Review: Needing Him Now by C.A. Harms

Author: C.A. Harms
Publication Date: June 2026

I spent a good part of my life blaming every man for one event.
Granted, it was a life-altering event, one that redirected my course and destroyed the girl I was once.

From that point on, I ran from anything good. I hid behind my sarcasm and attitude, deciding to never allow myself to feel vulnerable to any man again.

I was never wrong; they were.
I knew best, I set my pace, I routed my path.
I had control.

Then one night, I let my guard down, and the path I had set in stone was no longer clear.
Everything that I thought made sense no longer did.

Aaron O’Shay was strong, confident, and very easy on the eyes. I’d noticed many times.

So when I decided to dabble, it didn’t work out as planned. He managed to take everything I thought I knew and scramble it all up.

I hated the uncertainty.
I hated the fact that I couldn’t walk away.
I hated that he invaded my thoughts, created memories I couldn’t forget, and left me longing for more.

I hated that this man was making me love him, no matter how hard I fought against it.

And more than anything else, I hated that he wanted me just the way I was. He took away the only solid reason that he and I could never work.

He wanted me, flaws and all!

I have been in a serious reading slump this year.  Needing Him Now was just the book I needed to hopefully get me out of that slump.  I have really been enjoying the Hudson Boys series and 5 books in, still love it.  Kendall and Aaron's story sucked me right in.  Kendall has been fighting a demon from high school and it has made her someone who walks away rather than sticking.  Her heart has a cage around it.  Until she has one night with Aaron.  

I really loved this story.  I loved watching Aaron break down Kendall's walls and help her realize she could be happy without changing who she was.  I thought Rory and Adley were explosive, but these two could give them a run for their money.  I also just loved Kendall and her sassy mouth. The way she could handle herself in any situation was admirable. I won't spoil it any more, I'll just urge you to read the book.  

  

Review: Until I Found You by Erika Kelly

Author: Erika Kelly

Date of publication: June 2026 

Pie-Baking Quarterback. Single Dad. Summer Road Trip.
 
Decker McKenna lives for football--but a three-year-old with big blue eyes is about to rewrite his playbook.
 
Willa Holland came home to restore her family's inn, not to get tangled up with a grumpy quarterback. But watching him try so hard--and stumble so sweetly--at being a father makes it impossible for her to resist.
 
Late-night baking. Small-town charm. And a little girl who shows them what really matters.
 
Steamy small-town romance with a grumpy quarterback, a charming innkeeper, and a daughter who changes the game.

 Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited!
Amazon US: https://geni.us/uifyEK   
Amazon Worldwide: https://geni.us/uifyEK       
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3NCsO3j 

My thoughts:

Until I Found You is the second book in the McKenna Brothers series.  I really loved the first book, but I almost liked Willa and Decker's story even more, if that is possible. This was such a sweet and adorable romance. The chemistry was off the charts for this couple from the beginning.  Both Decker and Willa were chasing something they were never going to catch and ended up finding something infinitely better. Little Birdie was an adorable addition to the story.  Along with the romance, we are treated to time with the McKenna family again.  I really love the relationship among the brothers and father and I feel like they get closer with each story.  I can't wait for the next book.

About the author:

Award-winning author Erika Kelly writes sexy, passionate, and emotional contemporary romance. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she lives in the southwest, drinks a lot of tea, and is always waiting for her cats to get off her keyboard.
 
Connect with Erika
Website | https://www.erikakellybooks.com/   
Goodreads | https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7568925.Erika_Kelly   
Amazon | https://bit.ly/3OYEkDf    
Facebook | https://bit.ly/49I3PSM     
Facebook Group |  https://www.facebook.com/groups/ErikaKellysEntourage     
Instagram |  https://www.instagram.com/erikakellyauthor/    
Bookbub |  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/erika-kelly     
Pinterest |  https://www.pinterest.com/erikakellybooks/_saved/       
Newsletter |  https://erikakellybooks.com/pages/newsletter   
 

Review: Who's All Going (to Die)? by Lisa Springer

Author: Lisa Springer
Publisher: Delacourte Press
Publication Date: September 2025

Ariana could use a vacation. Her dreams of being a collegiate volleyball player have been crushed by an injury. So, when a new friend invites her and two guests to an all-expenses paid resort off the coast of Barbados, she accepts. Her only thoughts now should be about booking a masseuse, lounging on the beach, and maybe seeing what happens with Jadon, the cute guy in her villa.

But charismatic, self-help guru Juniper-Moon has other plans for the group. She keeps preaching lofty ideas on how to better oneself through unorthodox mindfulness activities, intense wellness treatments, and psychedelic microdosing. Plus, “accidents” seem to befall one guest after another, and yet Ari and Jadon are the only ones ready to run for the shores.

Once Juniper-Moon makes it clear that everyone must give back to this new community, Ariana and Jadon decide to team up to expose her web of lies and deceit before their loved ones become trapped in an iron-clad grip no one can free them from.

 I really wanted to like this one but in the end it was just OK.  I love closed room/stranded on the island creepy stories.  However, all I got were annoying teens who clearly ignore red flags that your average teen should have paid attention to. How any of these teens had zero sense of urgency at the outset of the first sign of trouble is beyond me.  Especially after the first person died.  I found Ariana annoying.  Constantly being reminded about her injury and how she didn't want to get involved with a boy got old very fast.  The cult formation plot "twist"  was kind of dumb and really unbelievable.  I wouldn't really recommend this one.

Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Myer and Tamara Moss

Author: Marissa Meyer & Tamara Moss

Publisher:
Publication Date:

 Six months ago, season four of The Escape Game ended in horror when contestant Alicia Angelos was found murdered on set.

Now season five is underway, and new contestants are ready to put their skills to the test solving the show's trickiest escape rooms. There's Adi, the cryptographer; Carter, the math whiz; Beck, the wannabe game master, and . . . Sierra Angelos, the girl who got away with her sister’s murder. Or so everyone believes.

But Sierra’s not just here to win. She’s here for justice.

When the contestants begin uncovering clues that hint at the identity of Alicia’s true killer, it becomes clear that the stakes aren’t high in this competition, they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of who killed Alicia Angelos?

I am a big fan of the Lunar Chronicles series.  But I haven't really been able to get into anything else that this author has written until now.  The Escape Game is a combination of reality TV and escape room madness.  After the murder of a contestant from season 4, season 5 taping of "The Escape Game" is underway.  Can Sierra figure out who murdered her sister and make it to the finale?

I thought this was a pretty fun book.  I kind of had to suspend my disbelief a few times in the book, so if you can do that, I think you will enjoy it as well.  I liked the game play.  The rooms seemed like they would be fun to explore in real life.  I also enjoyed all of the characters. I did like the multi POVs which isn't always the case.  It definitely helped me get to know each characters better.  The reveal was half of what I expected, so it nice to be a little surprised.  It was a fun read, so give it a try.

May Mini Musings

The Sheriff's Secret:  This was a short and pretty enjoyable romance.  I liked both main characters.  It's your classic trope of neither one wants a relationship and they fall in love accidentally.  The dog was cute too.  I just wish that it was a little longer, I didn't feel like I got to know the characters well enough to be overly invested in them.

Rancher's Second Chance:  This one was just kind of meh for me.  I felt like the chemistry was forced.  I had a hard time buying into Cole not knowing who Melanie's father was.  It is established that she has been friends with his sister for years, like all through high school and spent weekends at the ranch.  And she never talked about her parents?  The sister never talked about Melanie's family to him?  Just seemed kind of unbelievable to me.

Let's Split Up:  Apparently I read this one very early in the year and never reviewed it.  I guess that is how much I really didn't vibe with it. I started to listen to it again, and realized why it was forgettable.  The kids were annoying.  Naming one of them "Buffy" was annoying.  The msytery was OK and I will admit to not really knowing the killer before the reveal. I also thought the romances were kind of annoying as well.

Be Right Back:  Because I'm a glutton for punishment, I read the sequel to Let's Split up.  It did not improve on the first one.  The minute a certain character came on screen, I pegged them as the killer right away.  So, I spent the rest of the book waiting for the characters to catch up.  There were way too many times I had to suspend my disbelief in this one. At least the romances weren't annoying..