Bar Down (Nashville Knights Hockey #4) by Emily Silver

 

As the world's biggest pop star, I'd given up on love. I wasn't supposed to find it on an app with a hockey star. With my life in tatters, I escaped to a dating app where no one knows who I am. That's when I discover that I matched with one of the stars on the Nashville Knights Hockey team. Falling in love over an app? Not going to happen. I've been burned too many times to want to meet. Except I keep going back to him. Every text, every message draws me in. Until a chance encounter brings us together. The chemistry? It's electric. Jasper is everything I've ever wanted. With him? Everything that's going wrong in my life fades to the background. But we're on two different paths. I'm fighting to escape my past, and Jasper? Well, he's fighting for his future with the team. He's a hockey player. I'm a pop star. There's no way this is going to work. Bar Down by Emily Silver was published on October 2025. This is the fourth book in the Nashville Knights Hockey series. 

I was asked to review this book for my honest review from The Smuthood and Emily Silver. So, I live near Kansas City. So I am deep reach Kansas Chiefs fans and let me tell you this book so reminds me of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce relationship. I immediately picked up similarities of the main characters. I fell in love with Jasper in this book. His humor comes out in each text message that he sent. I have to say I loved how the two characters got to know each other in this book through the text messages. I loved how both grew from their little interactions. You can see them falling in love without seeing them face to face meet. The characters are well written and the book plot is top tee. The smut scenes are a little tamer then those I have read from other books. But it's still worth checking out. I can't wait to read more books by Emily Silver. 

Nashville Knights Hockey Series 

1. Game Misconduct 

2. The Playmaker

3. Breakaway

4. Bar Down 

Tropes 

Sports Romance - Hockey

He Falls First

Age Gap 

The End Zone (Playing for Keeps #2) by Bianca Boreli

 

Nothing is more tempting than the forbidden. I pride myself on my control. I am the best quarterback in the league with an iron will and unshakable discipline. Nothing can change that. Or so I thought. Then Lilly crashes back into my life. She's all I think of. Staying away is impossible. Being just friends is agonizing. A relationship with her is forbidden. Something I'm reminded of every time I go to practice and see my head coach. But damn if she doesn't make me want to risk it all to have her. The End Zone by Bianca Boreli was published on October 23rd, 2025. This is the second book in the Playing for Keeps series. 

I was asked to review this book for my honest review. I have never read the the first book in this series. But it did not hinder my ability to read this book in the series. I didn't feel like I lost any form of plot from the book because I did not read book one. I felt like the characters were a little flat in the book but the plot made up for the book. The smut scenes were great and not over descriptive and not under descriptive. The book made me chuckle in parts and cry in some parts. The flow of the plot was a little chopping when they did jumps in the timeline of the book. But, it was easy to follow along though it would be nice to have more in the book instead of jumping around. The football references in this book were spot on (as I am a football fan) so I really enjoyed that the author had the correct terminology in the book. I highly recommend checking out this book. 

Quotes that I Loved 

"What? I don't need to overcompensate for anything."
"Oh, Lilly, we both know I don't need to either." 

"I think we're going to be great friends."
"We're going to rock this friendship thing." 

"You don't want just nice, Lilly."
"What do I want then?"
"To feel coveted. To feel as if you're everything to someone. Passion, love, adoration. You want a man who treats you right outside the bedroom and fucks you senseless behind closed doors...You want a guy to look at you and forget the world around him. So no, you don't want nice because it's implied. You want smitten." 

Playing for Keeps Series

1. The Endgame 

2. The End Zone 

Tropes 

Sports - Football 

Friends to Lovers 

Forbidden Romance

Second Chance

Slow Burn 

Brutal Kiss (Russo Mafia #2) by Lena Vox

 

I was given one job - protect the princess. Not fall for her. Not touch her. Definitely not kiss her like I own her. But Sofia Gallo is pure temptation - smart-mouthed, sharp-eyed, and too damn bold for her own good. She pushes every boundary, tests every rule. And I'm the only thing standing between her and a war that could rip our world apart. I'm not a good guy. I'm the enforcer. And I'll protect her with every brutal bone in my body. Even if the biggest threat to her safety....is me. Brutal Kiss by Lena Vox will be published on October 23rd, 2025. This book is the second book of the Russo Mafia series. 

I was given this book for my honest review from Lena Vox. Now, I am a parent of four kiddos and married to a lovely husband. But...I haven't been able to read a book in a whole day before until this book. I could not put this book down for nothing. I read it until I finished the whole book. For me saying that, it means that this book captured my attention to the very end. I was on the edge of my seat to see what was going to happen to Dante and Sofia. The characters capture your attention as they both have faults and strengths. Throughout the whole book the two characters grow more strength as they mature and fall in love. The plot in this story, keeps you so invested. There is action and yet there are times when you're like, "What is going to happen next?" Also times when you are questioning why are they being so stupid. I did not have any slow parts of the book but it was not overly filled with action scenes all the time. The plot flowed perfectly through each page. Also the smut scenes when they finally came up are on fire. You won't be disappointed. This new author to me is going to be on my list to follow and read more. 

Quotes That I Loved 

"Princess, I've been doing this job for fifteen years. You're going to have to try a lot harder than that to get away from me."

"You keep trying to run, I keep catching you. Sounds like a game to me."
"I need to get out of here....I need to be free." 

"You're playing with fire, princess."
"Maybe I want to get burned." 

"You okay?"

"I'm ruined."
"Good." 

"Get your fucking hands off her." 

Rosso Mafia Series 

1. Savage Union 

2. Brutal Kiss

3. Reckless Need 

Tropes

Dark Romance

Mafia 

Forced Proximity 

Bodyguard 

Forbidden Romance 

Love Deep (Colorado Club Billionaires #2) by Louise Bay

 

My life is basically a three-item to-do. 1. Keep my eight year old daughter happy. 2. Keep my job at the elementary school. 3. Keep my big, scary dream of being a full-time artist locked up where it can't break my heart. Easy. Manageable. Drama-free. And then Fisher Wright strolls into Star Falls. Tall. Charming. British. The kind of dangerously attractive that should come with a warning label-or maybe a hazmat suit in my size. He's here for eight weeks, helping a famous music superstar record her next album. We have one harmless, flirty conversation at the local bar. Then it's wine on my porch. Then stolen kisses by the falls. Then...oh no, actual feelings. The big, messy, life-complicating kind I swore I didn't have time for. But his life is in New York. Mine is here. And long-distance fairytales? Please. They don't come true - especially when there's a kid involved. Love Deep by Louise Bay was published on October 9th, 2025. This is the second book in the Colorado Club Billionaires series. 

I was asked to review this book for my honest review from The Smuthood and Louise Bay. This was the first book that I have read in the series by Louise Bay. I have to say that I actually quite liked the book. The characters at first felt a little flat and it was hard to get into. But as the book continued I fell more into liking the two main characters. Though I think Riley stole the show with her silly little kid antics in the book though I think she acted mature for her age through the book. I felt like the book had a slow build up that it was hard to keep reading through the book. I didn't really get into the book until half of the book was done. Then I couldn't put the book down. I loved how the characters had to figure out their own lives separate from each other as well as figure out their lives together. The book, didn't really have a ton of smut scenes that you kind of see in several romance books. But, they were a nice touch in the book when they appeared. The romance was there throughout the book. I recommend checking this book out. 

Quotes That I Loved 

"Now, you can have that one for free. You were so wet. You needed it so badly. But next time, you won't come without asking."
"Really?"
"Really. You can't come without my permission." 

"....Remember to be a good girl and ask permission before you come." 

"Hi, you two. Thanks for inviting me. I could eat a cow."
"A cow....Like really? Are you going to order a cow? I don't even know if they have it on the menu?" 

Colorado Club Billionaires 

1. Love Fast 

2. Love Deep 

3. Love Hard (TBA) 

Tropes 

Small Town Romance

Slow Burn 

Second Chance

Single Parent 

Billionaire 

Rebel Heart (Starlight Cove #6) by Brighton Walsh

 

Harper Davidson has been ingrained on my heart since we were kids, and now she's tattooed on my skin. But she'll never know about either. Not when she's better off thinking we're enemies. Having her in my space every day and sharing a wall with her every night is a challenge I never saw coming. A challenge I'm not sure I'm up to. Especially when our daytime games turn into nighttime dares, pushing each other to the breaking point until our neighbors know exactly who's making her scream. As lines blur and feelings deepen, we begin teetering on the edge of something more. And it's becoming harder to pretend that this is nothing - that she is nothing. Because this second chance is starting to feel like a last chance. Rebel Heart by Brighton Walsh was published on July 2024. This is book six of the Starlight Cove series. 

I have really enjoyed this series and a lot of books by Brighton Walsh. So I was really excited when this book came out. I couldn't wait to get started and started. I finished this book within a few days of checking it out. I loved the build up in this book. The characters don't see each other coming throughout the book. Though, it was interesting to see how much changes with them as they grow in the book. The characters, Harper and Levi are well rounded both with a lot of faults in the book. You see a lot of Levi's siblings through the book which you introduced in the other books. Also you really fall in love with the whole town of Starlight Cove. The plot of this story flows amazing and the smut scenes are tame compared to other books that I have read. But they are amazing and I highly recommend checking out this book, because you will fall in love with Levi. 

Quotes that I Loved 

"If I wanted to know how well I fuck now, Sparrow, you could've just asked." 

"Get on the bike, Harper...We're going to the same place."

"I can walk."

"I never said you couldn't. But it's midnight and you're alone. And I don't give a shit if we live in the most boring town in the country, I'm not just going to drive off and let you walk home by yourself. Now, get on the fucking bike." 

"If I tell you the secret, will you get on your knees and pray to it, Sparrow?" 

"Time to be my dirty girl, Sparrow." 

Starlight Cove Series

1. Defiant Heart

2. Protective Heart 

3. Fearless Heart 

4. Reckless Heart 

5. Possessive Heart 

6. Rebel Heart 

Tropes

Second Chance 

Small Town

Enemies to Lovers

Forced Proximity

Friends to Lovers 

Slow Burn

Childhood Friends

He Falls First 

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

 

Scarlett Vandermeer is swimming upstream. A Junior at Standford and a student-athlete who specializes in platform diving, Scarlett prefers to keep her head down, concentrating on getting into med school and on recovering from their injury that almost ended her career. She has no time for relationships-at least, that's what she tells herself. Swim captain, world champion, all-around aquatics golden boy, Lukas Blomqvist thrives on discipline. It's how he wins gold medals and breaks records: complete focus, with every stroke. On the surface, Lukas and Scarlett have nothing in common. Until a well-guarded secret slips out, and everything changes. So they start an arrangement. And as the pressure leading to the Olympics heats up, so does their relationship. It was supposed to be just a temporary, mutually satisfying fling. But when staying away from Lukas becomes impossible, Scarlett realizes that her heart might be treading into dangerous water. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood was published on February 2025. 

I was wanting to read this book since it came out and I happened to be at a bookstore that had it on sale. I am so glad that I bought this book as I will be so wanting to read it over and over. This book is on the lighter side of smut but it has an amazing romance plot. The two main characters Scarlett and Lukas both have a history and personality before the book started. As the story went on both of their personalities grew with the book. Both characters are really well rounded as they have both faults and strengths throughout the book. The plot in this book has a lot of twists and turns that keep you wanting to turn the page. I read this book quite fast as I could not put it down. I highly recommend checking this book out. 

Quotes That I Loved

A minute later she's asleep. The entire universe is here, in his arms. 

"Scarlett....The only time wasted in time we are apart." 

"Mostly, I'm afraid of attempting something and not being perfect at it." 

Tropes

Sports Romance - Swim

College - New Age 

He Falls First 

Friends to Lovers 

BDSM 

All This Time (Blossom Peak #1) by Harlow James

 

Fletcher Adams is not just the man that stole my heart at fifteen and never gave it back. He's also my brother's best friend, and now one of the most famous players in the NFL. But now he's back in Blossom Peak for our mutual friend's wedding, and guess who are the maid of honor and best man? That would be us. I've spent the past twelve years ignoring what happened between us that fateful night, and avoiding him as much as possible when he did pop into town to visit. But now he's everywhere. All This Time by Harlow James will be published on October 10th, 2025. This is the first book in the Blossom Peak series. 

I was asked for my honest review from The Smuthood and from Harlow James. Now that is out of the way, I have to say I read this book in three days. It would have taken me a single day to read it but life of soccer games, and homecoming dances got in the way. I loved this book so much. This book sent me laughing like crazy as some of the crazy scenes. Then in the next second I was on the edge of tears. The characters, not just the two main characters Fletcher and Laney but all of the other side characters came to life on the pages. The story-line was perfected and left me hanging in some places but I felt fulfilled at the end of the book. I loved how their relationship was formed before the book started and then came back around. I didn't feel like I lost anything about their past relationship. I could totally see how these two characters came to each other. This is a book series I will for sure be grabbing each book as they come out. But not only that I will now check out all the other books by Harlow James. 

 

Quotes That I Loved 

"Then that settles it. We go out next Friday and you don't come home until you've seen a dick and felt it in your vagina."
"You'd think, given how long we've been friends, that nothing you say could shock me, yet here we are."
"It's a gift." 

"Awesome. I just want to make sure Laney eats something."
"That's really not necessary."
"Where are your snacks?" 

"Any man foolish enough to cheat on you deserves to have every one of his limbs ripped from his body." 

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

Sports Romance - Football

Enemies to Lovers

Brother's Best Friend 

Small Town 

Second Chance 

Forced Proximity 

Pucking Unhinged (Kings of Castlebrook #3) by London Snow

 

Tristan Vale was forced to make a sick choice: hurt his foster sister or watch someone else do far worse. The quiet and brooding goalie is known for his ruthless demeanor on and off the ice. When it comes to Winter LeBlanc, his dominance is gentle, protective and possessive in the most unhinged ways. Winter believes Tristan's careful attention is focused solely on her because of the guilt he carries. She's only ever felt self with him, and now he needs his dark side to help her heal. The delicate ballerina is unaware that her foster brother's need for her consumes him to the point it keeps him up at night. She doesn't know that the day they were attacked was not the first time he killed for her. Now they've expected to go back to their regular lives, but his obsession with her grown more intense. Tristan tracks Winter's every move, caters to her every whim without her having to ask, and there isn't a thing he wouldn't do to keep her safe. He vows to hunt down those who tried to harm her, but the villain might be closer than either of them realize. Pucking Unhinged by London Snow was published on October 1st, 2025. This is book three of the Kings of Castlebrook series. 

I was asked to read this book for my honest review from The Smuthood and London Snow. I will say that this is the first book that I have read in the Kings of Castlebrook series. I love hockey romances even though I will say that I know nothing about hockey. I have seen one game once in my lifetime in person as a kid. But anyways, something about hockey romances have always drawn me in. This book didn't per say have a lot of hockey references through the book but you got here and there. The characters go to one or two games in the book. I really enjoyed the book though. The characters, I felt like could use some more personality and personal growth in the book. But the plot was really unique and I loved how it was certain around the two characters who were foster siblings. Though, there was a lot of build up in the book that lost me a few times. There is not a lot of smut in this book but it hints of more to come. The author created a really nice book that I kind of wished we saw more of the characters when they were foster siblings and what happened the night that Tristian was forced to take Winter's virginity. It was a good book and I highly recommend this easy read. 

Kings of Castlebrook Series

1. Pucking Obsessed 

1.5. Burn It Down

2. Pucking Possessive 

3. Pucking Unhinged 

3.5. A Very Unhinged Christmas 

Tropes

Dark Romance

Sports Romance - Hockey

Forced Proximity 

College Romance 

Forbidden Romance

He Falls First 

Friends to Lovers 

Small Town

Virgin