Review: Well Versed by Jen DeLuca

Well Versed by Jen DeLuca
Series: Well Met, Book 5
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9780593641255
Source: Publisher
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Caitlin Parker was eighteen when she fell out of love with the magic of the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire—the site of her first real heartbreak. But now, twenty-four and unemployed, she finds herself in her childhood bedroom and her childhood lady-in-waiting costume, assisting a rotating cast of substitute queens for the season. The very last person she wants to see is Alexander Wright—the sword-fighting, Shakespeare-spouting young man who won and broke her teenage heart. Yet there he is, older, annoyingly hotter, and back on stage at her Faire.

When Alex broke things off with Caitlin the first time, he thought he was just ending a summer fling. He didn't realize how much he’d fallen for her until he let her go, and he certainly didn't know he’d tarnished her memories of her cherished Faire and worse, shattered her view on love and relationships. His need to right that wrong this summer brings them together again and again, and this time, it won’t be so easy to let go of this summer fling.

But as summer winds down, real life is catching up to both of them. Caitlin’s always thought that being an adult with adult responsibilities means leaving whimsy behind. Alex, with a life full of stage combat, songs, and sonnets, doesn’t know how to live any other way. Can they go after their dreams and find a future together where they can still say “huzzah”?

Returning to the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire is like visiting an old friend. I’ve adored the world in all of Jen DeLuca’s Well Met books and couldn’t wait to dive into Well Versed. The result was a bit of a mixed bag for me.

Caitlin was one of my favorite secondary characters in the previous books, but I admit in her own story she was kind of bland. She’s at a crossroads in her life, having just lost her job and moved back in with her mother and (not) stepdad. She hasn’t been to the faire in years, having sworn off it after Alex broke her heart as a teenager. I understand the teenage drama but having clung onto it to the extent that she did, changing her whole life and career course, felt a little off to me. Alex, the heartbreaker in question, is a nice guy who messed up but is overall an appealing hero. He’s charming, eager, and I wish we had gotten more insight into him before the end. He too is at a crossroads and both of them need to choose the path that works for them and their future. Caitlin and Alex – once they worked past their past – were cute together, but their story felt stretched thin in order to make it a full-length book. A lot of the dilemmas felt repetitive and the story didn’t draw me in the way the rest of the series did. Had this been a novella, the story might have been better off.

Everyone’s favorite Well Met heroes and heroines are back as supporting cast members and it was a delight to see them. The world of the faire was charming and some of my favorite bits of the book. So while Caitlin and Alex’s romance was just OK, I still liked Well Versed overall, as any time spent at the Willow Creek Renaissance Faire is sure to be charming.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Damned If I Do by Alexandria Bellefleur

Damned If I Do by Alexandria Bellefleur
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9780593952528
Release Date: September 22, 2026
Source: Publisher
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The devil’s right-hand woman must convince her long-lost husband to renounce their vows so she can wed a prince from Hell.

Effie MacLeod is no stranger to making desperate decisions, but making a deal with Lucifer himself—sacrificing her soul to save a loved one—has got to be her most monumental. Several hundred years into her tenure as a demon, Effie’s found herself engaged to Belphegor, a handsome, seductive, and successful Prince of Hell. It’s not a love match, but it’ll do. There’s just one teensy-tiny little problem: She’s still bound to her sixteenth-century Scottish husband. While Effie has completely cast her human life aside, Finn has been reincarnated through several lifetimes.

Effie must convince Finn to renounce their age-old vows in order get the Office of Infernal Internal Affairs off her back. The kicker? When she finds him in this lifetime, Finn doesn’t remember anything, but he refuses her request for a divorce.

Annoyed to be stuck with him in small-town Georgia until she can persuade Finn to abandon their marriage, Effie must convince him that yes, she does want to get on with her devilish shenanigans despite the physical pull she feels toward him. As they get closer in hopes of recovering his lost memories, Effie can’t help but notice murmurings of her deeply buried feelings resurfacing. But while all’s fair in love and war, that’s not the case in Hell—and Lucifer may have his own reasons for wanting to keep Finn and Effie apart for the rest of eternity.

A second chance soulmates romance with a demon and her reincarnated human husband? Sign me up! Damned If I Do is by turns sweet, romantic, and funny and I really liked Effie and Finn.

Effie is a demon who got into trouble for helping another demon in The Devil She Knows. As a result, Effie has gone from making deals for souls to rage baiting people on the internet. At least she has her new engagement to Belphegor, a Prince of Hell, to cheer her up while she waits for Lucifer’s ire to pass. There’s just one problem: Effie is still technically married. She’s bound to her human husband who has been reincarnated for centuries and she needs him to renounce his vows. So Effie packs up and heads to a small Georgia town sure that this’ll be quick. Until her husband-who-isn’t decides that he won’t grant her request without fully understanding all that they once were to each other.

Effie may be a demon now but she’s got a very human way about her. For all that she is at ease with being a demon and doesn’t regret why she chose to become one, there’s still kindness in her that you may not expect. Seeing Finn, her husband reincarnated, really throws her for a loop. Finn isn’t the man she married – he’s had his own life, his own decisions, and experiences that have shaped him – but at his core he’s still the same person. And that person is drawn to Effie and won’t let her go without a fight. The two of them had great chemistry and I liked seeing how drawn they were to one another, to see old love rekindle.

Alexandria Bellefleur blends heartbreak, tenderness, and hope together, adding in a dash of humor to keep things lively. I really enjoyed seeing the bits of the demon world that she showed, from why Effie became a demon to how things are run in Hell. While this book is a sequel to The Devil She Knows, it can be read as a standalone. I was intrigued by the world Bellefleur created and was charmed by Effie and Finn’s romance so I’ll definitely be going back to read that first book and I hope there will be more set in the same universe.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Fury in Death by J.D. Robb

Fury in Death by J.D. Robb
Series: In Death, Book 63
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Futuristic/Mystery/Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250414564
Release Date: September 8, 2026
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible
J.D. Robb Reading Order

NYSPD lieutenant Eve Dallas never knows what to expect when she gets word of a body. It could be an elderly man who made the mistake of climbing a ladder in slippery footwear. And the next call could be a wealthy biotech executive beaten to death in his home office—but what was Larry Chu’s mistake?

The victim’s corpse is so mangled and damaged it’s hard to believe a lone, unarmed assailant could have managed it. The killer was clearly unnaturally strong—and smart enough to find a way into Chu’s highly secure building. Most of all, whoever did this was very, very angry.

The excessive violence leads Dallas to conclude that this was a deeply personal act, born of a rage that she can’t excuse but can understand thanks to her own traumatic past. And though the motive seems rooted in heated emotion rather than cold hard cash, she can’t ignore the suspicious bank account in the Cayman Islands, or the shadowy, profit-hungry company Chu worked for. The mystery only grows when it turns out Chu isn’t the only victim—and Dallas will need to tear through one layer of secrecy after another to reveal what lies behind this explosion of fury…

A violent crime scene is only part of the puzzle Lieutenant Eve Dallas must put together in Fury in Death. Sixty-three novels into the In Death series and author J.D. Robb still entertains me every time as Eve, Roarke, and their loved ones work together to bring justice to the victims.

What makes Fury in Death interesting is we see the killer’s perspective from the start and know why they are on a rampage. The reason for their violent, controlled fury is shown in a way that makes them sympathetic. It adds a layer of interest to the story and I was invested in the case not just because of Eve but because of the killer. Larry Chu’s death is excessively violent and undoubtedly personal, but as Eve searches for the motive behind it she unearths far more than she expected. She’ll have to bring in the help of not just her team but her expert consultant, civilian to unravel a mystery that stretches over a decade. I found the case to be extremely interesting and I don’t want to go into it too much for fear of spoiling it.

While this is a more case-centric story, the personal is still at the forefront. I was delighted to see a bit more of Galahad than we normally do and the Big House Project is nearing completion so there are plenty of light moments to balance out the dark. It’s sweet seeing how far Eve’s loved ones have come over the course of the series and there are some lovely moments that are sure to delight longtime fans.

Fury in Death has action, a solidly engaging mystery, and a strong dose of warmth from the personal relationships. I really enjoyed it and I am already looking forward to Eve and Roarke’s next adventure.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Soon by You by Dahlia Adler

Soon by You by Dahlia Adler
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781250411884
Source: Publisher
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Arielle Becker is one hora away from a meltdown. After one too many bridesmaid gigs—complete with Spanx, heels, and hideous dresses—she’s officially over love and its overpriced trappings. Especially when they keep coming with the same smug, judgmental wedding singer.

Judah Klein is New York’s go-to Modern Orthodox wedding singer and most eligible bachelor. Years of failed setups have left him jaded, until repeated clashes with a fiery bridesmaid wake him right up. But when snarks turn to sparks, and fights turn to feelings, things get complicated.

Arielle is not a girl who settles down. And Judah is not a guy who hooks up. So why does walking away feel impossible?

Soon by You is a Modern Orthodox romcom whose premise had me hooked. Dahlia Adler wove themes of religion, community, and embracing your true self into this romance which I found incredibly appealing.

I liked that Ari was unabashedly herself and that didn’t conflict with her faith. What I didn’t love was the constant judgment Ari faces for embracing her sexuality. I understood why it was there but it felt like it overwhelmed the story at times and then didn’t feel fully resolved. Judah is a wildly popular wedding singer whose star is on the rise, but he’s still finding himself. He thinks he knows what he wants but then he and Ari clash at a wedding and he starts questioning his views on dating, marriage, and attraction. I liked that Judah was on the asexual spectrum but wanted to explore his character a bit more outside that.

There’s a lot of push-pull in Ari and Judah’s romance, mostly because of what others think about them. Judah is on a pedestal and Ari’s reputation is constantly being trashed. It felt a bit dragged out and repetitive at times, and the story slowed because of it. I wanted a bit more of them as people and the story focused a lot on sexual chemistry. Normally I’d be fine with that if the attraction sizzled on the page, but in this case it was just OK. Without the palpable tension, I felt like I was missing just a bit more depth from the main characters.

The Jewish representation in this book is excellent and Adler gives a great look at the dating and wedding scene in the Modern Orthodox community in New York. As someone who is Jewish (though not Orthodox) I felt like some of the supporting characters could be people I know (and that’s in ways both good and bad, which is a point in the book’s favor for realism). The star of the show for me was Judah’s brother, Akiva, who I’d gladly read a book about – to me he had more personality and was more interesting than either of the main characters. As for the rest of Judah and Ari’s friends, frenemies, and acquaintances, they ranged from pleasant to annoyingly judgmental and most of them didn’t make much of an impact.

Soon by You is a hard book for me to review because I wanted to love it – an Ashkenazi Modern Orthodox romance was a breath of fresh air. But the romance didn’t hook me like I wanted it to. The book did pick up steam in the latter half of the story but overall I ended up just liking it.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend by Gloria Duke
Series: Jersey Shore Merman, Book 1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Paranormal Romance 

ISBN: 9781464242342
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo

GYM. TAN. MERMAN. Welcome to the Jersey Shore, where the men are hot, the sun is sizzling, and the boardwalk’s seen it all…until now.

After years of living on the Shore, Hannah Bell is sure two things are true:
    1. The family B&B is her future.
    2. Men like Xander—mysterious, charming, and un-freaking-believably gorgeous—do not just wash up like some kind of sexy flotsam.

But when Xander appears mostly-naked and half-conscious in the surf, Hannah does what any sane, kind-hearted woman would do: hauls him into her bed. Her bed and breakfast, that is. It’s only polite. But her one act of seaside charity goes sideways fast when her new perennially topless “guest” starts fixing leaky faucets with a wink, charming her with fishy dad jokes, and casually revealing that—oh yeah—he's a freakin’ merman.

Not only that, but he’s the merman who rescued her a decade ago and then ghosted her like an enchanted Tinder date gone wrong. Rude.

As Hannah reels from revelations and Xander tries to stay one step ahead of the secrets lurking beneath the tide, they’ll need to figure out if their surfside chemistry is just a summer fling... or the start of something truly fin-tastic.

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend drew me in with its fin-tastic premise and the promise of a cute and fluffy romance between a human and a merman. However, once the hook lost its allure the book kind of flopped about.

Puns aside, I wanted to like Gloria Duke’s first Jersey Shore Merman story. It sounded campy and fun and parts of it were, but mostly it fell flat. Hannah is sadly just fine as a heroine. Ever since her near drowning as a teenager she has stuck close to home. She’s running her family’s bed and breakfast but it’s clearly not her passion. Then Xander washes up on the Jersey shoreline and turns her world upside down. Xander is a nearly perfect hero. He’s a hunky merman who is great with his hands in more ways than one. I liked that he and Hannah had corny dad jokes going back and forth, but I wanted depth from him and there was none. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Xander and Hannah either. There was nothing wrong with them as a couple, but nothing truly drew me in either.

There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend isn’t as catchy as its title and for all that Duke throws in a lot about saving the town from developers, hunters out for Xander, and both hero and heroine grappling with duty versus desire, the story overall falls flat. A mid-size cast of supporting characters didn’t help much as they were all caricatures who added very little to the story for all that there were themes of community supposedly present. Even for a fluffy romcom, this story could have used more depth. This is apparently the first book in a duology and there really isn’t enough to support two books worth of plot. The rather lackluster bulk of the book could have used more of the action rather than shoving it all in at the end in an inorganic manner. Overall, even though There’s Something Fishy About My Boyfriend has some bright and fluffy spots, it was a miss for me and I’m not inspired to read the sequel.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis

Falling Into You by Jill Shalvis
Series: Colburn Brothers, Book 3
E-Book Publisher: That’s What She Said Publishing, Inc.
Print Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary Romance 

ISBN: 9781464261060
Release Date: July 14, 2026
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Audible
Jill Shalvis Reading Order

Some love stories don’t stay buried, no matter how far you run.

Hazel Pierce has three goals for coming back to Star Falls:
1. Help her estranged dad.
2. Keep things strictly temporary.
3. Absolutely, under no circumstances, fall for Tucker Colburn again.

That plan dies a dramatic, soggy death when a rogue wasp sting sends Hazel swerving off the road and into the river—only to be hauled out, half-drowned and furious, by the Star Falls Fire Department’s finest. Unfortunately, “finest” is ex–best friend, ex–one-night mistake, and the man she’s been avoiding for a decade.

Tucker’s always had a way of getting into her head. And now between a family that thrives on gossip and a town that’s way too small for all this chemistry, Hazel’s running out of ways to avoid the truth. As sparks turn into late-night confessions and slow, toe-curling kisses, Hazel has to decide if she’s done running—from her past, from this town, and from the only man who’s ever made her feel like home. And Tucker has to prove that this time, he’s not just her safe place to crash—he’s her always.

The final Colburn and the one who got away finally get their happily ever after in Falling Into You. Tucker and Hazel have been circling each other since she returned to Star Falls, the unspoken tension simmering in the background. Can these two ex-best friends get their second chance at happily ever after?

Falling Into You is a bit difficult for me to review. On its surface, it’s a fine read. Tucker is handsome, caring, and honestly perfect. He’s a dreamy, modern-day Prince Charming and it’s easy to see why he’s impossible to resist. Hazel has trouble believing in unconditional love. She’s stubborn (sometimes to a ridiculous degree) and has walls so high Tucker will need climbing gear. If this were my first Jill Shalvis book, I’d probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. The issue I had with this story is it’s very repetitive and echoes of so many of Shalvis’s past books are present in this story. There’s falling into comfortable, enjoyable patterns from an author you enjoy and there’s a feeling of copy/paste. Nothing in this book really stood out to me, save for the rather messy and unnecessary dramatic twists in the third act. In all honesty, Tucker and Hazel’s story may have worked better as a novella; the plot was stretched too thin.

As is expected in Shalvis’s work, boisterous secondary characters with no boundaries are everywhere, pushing Hazel and Tucker to work out their issues. I enjoy the Colburn family, but they pulled focus a lot in this book in ways that highlighted the weakness in the main characters’ character development. All in all, Falling Into You is a light and breezy read, even though it touches on heavier themes. I wish I had connected with the story and the characters more, but ultimately for me this wasn’t one of Shalvis’s more compelling reads.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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Review: The Final Target by Nora Roberts

The Final Target by Nora Roberts
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense 

ISBN: 9781250413581
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

He showed up at Arden Bowie’s debut author appearance with a copy of her novel and an eager smile. He showered her with compliments and got her autograph. Then he came to her next event. And the one after that.

Dustin was just an aspiring writer who wanted advice, Arden reassured herself. But after giving in to one of his incessant invitations and chatting with him over coffee, she discovered that ignoring her inner alarm bell had been a terrible mistake…

An introvert at heart, Arden had long craved solitude—but now, after a harrowing assault, she finds herself hiding behind locked doors and startling at every sound. And her relief at his imprisonment is tempered by anxiety when Dustin’s wealthy mother helps to get him a paltry five-year sentence at a psychiatric facility.

Arden decides to write a new story for herself, moving to a tiny Oregon town and befriending Gideon, an ex-LAPD detective. But while she learns to thrive, Dustin remains his delusional, twisted self, as fixated as ever and now seething with anger. He still believes Arden's purpose on earth is to serve and please him. And his job is to protect her. But who will protect her from him?

With its survivor heroine, protective hero, and despicable villain, The Final Target is classic Nora Roberts romantic suspense. It’s the tale of Arden Bowie, a young author who survived a stalker and didn’t let his attack destroy her. With the help of her family, she healed, moved forward in life, and now she and her dog have moved to Oregon to get a fresh start. Said start involves a new home, new friends to go with her beloved family close by, and a handsome ex-cop who’s good with his hands. But underneath the joy in her life, Arden knows the clock is ticking. Dustin, the violent stalker, was only given five years and his release date is coming up…and his obsession with Arden never ended.

If you’re familiar with Roberts’s books, it won’t surprise you that this one has a healthy dose of home renovation, cooking and gathering with friends and family, and adorable dogs. While this story doesn’t offer something dramatically different, it’s highly enjoyable. Arden, Gideon, and their loved ones are delightful and I enjoyed spending time with them. The romance between Gideon and Arden is understated but lovely. The two of them fit each other extremely well and it was easy to see how their lives just slid together.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from our protagonists we have Dustin, who is – as one might expect – a monster. He’s selfish, cruel, misogynistic, delusional, and violent. His fixation on Arden is what adds the suspense to the romantic suspense, so even if his point of view chapters made my skin crawl there wouldn’t be a story without him. All in all, The Final Target is a solid romantic suspense that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.



Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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