything Solomon decides to write. Her pacing was on point. Not too quick, not too slow. But just enough to have me finishing this in less than 24 hours. And her plot was so much more than just a romance. It's a story about kindness. It's about accepting yourself despite the traumas in your past. Accepting those are part of who you are and will help you grow into who you can be and feel safe doing it. A story that touches on so many deeper themes beyond chemistry and spice. Definitely one of my top reads this year!

Author:

Rachel Lynn Solomon is the New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk, Today Tonight Tomorrow, and other romantic comedies for teens and adults. Her books have been translated into more than fifteen languages and optioned for film. Originally from Seattle, she's currently navigating expat life with her husband in Amsterdam, where she can often be found exploring the city, collecting stationery, and working up the courage to knit her first sweater. Connect with her on Instagram @rlynn_solomon.