Books I Loved

Looking for a good book? I highly recommend all of the books below. However, books are very subjective, so be sure to read a sample before buying. :) Book budget blown? Check your local library. Libraries are the best!

The list will be updated occasionally and new books will be added at the top.



I love, love, love this horny dragon book, so much so that I blurbed it:

Consort of Fire has everything I love in a book: enthusiastic sexiness, a delightful supporting cast, and fast-paced action that made the pages fly by. Add in a sexy, protective dragon god and two murder ladies—one softly seductive and one stabby—and Kit Rocha has written one of my favorite books of the year!

A woman is sent to assassinate the fae king, but finds herself trapped in his castle instead. She expects to die, but he’s been alone for fourteen years and even a would-be assassin is better than the ringing silence.

A respectable lady might not be able to survive the castle, but a scandalous one… a scandalous one might not just survive but thrive.

A woman whose fiancé dumps her just before the wedding on the advice of his older brother ends up moving in between them into a ten-foot-wide historical “spite house.” She plans to ensure it lives up to the name, but perhaps the older brother isn’t the monster she believed? Maybe she really is just that much of a disaster…

Deftly written and at turns hilarious, emotional, and heartbreaking, every word is like the kindest, gentlest hug to anyone struggling with grief or depression. I loved it!

(Fair warning, Olivia and I are friends, which is why I got to read an early copy, but it is devastatingly good.)

A young woman who knows the line between the luxury she has now and the starvation she grew up with is wafer-thin and ever changing uses her magical intuition to ensure she is indispensable to her protector. Unfortunately for her, she draws the interest of the god-like prince of the realm who feeds on pleasure and wants hers. But with her intuition oddly silent, will she be able to keep herself—and her friends—safe?

A young woman with a chronic illness has trained her whole life to become a scribe, right up until her powerful mother declares she’ll be undertaking the dragon rider trials. If she survives, she’ll be one of the most formidable soldiers in the kingdom. If she fails, she dies. The leader of her wing already hates her for the sins of her mother, but she plans to show him and everyone else just what smarts and stubbornness can do.

A fast, fun read with dragons!

When the tabloids concoct a story that the prince is banging his personal assistant, something needs to change, and fast. Another relationship would be ideal, but the PA isn’t actually dating anyone. Neither is the head of the prince’s protection detail. The two of them have already been spotted together enough that a romance would be believable, if only they agree—and don’t catch feelings.

Easy peasy… right?

A desperate young woman finds an injured man in the forest—one who happens to be a notorious villain. Rather than turning him in, she accepts a job as his assistant. After all, money is money, and she needs more of it, even if she does have to dodge the occasional severed head or flying body. Who says villainy doesn’t pay?

A modern-day rockstar retelling of The Little Mermaid where Ariel is a huge pop star and Eric is an up-and-coming musician who doesn’t recognize her. In order to escape her controlling father, Ariel goes on tour with Eric as his merch girl. Funny, emotional, and swoon worthy, I loved it!

When her grandfather is murdered, a young woman knows the only way she’ll have the power to investigate is if she becomes a Praetorian, the highest level of military service. Unfortunately, that means surviving the brutal trials—and the team leader who very likely killed her grandfather. The power in her blood gives her an edge, but if anyone discovers the secret, she’ll be killed before the trials even begin.

A woman who sold her soul to save her brother is offered a chance to earn it back, but only if she catches the vicious serial killer roaming Chicago’s streets. Succeed, and she can grow old with the woman she loves. Fail, and she’ll be dragged to hell. Beautiful, lush, and bittersweet.

A chaotic disaster of a man, one who happens to be able to read minds, is ordered to bond with a proper, rule-bound, honorable man, one who refuses to force the bond. But without it, both of their lives are forfeit, so they have to pretend—or die.

No problem, right?

A healer with impending doom bearing down on her, and an elvish sovereign who will do anything to save his people—and his consort—collide in this stunning contemporary fantasy romance. The world-building is top notch, the romance is hot, and I tore through the entire series in a weekend.

She’s a bartender at the exclusive club where he’s a member, and relationships between staff and members is strictly forbidden. Yet, the smoldering attraction between them refuses to be ignored.

I read this one as a standalone, but I loved it and the others are on my TBR!

This series continues to be an absolute delight! Two secret agents, both used to working alone, must pretend to be married to infiltrate a piratic house party. If only these feelings didn’t keep getting in the way…

Dark and lush, with intriguing world-building and plenty of twists and turns, this one kept me glued to the page.

When a witch accidentally summons a demon instead of flour, she finds herself trapped in a soul bargain she refuses to complete. But the demon can’t leave without a soul, so they fake a relationship while trying to figure out a way to undo the bargain. But what started as fake, soon turns all too real, and one wrong move will spell disaster for them both.

A woman trying to balance the needs of family and self becomes entangled with the very person who might tip the balance too far. Lovely and emotional, this story left me with a book hangover in the best possible way.

I’m a sucker for deadly main characters who are secretly soft for the romantic interest and this one delivers! A little bit Beauty and the Beast, a little bit Hades and Persephone, and with interesting world-building, I flew through the pages!

A grumpy professor travels to a remote village to study the local fae, but she finds more than she expects. Filled with suspicious villagers, a devoted pet, and a handsome rival professor, I loved it all!

When a woman accidentally uncovers a secret that paints her employer as either careless or traitorous, she’s shipped off to die as cannon fodder in an intergalactic war. Instead, she rescues one of the most deadly assassins alive and they escape together. Too bad she hates him… right? A delightful blend of fantasy and science fiction.

A grumpy assassin and a sunshiny supersolider must put their simmering attraction aside to infiltrate the highest level of a tyrannical government, where one misstep could cost them everything.

But some bonds burn too hot to ignore…

I adore this entire series! Full of hope and love and found family in a dystopian future, it’s the perfect read.

Two bitter enemies end up anonymous pen-pals thanks to magical mail, and they find they have more in common than they thought. I never expected to cheer this hard for a main character who was an undertaker, and yet, it was a delight!

I smiled from the first page, and it just kept getting better! When a witch’s buttoned-up nemesis moves to town and opens a competing magic store across the street, she decides this means war.

But under all the sweater vests and waistcoats is a dangerously attractive man, and one scorching kiss is all it takes to throw her careful plans into chaos. Delightful!

The perfect end to one of my favorite trilogies! Catalina and Alessandro really come into their own in this book, and the twists and turns will keep you glued to the page. Block off time to read it straight through!

A witch looking for a place to belong finds it in the one place that breaks all the rules. Witches must stay solitary… mustn’t they?

Filled with found family feels, a great supporting cast, and a delicious slow-burn romance.

An orc gives up adventuring to open a coffee shop in a town that’s never heard of coffee. Soft, lovely, and filled with found family goodness.

The second volume in this delightful series, this time with lady witches (just don’t call them that), flying houses, a roguish pirate, and a road trip to retrieve a long-lost magic amulet. Absolute fun!

A woman braves entering the forbidden prison of mages in order to bring back the rightful prince of the realm, only to find that he’s not interested in rescue. But she’s not so easily thwarted…

A soft, cosy collection of stories about a pragmatic inventor and the outlandish necromancer who lives next door.

The lethal, genetically enhanced leaders of two rival families find out that their spouses stole priceless data and ran away—together. It’s a blow that could not only bankrupt both families, but could also destroy their standings in a brutal, cutthroat society, forcing them to put aside their ancient grudge and work together.

Incredible world-building and sizzling passion make this novella a must-read!

A woman who doesn’t want to be a long-lost princess and the investigator whose job it is to convince her otherwise—for more than one reason.

Alyssa Cole writes some of my favorite contemporary romances, and this one includes a fake relationship, forced proximity, and only one bed. 😍 Yes, please!

So I was super late to this party, but I adored this book and the next one (A Court of Mist and Fury), and I’m working my way through the rest of the series. Magic, fae, a strong main character, an interesting world, and plenty of twists and turns!

A woman with a passion for acquiring rare books gets pulled into a dangerous plot involving a relic from the library of Timbuktu, and the smokin’ hot man she met after leaving a disastrous first date is not only a private security expert, he’s also tangled up in the same case. But can he keep her safe when the stakes turn deadly?

A young witch with a broken heart and a little too much vodka pretends to curse her ex with bad hair days and a perpetual inability to find his partner’s clitoris. Unfortunately, when he returns nine years later, the curse turns out to be a little more real—and more dangerous—than she expected. Now she and her ex must fix the problem before the whole town is lost to magic—without falling back into bed.

Easy peasy, right?

A young woman raised in a library full of sentient books must decide if the wizard who’s come to take her away to face judgement for a death she didn’t mean to commit is as evil as the stories she’s been told, because he seems distressingly kind. And likable.

Even if he has a demon servant.

If you enjoyed Howl’s Moving Castle, check this one out because it gave me similar vibes!

A young woman training to become a Gray Sister—a nun who ensures spirits stay at rest—is forced to use a saint’s relic to defend her convent. But the deadly spirit trapped in the relic nearly overwhelms her and the struggle costs her her freedom. Malicious forces are gathering in the kingdom and an alliance with the very spirit who tried to kill her might be the only way to save it. Dark, haunting, and beautiful.

When a woman inherits her great-uncle’s fortune, she didn’t expect his extended family to attempt to marry her off to a revolting cousin. When she draws an ancient, enchanted sword in an attempt to defend herself, she’s as surprised as anyone when a handsome man emerges from thin air to act as her champion. A delight!

A forger, an assassin, a fallen paladin, and a scholar go on a not entirely voluntary quest to save their city from destruction by clockwork warriors. You might as well grab the second book, The Wonder Engine, while you’re at it because you’re going to want to keep reading!

I adored Spoiler Alert (the first in this series), but I might’ve loved this one even more! My official blurb:

Olivia Dade once again delivers a book as sexy and charming as it is cathartic. Dade’s books speak to my soul as she deftly tackles complicated subjects with humor, heart, and infinite kindness. I adored ALL THE FEELS and can’t wait to see what Dade writes next. Olivia Dade is an auto-buy author!

A soft, slow romance between a supersolider who thinks he’s dying and a woman whose incredible brain is worth millions of credits—if it doesn’t kill her. Tons of gentle longing, found family feels, and hope in a harsh, post-apocalyptic world. I loved it!

Full disclosure: The duo behind Kit Rocha and I are friends. :)

A hockey star who can no longer play and television princess whose character just got the axe both retreat to lick their wounds in solitude and end up finding each other. Add in some wooing via homemade baked goods and this book made me swoon with happiness.

A smart, opinionated woman finds herself in a potentially scandalous situation with a drunken, spoiled, hurting duke—one she’d loved as a girl. She refuses to marry him, so he sets about changing her mind—by changing himself.

Lady pirates, flying houses, and proper British society collide in this fun historical fantasy romance. Try a sample because the style might not be for everyone, but I loved it!

A little bit Red Riding Hood, a little bit Beauty and the Beast, and yet also something completely new, I devoured this one! Dark and twisty, it kept me glued to the page until the hard-won HEA.

A woman who doesn’t believe in relationships ends up in a fake one with a man who’s a romantic at heart. Sharp, funny, and oh so romantic, I loved it!

A sunshine extrovert and a grumpy introvert have to make an arranged marriage work or risk destroying the peace treaty that keeps their planets safe from the rest of the universe. Political, twisty, and romantic!

An uptown do-gooder won’t let anyone stand in her way, not even a handsome crime lord with a hand in every business in town. But maybe she can persuade him to help her cause… for a price.

A romance between a woman trying to rebuild her life and an AI trying to figure out how to be human. I adored this book!

When a woman who hates and fears the spotlight accidentally goes viral, her bodyguard whisks her off to his family’s farm to hide until the heat dies down. But they can’t hide from their feelings for each other…

I read an ARC of this and loved it so much that I officially blurbed it: “Olivia Dade perfectly captures fandom, love, and acceptance in this incredible, delightful novel. I loved every page!”

Rich, incredible world building and a twisty, turny plot that kept me riveted.

A woman who is desperate for marriage and family—but only one filled with love—must convince the only person she wants that his heart isn’t a frozen as he thinks it is.

A woman flies halfway around the world to attempt to seduce a stranger, but slowly finds herself seduced instead. Beautiful and heart-wrenching.

A blacksmith who will do anything to protect her family, and the Amichai centaur shifter who fights by her side, even when it looks like they’ll have to fight an entire kingdom alone.

A smart, badass heroine with a core of hope and kindness meets a jaded, honorable, super-soldier who is so very, very conflicted. Delicious in every way, I adored this one!

Want more super-soldier goodness? Check out Ashwin.

Full disclosure: The duo behind Kit Rocha and I are friends, but that doesn’t make their books any less awesome. :)

When a Hero escapes from his unwritten book, it’s up to the librarian of Hell’s Unwritten Wing to get him back. But things don’t go exactly according to plan…

Penny has never met a wounded creature she didn’t want to heal and love—and that includes the grumpy, ruthless man next door.

Do you like banter? Then this is the book for you! Hattie embarks on the first year of the rest of her life, plan firmly in hand, and nothing is going to keep her from it—not even a delicious man called Beast.

A delightful science fiction romance with a prickly assassin heroine and a sweet, badass hero. She takes him hostage after a botched assassination, but the political ramifications go much deeper. Balanced on the edge of war, they must find trust enough to work together.

A woman used to being overlooked and the prince who sees exactly how special she is. Words cannot express how much I loved this one!

Two enemies are trapped together on a planet where the very atmosphere is a killer aphrodisiac. Scorching hot!

A woman determined to teach despite fierce resistance meets a bearded mountain of a man, descended from pirates, who calls her cheri, and moves heaven and earth for her. Swoon.

A woman boldly steals the last ice cream carton—and a kiss—from a handsome man without realizing he’s a world-famous rock star. When circumstances throw them together, they slowly grow closer.

A sociopath decides to take revenge for her best friend’s death by breaking the man responsible and taking away everything he holds dear. She starts by becoming his girlfriend and it gets so much better from there.

A young woman from a planet rebelling against Earth finds an abandoned AI mech that could end the war, if she can bring herself to follow her training and sacrifice his life. Beautifully written.

Urban fantasy based on Native American myths. Loved the incredible world building!

Small town girl with big dreams gets mixed up with a motorcycle club enforcer who’s got secrets of his own. Sweet and steamy.

A smart, witty scientist heroine and an undercover prince hero—two of my favorite things. Loved it!

Two competitive ice skaters must set aside their mutual loathing to work together for a chance at gold. An enemies to lovers story that I adored.

A technically dense science fiction book about one man trapped alone on Mars and his plan to get home. By turns funny, sarcastic, and optimistic despite all odds, you just have to root for him.

A tipsy bride bolts before her “perfect” wedding and it’s up to the best man to bring her back. Only once he gets caught up in her adventure, he starts to think maybe he’d rather be the groom. But honorable men don’t steal their best friend’s bride, right? Utterly adorable.

I have a soft spot for writer heroines and Zenobia doesn’t disappoint. Add a hero that completely skips the alpha-asshole nonsense while still being badass and I’m in love.

Originally written as a set of interconnected short stories, the end of the first story blew my mind. Worth it for that alone, but the rest are great, too.

This is such a fun story, as the heroine refuses to take any shit from the hero. Fair warning: the hero spends a good deal of the first half as kind of an ass, but it’s so, so satisfying when he comes around.

A fantasy romance beautifully written and emotionally captivating. I could not put it down.

An American heiress meets an arrogant duke and sparks fly. The only problem? She’s already engaged—to someone else.

A sexy Scottish duke, the adult ward he inherited with the title, and the scandal to end all scandals. My catnip.

A clever, powerful woman and the man who is willing to risk losing her so she can forge her own path. Love, love, love this book. Start with Burn for Me.

A young woman who only wants to avoid scandal finds herself in a compromising situation with the very man she was trying to avoid.

A coyote shapeshifter gets kidnapped by powerful vampire enemies. She must escape before her werewolf husband starts a war to get her back.

Another favorite, start with Moon Called if you’re new to the series.

A kickass heroine, the lion shapeshifter who loves her, and a whole host of awesome side character. This is the conclusion to one of my all-time favorite series. If you haven’t read any of the books, start with Magic Bites.

Full disclosure: Ilona and I are friends, but that doesn’t make her books any less awesome. :)