TW: loss of a parent

A rom-com involving donuts? Count me in!

Ryan Kwok is a movie star who just moved back to Toronto to help his father and sister following the unexpected death of his mother. Lindsay McLeod is the co-owner of Kensington Bake Shop, where she makes delicious confections. Ryan and Lindsay meet when Ryan walks into Kensington Bake Shop, drawn by a memory of his mother. While lost in the memory, Ryan steps into the bake shop and knocks into Lindsay who was been carrying a batch of her newest creation: matcha tiramisu donuts. Lindsay has no idea who Ryan is but she’s pissed that two dozen of her donuts are now lying on the floor. Needless to say, Ryan and Lindsay don’t exactly start out on the right foot.

When Ryan gets asked to be a participant on the celebrity version of Baking Fail, he enlists Lindsay’s help to teach him the basics of baking. After a little bit of persuading, Lindsay agrees. As Lindsay and Ryan spend more time together their attraction for each other grows, but Lindsay must decide whether she’s able to deal with Ryan’s life in the spotlight.

This was a sweet book, pun totally intended, but it also explored a lot of heavy topics including coping with the loss of a parent, navigating complex family dynamics, postpartum depression, and dealing with racial stereotypes in the film industry as an Asian-American actor. I honestly was not expecting the book to get that deep just based on the cute cover and my cursory reading of the synopsis, but the fact that these topics were explored, or at least touched upon, made the story more well-rounded and realistic. It was a bit of a slow burn, but it was worth it in the end (as you can tell from the thread count rating below)!

THREAD COUNT RATING: 800

If you enjoy steamy historical romances set in the Scottish Highlands like I do, then this is a must read! This is the 10th novel in the Highland Brides series by Lynsay Sands. You don’t have to have read the other books in order to follow the story, but I highly recommend them! I was a little disappointed because I was expecting this to be Alick’s story (if you’ve read the other books in the series then you know what I’m talking about). That said, I still really enjoyed it and I’m hoping this means there will be another book in the series!

Claray MacFarlane is moments away from being forced to wed Maldouen MacNaughton when the Wolf swoops in to carry her off. Claray has long believed her betrothed to be dead but little does she know that he’s actually the one who just saved her.

The Wolf (aka Conall aka Bryson MacDonald) witnessed the murder of his parents and other clan members as a young boy. He escaped with his life but everyone, except for a select few, was told that he had also died. He has spent the last 16 years living as Conall and working to save enough money to reclaim his home and solve the murder of his parents. Now that he has wed Claray, he can return to MacDonald to restore it to its former glory, reunite his clan, and ultimately uncover the truth surrounding his parents’ death.

This book follows the general pattern of the other books in the series, but that’s part of the reason I love it. When I pick up one of these books I know I can count on a variation of a theme that I enjoy immensely. If you’re looking for something completely original and unpredictable this probably isn’t the book for you, but if you’re looking for a sexy read with a little bit of suspense and mystery that will transport you back in time, you should check it out!

Thread Count Rating: 800

Looking at this cover I did not expect to find such steamy sex scenes, and boy was I pleasantly surprised! The inspiration from Schitt’s Creek is apparent in the premise and main character, Piper Bellinger, but don’t expect the same absurd sense of humor and kooky family dynamics.

Piper and her sister Hannah end up in a small Pacific Coast town in Washington where they have been sent to run their late father’s bar and it’s far from their optimistic expectations. Cue the love interest (and man of my dreams), Brendan Taggert. He’s a sea captain with silver-green eyes, dark hair, and a body sculpted by hard manual labor. Brendan and Piper have an instant attraction, though they both try to fight it in their own way.

This was a sweet and sexy read filled with humorous encounters, hot sex, and a touch of emotionality. If you’re looking for a light read that still brings the heat, check this book out!

P.S. This book previews the chemistry between Hannah and Brendan’s friend, Fox, and I cannot wait to see where their story goes in Hook, Line and Sinker. Its release date is March 1, 2022 and y’all already know I’ve pre-ordered my copy and you can too!

Thread Count Rating: 800