Contemporary Romance « Read-Love-Blog

Release Day Blitz & Review…Texts from My Exes by Rachel Van Dyken

by Courtney

TEXTS FROM MY EXES

Rachel Van Dyken

Release Date: September 15

Available in Kindle Unlimited

“𝑭𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒆𝒙 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒚…𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕.”

Some people scrapbook.

I screenshot my exes’ texts.

What started as me venting my dating disasters online (creative outlet, don’t judge) has turned into a blog with actual followers—and the only thing keeping me in my dirt-cheap apartment. My grandmother-slash-landlord insists I “prove my creativity” to stay, so the blog lives on.

Except now my readers want a happy ending. With an ex.

Problem? None of my exes qualify.

So…I invent one. The perfect guy. The one that got away.

Rule #1: Never roast your exes online if they know how to read.

Rule #2: Definitely don’t make up a fake ex-boyfriend just to keep your rent low.

Rule #3: do not—under any circumstances—let your best friend discover the lie.

Because now he’s volunteered to become my fake perfect ex. And the more we fake it, the more I can’t tell if my readers are the only ones falling for the story.

Turns out, the biggest plot twist of all?

I might have been in love with him the whole time.

𝘈 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩-𝘰𝘶𝘵-𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘳𝘰𝘮-𝘤𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘶𝘱𝘴, 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥.

Grab Your Copy!

https://geni.us/TEXTEXKU

This was a cute and funny friends to lovers story.

I loved how easy this was to read. Sometimes simple, yet layered, and enjoyable is the perfect read.

There’s alot more to the actual story but I personally feel that’s another layer that made this story stand out. Read the book to see what I’m talking.

Meet Rachel Van Dyken:

Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 100 books ranging from new adult romance to mafia romance to paranormal & fantasy romance. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs.

Keep up with Rachel Van Dyken and subscribe to her newsletter: https://rachelvandykenauthor.com/newsletter

To learn more about Rachel & her books, visit here!

Connect with Rachel Van Dyken:

http://www.facebook.com/rachelvandyken or join her fan group Rachel’s New Rockin Readers https://www.facebook.com/groups/RRRFanClub

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Release Day Blitz & Review…He Knows When You’re Awake by Alta Hensley

by Courtney

He Knows When You’re Awake by Alta Hensley is now live!

This Christmas, it’s all about getting what you really want in this dark billionaire stalker romance sequel to He Sees You When You’re Sleeping.

Stalking in a winter wonderland…

Jewelry designer Sloane dreams of launching her own custom line—but she needs a Christmas miracle to pull it off. With traditional banks turning her down left and right, she can’t resist when a mysterious stranger offers her a lifeline.

I see what she creates in those stolen moments when she thinks no one’s watching. I see everything. There’s a darkness at her core and I will unravel her until I find it.

Reclusive billionaire Cole Asher offers to fly Sloane out to an ultra-luxurious Swiss resort for a meeting. Reluctantly, she agrees—only to realize she’s met him once before in a New York bar.

She is crucial to my plans, and I need her close. She insists that we keep things professional, and I comply. But soon she will realize that every line is blurred when it comes to her and me.

Cole offers to back her company—but there’s a cost. To secure his investment, Sloane must move into his Manhattan penthouse, where she’ll complete her first round of designs for him to review before Christmas.

Sloane throws herself into her work, yet soon the attraction between her and Cole becomes undeniable. As the city sparkles with Christmas splendor from her penthouse view, Sloane wonders if she has stepped into a fairy tale—until Cole’s powerful enemies close in. They will stop at nothing to destroy him, including going after the woman he loves.

I will burn down the world to get her back…and it will be in time for Christmas.

TROPES

Billionaire Romance

Stalker romance

Christmas romance

Morally grey MMC

Forced proximity

Opposites attract

Kink friendly

He Knows When You’re Awake is a dark romance with a morally grey male lead. Some themes may be disturbing to readers. Please check the content warnings at the beginning of the book.

Download your copy today!

Amazon: http://bit.ly/4fvhUWG

Apple Books: http://bit.ly/4gmpS5a

Nook: http://bit.ly/3I94QtZ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/4nmYNRm

Google Play: http://bit.ly/4mbq48x

Pre-order the Deluxe paperback edition: http://bit.ly/4gmq98c

Features special sprayed edges with digital artwork and glow-in-the-dark cover effects!

Audible Pre-order: http://bit.ly/3V4Ny49

Releasing in audio on November 4th

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/4fDcXeK

Alta became a favorite author of mine when I discovered her books almost two years ago (really her books with Blake Zoe – The Gilded Decadence series) but quickly started reading her other books.

I inhaled the first book in this series last year and when it became known there was a second releasing, I hit pre-order so fast I almost broke a finger.

And let me tell you, Alta did not let me down with book two. She just proved why she is able to make a stalker romance sound so enticingly hot.

The blurb is all you need for this one. Alta weaves a very suspenseful and wickedly spicy story together that will have you turning pages quickly.

I will definitely be re-reading this around Christmas too.

Contemporary Romance Dark Romance Five Loves Holiday Romance New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance Romantic Suspense September 2025 Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review…In My Hockey Era by Kendall Ryan

by Courtney

IN MY HOCKEY ERA

Kendall Ryan

Release Date: September 15

Blurb:

Lucy Quinn loves hockey. What she doesn’t love? The latest PR stunt from her favorite team—a hockey romance book club designed to lure in more female fans. Pandering to so-called “thirsty” fans? It totally cheapens the sport.

The worst part? They’ve slapped Bennett Wilder—the infuriatingly cocky, annoyingly handsome star forward—on the cover of this PR disaster like he’s some kind of book boyfriend. Gross.

So Lucy does what any passionate, totally rational fan would do—she starts a boycott.

Bennett doesn’t love being the face of a book club, but, hey, it’s harmless fun… until he finds out some feisty, foul-mouthed superfan is trashing it, he’s intrigued. And maybe just a little bit turned on.

So, naturally, he makes it his mission to shut her up—with charm, persistence, and exceptionally skilled hands. And somehow, he always manages to make her forget why she was mad.

But as their very public rivalry turns into something much deeper, Lucy realizes one terrifying truth—she might just be falling for the one guy she swore to hate.

Buy Links:

Kindle https://amzn.to/3DBneJL

Apple https://apple.co/4iwl652

Nook https://bit.ly/BNEra

Kobo https://tinyurl.com/EraKobo

Google https://tinyurl.com/HERGP

Audible https://tinyurl.com/HCKYAD

Meet Kendall Ryan:

Kendall Ryan writes contemporary romance. Her books have been featured on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestsellers lists a combined total of more than 100 times.

Connect with Kendall Ryan:

Instagram

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Cover Reveal…When We Breathe by Kristen Proby

by Courtney

Kristen Proby has revealed the gorgeous cover for When We Breathe!

Alex

I met Adam and Gabe the old-fashioned way: in a bar. That is, if old-fashioned means that I met a couple of men already in a committed, loving relationship, and they took me home for a night of debauchery and fun, then yeah. That.

It’s just supposed to be one night. I don’t want to be the third wheel or put any kind of a wrench in their love story. These two guys are perfect together. Gabe is the laid-back, easygoing auto mechanic with muscles for freaking days. Adam isn’t lacking in the muscle department either, honestly, but he’s more intense, a little more bruised from a shaky past.

Like me.

I find myself craving their attention all the time. And they don’t seem to want to let me go. What started as one night has turned into something so much … more. I’m a girl who thought she wasn’t lovable, and instead, these two men are proving to me that the three of us could have something really special.

But it’s hard for me to trust, and letting go of the last of my independence may be where I draw the line. Will these men let me walk away, or will they fight for us?

Releasing: November 6, 2025

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes When We Breathe, a small-town, MMF, Why Choose romance set in Bitterroot Valley!

Pre-order today!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3Vn5veb

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/0Iu0A5k

Audiobook: https://bit.ly/3HJo0Xb

Influencer Sign Up: http://bit.ly/47KhF8B

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/47QtwSi

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Cover Reveal…Yule Be Mine by Piper Rayne

by Courtney

Piper Rayne has revealed the cover for Yule Be Mine!

Releasing: November 13, 2025

Cover Designer: By Hang Le

When workaholic best man Carter arrives in Mistletoe Falls for his best friends’ Christmas wedding, a town-wide Santa Festival and a misplaced motel reservation leave him with one option—beg the woman he once rejected for a room at her bed-and-breakfast. Unfortunately, that woman also happens to be the bride’s sister…and the maid of honor.

To make matters worse, the bride and groom are delayed, turning Ashley and Carter into last-minute wedding planners, forced into a truce neither of them wants. But late-night checklists, a blizzard of holiday activities, and a charming small town turn their snark into sparks.

When they get snowed in and every near-kiss feels dangerously close to something real, Carter realizes there’s more to December than year-end deadlines.

As their truce melts, one question remains—is this a holiday fling, or the start of forever?

Pre-order your copy today!

https://books2read.com/YBM

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4l9y8He

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Cover Reveal…Chasing Love by Piper Rayne

by Courtney

Piper Rayne has revealed the cover for Chasing Love!

Releasing: October 21, 2025

Cover Designer: The Whiskey Ginger

Blurb Coming Soon!

Pre-order your copy today!

https://books2read.com/C-L

Following release, this title will be available exclusively in #kindleunlimited

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4kqGBFo

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Release Day Blitz & Review…Burn Bright by Krista & Becca Ritchie

by Courtney

Burn Bright by Krista & Becca Ritchie is now live!

He’s a rich jock with a larger-than-life family. She’s a punk-rock nerd with a troubled past.

Ben Cobalt is number six. Not sixth place—in fact, he’d be considered at least third draft pick for the NHL if he didn’t quit hockey during college. And he’s not sixth-in-line for any throne. Though, most consider his larger-than-life, billionaire family American royalty.

He is the sixth-born Cobalt.

Out of a normal family of seven, he might get lost in the shuffle. But being the black sheep of the Cobalt Empire comes with its own intense spotlight. After he hits a major low at college in Philly, his four older brothers convince him to move in with them in New York City. Transferring to Manhattan Valley University—piece of cake.

Living in an apartment with all of his brothers while harboring a giant secret among a family who’s more tight-knit than a secret society—total effing chaos.

He has to find a way out of the tense living arrangement, especially as he clashes with his oldest brother Charlie. Ben turns to an unlikely source for help. A grumpy, punk-rock girl with a troubled past who’s already pissed off one Cobalt brother.

So when an undeniable attraction ignites, Harriet Fisher is expecting the flames to die out. Except…what happens when they don’t? Falling for a Cobalt brother with secrets might be a Shakespearean tragedy she can’t rewind.

BURN BRIGHT is the first book in the Cobalt Empire series, a new adult romance series about legacy, loyalty, and love.

Download your copy today!

Will be exclusively in Kindle Unlimited on September 3rd

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3DGPaf9

Apple Books: https://bit.ly/4imo8IZ

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/4iF37ZU

Kobo: https://bit.ly/4imBJQD

Get your deluxe limited edition paperback today!

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3WjQFpY

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/4bOB5ZM

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/40y36AJ

Holy thick book but I blew through this so quickly.

Burn Bright is the start of a new series from this duo. There is ALOT going on in this book and if you have never read a KBR book before, it might feel overwhelming at times. These two are known for their large family dynamics and making sure readers know how everyone is tied together.

Ben and Harriet are the main characters in this book, even though we get very thorough introductions of other family members. I do wish the book focused more on them and not just the family dynamics – I didn’t need all the details that were given about the other family members.

Ben was such a sweetie but not to the point that he was he excessively “soft” and he was the perfect compliment to Harriet. I loved her and her personality and absolutely LOVE that Krista and Becca kept her as is and didn’t feel the need to giver her “makeover” mid-novel.

Overall, yes this book is thick (could have been shorter) but I still enjoyed it all the same. I want to say so much but I am afraid of spoiling something unintentionally.

I am excited for the new book in this series!

Contemporary Romance Four Loves New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance September 2025 Standalone

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Release Day Blitz & Review…The Surrender by Jodi Ellen Malpas

by Courtney

The Surrender by Jodi Ellen Malpas is now live!

He’s a tantalizing man of mystery. To solve him she could risk everything in a scorching romance by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the This Man series and The Invitation.

A pawn in a man’s callous game, Amelia Lazenby is trying to heal after being betrayed by the wealthy and scorchingly sexy Jude Harrison. Now he’s saying all the right things, whispering apologies as sincere as his kisses, and refusing to let her walk away. It’s hard for Amelia to resist a force as strong as Jude. Before long, he’s making her pulse pound, her head spin, and giving her the rapture she craves.

But once she surrenders, Amelia can’t help but fear she’s risking her heart all over again. This time, maybe even more. Jude is every bit as mysterious and possessive as she remembers. His ex-lover is back to wreak havoc on their lives. And Amelia’s own ex has returned from the past, knowing more about Jude than Amelia can imagine. As the secrets and shocking revelations keep coming, Amelia must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to stay with the man she loves and above all else…can’t resist.

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://amzn.to/4iB6FwR

Audiobook: https://bit.ly/4hCui6M

Narrated by: Shakira Shute

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/thesurrendergr

This was a really nice conclusion for Amelia and Jude.

There is alot of back and forth with them. Amelia tries her best to stay away, but she just can’t resist Jude and he can’t seem to let Amelia go no matter how many times he hears it.

I enjoyed the push and pull as these two try to navigate a new relationship and as secrets are revealed, you feel for these characters. I did find the spicy scenes to be a bit too much at times and at one point, it started to feel like that was all there was to their relationship – a lust attraction. Thankfully Jodi was able to prove it was more.

This book moves fast and Jodi keeps the story entertaining the entire way. I liked how things played out and that she stuck true to who these characters are and didn’t have them doing out of character just for the sake of added filler.

An entertaining duet!

Contemporary Romance Duet Four Loves New Releases New Reviews Release Day Event Romance September 2025

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Release Day Blitz…The House Guest by Penelope Ward

by Courtney

Title: The House Guest

Author: Penelope Ward

Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance

Tropes: Billionaire Hero/Roommates/Twist

Slow Burn/Angsty/Opposites Attract

Release Date: August 31, 2025

BLURB

From New York Times bestselling author Penelope Ward comes a new, STANDALONE contemporary romance…

The last thing Dorian Vanderbilt expected was to find me painting in my crop top when he returned to the mansion he hadn’t inhabited in years.

He was understandably surprised I’d turned his living room into an art space.

Life is certainly full of surprises, though, but not always in a good way.

I learned that lesson when my aunt and the billionaire she married died unexpectedly while traveling.

I’d been living with them, and just like that, my life was turned on its axis.

Unsure of what was next, I stayed alone at the barren estate figuring out my next move.

That was when Dorian—the late billionaire’s only son—showed up.

I’d never met Dorian Vanderbilt. He’d been living on the other side of the country.

But now, he was home, left to pick up the pieces of his father’s legacy.

Not only was Dorian devastatingly handsome and mysterious, but he was the sole heir to the Vanderbilt fortune.

He didn’t seem to like me—at first. We were total opposites. But I was grateful that at least he didn’t kick me out.

We stayed out of each other’s way for the most part, save for some late-night kitchen run-ins or unexpected bonding sessions in the home theater.

Over time, though, we grew closer. Turned out, our chemistry was pretty combustible.

I was falling in love with him.

Until everything I thought I knew turned upside down yet again.

And fate left me pining for the one man I’d ever loved.

GOODREADS

BOOKBUB

PURCHASE LINKS

$3.99 for a limited time!

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Free to read in Kindle Unlimited

ALSO AVAILABLE

DUET AUDIOBOOK

SPECIAL EDITION PAPERBACK

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

BILLIONAIRE HERO

ROOMMATES

TWIST

SLOW BURN

ANGSTY

OPPOSITES ATTRACT

AUTHOR BIO

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With millions of books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over forty books. Her novels have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.

AUTHOR LINKS

FACEBOOK
FACEBOOK GROUP
INSTAGRAM

TIKTOK

X

OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD

SEE ALL BOOKS HERE

August 2025 Contemporary Romance New Releases Release Day Event Romance Standalone

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Cover Reveal…Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

by Courtney

Samantha Young has revealed the covers for Hart Street Lane!

Releasing: January 15, 2026

A steamy fake engagement/marriage of convenience romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.

Faking it has never been so hard…

Breaking up with my fiancé wasn’t on my agenda this summer, neither was hiding the truth from everyone, including my colleagues at Pennington’s department store. But that tiny evasion gets me into trouble when I’m forced to play bride-to-be for our new marketing campaign. If my boss finds out I’ve lied to her, it won’t just be my reputation on the line; it’ll be my job.

Enter my new bestie, Baird McMillan. Professional goalkeeper, professional heartbreaker, and now my professional fake fiancé. Baird’s public escapades have gotten him on the wrong side of his football club’s new owner, and he needs to prove he’s settling down. A fake engagement is a win-win for us both.

There’s just one problem. It turns out there’s nothing fake about the explosive connection Baird and I share.

I may not have been looking for love, but every moment with Baird tempts me to reach for it. Yet just as I start to believe a future together could be a real possibility, our pasts come surging back with a vengeance. And with it, those who will do anything to destroy our chance at forever…