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?
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.
Friendships – fantastic. Family – getting better. Career – promotion on the cards. Romance – seriously delayed Sade Sodipo is ready to meet ‘the one’ and finally fulfil the Nigerian Dream. So far God hasn’t performed that little miracle quite yet, but it’ll happen this year for sure. Especially if her mother, two best friends, younger sister and all those in the unofficial Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association, have anything to say about it. She might love her job, have great friends, and even own her own home, but according to the meddling aunties, this is why she’s still single at 50. Not wanting to turn into a bitter aunty herself, Sade knows it’s time to get serious, but the options aren’t looking great – zero potential at church, work or in her social life. What if her prayers for the perfect man have got lost? Or maybe Sade’s happy-ever-after is right on time…
Author Bio – Ola Awonubi is an award-winning author, creative writing tutor, and speaker, known for her compelling storytelling that bridges cultures and histories. Born in London to Nigerian parents, she spent part of her childhood in Nigeria before returning to the UK, where she pursued her passion for writing.
Ola has authored eight books, including Love’s Persuasion, Love Me Unconditionally, and the anthology Naija Love Stories. Her historical fiction novel, A Nurse’s Tale, published by One More Chapter Books (HarperCollins) in July 2023, became a bestseller in Canada, earning a spot on The Globe and Mail’s historical fiction chart. It was also recognized by the Brown Girl Collective as a favourite historical fiction book of 2024. Her upcoming romantic comedy, The Marriage Monitoring Aunties’ Association, is set for release in Summer 2025, as part of a two-book deal. She is also working on a Jane Austen adaptation set in Lagos, currently under consideration by publishers and agents.
Beyond her writing, Ola is a creative writing tutor and speaker, sharing her expertise at prestigious events such as the Black British Book Festival, Meet-Cute Romance Festival, and London Festival ofWriting. She will also be speaking at The London Writers Festival, Jericho Writers Conference, inspiring aspiring authors with her insights on storytelling, publishing, and book marketing. Ola’s work has been featured in Afreada, Brittle Paper, Story Time, Woven Tale Press, and NaijaStories.com, with over 15 short stories published across various literary platforms.
Through her Substack newsletter, “The Resilient Writer,” she provides actionable writing guidance, digital resources, and industry insights, helping fellow creatives refine their craft and build their author brands.
Giveaway to Win a Paperback copy of The Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association (Open to UK only)
My thoughts: I really like Sade, she’s a successful woman, owns her own home, has a nice group of friends, is an active member of her church and a loving daughter, sister and auntie. She’s also single at almost fifty.
And while she’s not especially worried, it seems to be causing concern for her mum, and the infamous Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association, who always have plenty to say on the matter.
When she does meet the rather nice Jimi Taylor, there’s an instant attraction, but she wants to keep things professional and her mum isn’t too keen as he has an ex-wife and son. But Sade is a woman who knows her own mind and after a series of dates involving some very delicious sounding food (I wasn’t hungry before I read this book, I was after), things start hotting up, but can Sade keep things secret from the MMAA or will they be sticking their oars in?
Funny, wry and with a lot of heart, this is a great later in life love story.
Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Their story might be scripted, but the chemistry is real.
When Cynthie Taylor gets her first real acting job, starring in a small British movie, she is over the moon. There’s only one problem . . . Cynthie’s arrogant and annoyingly handsome co-star Jack hates her, and the feeling is definitely mutual. While they may be at war behind the scenes, their on-screen chemistry is palpable, and the studio sees an opportunity – have the two young stars fake a romance that will charm fans and draw crowds.
Thirteen years later, Cynthie and Jack have successfully kept their promise to stay far away from one another, until a surprising offer comes to make a sequel to the cult classic that launched their careers. But there’s a catch: they must also rekindle their pretend relationship . . . and this time there’s a documentary crew following their every move.
Cynthie and Jack both desperately need this film to work, but can two ex-rivals ever really trust each other? And what happens when the roles they’re playing start to feel all too real?
My thoughts: This is a pretty classic enemies-to-lovers rom com, set in the world of Hollywood movie making, with our two leads doing their best Cary Grant/Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday bickering and banter.
Cynthie and Jack made their first film together, she the engenue cast from nowhere, he the son of acting royalty (his parents are ghastly) who might have got the role with a bit of nepotism, and a lot of talent, he gives good smoulder.
They obviously fancy the pants off each other, but insist they are bitter enemies. They have a wonderful supporting cast of friends, and the prank war is hilarious.
Thirteen years later, the sequel calls them back into each other’s lives, and they’re fake dating for column inches, Cynthie’s currently being painted as the scarlet woman and Jack wants to keep his role on a vampire TV show so they both need the publicity. Except of course, that spark between them is still there, and it’s impossible to ignore this time around.
I loved Cynthie’s friends, Hannah (best friend and assistant) was my favourite. She was just so much fun. And the rest of the gang were delightful. Someone needs to create fan art of them as Minions, I love that.
If you’re looking for a funny, intelligent romance, then look no further, this was a delight.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
A heartwarming, feel good romantic comedy. ‘I absolutely adored this book. It gave me all the feels! A charming read full of warmth and heart.’ ***** Kim the Bookworm
Bea Winters is in desperate need of a fresh start. Being bullied at work is not her idea of fun and she longs to follow her dream of becoming a published author. When an advert appears in her local paper to work in a publishing house in the sleepy village of Bloomsdale, it sounds too good to be true.
She strikes up an instant friendship with gorgeous aspiring author, Eddie Richards and her dashing millionaire boss Scott Summers. But all isn’t as it seems in the sleepy village of Bloomsdale.
How does the local clairvoyant know her name? Who does the little black dog that keeps appearing belong to and why does she keep bumping into the mysterious Charlie?
As she starts to unravel the truth, it seems that everyone in Bea’s life is keeping secrets.
An uplifting romantic comedy that will warm your heart – perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Milly Johnson and Carole Matthews.
I was born in Coventry but now live in Nuneaton. I married the love of my life over 20 years ago and we have two almost grown up children. We share our lives with two mad dogs as well.
Writing is a great passion of mine, that one day I hope to be able to turn into a career but until that day comes, I will continue working in accounts and payroll.
This Christmas, in the romantic Scottish Highlands, a white lie and a fake-dating proposal between exes snowballs out of control in the brand-new festive romance from Emily Stone.
Christmas with your ex and his family in a cosy cottage in the snowy Scottish Highlands? It’s the last place Mel imagined spending the holidays. But when her ex-boyfriend Finn shows up on her doorstep, only months after inexplicably dumping her at his sister’s engagement party, asking her to pretend to his family they’re back together, she agrees – on one condition. Mel can publicly dump Finn at the end of the week and show him just how it feels. But with Finn’s mother set on making this Christmas picture-perfect, can Mel and Finn keep up the act without falling back into old feelings? As their white lie snowballs out of control, and the ice between them starts to thaw, Mel must decide if she really wants their romance to be just for the season – or something more…
❤️Fake dating
❤ Second chance romance
❤ Christmas romance
❤ Exes to lovers
❤ Family meddling
Emily Stone is the author of five bestselling festive romance novels, including Always, in December. Her novels have been translated into eleven languages. Emily has lived in many places over the years, including London, Wales, Cornwall, Germany and Mozambique – before finally settling down in Bristol, where she spends most of her free time with her two rescue ponies. Emily Stone is the pen name for Becky Hunter, and she also writes speculative romance under her own name, Emily loves connecting with readers. You can find her on Instagram at @emstonewrites – she’d love to hear from you!
The beautiful Cotswold village of Rowan Vale is run as a living museum, allowing tourists to see history in action. But there’s more to the place than any visitor would guess…
Fifty-something Shona grew up in the village and now runs its vintage, 1940s-themed teashop. Not everyone knows that the previous manager, her great-aunt Polly, still lives there too… as a ghost!
When newcomer Max arrives, hoping to find out more about the place where his German grandfather was a prisoner of war, both Shona and Polly are unsettled. Shona, because handsome, interesting Max is the first man to catch her eye since her divorce, and Polly, because she must finally confront the terrible truth about her past. A 1940s-themed weekend planned for the village brings the families’ connections to a head and tragic secrets to light.
Can Shona help her ghostly great-aunt to find love and forgiveness once more, while also creating her own happy ever after?
The second in the comforting, feel-good, romantic series with a dash of fantasy that started with Kindred Spirits at Harling Hall.
Sharon Booth is the author of feel-good stories set in charming, quirky locations, and now writes cosy romances with a magical twist for Boldwood. She lives with her husband in East Yorkshire, England.
My thoughts: There’s mystery, tragedy, romance and a happy ending in this book, I really enjoyed it and went back and read the first book in the series (which is on KU).
Shona runs her family’s 1940s teashop in the magical living history village Rowan Vale. Her great-aunt Polly is an ever-present ghostly figure that only a few people (including Shona and her dad) and see. The village has lots of ghosts for some reason but only certain people even know they’re there.
When Max, whose daughter works at the farm as a land girl, comes to the village on the trail of his grandfather’s time as a PoW, it stirs up a lot of feelings, especially for Polly, she knew Gerhard, and it might be time to reveal how she died.
With a 1940s themed weekend planned for the village, complete with music and a tea dance, Polly can’t avoid her past, she died in the 1940s. Can Shona help her unravel the secrets she’s held for so long?
Funny, clever and highly enjoyable, this was a truly lovely read, I liked getting to know more of the village’s residents, living and otherwise, as well as the mystery of Polly’s death being resolved and Shona and Max finding a second chance at happiness.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Three women. One summer on Arran. And a secret that could change everything they knew about love.
Rosie, seeking solace on the quiet Isle of Arran after a heartbreaking divorce, hopes to rediscover herself in its peaceful surroundings. But as she settles into the old cottage that was once her family’s retreat, she begins to question if she’s truly left her past behind.
Isobel, her lifelong friend, arrives to support Rosie. But what begins as a simple visit soon becomes complicated. Beneath her warmth and laughter, Isobel holds secrets of her own — secrets that threaten to change everything for both her and Rosie.
Bella, Isobel’s daughter, has always wondered about her father, but her mother refuses to talk about him. When Bella stumbles upon a hidden diary, a shocking revelation sends her to Arran in search of answers. Instead, she finds herself torn between the love she’s always known and the possibility of a new and unexpected romance.
As the women confront their pasts, they learn that sometimes the truth can lead to the most surprising new beginnings — and even a second chance at love, when they least expect it.
Ellie Henderson lives near the sea on the east coast of Scotland and is a regular visitor to the Isle of Arran on the west coast of Scotland. When she’s not writing she runs creative workshops in the community. Ellie also writes psychological fiction under the name Lorna Henderson.
My thoughts: This was a really lovely read, there were no horrible moments, just people falling in love, secrets being revealed that led to happy things and beautiful summer weather on Scotland’s Isle of Arran.
Bella wants to know who her father is, from a diary she’s found, she thinks it’s former pop star Luke, only the diary isn’t actually her mum, Isobel’s. Which leads to a misunderstanding that will eventually lead to Rosie finding new love after her ratbag husband cheats on her and leaves, Bella finding her dad, and falling in love, and happy endings all round.
The sort of feel-good-fiction we all need sometimes. Lovely stuff.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
Remember those “Choose Your Own Adventure” books from when we were kids? Christina Farley took this to a whole new level for adult romance readers!
Fairy Tale Road is an interactive romcom in the choose-your-own-adventure style where you pick the fairytale ending. Perfect for fans of enemies-to-lovers, fairytale adventures, and just enough magic to fall in love.
Fairy Tale Road (Choose Your Happily Ever After Book 1)
Release Date: June 3, 2025
Genre: Enemies-to-Lovers Romcom
Enemies-to-lovers
2nd chance romance
Celebrity romance
Modern fairytale retelling
Slow burn
Happily Ever After (x3!)
One bed
Magical realism
Traveling
Fake dating
Your Choice, Your Fairy Tale
When Scarlett discovers her sister’s heart was broken by the notorious Mr. Wolfe, she travels to Germany to expose this Big Bad Wolf and his Fairy Tale Tours. Disguised as a tourist, she explores the world of the Grimm Brothers’ tales, magical castles, and quaint towns while plotting Wolfe’s downfall. But things are not as they seem, and Scarlett soon finds herself entangled in a web of decisions and unexpected romance.
On this interactive romcom adventure, you will guide Scarlett’s path as she navigates a modern retelling of Red Riding Hood. Will she find her true love with the charming Hunter, mysterious Wolfe, or the dazzling Movie Star? Each choice leads Scarlett closer to a different fairytale ending, filled with twists, laughter, and sizzling romance.
Fairy Tale Road is not just a story, it’s your story. With each decision, you shape Scarlett’s destiny. Along the way, you’ll guide her choices and determine which of the three swoon-worthy love interests she ends up with. And yes, each path leads to its own unique happily ever after. Or, if you’re feeling curious, read all three endings to experience every possibility.
Choose your fairytale ending where revenge, romance, and the magic of the unknown beckon at every turn. Explore a world where the path to love is one choice away.
Content Info:
Fade to black
Mild swearing
Adult situations
Triggers: Parents died in the past, a guy makes an unwanted advance at MC
Hunter has secretly been in love with her best friend’s brother Dylan for years, despite barely registering as a blip on his radar. She’s not even in the friend zone—more like friend zone adjacent.
But her luck is about to change: Dylan is taking over her spare room, and she’s being promoted to roommate. Could this be the moment Dylan finally notices her? Not so fast. When Dylan moves in, he carries more than just boxes—he brings complications.
Suddenly, the dream of living under the same roof turns into a daily struggle. Dylan is off-limits, for reasons Hunter couldn’t have anticipated, and the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore her feelings. But Hunter’s determined to keep her heart in check—no matter how difficult the task. She just has to avoid ogling him in a towel. Definitely don’t imagine what’s under the towel. And try not to swoon when he bakes cookies.
But after he saves her from a terrible date and they’re forced to share a sofa bed at his parents’ house, her emotions reach a breaking point. She’ll have to either move on or move out. Will she tell him the truth—or lose him forever?
The Roommate Experiment is a roommates-to-lovers, forced proximity, STEMinist rom-com perfect for fans of Lynn Painter, Sarah Adams, and Abby Jimenez.
My thoughts: We come to the third in this series of interconnected stories and it’s Hunter’s turn as the protagonist after Nina and Rowena. She’s got a new roommate, and it’s Nina’s brother Dylan. Only problem is Hunter’s been in love with him for years and he has no idea and a girlfriend. Awkward.
As the two attempt to navigate their new relationship status, and Hunter tries to keep a lid on her feelings, could they be more than just roomies?
Fun, funny and really enjoyable, this is another cute rom com from Camilla Isley, with a smart but also a bit hopeless protagonist, great supporting characters and some fun twists and turns, the path to true love never did run smoothly!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
19th-century England. Benjamin Gerard Waldorf, the Duke of Waldorf, has resigned himself to a life of duty and responsibility. But when an antique cameo unexpectedly transports him 200 years into the future, his world is turned upside down.
Isabella Souza Kato, a struggling writer in London, is grappling with creative block after a painful breakup. Just as she’s ready to give up on love, a chance encounter with a man claiming to be from the 1800s alters her life completely.
As they navigate the complexities of time, culture, and their own hearts, Benjamin and Isabella must confront their fears and insecurities if they want to find a future together. Will Benjamin find a way back to his rightful place, or will he choose to forge a new path with Isabella?
Stefany Nunes is a Brazilian writer with degrees in Letters and Brazilian law. She’s been an avid reader for as long as she can remember, and with her passion for romance novels, she often created stories in her mind without ever putting them on paper. After moving to London with her husband, inspired by the city’s atmosphere, she finally found the courage to fulfil her dream of writing.
My thoughts: If you needed further proof that e-scooters are dangerous, then you should read this book, Bella literally crashes into a nobleman from 200 years ago! Terrible.
He turns out to be rather dashing, and very bewildered to be in London several centuries later instead of Bath in the 1800s. At first Bella thinks Ben might be crazy, but as they get to know each other, she realises he might just be telling the truth. But as they fall in love (and lust), will Ben find a way to return to his own time, to his sister and his responsibilities or stay in the 21st century with Bella?
I liked Bella, she was funny and approached the issue of Ben’s time travelling and needing to go back in a way that I might, using books, films and Google to try to find a way to help Ben, even if she really wants him to stay. I liked Ben too. He’s conflicted, but the Duke part of him, the honourable and caring brother and newspaper owner, knows he can’t just abandon the life he had, and especially not Abigail (his sister) without trying everything to go back and set his affairs in order.
A sweet, funny, enjoyable rom com for adult readers as it gets a bit saucy when our time travelling lovers give into their attraction. Plus a cute canine called Duke!
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 