VBT# In Case You Didn't Know - Carrie Elks

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Review: In Case You Didn't Know - Book #2 The Fitzgeralds - Carrie Elks - October 2025

I'll be honest with you lately, I've been in a bit of a romance reading slump. Book after book has failed to pull me out of my funk, leaving me scrolling aimlessly through my TBR pile with zero enthusiasm. So when Hambright PR reached out about In Case You Didn't Know by Carrie Elks, I wasn't expecting much. But here's the thing: this book grabbed my attention from page one and didn't let go.

The premise hooked me immediately. Our heroine writes steamy romance novels under a pen name, keeping her career secret from almost everyone including her best friend's older brother, Asher Fitzgerald. When they unexpectedly cross paths at an exclusive sex club,  he suddenly sees her in an entirely different light. What follows is a deliciously forbidden romance filled with tension, heat, and the kind of secrecy that makes every stolen moment feel dangerous.

What I loved most about this book was how Carrie Elks balanced the steam with genuine emotion. The forbidden aspect best friend's brother, secret romance novelist, small-town setting where everyone knows everyone ,  and the added layers of complexity that kept me invested. Asher's grumpy exterior melting away as he falls for our heroine felt earned, not rushed. And the fact that he's unknowingly the inspiration for her possessive book hero? Even better.

The found family element warmed my heart, and I appreciated the laugh-out-loud moments that broke up the tension. Carrie Elks has a gift for writing banter that feels natural and characters who jump off the page. The small-town setting provided the perfect backdrop for a romance that needed to stay hidden but couldn't help but burn bright.

Was it perfect? Not quite hence the 3Ps. Some plot points felt predictable, and I wished certain conflicts had more depth. But did it pull me out of my slump and remind me why I love romance novels? Absolutely.

If you're looking for a standalone romance with grumpy billionaires, forbidden attraction, and enough heat to fog up your reading glasses, In Case You Didn't Know delivers. It's the kind of book that makes you stay up past your bedtime, whispering "just one more chapter" until suddenly it's 2 AM and you're emotionally invested in fictional people's happiness.

Thank you to Hambright PR for the opportunity to read this one. Sometimes the right book finds you exactly when you need it.

Amazon: https://amzn.to/48HPG8d


 

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