Pucked is still one of my favourite hockey romance series I have ever read! When I first heard about this prequel I was ecstatic to be back in this universe, and to get a glimpse into a love story I never thought I would get to read.

I am a Helena Hunting review team member, but I remain honest and genuine in my reviews.

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Helena Hunting comes a new story in her Pucked series. The untold story of Skye and Sidney, and the origin story where Vi and Miller are teens when their parents start dating and fall in love…

I accidentally grabbed the wrong drink at the coffee shop. On the upside, the hot guy it belonged to chased me down to kindly swap with me. On the down side, the reason I grabbed the wrong drink in the first place is because the hot guy had just caught me checking out his ass…sets.

In my defense, his rear view is rather magnificent.

In true, humiliating form, I word-vomited a bunch of horrible nonsense. Including an unnecessary explanation of the trauma I’d evaded thanks to his chasing me down. Nothing could ruin my lactose-intolerant day faster than my one true dairy.

I did not expect him to ask me out on a date after that.

I also didn’t expect the date to go well since my tendency to truth-vomit is high, and not everyone finds that quality endearing.

But apparently he does. Because he asks me out again.
And again.

Sidney Butterson (yes, it’s a weird last name) ticks all my boxes.
He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s employed and he’s ridiculously hot.
There’s one catch.

We’re both single parents. With teens.

And if our kids don’t like each other?
Well, we’re doomed.

* *Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you’ll enjoy each one as much as we do.* *

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: I adore all the Pucked characters so much! This is the first time we have been in Skye and Sidney’s heads and I was so excited for this prequel. For Skye, you cannot help but root for the strong single mom who really does best by her daughter. You can see where Violet gets so many of her character quirks from the lactose intolerance to the blurting of thoughts. Speaking of Vi, I loved the insight into teenage Violet, because what fan of Pucked does not have a soft spot for the quirky queen herself. We also got a peak at teenager Miller, through Sidney and oh boy was it fun to see the hockey star as a teen boy throwing rockous house parties. Finally a word of Sidney, the swoony gentleman who did not just sweep Skye off her feet but us all.
• Pacing: This is billed as a novella, but do not fear it is quite a long one. I really enjoyed the length of time we spent with Skye and Sidney. So often these prequel stories are too short to really grow invested in the relationship and that was not the case with this one.
• Romance: I loved Skye and Sidney so much, and from their coffee shop meet cute I was rooting for them! I loved all the spice Helena gave us in a prequel about the parents! It was a lovely amount of steamy and tension for a couple finding their second chance at love a bit later in life. It was also really refreshing to read a single-parent romance, wherein they aren’t just both single parents, but they are parenting teenagers. Often the trope just features little kids, but little adults throw in a whole new dynamic to building a relationship. Ultimately though for fans of the Pucked series, this will feel like returning home, it is so nostalgic and just a wonderful time.

Where It Begins receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story here.

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Thank you again to Helena and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Helena Hunting’s Where It Begins ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have been loving this series so much and this next instalment sure throws readers for a loop, with so many things I was not expecting.

When you get a second chance, you don’t wait for a third…

Simone Solomon lives in a gilded cage. She’s been raised to wealth, privilege, and above all, obedience.

Hiding in the back of a limousine, dreading another tedious gala, Simone is abducted by a mafioso who intended to steal a car, not a girl.

Dante Gallo looks like a beast and behaves like one, too — until he lays eyes on Simone. Their attraction is irresistible, even if they’re completely wrong for each other.

Simone is willing to risk everything for Dante — until the disastrous night that splits them apart.

Fate grants her one more chance to reconnect with the man she can’t forget. But Simone has a secret… a mistake she fears Dante will never forgive…

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: The Gallo this instalment centers around is Dante Gallo and his second chance at love with Simone Soloman. I enjoyed these characters but I was not as invested as I have been. I did struggle with some of Simone’s choices, I do not want to give too much detail to avoid spoilers, but she was put in some difficult situations. Dante not holding that against her too much is indicative of what a great guy he was. He was easy to fall for and I loved reading all his interactions with his siblings.
• Setting: Sophie Lark’s mafia world is set in Chicago, and it does feel like coming home to a cast of characters that I love.
• Pacing: I just find these books so incredibly easy to fly through. This story is told in two parts, with a significant time jump in between. I was enraptured by the first part especially and how the characters met got me intrigued right from the start. This is paced so quickly though that at times it sure helps you read fast, but I did wonder if there were parts of the story that could have been flushed out a bit more.
• Romance: From the moment Dante and Simone meet in the most unlikely of circumstances I was cheering them on. I adored their early courtship, the sneaking out to see each other and of course the scaling of the balcony such a classic. Sophie Lark writes incredibly hot people, in hot scenes, with perfect accompanying art from Line Maria Eriksen. After being so attached to the characters in the first part of the book, naturally I was so invested in their second chance not just at love but at family.

Bloody Heart receives four out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo

Thank you again to Sophie, Bloom, and Raincoast for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Sophie Lark’s Bloody Heart Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.

I have absolutely loved Mel’s Bellamy Creek series so far. And now we are getting a friends to lovers romance between a single mom and the boy she’s always had a crush on. Melanie is just the queen of equal levels of swoony romance and heated physical attraction between the characters. This story is a prime example of why Melanie is a master at her craft.

I am a member of Melanie Harlow’s review team, but I stand by my reviews remaining honest and true.

Check out the Goodreads synopsis…

“Just friends.
That’s all Beckett Weaver and I have ever been.

Sure, he’s a hot cowboy who left Wall Street behind to take over his family’s ranch. Yes, I’ve had a secret crush on him since we were seventeen. And who wouldn’t appreciate those strong hands, that massive chest, and the way he fills out a pair of Levis?

He makes a girl sweat just looking at him . . . and I look. A lot.

But I’m a single mom trying to move on with my life, and he’s running that ranch single-handedly while taking care of his elderly father. We don’t even live in the same state. I only returned to my hometown of Bellamy Creek to sell my late mother’s house, and he just invited me and my son to stay with him because he’s got a big heart.

That’s not the only big thing he’s got–which I discover the night I finally sneak across the hall to his bedroom and shed my inhibitions right alongside my pajamas. And once we give into each other, we can’t stop.

The hayloft. The bed of his truck. The dock by the pond.

Nothing has ever felt so right, but his past has taught him not to believe in happily ever after, and every perfect night I spend in his arms brings us closer to goodbye.

Like any cowboy, he’s good with a rope and knows exactly how to tie me up.

But what if I want him to tie me down?”

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…

• Characters: Maddie is strong, independent, and passionate. I loved both her fighting spirit and her motherly nature. I found her quite the interesting character as she is this super caring, lovely person but she keeps dating, even married a jerk. Beckett was the only guy really kind to her and they never pursued a relationship. Beckett is open, warm, and generous. I loved how he puts his family first by being a great son, brother, and uncle. The way he loves Maddie, and how he never really has loved like that since she moved away.
• Setting: The story is set in Bellamy Creek. Maddie and her son Elliott descend on Bellamy Creek to fix up and sell her late mother’s home. Elliott is definitely going to be a fan fave as he is an adorable boy and has such a great relationship with his mom. If he wants to wear dresses, unicorn clips, and lots of pinks, Maddie is just as supportive of him if he wanted to only wear pants and play sports. Bellamy Creek also brings with it the gals of the previous books. Blair (Drive Me Wild), Cheyenne (Make Me Yours), and Bianca (Call Me Crazy) take Maddie under their wings in such a lovely way. I love a group of supportive girlfriends, who encourage you to go after the man you love.
• Pacing: I loved the pacing of this story. The real star power is that this is the final story, the culmination of Bellamy Creek. I loved having big events like Cheyenne and Cole’s wedding that brought all the characters together. The extended epilogue was just the perfect way to end this series.
• Romance: Maddie and Beckett take some time to admit they want each other. Once they do they begin to fool around in such a carefree, steamy, fun way. It feels like how it would have been if they had admitted the feelings they had for each other when they were younger. Many of the roadblocks put up in their relationship are put up by Beckett and his goddamn commitment issues. His mom abandoned their family when he was a baby and it has given trust issues. He cannot help but believe that all Maddie will do is leave, because love has a shelf-life. This story is about fighting for love, for letting it make you the best version of yourself. It is such an epic story and a perfect conclusion to Bellamy Creek.

Tie Me Down receives five out of five stars.

You can pick up the story below…

Grab yours now or read in Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3hc2Yke
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/TieMeDown

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Thank you again to Melanie Harlow and her team for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

The post Melanie Harlow’s Tie Me Down ARC Review appeared first on ClaryNathanWill.