Penalty Play (Boston Rebels #5) by Julia Connors

 

We were never meant to see each other again. It was a one-night, no-names fling in Bermuda...until the next day when I watch her walk down the aisle at our parents' wedding and discover she's now my stepsister. We say it won't happen again, but we give in to the temptations of "just one more time"...twice. We tell ourselves there's no harm in it. Given my stepdad's and her mom's rocky marital histories, it's unlikely we'll ever see each other again. Except, a few days later, I walk into the Boston Rebels' offices to assure management that I'll focus on nothing but hockey after I missed last season thanks to an injury. Instead, I find myself face-to-face with my stepsister, Morgan, who now works for the team. At first, we pretend we've never met and try to steer clear of each other. But it's impossible. Her friends are tangled up with my teammates. Her dad is my agent. She's everywhere: at the rink, out with our firneds, and in my head. I have every reason not to pursue her. I tell myself I'll stay away. And yet, I can't get enough of her. So we make a deal: a secret friends with benefits arrangement - no feelings, no commitment. The more I truly get to know her, the more I can't imagine my life without her. But forever is the one thing I promised myself I'd never give anyone again.  Penalty Play by Julia Connors was published on January 23rd, 2026. This is the fifth book in the Boston Rebels Series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from Julia Connors and The Smuthood. This is the first book that I have read from Julia Connors and I have to say she is now an author that I will follow for more of her books. I absolutely loved the two main characters in this book, Morgan makes me laugh at her silly stories of past boyfriends. She really does have the worst luck in dating men. Then also her background of how she was always put down from her mother made me really sad. But I could totally see how she was a people please. Then there is Aiden in the book that he was trying so hard in the book to not be in a relationship but yet everything he was doing led him into a relationship. I laughed in this book and lots of giggling. The smut scenes in this book are tame but yet they still light a fire. I love the chemistry between the two main characters and can see them in a relationship through the book. I highly recommend checking out this book. You won't be disappointed. 

Quotes that I Loved 

"Real men like to eat. So I don't know who you've been with before, but they clearly weren't men." 

"You are so fucking hot right now...above me like this. I want to watch the way you take me when you sink onto my cock, and I want to watch your tits bounce as you fuck me." 

"Take. It. Off....If you're trying to make me jealous by showing up in my best friend's jersey, you've got my attention. So take it off, or I can't be responsible for how I play tonight." 

Boston Rebels Series

1. Center Ice 

1.5. The Trade Up

2.  Fake Shot

3. Cross-Checked 

4. Goal Line

5. Penalty Play 

Tropes

sports - hockey

Forced Proximity 

Forbidden Romance 

step-siblings 

friends to lovers 

grumpy - sunshine 

Double Down (Erie City Hawks #2) by K.C. Brooks

 

When Hearts are on the line, sometimes you have to double down. The worst part about getting divorced after almost a decade of marriage? Trying to start over again. But as much as I want to move on after my ex-husband's betrayal, my heart's still bruised, and I'm not about to put myself out there anytime soon. At least, until my path crosses with Damien Ramos, Star player on the Erie City Hawks. One chance encounter changes everything, and even though he leaves me wanting more, he's a risk I can't take. But Damien's not about to give up that easily. One night turns into two, and before I know it, we're sneaking around every chance we get. The rules are simple: no feelings, no emotions, no promises of no future. It should be easy enough, but as I get to know the man sharing my bed, the lines between us fade. Every smile makes me want another, and before I know it, my heart is on the line again. The rules of the game were simple. And falling in love breaks every single one. Double Down by K.C. Brooks was published on January 22nd, 2026. This is the second book of the Erie City Hawks series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from K.C. Brooks and Love Notes PR. I don't normally read a lot of baseball type of books just because usually I have a hard time getting into them. But, I really liked the two characters in this book and they were able to keep my attention. Though I did think they both felt flat and it was hard to stay with them at times. Also I think the time line was hard to follow because of the huge jump part way through in time line especially for a slow burn type of book. The smut scenes were top notch though and really made you think of how things were happening. I did like how they were helping the main character find herself. I recommend checking this book out. 

Erie City Hawks 

"You're so pretty when you beg for me, Brianna."

"You look too good taking my cock to stop now. Now, be a good fucking girl and sink down on top of me. Let me give you everything and more." 

"Brianna Sideris! Are you reading porn?" 
"Don't defile romance books with the word porn. It's smut, if you must know."
"Smut where three baseball players are sharing one girl?....And here I was, thinking we were opening your eyes to all these new experiences. Who knew a little skank was hiding underneath those cardigans?" 

Erie City Hawks Series

1. Single Glance 

2. Double Down 

Tropes

Sports - Baseball

Friends to Lovers 

Secret Relationship

The Interception (Rock City Renegades #3) by C.L. Rose

 

Since I was a kid, I've only wanted two to be a professional football player and to have a family of my own. Being drafted by the Rock City Renegades was the first step, but now I'm now I'm ready for the rest. I have the house and the rescue dog, who's proven to be a bit of a menace for everyone other than my crush, Finley Bolton. So when I find myself needing someone to watch him while I'm away, moving her in is the logical option. She may be pregnant by another man, but it doesn't take long for her and the baby to etch their names into my heart. I want a life with them, but will I be able to break down Finley's walls and proven that I can be the man she needs, or she will pack up and obliterate every dream I've ever had? The Interception by C.L. Rose was published on January 22nd, 2026. This is the third book in the Rock City Renegades Series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from C.L. Rose and The Smuthood. I absolutely loved this book. I could not get enough of Theo and Finley in this book. Though I wanted to smack a person throughout the book. This book made me giggle and squeal throughout the book. I was also crying because some of the things that Finley was feeling I have felt. The characters in this book both have some faults and they both had to grow from those. But not only were they growing separately but they helped each other as well. The relationship between them are so sweet and you can totally see how they are falling in love throughout the book. Heck, I fell in love with Theo in this book. He is such a good golden retriever of a guy it's crazy. The plot in this book is perfect as it ebbed and flowed from each scene. Everything had a reason to be in the book. Also...you will fall in love with the dog in this book as he makes the book absolutely perfect. I highly recommend checking out this sweet book. I cannot wait for book four and see which character I am going to meet next. 

Quotes that I Loved 

"There's my good girl."

"Tell me you want me to split you open and paint your walls." 

"You're right. You can't. But I can. I'm going to come on your cock, Theo. And you're going to sit still like a good boy while I do it." 

Rock City Renegades Series 

1. Mr. Irrelevant 

2. Bad Call 

3. The Interception

4. Red Zone (05/14/2026) 

Tropes 

Sports Romance - Football 

Friends to Lover 

Forced Proximity

He Falls First 

 

Getting the Goalie (The Good Girls of NE University #1) by Hannah Gray

 

Being the child of a hockey legend is great and all, until you figure out that people either respect you for it or think you've only gotten as far as you have because of the name on your jersey. I may be Cam Hardy's daughter, but I've worked my butt off for every minute. I've earned on the ice. When I land at NE University, I'm eager for a fresh start and a new season of hockey to begin. But when a ghost from my past - one I never wanted in my present - comes out of nowhere, I learn quickly that even the biggest campus can become small, fast. Especially when said ghost has made it his mission to pursue me. My dad forbids it. But unfortunately for us both, guys like Hendrix Hunt don't back down from a challenge. No, just the opposite, actually---. Hendrix is the bad boy on campus with a mile-long list of debatable choices under his belt and an abnormally large chip on his shoulder. And when he lets me see his softer side, I fall for him - heart first. But just when I think I can trust him, he flips the script, reminding me that I can't. So when he comes back again this time, with a grand gesture - I know I should guard my heart like I guard my goal. But the reality is, unlike facing my opponents on the ice. Getting the Goalie by Hannah Gray was published on January 15th, 2026. This is the first book in The Good Girls of NE University series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from Hannah Gray and The Smuthood. I have to say that I absolutely devoured this book. This book was so good that it was really hard to put it down and function around my family. The characters had so many backstories that you had to pay attention throughout the book to hear pieces and put them all together. You were just given enough to understand and then try to figure it all out. I loved that this book showed the ending five years later. The romance in this book was amazing and really kept me loving the two characters. I love how you see how the two characters work together to help each other grow. The spicy scenes are tame but there are pieces that make you giggle in joy. I highly recommend checking this amazing book out. I know that I am going to be reading more by Hannah Gray in the near future. 

The Good Girls of NE University Series 

1. Getting the Goalie 

2. Convincing the Catcher (05/01/26) 

3. Stealing the Shortstop (08/01/2026) 

Tropes

Sports - Hockey

Enemies to Lovers 

College Age 

He Falls First 

Forbidden Love 

Forced Proximity

Bad Boy

Second Chance 

Wilde Cowboy (Love is a Cowboy #1) by Kelly Elliott

 

As the son of a third-generation cattle rancher, it's expected that I would follow in the footsteps of my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and work the family ranch just as they did. However, that wasn't my dream, and thankfully, my parents stood behind me when I told them I wanted to open a sporting goods store in our hometown of River Falls, Colorado. That's my plan, My endgame, and nothing is going to distract me from that goal. Then, I met Vivianne Pennington. It soon becomes clear to me that Vivianne is now a part of my dreams, and when I bring her home for Christmas, my entire family and town of River Falls fall head over heels in love with her. Wilde Cowboy by Kelly Elliott was published on January 20th, 2026. This is the first book of Love is a Cowboy series. 

I was given this book for my honest review by Kelly Elliott. So I tried really hard to get into the book and I did finish it. This book is not like a lot of books that I have read so it took me awhile to get through it. It is slow paced and you knew at the beginning of the book that the two main characters were getting together. It's a sweet book and if you need a palate cleaner type of book this would be the book that would do it. I loved the characters in this book even the minor characters. I felt like each character had a reason to be put in the book. The love between Vivianne and Ladd I felt like could have used more then instant falling in love. I felt like both were just there. I wanted more passion between the two characters to show that they do love each other. The plot was sweet and had some extra fluff that was really needed in the book. It's a sweet read with very few spicy scenes. I recommend you check it out. 

Love is a Cowboy Series

1. Wilde Cowboy

2. Wilde Ride (03/03/26)

3.  Wilde Flame (05/26/26)

4. Wilde Hearts (08/18/26)

5. Wilde Night (11/10/26) 

Tropes

Small Town

He Falls First

College Romance 

On Borrowed Time (Blossom Peak #2) by Harlow James

 

Being a nanny for a newly single dad wasn't the job I applied for when I decided to lick my wounds in Blossom Peak. But showing Henley Clark my bare backside wasn't in my plans either. When the pursuit of my dream career seemed unattainable, instead of going home and proving my parents right, I made a detour to the small mountain town I remember visiting as a kid. I just wanted a waitressing job to make some extra money while I figured out my next steps. But then the lumberjack of an owner begged me to help him with his three month-old daughter that he just found out existed, and I couldn't resist his plea. Or his massive physique - the one I saw every detail of when he appeared shirtless in front of me three times in the first week. The problem with living together though is there's little space, especially when my boss is so closed off that he's like a nut I want to crack open. And when I do, he steals my breath from my lungs - and reignites my creativity as well. But I gave myself a deadline to figure out what's next. Nowhere in that plan though did I account for falling for Henley Clark. Turns out the heart doesn't care, even when you're on borrowed time. On Borrowed Time by Harlow James was published on January 16th, 2026. This is the second book in the Blossom Peak series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from Harlow James and The Smuthood. I am so excited that I was asked to read this book. I read the first book of the series when it came out so I couldn't wait to read this book. This book did not disappoint at all. I absolutely loved the two characters in this book. Also revisiting Laney and Fletcher from book one. Henley made me chuckle in this book as he was the big old grump who had a lot of history with people leaving. Then he is thrown a curve ball after curve ball to help shape him and help him overcome his past. Then you have Elodie who is the complete opposite. She doesn't let the past change her but watches her overcome her own past and failures. While they both had things that they had to get past they did it separately but with the help of each other. Also the baby is so sweet throughout the book. Something about big grumpy men with sweet babies makes me smile. While the smut scenes are not all in depth they are still spicy. I highly recommend this book and I cannot wait to read book three and even four when they come out. 

Quotes that I Loved 

"Because she doesn't need all of the details, and she's leaving anyway. She's leaving just like everyone else does." 

"Don't get me wrong, I love a man in a suit. But there's something about a blue-collar man that will win out every time." 

"Good girl." 

She's the sunshine pulling the darkness from my soul. 

Blossom Peak Series

 1. All This Time

2. On Borrowed Time

3. Test of Time (04/10/26)

4. It's About Time (07/2026) 

Tropes

Small Town

Single Parent 

Forced Proximity

Nanny

Boss/Employee

He Falls First 

Grumpy Sunshine

Leather and Lace (Black Diamond Ranch #1) by Kinsley Hunt

 

After my mother's death, I was thrown into a world I never asked to be part of - one built on bloodlines, legacies, and a father I've never met. I didn't come here looking for answers, but the ones I've found threatened to unravel everything. There are secrets buried deep in the soil of Black Diamond, and I should be afraid of what they'll cost me. But I'm not. Not when he's watching. Colter Shaw. The heir to the southern empire. Arrogant, magnetic, and cold as the bourbon in his glass. He's the kind of man who keeps people at arm's length - and yet looks at me like I'm the only thing worth touching. We're from two different worlds, raised on opposite sides of privilege and pain. He says I don't belong here. Maybe he's right. But that hasn't stopped him from acting like I do. Like I will. They warned me that Black Diamond would change me. What they didn't tell me is how much I'd want it to. Leather and Lace by Kinsley Hunt was published on January 2nd, 2026. This is the first book in the Black Diamond Ranch series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from Kinsley Hunt and The Smuthood. I absolutely loved this book. This book had me on the edge of my seat because things that I thought were not actually happening. It had so many twists and turns throughout the book that I was not expecting. Though, it did not have any plot holes at all at the end of the story. I absolutely loved how the author wrote the plot of this story. While there is not many spicy scenes it didn't take away from the story. I felt like both characters had depth that was slowly revealed through the book. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series and Kinsley Hunt is now on my favorite author list. I highly recommend checking out this story. 

Quotes that I Loved

"You'll get used to him. He's kind of like a yeast infection. Gone for a while but always pops back up when you least expect it." 

"Good girl." 

Damn. Why is my pussy so wet from this? I should be seeing red flags not yummy green ones. 

"Come on now, Little Star.....We're the stars. Meant to be. Giant balls of gas that blink out of existence only to blink right back in under a new sky...." 

Black Diamond Ranch Series

1. Leather and Lace 

Tropes

Dark Romance

Forced Proximity

Billionaire 

Age Gap 

Mafia 

Small town