#smpromance

Release Date: May 27, 2025

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Explicitness: 🔥🔥🔥 / 5 or PG-13 (fade to black sex scenes) 

Archer has always wanted to dance on Broadway; unfortunately, at 27 he keeps being told he is too old. When he’s almost at the end of his savings, he gets offered a job dancing at a queer resort in the Catskills all summer. When he arrives, he finds out that his teenage Broadway crush is one of his coworkers and the leader of the troupe. Mateo has a chip on his shoulder and doesn’t appreciate that Archer’s a fan – and they have to dance several duets and a pas de deux together. Worse still, their chemistry is off the charts, at least on stage.

This was a fast-paced, compelling read. Though I was a little annoyed with Archer at first, I ended up really rooting for him and it eased my earlier frustration. The main characters are pretty well fleshed-out, convincingly having inner lives. Narration alternates between the two, but Archer feels like the real protagonist. Some of the supporting characters, like Betty and Eileen, are well-developed and have nice relationships with the main two. One thing that bugged me is that Caleb, who Archer dates for a significant chunk of the summer, is kind of flat and incredibly immature.

Elle Kennedy's next spicy and emotional romance in the blockbuster Avalon Bay series.

College student Cassie Soul hasn’t spent an entire summer in Avalon Bay in years, not since her parents divorced and her mother spitefully whisked her away to Boston. Now that her grandmother is selling the boardwalk hotel that’s been in their family for five decades, Cassie returns to the quaint beach town to spend time with family, ring in her twenty-first birthday…and maybe find herself a summer fling.

On her first night in town, she finds the perfect candidate: Tate Bartlett, Avalon Bay’s fun-loving golden boy.

Tate, sailing instructor and lovable player, is no stranger to flings. In fact, he’s always down for a good time. But the moment he meets Cassie, he knows she’s not the girl you play games with. Cassie is gorgeous, hilarious, and, frankly, the coolest person he’s ever met. The last thing he wants to do is risk breaking her heart, and so he reluctantly puts her in the friend-zone…only to realize he made a huge mistake. Soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. He wants that fling now. Big-time.

And maybe even something more.

As Cassie and Tate walk the line between friends and lovers, they’re about to discover that their situation is the least complicated part of this equation. Because Avalon Bay is full of secrets―and their relationship might not survive when those secrets come to light.

THE SUMMER GIRL EXCERPT

From my window, I have a clear view of the house next door. And the window next door. The one that faces mine. And since the two houses are separated by mere yards, and there aren’t any trees on the side path that cuts between the homes, I am provided with a clear, unobstructed, perfect, glorious view of Tate as he undresses in the bedroom across the way.

My breath lodges in my throat.

He’s facing away from me, and I practically drool while I watch the sinewy muscles of his back ripple as he tosses his shirt aside. His shoulders are broad, arms well-sculpted. He reaches for the waistband of his swim trunks.

His shorts drop to the floor and I almost choke on my tongue.

Holy fuck. I knew he had a nice butt, but seeing it in all its bare glory is . . . otherworldly. I can’t take my eyes off it. I feel like a total perv, and I know if the situation was reversed and he was watching me change from his window, I’d be reporting him to the cops. But I’m frozen in place, unable to tear my gaze away.

Turn away, Cassandra.

Turn away.

Stop it.

My mouth has gone completely dry. His body is spectacular. Hard planes and lean muscles and long, tanned limbs all joining together to form one outrageously sexy specimen of a man. I’m breathing hard now. Heart pounding. Tate drags one hand through hair that appears a bit windblown, wandering around the room as if in search of something. Completely naked. Completely oblivious to the fact that his next-door neighbor is ogling him.

Then he turns toward the window.

And he’s not so oblivious anymore.

He’s visibly startled when our eyes lock. His brow furrows. Lips part, just slightly. I catch one brief glimpse of the full-frontal experience before I spin on my heel and dart away from the window. My heart rate is officially in cardiac arrest territory. He caught me looking. What the hell do I do now? What if he reports me or tells my grandmother—

My phone lights up.

“Oh my God,” I moan out loud.

I can barely walk over to the bed, that’s how weak my legs feel. My hand trembles as I reach for the phone. I grab it and dive into the bathroom, as far away from that damned window as possible.

On the screen, someone is trying to AirDrop me a note.

Tate B.

With a shaky finger I hit accept, and the note pops up.

I think we need to talk about this. —Tate

Underneath the message is his phone number.

My Review

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved this beautiful, witty, fun, passionate, and heartwarming friends to lovers romance that captured my heart and became my new favorite in this series.

Cassie Soul is back in Avalon Bay staying with her grandmother one last summer before her grandmother moves away. Cassie has decided that she wants to finally have a summer fling, here, where her friends experienced their summer flings over the years. She wants it all, the passion, the giddiness, the exhilarating love affair where you can’t keep your hands off each other. Now she only has to find a worthy candidate. So she goes to a beach party her first night to meet her best friend, and that is where she sees him!

Tate Bartlett has been living in Avalon Bay since he was in junior high. He is the fun-loving golden boy, a sailing instructor and lovable player of the bay and has just been dumped by his friend-with-benefits at a beach party. But then he turns around and sees a beautiful girl has witnessed the entire humiliating experience. But when he sees her again the next day staying next door to the Jackson’s house, where he is house-sitting he is intrigued. These two seem to keep running into each other everywhere, which just pushes the envelope for Cassie to finally ask him to have a fling with her. And his rejection is confidence-crushing.

“But that’s not to say I wasn’t attracted to you. I was. I still am.” “Really?”“Yeah.” There’s a beat. “You have no idea what you do to me.” “Show me.”

But soon, his attraction to Cassie becomes impossible to ignore. And the fling is game on. But as these two become friends with benefits they are in for a big surprise as some secrets of the bay come to light that might ruin everything? Or will they?

I Loved Cassie and Tate’s story! They were perfect together. You DO NOT want to miss this coupling. I swooned hard for Tate! He teaches her to stand up for herself, and how to be honest with people around her. But he also helps her see how beautiful she is inside and out. And the Summer Games of the bay were epic, as characters from past books in this series battle it out for the championship! Loved it!!

Product Description

Yours Truly, The Duke is the first novel in the historical romance Say I Do trilogy about dukes needing to wed to tap into their wealth by New York Times bestselling author Amelia Grey.

Fredericka Hale needs a husband, and fast. She’s been caring for her deceased sister’s three young children, and now a childless cousin has petitioned the court for custody. Fredericka is powerless to stop her, but having a husband might sway the ruling. The last thing Fredericka wants is a hurried-up marriage to a man she doesn’t know—much less love, but she’ll do it for the children. So when the handsome Duke of Wyatthaven shows up with a proposal, she accepts. He'll help her, and in return, they’ll lead separate lives. But distance cannot keep them from their powerful attraction.

At the top of his game in London, the Duke of Wyatthaven has no interest in marriage. However, if Wyatt doesn’t marry by week’s end, he’ll lose a sizable inheritance from his grandmother. When Wyatt’s solicitor finds Miss Fredericka Hale, Wyatt considers this little hiccup solved. Miss Hale is lovely, and intelligent. Most importantly, she prefers country life to London, so he’s free to continue his life as usual. But when circumstances force Fredericka and the children to show up at the duke’s door, Wyatt can’t deny he’s always been under her spell. Will the duke give up his bachelor lifestyle and give into the fiery passion growing between them?

My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Duke of Wyatthaven has just learned that he has seven days to marry or lose four square blocks of prime London real estate to the London Society of Poetry. He really isn’t ready to be a husband, but with no choice in the matter he quickly sends a letter to Miss Fredericka Hale sight unseen, who also needs to marry in order to keep her sisters children. Since her cousin Jane now wants them after finding out she is barren.

Upon arrival The Duke of Wyatthaven finds Miss Hale with her own agenda in regards to a husband and she isn’t even expecting him. No she is busy interviewing men she already knows for the job of her husband.

But when these two meet they both experience a strange and immediate connection. Miss Fredericka Hale can’t believe her eyes and ears that the commanding and dashing rake that she has read all about in the pink pages, living a devil- may-care life is here to propose to her.

While the Duke is taken back by her beauty and intelligence. He quickly strikes a deal of a wedding of convenience between the two. She will stay in the country with the children, while he returns to London after their marriage, making sure no one can take the children away from her while he will continue on with his normal life. Sure in time it may become a real marriage when he is ready for an heir but that is in the future.

But when her selfish cousin Jane continues to try to get the children, the new Duchess takes the children to London for the Dukes help. Once there the heat and the memories of the passionate kisses on their wedding day, makes it harder and harder to stay away from each other.

This story was overflowing with delicious, expectant sensations of pleasure,and romance that will have your heart pounding in your chest and hearts in your eyes. Loved it, I am eagerly waiting for the rest in this series!!

Product Description

A swoony, slow-burn rom-com, Melonie Johnson's Too Wrong to Be Right features a true romantic on a mission to find her happily ever after.

After her latest jerk of a boyfriend dumps her (and ditches her with his pet hedgehog), florist Kat Kowalski is done chasing after Mr. Wrong. With her two best friends moving on to more serious relationships, she’s ready to stop repeating the same mistakes that are leaving her stuck in the single lane. Armed with a list of qualities for her perfect Mr. Right, Kat swears off dating until she finds him.

Then in a meet-disaster involving a corpse and a salty cockatoo, she stumbles across Mick O’Sullivan at his family's funeral home. Their immediate chemistry warns Kat to keep things platonic; after all, following her heart never worked out in the past, and this time she’s determined to listen to her head. But can Kat and Mick be just friends? As she gets to know him better, the lines blur, and Kat starts to wonder if she’s gotten it wrong and Mick is exactly who she’s been looking for...

My Review

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A warm, sweet and entertaining rom-com filled with laugh out loud moments and fun times with friends as the heroine struggles to find the one after being dumped at a moments notice by her ex while also dumping his pet hedgehog on her.

Kat Kowalski is the manager of Allen’s Arrangements, doing what she loves with the plan to have her own florist in the future. When she gets dumped by her boyfriend and takes on the responsibility of his pet hedgehog she is done. Done dating hot guys who are selfish jerks, no more. She is just going to have to change her whole approach no more listening to herself, she needs to make a list of traits she wants and stick to it. But when she has to make a quick stop for a delivery she meets him.

Mick O’Sullivan is totally taken by the drop deep gorgeous woman who was currently talking to herself while messing with the dead guy in the coffin. Mick is in business the dead business along with his siblings at O’Sullivan’s Mortuary. When a fight breaks out over whatever Kat is doing he has to physically restrain two widows and then deal with her. Only to find out that she has difficulty being around corpses. But wooed and taken by Seamus their grandad’s talking cockatoo. When she wants to meet regarding a work arrangement he can’t wait to get to know her better.

Mick is totally taken by her and the chemistry sizzles between them. But when Kat just wants to be friends he gladly will take anything he can to get to know her. Kat isn’t about to act on their chemistry not this time. She wants not to be left behind,

Book Description:

One of Publishers Weekly’s Top 10 Romances of the Fall!

New York Times bestseller, Suzanne Enoch takes a delightful new path in her joyful historical romantic comedy, Something in the Heir.

Smart, capable heiress Emmeline Pershing will do anything to keep her beloved home; and all it takes is an arranged marriage and a teeny white lie to fulfill her family’s silly inheritance rules. But now her little fib means that she and her completely unsuspecting husband are going to inherit big — and very messy! —trouble.

Emmeline and William Pershing have enjoyed a perfectly convenient marriage for eight years. Their relationship is a seamless blend of their talents and goals. They’ve settled into separate, well-ordered lives beneath the same roof, and are content to stay that way—or so Emmeline thinks. And if William has secretly longed for a bit more from the woman he adores, he’s managed to be content with her supreme skills as a hostess and planner, which has helped him advance his career.

Then when Emmeline’s grandfather, the reclusive Duke of Welshire, summons them both for his birthday celebration and demands they bring their two little angelic children, William is stunned to discover that his very proper wife invented not one, but two heirs to fulfill the agreement for living at Winnover. But surely if Emmeline and William team up and borrow two cherubs to call their own, what could go wrong? Enter George, age 8, and Rose, 5—the two most unruly orphans in Britain.

As the insanity unfolds, their careful, professional arrangement takes some surprisingly intimate turns as well. Perhaps it takes a bit of madness to create the perfect happily ever after.

My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Something About The Heir” by Suzanne Enoch.

This was a cute, entertaining, historical romance with a marriage that needs a huge push to help rekindle their relationship and that comes in the form of two unruly, thieving, but lovable children, as well as a whole lot of lies. I found myself wanting these characters to make the journey to HEA together. There was never a dull moment with these children and all their shenanigans that at times had me laughing out loud. This pulled me in and kept me captivated until the end!

Emmaline Hervey grew up at the beautiful estate called Winnover Hall. When she finds out that her family is moving and the next one to get married gets the estate, she does the unthinkable for that time, she proposes to William Pershing and they quickly get married. But in order to keep this estate they will need to conceive and have children to carry on the family name. But after seven years these two have no children to show. So when her grandfather the Duke of Welshire gets sick and wants to see all of his family, Emmeline must come clean and reveals to William that she has invented children so they wouldn't lose their home.

With no time to waste William agrees to go along with her scheme and they quickly go to an orphanage and pay to rent two children for a few weeks. As they experience things with the children they realize that they had stopped appreciating the other. And soon find a heightened awareness between them. But will they be able to fool her family? And if they lose their estate and the children they have come to care for, what will become of them?

This is a well written, truly fascinating and entertaining story. The secondary characters in this story bring so much laughter, emotion and love to this story! My heart was overflowing with happiness.

From the Scottish highlands, to the bustle and tussle of London, to a hotel on the outskirts of town, three unforgettable authors bring the joy of Christmas romance in Kissing Under the Mistletoe.

Great Scot! by Suzanne Enoch

Miss Jane Bansil knows she will never have a fairy-tale moment. Well past the marriageable age, she’s taken a position as a companion and is now stuck in Scotland for Christmas, alone even in the middle of the boisterous MacTaggert family. But when Brennan Andrews, an architect and cousin to the MacTaggerts, arrives to draw up plans for a new family home, Jane must decide if she will take a chance at a happily-ever-after, or settle into her small, safe life for good.

Christmas at Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey

Miss Isabelle Reed has no plans to ever fall in love. She has a perfectly acceptable life with her mother at the Dewberry Hollow Inn, thank you very much. But when Gate, the Duke of Notsgrave’s grandson, appears at Dewberry Hollow searching for a carving on a tree, Isabelle cannot help but get involved. But Gate’s charm and their instant attraction makes Isabelle question if she’s willing to take her chance at love once again.

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett

Miss Eva Tiding is determined to cheer her widowed father with the perfect Christmas gift. Even if it means breaking into the home of the rakish Earl of Frostbough who swindled Papa out of his pocket watch. But when the earl, Jack Hardwick, catches her in the act, they strike a deal: she’ll pose as his fiancée in exchange for the watch. Falling in love is not part of the plan—but with a little Christmas magic, anything is possible…

My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A delightfully entertaining read, rich with romance, passion, attraction and lush details that truly captures the spirit of the season and the era. From sweet to heartbreakingly real these fantastic stories were honest, heartwarming, captivating storytelling at its best. These authors will have you spellbound from the beginning to the end. Filled with page after page of heart pumping drama and an emotional journey that you will re-read again and again. Every single page was filled with perfection.

Great Scot by Suzanne Enoch

If you were a fan of Wild Wicked Highlanders series and the MacTaggert brothers you do not want to miss what happens when they go back to Scotland for Christmas in this story. A delightful story about Jane Bansil who is Lady Aldriss’s companion. Who at the age of thirty-three is content with the peace and quiet that her position brings, until she meets Brennan Andrews the architect for the MacTaggerts’. These two will make your heart close to…bursting with their attraction and chemistry.

Christmas At Dewberry Hollow by Amelia Grey

Isabelle Reed is not happy that guests will be coming at Christmas time. Especially the old Duke who was remembered as a thoroughly commanding, obstinate and difficult to please grump. But when she meets his grandson, she has never had a man make her feel the immediate, intense and sensual sensations that spun so easily through her. But John Cabot Gatestone is there to find a tree with a heart carved in it, that his grandfather had carved long ago. Will these find true love? Or will he leave like all the other guests that have come and gone before? Can these two find a love worthy of a carving in a tree? You don’t want to miss this one!

My Mistletoe Beau by Anna Bennett

Eva Tiding is on a secret mission to steal back her father’s watch from the disreputable rogue, Jack Hardwick the Earl of Frostbough. But she didn’t count on being caught red handed in his apartment. When he refuses to hand over the watch he came up with a deal. Spend three evenings as his fiancé when his grandmother came into town and he would give her the watch. But what starts as pretend soon turns into so much more. Filled with delightful, swoon-worthy dates and laughs, this sizzling romance is perfect for cozying up on a cold winter’s night.