My Rock Star Neighbor by Kathy Strobos

 

                                                                 My Rock Star Neighbor

When a wary rock star and a cynical reporter fake date to bury a scandalous rumor, will true love be exposed as the real story?

Nick: I do my best songwriting while playing my guitar on the fire escape. Unfortunately, my in-bed-at-ten next-door neighbor, Maddie, is not a fan of my music. She clambers out on the fire escape to yell at me about making "noise.”  In bunny slippers, no less. But then she trips and falls into my arms.

That photo of Maddie plastered all over me hits the papers, just as my dream recording company wants to sign my band. Which is a problem, because an obsessed fan is claiming that I’m her boyfriend and now the media is blowing up that I’m two-timing them both. Good-bye recording contract, unless….

Maddie: I’m supposed to cover the story. Not be the story! But when Nick begs me to fake date, I can’t resist the chance to be Nick’s girlfriend—even if fake—the opposite of my life as a city desk reporter. But my ex said I’m a terrible kisser, and there’s no way I want Mr. Hot Rock Star saying the same thing. Hence, clause 11 in our contract: There will be absolutely no physical contact.

Nick: When Maddie receives a threatening photo of the two of us with an X over her face, my desire to protect her suddenly feels all too real. It’s either a troll or her undercover investigation has been compromised. With both our careers at stake, is breaking up the only way to keep Maddie safe?

What I loved about this book is the blend of the romance tropes that I enjoy the most; girl/boy next door, fake dating, and mystery, suspense and danger.

Maddie and Nick have some adorable interactions as next door neighbours and frenemies. These scenes are pure rom com gold and my favourite of the book. I also loved their sweet moments when they were fake dating and trying to sell their romance. They were both trying to put on a front but Nick's input always sounded real and from the heart rather than pretence.

The light mystery and suspense was an added bonus as it helped keep the storyline interesting and pacey with unexpected twists.

 

This was a fun and lighthearted rom com with a feel good ending. A lovely read.

Purchase Links

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHZ2LNFR/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FHZ2LNFR/

https://books.apple.com/us/book/my-rock-star-neighbor/id6748830148

Author Bio – Kathy Strobos is an award-winning author living in New York City with her husband and two children, amid a growing collection of books, toys, and dollhouses. She took a break from working as a lawyer to write romantic comedies full-time and get in shape. She is still working on getting in shape.

Born and raised in Manhattan, she loves writing about New York City and her smart heroines who live and fall in love there, amidst its vibrant energy and the aroma of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She is the award-winning author of: A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, Partner Pursuit, Is This for Real?, Caper Crush, My Book Boyfriend, Love Is an Art and My Secret Snowflake. 

Social Media Links –

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathystroboswriter/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathystrobosrewrites

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/kathy-strobos

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kathystrobos9451

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21826543.Kathy_Strobos

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Kathy-Strobos/author/B09GGB2G1B

Audible: https://www.audible.com/author/Kathy-Strobos/B09GGB2G1B

A Billionaire for Christmas by Jo lyons

 

When talented chef Molly's best friend and business partner, Ava, passes away, she leaves Molly their beloved restaurant – and a wild, impossible bucket list to complete. But thanks to a legal mix-up, Molly's inheritance is at risk unless she ticks off every outrageous item before the Christmas Eve deadline: just twelve days away.

Determined to honour Ava's wishes and desperate to save her dream, Molly searches for a billionaire willing to share Champagne with her in a hot tub – one of the more extravagant challenges on the bucket list. She's in a luxurious ski resort in the French Alps, so it might just be doable. But then she meets Levi. A devastatingly handsome billionaire, yes, but infuriatingly resistant to getting involved!

As the snow falls and sparks fly, Molly is entangled in a series of increasingly embarrassing escapades. With time running out, can she pull off the impossible – and maybe even find love along the way?

Unfortunately, I did not like this book at all. Levi was insufferable, and Molly had no self-respect. I could not understand why she was wasting her time on him. Was the author expecting the reader to be equally as shallow as Molly and immediately swoon because he's a billionaire? To tick the box on her bucket list, she should have just picked another rich, random person, male or female, and got it over with.
There were a couple of scenes involving her cooking that I liked and were quite funny. The bucket list was certainly quite inspired, and it should have resulted in a really funny book. But it didn't. I couldn't wait for it to be over.

 The relationship went from ice-cold and going nowhere for ninety per cent of the book to the inevitable happy ending all the way at the very end.

 I finished this feeling very annoyed that I wasted my audio subscription on it instead of just reading the KU version.

There's Pumpkin About You by Athena Carstairs

 

One determined party planner + one grumpy pumpkin farmer = a fall to remember…

Given the chance to plan her bestie’s 30th birthday bash, Wren Southwick is determined to create an experience so big and so bold that the name of her party planning business spreads beyond the confines of her own small town.

The key to her plan? The Finch family’s Goldleaf Pumpkin Farm. It’s not just the perfect venue but also the perfect supply partner for the autumnal-themed bash Wren envisions. But to get what she wants – and needs – she’ll have to get gorgeous grouch August Finch on board.

The table is set, and the battle is about to begin … but who will fall first?

There's Pumpkin About You is a cute and cozy autumnal romance. The highlight of the story is the grumpy sunshine dynamics between the main characters Wren and August. 

The story centres around Wren's ambition to kickstart her party planning business by partnering with a reluctant August in renovating his barn as an event space.

I enjoyed their interactions and how she got under his skin by bringing him coffee every day.  The neurodivergent representation was a central theme in this book, and August's quirks made him quite endearing. I thought it strange how extremely rude the people in such a small town were to August and how ignorant they were about autism, as where I'm from, it would be the exact opposite.

There wasn't an awful lot of plot to the story, but the slow-burning romance was a nice read, and if another book followed with a story about one of  August's brothers, I would happily pick it up to read.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book and enjoyed the narration.

Score to Settle (Oakwood ranch Book1 ) Bella North

 

Series

Oakwood Ranch

Release date

10-09-25

Language

English

Format

Unabridged Audiobook

Length

9 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher

Hachette UK - Bookouture

Categories

Romance

About this listen

A totally unputdownable, sweet and steamy enemies-to-lovers small town romance

In high school, he broke her heart—now he’s the famous football player whose image she’s meant to clear. Game on.

NFL superstar Jake Sullivan’s playboy reputation is finally catching up with him. To keep his sponsors happy, he needs to wipe the slate clean—and fast. He’s never backed away from a challenge, so he’s confident he can charm the hotshot city journalist sent to write a glowing piece on him without revealing the real reason behind his behavior.

Harper Cassidy is determined to show the world the real Jake. The one who broke her teenage heart. Pulling up to his (admittedly idyllic) family ranch, Harper steels herself for his ridicule once he realizes who she is. But when his stormy dark eyes and stupidly handsome face give nothing away, her blood boils. He doesn’t even remember her! Her boss wants her feature to convince people he’s a good guy. Yeah, right.

They would both rather be anywhere else, but for the next five weeks they’re stuck with each other. So why does Harper’s heart flutter when Jake offers up his sweatshirt and their hands accidentally brush? Why can’t Jake resist taking Harper to places he’s never shown anyone? And stranger still: supposed playboy Jake hasn’t glanced at a single woman since Harper arrived in his spare room…

They both came into this game determined to win. But somewhere along the way, the rules have started to change…

An enemies-to-lovers forced proximity sports and cowboy romance, Score to Settle is perfect for fans of Stephanie Archer, Liz Tomforde and Elsie Silver. The first in the Oakwood Ranch series, it can also be listened to as a standalone.

Narrated in duet style.

TROPES:
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Sports romance
Grumpy sunshine
Slow burn
Workplace romance (sports star vs journalist)
Found family

©2025 Bella North (P)2025 Bookouture, an imprint of Storyfire Ltd  

                           

Score to Settle is an entertaining and highly addictive story right from the opening chapter. Harper and Jake went to the same high school, and now, as adults, Harper has been tasked with interviewing him for a sports magazine as he wants to restore his public image. The only problem is she hates him. I liked the banter between the pair and the inner monologues they each had about the other. I was hoping Harper would get over her issues about Jake from High School and grow up! It took a while, but she got there. The romance that blossomed between them was funny and sweet. The spicy scenes, I generally skip to the end of the chapter, as there were quite a few of them. 

The dual narration was done perfectly. I prefer for the main characters' voices to be performed by the same narrator throughout, no matter which one is narrating the chapter.

I loved that Harper had other writing aspirations, and her novel about vampires in Ancient Egypt is something I would totally read. Maybe the publisher could make that a bonus book when the series ends!

There was a good group of side characters who will make great main characters as the series progresses, and this will definitely compel me to read the next book in the series.

Cover Reveal- Arvia: Fangs of the Frost (Tales of Arvia Book 5) by D. H. Willison

 

            Cover Reveal for  Arvia: Fangs of the Frost 

(Tales of Arvia, Book 5) by D. H. Willison

 

Print length: 570 pages

Release date: October 14, 2025

Cover Artist: Betty Elgyn (instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betty_elgyn/)

As in Tales of Arvia 3 and 4, print copies have interior illustrations

Interior Artist: Si’yann (instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siyann_stuff/)

From the Blurb

Being sent on a quest to save an entire city and granted the city’s full resources is a grand honor. Unless that city is Xin, with no resources to speak of.

A magical secret from Xin’s past threatens the city’s future, and Darin must lead a rag-tag group to a frigid city at the end of the world to save it. Their dilapidated old trade schooner may be haunted, but it survived conversion into the world’s first harpy aircraft carrier. And more importantly, it was cheap.

Can a misfit crew of humans and monsters overcome creepy creatures, mysterious magical phenomena, and the whims of the Empress of the Ice? How does a couple get alone time on a ship, when one of them is the size of the ship? And will Darin and Rinloh finally put the naughty in nautical?

Join Arvia's most eclectic heroic duo for adventures on the high seas! Caution: may contain questionable relationship advice, gratuitous human + nonhuman cuddle sequences, and/or singing.

Arvia: Fangs of the Frost releases on the 14th of October.

A Murder on the Mountain (Meg Reed Investigates book 1) by Ellie Alexander

 

Description

What’s worse than being terrified of heights when you’re a reporter for an adventure magazine? Witnessing a murder from the top of a cliff.

Meg Reed thought landing a job at Northwest Extreme magazine was her lucky break—until she realized she’d have to actually venture outdoors. Determined to fake it till she makes it, she finds herself covering an adventure race in Oregon's stunning Columbia River Gorge.

When one of the contestants plummets to their death from Angel’s Rest summit, Meg is the only witness and she knows right away it was more than just a tragic accident. With her new job on the line and a killer on the loose, Meg must overcome her fears and put her investigative instincts to work.

Armed only with her notebook, a strong mocha, and her best friends’ support, Meg throws herself into uncovering the dark secrets among the close-knit adventure racing community. And she soon discovers that sometimes the most dangerous thing about the great outdoors might just be the people in it.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, this charming cozy mystery introduces an endearing amateur sleuth who learns that solving murders could be the one outdoor activity she’s naturally good at. Perfect for fans of Tonya Kappes, Lauren Elliott and Laurie Gilmore.

A Murder on the Mountain was previously published as Scene of the Climb.

A Murder on the Mountain is the first in the series, and I'm already itching to read the second book.

The story follows Meg, a reporter on her first big assignment for an extreme sports magazine. Unfortunately, Meg, who lied to get the job, has to get involved in the activities alongside the participants in order to write her article. This was one of the most humorous aspects of the novel. Meg had no intention of completing the climb and pulled every delaying tactic she had up her sleeve to slow the pace of the team down, all whilst being decked out in trendy pink climbing gear and lugging an overpacked backpack. I could imagine her horror at the prospect of hiking up a mountain, and found her reactions completely relatable. At the same time, I loved the author's descriptions of the area. Not only could I picture the entire scene, but it left me wanting to see it in real life.

The mystery of who killed Lenny and why had me stumped, and I suspected everyone at some stage, except Matt, of course. The 'who' surprised me in the end, but I thought the 'why' was a little bit weak. 

Meg has a nice support cast of friends and a grandmother, Gam, who is a little bit eccentric. There's a gentle romantic subplot bubbling behind the scenes. Matt is in love with Meg, while she is crushing on her boss, Greg. There is also the backstory of her father's death, which may not have been an accident. So, there are lots of threads to pull together for subsequent titles in the series, and I can't wait.

This book is available on KU and 99p for kindle. Also available in paperback.

                                                            Amazon

Glunda the Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson (The Write Reads Blog Tour)

 

Glunda The Veg Witch by Keith W. Dickinson

 

Glunda the Veg Witch was the 7th place finalist in BBNYA 2024!

About BBNYA

 

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

 

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads

Book Details

 

Length: 149 Pages

Genre: Fantasy

Age Category: New Adult

Date Published: October 31, 2023

Amazon: https://a.co/d/0PuM2ij (USA) https://amzn.eu/d/g53yea8 (UK) https://a.co/d/3rEJIWd (Canada)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/197178640-glunda-the-veg-witch

The Story Graph:

https://app.thestorygraph.com/books/b74b2904-09ad-46f1-a5ef-4454a7dcb72c

 

Blurb

“A witch’s boots told the story of her life. They showed you where she’d been, where she was going, and what kind of a witch she would be when she got there. And, most importantly, they were proof that said witch was not someone to be trifled with. She was to be listened to, and obeyed, and yes sometimes even feared, because her wisdom was hard earned and her wrath swift and mighty. They would have to be, for her to have lived in such boots for so many a year. No one trusted a witch in brand new boots, and rightly so as far as Glunda was concerned.”

 Glunda Ashwillow is on top of the world. About to become head witch, and the youngest ever Guardian of the Golden Key, the only thing standing in her way is her old enemy, the Drupe Mages. They have the key, and they're not willing to give it up without a fight.

 With a coven of quarrelsome witches to contend with, and a fief full of farmers on the verge of revolt, can Glunda beat the mages and get the key before she runs out of veg? Or is there a cold, hard, carrot-less winter ahead for all concerned?

 A tale of heroism and hotpots, Glunda The Veg Witch is a fun fantasy adventure everyone can enjoy.

 

I was immediately drawn to Glunda the Veg Witch because of the cute and cosy vibes the cover gives, and impressively it delivers in spades. The second thing that stood out was the humour. There is plenty in this to keep every type of reader entertained.

For those who enjoy a touch of fantasy, the witches versus mages plotline offers magic spells and mishaps in an amusing way.

I thought the idea of there being a vegetable witch to be very unique and wholesome, making the story a charming read.

I really like Glunda and wanted her to succeed. One of my favourite scenes was where she was selling things at the market and having to explain to the unimpressed normies that her items were ordinary and non-magical.

The resolution to the rivalry between the mages and the witches is resolved in a very heartwarming and hopeful way. 

For a short novel, it packs all the essentials for a lovely story: lighthearted adventure with witty dialogue and endearing characters.

Author Bio

Born a stone's throw from the Lake District, Keith studied film making at university before moving to London to work in film and TV. After twenty years of doing other people’s bidding he went around the world, trained as a yoga teacher, rode a camel, got a tattoo he doesn't regret, and was finally able to publish his first novel, DEXTER & SINISTER: DETECTING AGENTS, something he has dreamed of since he was eight years old and asked for a typewriter for Christmas.

Currently residing in Leeds, when he’s not up a mountain Keith can be found trying to get his foot behind his head. He hasn’t managed it yet, but he’ll get there one day.

Keith has four books out, THE HAMMERSMYTH TALES, a steampunk series that includes two novels and a collection of short stories, and GLUNDA THE VEG WITCH, his first foray into cosy fantasy.

Keith can be found idling on social media at https://x.com/keithwdickinson, https://bsky.app/profile/keithwdickinson.bsky.social, and https://www.instagram.com/keithwdickinson/, and you can find out more about him and his work at https://keithwdickinson.com/ .