The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is a cosy mystery thriller and the second book in the Hu Done It series, so readers will need to have read The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club before picking up the sequel. The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is perfect for fans of Only Murders in the Building as well as books like the Finlay Donovan series by Elle Cosimano, Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack, Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and The Maid by Nita Prose. The Mortal Enemy Murder Club explores themes and topics like revenge, cheating, secrets and lies, culture, social norms, fame, family, friendship, trust, right versus wrong, incarceration, and identity.

First off, this cosy mystery weaves together an interesting case, great female friendship, a dash of romance, and some laugh-out-loud moments, making for an enjoyable read! It was great that the mystery in The Mortal Enemy Murder Club was connected to the case in the first book and that it involved many of the same characters, so it made it really easy to dive into the book without a lot of preamble. I really enjoyed Kat’s quirky personality and found her love of idioms (and the history behind them) to be interesting. Lastly, there is definitely the potential for more books in this series so I cannot wait to see what’s up next for “the mortal enemy murder club”!

Even though I enjoyed book two, I was much more invested in and surprised by the case in book one; so in comparison, I didn’t feel like I was as engaged in the plot of The Mortal Enemy Murder Club.

Overall, I’m loving the Hu Done It series and am excited to see what other adventures await Kat, Olivia, and Elle! If you’re looking for a cosy and humorous mystery series, then I highly recommend the series!

The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 28th 2026.

Will you be picking up The Mortal Enemy Murder Club? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back with a twist in this smart, hilarious mystery by USA TODAY bestselling author Gloria Chao.

Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders. Yes, she and her friends Olivia and Elle figured out who killed their cheating ex-boyfriend. But now Kat can get back to her usual, murder-free existence.

Then she gets an unexpected plea for help. Mandy Thorne has ruined countless lives through her revenge podcast. She also did her best to frame the girls. Now, she claims, someone is trying to kill her. And the girls are the only ones who can save her.

But can the trio and Mandy put aside their mutual contempt long enough to prevent a murder and solve this case? Can they become…the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?

Filled with humor and shenanigans, The Mortal Enemy Murder Club is a romp of an adventure by USA TODAY bestselling author Gloria Chao, perfect for fans of Dial A for Aunties and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It.

The post Review: The Mortal Enemy Murder Club by Gloria Chao appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

In Stormy Weather is a swoony and spicy “academic rivals to lovers” romance perfect for fans of books like Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows, Love, Theoretically by Ali Hazelwood, and First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison. It features themes and topics like women in STEM, sexism, loneliness, social media, appearance versus reality, family and found family, academia, unsatisfying careers, job searching and interviews, news reporting, weather, and natural disasters.

Quincy and Sebastian’s story features some of my favourite romance tropes including rivals to lovers, he falls first, forced proximity, best friend’s brother, banter as foreplay, and boy obsessed. I especially loved that Sebastian is Quincy’s biggest fan (secretly at first), and I enjoyed all of the cute nicknames (Sebastian calls her “Quinny baby”) and secret pining (that has been happening since high school). I’m not really knowledgeable about meteorology, but I really enjoyed how Quincy and Sebastian would nerd out about weather together on The Rainy Day Show livestreams as it was super cute and their fans even shipped them! If you know me, you know that I hate the dreaded third act break-up trope, so I really appreciated that it wasn’t included in Quincy and Sebastian’s story. I’ve also recently been reading Chelsea’s D.C. Stars hockey romance series, so I loved the little reference to Maverick (the male main character in Face Off).

The storm chasing scenes were definitely more fast-paced and something that I haven’t really seen in a romance before, so that was really unique. However, I feel like all of the on-page weather events and natural disasters (including evacuations and sheltering, search and rescue efforts, the aftermath and impact, and injuries occurring during natural disasters) could be triggering for some readers.

I feel like there’s definitely a potential for more books in this series (featuring Quincy and Sebastian’s friend group) so I’m excited to see what’s up next for Chelsea. If you’re looking for a unique read featuring nerdy meteorologists, fast-paced storm chasing, and swoon-worthy moments then I highly recommend picking up a copy of In Stormy Weather!

In Stormy Weather is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of July 14th 2026.

Will you be picking up In Stormy Weather? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From bestselling indie author Chelsea Curto comes an academic rivals-to-lovers romance about storm-chasing meteorologists during hurricane season in Florida—perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and B.K. Borison.

Nothing can rain on Quincy Monroe’s parade. She’s a woman in STEM with a PhD in atmospheric sciences, the host of a successful online weather show, and has one million followers on her meteorology Instagram.

Quincy has spent endless hours forging her path in this male-dominated field, becoming one of the best in the industry. And with a new job opportunity, nothing can derail her success. Except for the ill-timed arrival of Sebastian Dunn.

Sebastian is her best friend’s brother, her longtime academic and professional rival, and a flashy TV weatherman from New York City that everyone swoons over. Everyone but Quincy.

Over a scorching Florida summer and record-breaking hurricane season, Sebastian and Quincy are forced into close proximity. Setting aside their grudges to chase storms and stay alive is one thing, but can they weather the inevitable collision of their hearts?

The post Review: In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

When Sparks Fly is a smalltown contemporary romance featuring the age gap, opposites attract, grumpy with sunshine, and single dad tropes. It’s perfect for fans of books like Chasing the Fire by Paisley Hope, It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey, Slap Shot by Chelsea Curto, Sawyer by Jessica Peterson, and The Wild Card by Stephanie Archer. When Sparks Fly deals with themes and topics like cheating, abandonment, loneliness and isolation, single parenting, fires and firefighting, debilitating workplace injuries, finances, social status, and identity.

I was drawn to this book due to the hilarious cover art, and it definitely ended up being a fun read! I loved the beachy smalltown setting of Foxglove Bay. Wyatt and Rachel’s spicy and swoony chemistry was enjoyable as well as Rachel’s budding friendship with her roommate and coworker Paige. Lastly, having read some of Murphy’s other books, I appreciated that we got to see some familiar characters, such as Scarlett Lancaster.

The “will they, won’t they” tension and drama between Rachel’s roommate Paige and Wyatt’s brother Nate! was fantastic! It felt like a missed opportunity that Murphy didn’t delve into Paige and Nate’s story more in When Sparks Fly; but she does leave the story open for Paige and Nate to potentially get their own book in the future. That said, I wasn’t a big fan of some of the more serious topics that came up in Rachel and Wyatt’s story, like dealing with debilitating workplace injuries, but doesn’t detract from the story.

I think that this fun and spicy read would be the perfect addition to any romance reader’s summer TBR list!

When Sparks Fly is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up When Sparks Fly? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Monica Murphy comes a sweltering summer romance you won’t be able to put down.

Twenty-two-year-old heiress Rachel Henderson has one goal this summer: hide out at her family’s lake house and recover from the most mortifying breakup Manhattan society has ever witnessed. Sun, swimming, and zero paparazzi, what could go wrong?

But her quiet summer by the lake goes up in literal flames when a spa-day candle mishap sets her mother’s designer curtains on fire. When the local fire department shows up—specifically the ridiculously hot fire captain—the house is saved, but the captain scorches her pride with a lecture about fire safety.

Determined to prove she can handle life on her own without her family’s help, Rachel finds a new roommate and a new job—too bad she’s terrible at it. Oh, and she keeps running into Captain Tall-Dark-and-Infuriating (which definitely isn’t a hardship). The more time they spend together, the more their conversations start to get real, and Rachel finds herself falling for Wyatt. She thinks he might even feel the same way.

The only problem? Wyatt is all about roots and permanence, while Rachel is the very definition of flighty. But this summer, she just might be tempted to stay …

The post Review: When Sparks Fly by Monica Murphy appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Our Perfect Storm is a childhood “friends to lovers” romance featuring the “he falls first” trope. It deals with themes and topics like love and heartbreak, trust, secrets and lies, friendship, abandonment, loneliness, sense of self, mental health, appearance versus reality, change versus tradition, communication, happiness, marriage, work life balance, and travel. Our Perfect Storm would be perfect for fans of books like Happy Ending by Chloe Liese, The Wingman by Stephanie Archer, and People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. I also think that fans of Little Women will enjoy Our Perfect Storm as it has quite a few Little Women references throughout with Frankie and George’s relationship often being likened to that of Jo and Laurie.

I’m Canadian, so I absolutely loved the main setting of Tofino, British Columbia. Furthermore, the descriptions of all of the gorgeous places that Frankie and George visited—like stunning beaches and rainforests—and cool adventures that Frankie and George went on—including surfing lessons and whale watching tours—whilst on their “honeymoon” in Tofino were fantastic! Carley Fortune also included a tonne of information about whales throughout the book since Frankie is named after a whale and Frankie’s mother is passionate about whales and conservation, so I thought that this was really cool and interesting as well as unique and memorable.

I hate the miscommunication and third act break-up tropes, so I found all of the misinterpretation and lack of communication throughout Frankie and George’s story to be super frustrating. That said, Frankie and George were such loveable characters that I couldn’t help but root for them despite how long it took for them to realise and communicate their romantic feelings for each other. I’m also not a big fan of flashbacks in books as I find that they are often overly long and interrupt my reading experience, but the flashbacks in Frankie and George’s story were limited to shorter snippets that were important to the plot, which I appreciated.

Overall, I really enjoyed this beachy “friends to lovers” read and I think that it would be a great addition to romance readers’ summer TBR lists!

Our Perfect Storm is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of May 5th 2026.

Will you be picking up Our Perfect Storm? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

Best friends have one week in paradise to fix their friendship or fall apart in this heart-stopping, utterly romantic new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and One Golden Summer.

Frankie and George have been best friends since they were eight years old. Both passionate, impulsive, and headstrong—they’ve always clashed . . . and come back together. Until now. It’s the eve of Frankie’s wedding weekend, and she doesn’t know where they stand or even if George will show up as her best man.

Then, at the start of the festivities, in walks George. For one glorious evening, surrounded by her loved ones, Frankie’s life is finally perfect. But it all comes crashing down when her fiancé dumps her the next morning, leaving only a note as an explanation.

Crushed and confused, Frankie returns to her family’s home to wallow. But George has a different idea and a plan for healing Frankie’s broken heart. He wants her to go on her honeymoon. With him. For one week, to the lush rainforests and misty beaches of Tofino.

Frankie agrees, seeing the trip for what it really is: one last chance to repair their friendship. Even if it means unearthing secrets and long buried feelings neither knows how to handle. Even if it means falling apart for good.

The post Review: Our Perfect Storm by Carley Fortune appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Happy Ending is a “friends to lovers” and opposites attract slowburn romance featuring themes and topics like family, divorce, mental health and therapy, self worth, parental neglect, custody and co-parenting, friendship, love and heartbreak, loneliness, secrets and lies, and revenge. This is is perfect for fans of romance books like Happy Place by Emily Henry, Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez, Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows, First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison, and The Match by Sarah Adams.

Firstly, the plot of the story with strangers bonding as a result of their exes getting together felt really unique and memorable. I loved how the main character, Thea, is a book lover who works at a bookstore; she even runs her own book club and tends to narrate her life as if she is the main character in her own story. I always find that I connect well with bookish characters like Thea and think that fellow readers will love Thea as well. There were also some amazing bookish quotes that fellow bookworms will enjoy; I highlighted quite a few that will definitely make their way into my reading journal in the near future.

On the downside, Happy Ending was a “friends to lovers” story, which isn’t my favourite trope. I was also disappointed that the book seemed slower to start, with Thea and Alex not even arriving at their beach vacation until the halfway point in the book. Lastly,  all of the flashback chapters were too lengthy and frequent for my liking; I always feel like flashbacks interrupt my reading experience and the flow of the story.

Even though Happy Ending wasn’t my favourite from Chloe Liese, I still really enjoyed this swoony “friends to lovers” story and I think that other romance readers will too. 

Happy Ending is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.

Will you be picking up Happy Ending? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From USA TODAY bestselling author Chloe Liese, a clever and heartwarming rom-com that is perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Annabel Monaghan about two best friends who must fake a relationship for their exes.

Thea and Alex have three things in common—they love food, they hate where they live, and they’re both divorced. Otherwise, they couldn’t be more different.

Thea’s never cooked a day in her life. Alex is a world-class chef. Alex resents feeling stuck in his hometown. Thea resents the town for not feeling more like home. Thea and her ex are in a contentious custody battle for their dog. Alex and his ex amicably coparent their daughter. Beyond a few friends in common, a couple small-world connections (welcome to life in a mid-size city), their lives look nothing alike. Fast forward two years, and they’re truly the best of friends. No one would ever know their friendship began as a lie…

Two years ago, their exes got together immediately following their divorces, and somehow, Thea and Alex found themselves spinning a spite-fueled story about being old friends and first loves. Two years later, what began as a ruse has grown into real friendship—just friendship, despite what friends and family seem to think. But when their exes invite them on a two-week, “two family” beach vacation—daughter and dog included—Alex and Thea start to wonder if this story they’ve spun might have gotten away from them, and if it’s led them to the last place they ever thought it could: a happy ending.

The post Review: Happy Ending by Chloe Liese appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Chasing the Fire is a spicy smalltown cowboy romance featuring the accidental pregnancy, morally grey, and forced proximity tropes. It is the final book in the Silver Pines Ranch series of interconnected standalones, and I would recommend reading the series in order for an optimal reading experience. This book explores themes and topics like secrets and lies, crime and punishment, pregnancy, loss of loved ones, adoption, family and found family, facing past trauma, fires, and appearance versus reality. It would be perfect for fans of Heartless by Elsie Silver, No More Secrets by Lucy Score, Breathe with Me by Becka Mack, Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage, and Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings.

Asher and Olivia’s spicy chemistry has been hinted at throughout the series, especially in the last book, Freeing the Wild, so I was very excited to finally read their story. Chasing the Fire was different from other cowboy romances that I’ve read, which was refreshing, plus Asher’s morally grey past and redemption arc were definitely unique and memorable. I loved how, even though he’s quieter and has trouble expressing his feelings, Asher shows his love and appreciation for Olivia through acts of service and handmade gifts—I thought that this was super swoony, and I think that other readers will too. Lastly, even though there was a lot of “will they, won’t they” vibes in Olivia and Asher’s story, there wasn’t a big third act break-up, which I really appreciated.

On the flip side, I didn’t really like that the pregnancy took up such a big portion of the book; accidental pregnancy isn’t my favourite trope, and whilst life-changing, I wasn’t expecting it to be the main focus of Olivia and Asher’s story. Also, Chasing the Fire included some more serious or darker topics than the other books in the series, such as crime families, loss of parents and adoption, and deadly fires, which I wasn’t expecting and could be triggering for some readers.

Overall, I loved this series and would highly recommend it to fans of spicy interconnected cowboy romances!

Chasing The Fire is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 14th 2026.

Will you be picking up Chasing The Fire? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

Laurel Creek’s fire chief is good at putting out fires and keeping secrets, but the town sweetheart is determined to burn through his defenses in the blazing-hot finale to the Silver Pines Ranch series.

She’s as wild as fire. He’s ready to burn for her.

The owner of a popular boutique, Olivia Sutton is the darling of Laurel Creek. While Olivia may be as sweet as the baked treats she loves to create, beneath her good girl exterior, she harbors a secret desire: a man who can take control.

Enter Asher Reed, the town’s fire chief. Asher keeps everything in his life carefully controlled . . . except when it comes to Olivia, the copper-haired beauty who has captured his attention in ways he can’t ignore.

When a moment of weakness leads to two pink lines, Olivia and Asher agree to spend more time together, determined to be friends.

But when Olivia realizes the smoldering firefighter might be the key to the future she’s always dreamed of, will their spark ignite—or be extinguished by the weight of his secrets?

The post Review: Chasing the Fire by Paisley Hope appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The Escape Game is a YA mystery thriller with themes and topics like parental abandonment, greed, fame, child predators, teamwork, appearance versus reality, gender identity, truth and lies, and show business. The Escape Game would be perfect for fans of Margot Mertz Takes It Down by Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy, The Grandest Game by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson, and Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson.

Having completed a few escape rooms over the years, I loved the escape room-themed game show setting and all of the puzzles! It was also cool that not only were the main characters working to solve the escape room puzzles to move onto the next round, but they were also investigating the death of Sierra’s sister so this made the book seem really fast-paced and action-packed. I also appreciated that the book was broken up into sections for each of the rounds of the game show as this helped the book to flow really nicely. 

The book alternated between the perspectives of the four teammates—Carter, Beck, Adi, and Sierra—and the changing perspectives were a little hard to follow, especially at the beginning of the book. Perhaps if the book was told from the perspective of only one or maybe two of the main characters (like Carter and/or Sierra), I would have enjoyed the book more. There were also a few short interviews from the previous season with Alicia Angelos interspersed throughout the book that didn’t seem to be all that relevant.

That said, I think that the budding friendship and camaraderie between Carter, Beck, Adi, and Sierra (a.k.a. Team Helsing) was the best part of the novel.  I’ve read quite a few YA mystery thrillers recently and in comparison, I felt like The Escape Game wasn’t as unpredictable or shocking as other books I’ve read. The book does end in a bit of a cliffhanger, but sets the main characters up nicely for another adventure, so I’m excited to see what’s up next for Team Helsing!

If you’re looking for an action-packed teen mystery thriller full of puzzles and a fun cast of characters, then I highly recommend checking out The Escape Game!

The Escape Game is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of April 7th 2026.

Will you be picking up The Escape Game? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

An unforgettable young adult murder mystery set in an escape-room themed game show filled with sabotage, betrayal, and puzzles to die for.

It’s all fun and games until someone ends up dead.

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 just in this competition—they’re deadly. If these teens want to win—and survive—the game, they must solve the biggest mystery of all: who killed Alicia Angelos?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Marissa Meyer and rising star Tamara Moss comes a twisty thrill-ride that will take readers on an exhilarating hunt to uncover secrets, conspiracy, and cold-blooded murder.

The post Review: The Escape Game by Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line is the sixth book in the Finlay Donovan series and picks up right where book five leaves off, so this series definitely needs to be read in order. Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line includes themes and topics like family and found family, parenting, secrets and lies, appearance versus reality, right versus wrong, race, economic class, gambling, money, threats, the legal system, and sorority life. The Finlay Donovan series to fans of cosy and comical mysteries like The Maid by Nita Prose, The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club by Gloria Chao, Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto, and Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack.

I love how all of the Finlay Donovan books feature a gripping yet cosy mystery as well as romantic moments and laugh-out-loud shenanigans. Furthermore, the Finlay Donovan books are always engaging, fast-paced, and seemingly quick reads. The false accusations and warrant against Vero have been discussed in previous books, so I’m glad that this case was finally addressed, even though it maybe wasn’t as thrilling as some of Finlay and Vero’s other adventures. Without giving anything away, Finlay and Vero seem to be facing some major life changes at the end of Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line, so excited to see what new mischief this iconic duo gets up to in book seven!

On the downside, we didn’t get to see a lot of swoony Detective Nick or Finlay’s hilariously cute kids in this book since they stay in Virginia while Finlay and Vero are in Maryland, but hopefully we will get to see them more in book seven. I also thought that, in comparison to other books in the Finlay Donovan series, the plot in this book was a little more predictable and tamer, but still enjoyable.

The Finlay Donovan series remains my all-time favourite mystery series, and I can’t wait to see what Vero and Finlay get up to in the next installment. I highly recommend this series to fans of cosy yet suspenseful mysteries with hints of romance and hilarity (again, if you are new to this series, you should start with book one, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It).

Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 17th 2026.

Will you be picking up Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

From New York Times bestseller Elle Cosimano comes Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line―the highly anticipated next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series.

Life hasn’t been easy for Finlay Donovan lately, but it just got a whole lot harder. Her nanny and partner-in-crime, Vero, has been extradited from Virginia to Maryland, where she’s facing criminal charges for a theft she swears she didn’t commit. A prisoner to an ankle bracelet as she awaits her trial, Vero is forced to live with her overbearing mother and nosy aunt. Threatening messages keep arriving on her mother’s door, demanding Vero “turn over the money . . . or else.” And if she doesn’t figure out who really stole her former sorority’s treasury funds, her next home might be a prison cell.

But proving her innocence might be an impossible feat. Vero was the treasurer of her sorority when the money went missing―one of the only people who had access to the cash. And her alibi is a date who ghosted her. With her court date quickly approaching, and her mysterious stalker on her tail, Vero needs to clear her name fast.

Finlay decides a trip to Maryland is in order. After all, Vero stood by her through her darkest moments, and Finlay will be damned if she lets her best friend and children’s nanny be convicted for something she didn’t do. She sets off on a mission to suss out the real thief and bring Vero home.

The post Review: Finlay Donovan Crosses the Line by Elle Cosimano appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Toe to Toe is a spicy dancer romance featuring the forced proximity trope and deals with themes and topics like sexual harassment and assault, reputation, appearance versus reality, body image and strict diets, self love and self worth, family, sexuality, love and heartbreak, and mental health. Toe to Toe is perfect for fans of dance romances like The Striker by Ana Huang, I’ll Always Be With You by Monica Murphy, Play with Me by Becka Mack, The Dixon Rule by Elle Kennedy, and The Sweetest Fix by Tessa Bailey.

I actually took ballet lessons growing up and continue to dance to this day, so I always love picking up a dancer romance! The dancing in this book was a lot spicier than I was expecting and was reminiscent of Magic Mike mixed with Dirty Dancing and Step Up, but I still enjoyed it, especially Cord’s tap dance as that is my favourite style of dance and you don’t see tap a lot in anything! I also loved how, throughout their lessons, Cord encouraged Allegra to embrace joy by doing more things that bring her happiness and not just because they will help with her dancing. Even though it was a slowburn romance, with Cord and Allegra constantly doubting that a romantic relationship would be worth pursuing, the book still had a ton of spicy chemistry and swoon-worthy moments throughout.

On the downside, there were some more serious topics discussed that could potentially be triggering for some readers. For example, due to Cord’s past negative experiences in the ballet world, there is a lot of talk about the poor body image and unhealthy dieting that is often associated with professional ballet. Also, there is a big focus on a past sexual assault (off page) and Allegra feeling uncomfortable with unwanted advances from her male ballet director. Lastly, there was a lot of conflict in this book between the main characters, which isn’t my favourite.

If you enjoy all types of dancing and are looking for a spicy read, then I highly recommend picking up a copy of Toe to Toe!

Toe to Toe is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of

Will you be picking up Toe to Toe? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

It takes two to tango.

Allegra Hart has been working her whole life to achieve one goal: become a principal ballerina. When her director starts holding auditions for the lead role in the company’s latest production, Allegra sees this as her chance—maybe her last chance.

The catch? The director wants someone with sex appeal, and he doesn’t think she’s up to the task. Determined to prove him wrong, Allegra enlists the help of the lead dancer of an all-male revue, Cord Donovan, a classically trained dancer who is also the sexiest man she’s ever met. In exchange for lessons on how to ramp up her sex appeal, she promises to help Cord choreograph a new partner piece for his show.

As they practice their moves on and off the stage, Allegra and Cord find themselves battling a growing attraction. Except Allegra is determined not to let a man derail her career . . . but what if she could have both love and success? Or will her involvement with Cord jeopardize everything she’s worked for?

The post Review: Toe to Toe by Falon Ballard appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Mistakes Were Made is a spicy opposites attract, forced proximity, smalltown romance and it is the second book in Lucy Score’s Story Lake series of interconnected standalones. I would highly recommend reading Story of My Life first as it introduces readers to the smalltown of Story Lake and it nicely sets up Zoey and Gage’s story.

Mistakes Were Made features themes and topics like ADHD and neurodiversity, adoption, abuse, strained relationships with parents, self worth, perfectionism, fear of failure, loss and grief, divorce, disability, and infertility. I also want to mention that a past car accident resulting in death and permanent disability, as well as the sentencing of the driver, is mentioned quite a bit in this novel and could be triggering for some readers. 

“‘Why do you wear a disco ball around your neck?’ ‘Because I like broken, sparkly things.’”

First off, I enjoyed the imagery of the disco ball that is used throughout the novel and on the cover art. The book talks a lot about mistakes, and I love how the disco ball almost symbolises how mistakes (or broken things) can sometimes be beautiful and not always a negative thing. Furthermore, not only is the word “disco” used as a way for the main characters to be honest with each other, but physical disco balls are also used by Gage to woo Zoey, which I thought was super cute. As with book 1, I loved reading about the hilarious laugh-out-loud shenanigans that go on in the quirky yet closeknit smalltown of Story Lake; it definitely reminded me of Pawnee from Parks and Recreation so if you love that show, you’ll probably also love Story Lake! I especially loved the smalltown shenanigans involving the cute yet mischievous animals in town (like how Gage’s dog Nana puts her paws on the horn when she is left alone in a vehicle for too long). Also, as a reader, the Reader Weekend that the town puts on to celebrate the release of Zoey’s best friend Hazel’s romance book (which is based on her own love story in Story Lake) was so fun.

On the downside, the court case regarding the driver who killed Gage’s brother-in-law and permanently injured Gage’s sister was definitely more emotional and not as enjoyable to read about. Additionally, it was hard to read about Zoey constantly putting herself down (and being put down by others at times) throughout the book, usually in regard to her tendencies to make mistakes. But I appreciated that Zoey sought a diagnosis to understand herself better and I felt like her self worth was improving by the end of the novel.

I’m definitely excited to see what (and who) the next book in the Story Lake series will be about! If you enjoy spicy romances with forced proximity, opposites attract, and quaint small towns, then I highly recommend picking up a copy of Mistakes Were Made (and book 1 in the series, Story of My Life). This book is perfect fans of spicy smalltown romances like If It Makes You Happy by Julie Olivia, In Your Dreams by Sarah Adams, Freeing the Wild by Paisley Hope, Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver, and Seven Year Itch by Amy Daws.

Mistakes Were Made is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 10th 2026.

Will you be picking up Mistakes Were Made? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lucy Score, whose smash hit Things We Never Got Over captured millions of hearts, invites you back to Story Lake for a swoon-worthy new small town romantic comedy.

He’s looking for the perfect wife. She’s looking for the perfect one-night stand.

Literary agent Zoey Moody doesn’t like small town life, but here she is: exiled from Manhattan’s publishing scene and trapped in a tiny Pennsylvania town with her BFF and only remaining client, Hazel. The problem? She’s totally broke.

All she needs is for Hazel’s next romance novel to become a gigantic hit, and Zoey will be back in New York. Nothing will stand in her way. Nothing except her six-foot-two-inch landlord, Gage Bishop. He’s smart, serious, and sexy. Worst of all, he’s ready to settle down.

Zoey might be the most beautiful woman Gage has ever met, but it’s clear they’re all wrong for each other. She’s allergic to commitment and can’t work a calendar app; he’s looking for a wife and has the next five years all planned out. She’s afraid of animals. He lives in a literal barn. But when Gage’s world is rocked by a devastating family secret, he turns to Zoey for one night to forget everything. That one night just might change everything…or ruin it.

Perfect for fans of the heart, humor, and hope found in Things We Never Got Over and Things We Left Behind, Mistakes Were Made is a steamy escape to small town romance―full of emotional twists, slow-burn tension, and Lucy Score’s trademark charm.

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