Review: Pieces of the Night - Jennifer Hartmann - April 2026 There is something rather lovely about settling into a chunky book on a long bus ride home, knowing you have hours of uninterrupted reading ahead of you. Pieces of the Night by Jennifer Hartmann was my Intercity Bus companion on the journey from Hamilton to Tauranga after heading up for the 5SOS concert, and honestly, what better way to spend the trip than getting lost in 600+ pages of angsty New Adult romance? Jennifer Hartmann is an author who knows how to deliver the angst, the emotions, and those deliciously complicated relationships that have you feeling all the things. If you've read her work before, you'll know she's not afraid to put her characters through the emotional wringer, and this book is another fabulous example of why readers keep coming back for more. First, though, can we take a moment to appreciate this COVER? Because, much like Dream On, this one had me experiencing a total cover crush. You kn...

Review: Sounds Like Love - Ashley Poston - June 2025 You know how there are just some authors you will always read, no matter what they write next? For me, Ashley Poston is one of those authors. Every single one of her books feels like it was written to be a movie, and honestly, I'd give anything to see them on the big screen one day. This little gem found its way to me as a bookstagram birthday gift from the lovely @nzbookfae, and what a gift it turned out to be. If I had to describe the vibe, I'd say it's a cosy mash-up of What Women Want crossed with Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist equal parts magic, music, and heart. We meet Joni Lark and Sebastian McKellan, two people who couldn't be more different. Joni's a songwriter quietly battling writer's block, and Sebastian's a singer with the whole world watching him. They're polar opposites, right up until a surprise Kiss Cam moment throws a spark between them that neither of them sees coming. Suddenl...

Review: Death of a Pop Star - Volume #1 - Violet Karim - September 2025 You know those seasons of life where work just swallows you whole? That was me these past few weeks , head down, to-do lists multiplying like gremlins, and by the time I'd finally collapse onto the sofa of an evening, I'd pick up a book and read the same paragraph four times without a single word landing. My concentration had practically packed its bags and left. So when this gorgeous physical ARC of Death of a Popstar Volume 1 arrived, I genuinely wasn't sure I'd be in the right headspace for it. Reader, it fixed me. The premise is wonderfully absurd in the best possible way. Sophie Lim is sitting pretty at number one on the pop charts ,  the whole world adores her  until she takes a tumble down the stairs which I believe she was pushed and, well, that's rather that. Except it isn't, because the Grim Reaper turns out to be her biggest fan. Eli strikes a deal with her: Sophie gets her life ...

Bad Crush on a Rockstar Kitt Henley (Soulmates, #3) Publication date: November 25th 2025 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance A spicy brother’s-best-friend romance featuring a cinnamon roll rockstar hero haunted by his past, a plucky heroine with a childhood crush, slow seduction, hometown shows, and rapidly crumbling resolve. She’s my best friend’s little sister, and she’s got a bad crush. But I’m the one who can’t stay away from her. SEAN: When I first laid eyes on Brooke Halsey, she was just a sweet, freckle-faced kid with enormous glasses and an even bigger crush on me. But there’s no denying she’s all grown up now. She’s running the merch table while my rock band’s home on tour, and even though we’ve never been more than good friends, I know she’s game. I’d totally go for it too, if I didn’t already know I’d break her heart, destroy my band, and lose Jonah—our drummer, my best friend, and her brother. He’s made it clear he does not want me messing around with his lit...

Review: Steal My Breath Away - Book #2 Havencrest University Series - Sarah Castille - June 2025 Steal My Breath Away by Sarah Castille just served up everything I didn't know I needed on a silver platter, and honestly? I'm still recovering. Picture this: You're living your best indie singer life, busking on street corners and hosting university radio shows, when BAM—someone tries to kidnap you. Plot twist? Your mom's a senator with a target on her back, and suddenly your childhood crush (who also happens to be your dead brother's best friend) shows up as your personal bodyguard. If that doesn't scream "emotional chaos incoming," I don't know what does. Haley Chapman had me from page one. This girl's got pipes, dreams, and enough stubborn streak to make you want to shake her AND root for her simultaneously. She's not your typical damsel in distress—she's got agency, talent, and a whole lot of unresolved feelings about Ace Murphy. Spea...

Review: The Secret Song of Shelby Rey - Rayne Lacko - June 2025 There's something utterly captivating about a protagonist who can literally hear the music in people's souls, and Rayne Lacko delivers this concept with breathtaking emotional depth in The Secret Song of Shelby Rey. From the moment I cracked open this ARC (thanks, Books Forward!), I was completely transported into Shelby's world of supernatural empathy and musical revelation. Set against the glittering yet gritty backdrop of 2008 Los Angeles, this novel follows eighteen-year-old Shelby Rey, whose extraordinary ability to hear people's deepest truths through song feels more like a burden than a gift. After losing her father and being abandoned by her drug-addicted mother, Shelby's life takes an unexpected turn when she encounters chart-topping rock star Zac Wyatt. What unfolds is a mesmerizing tale of fame, addiction, and the dangerous allure of living someone else's truth. If you loved Zoey's ...

Review: Save Your Breath - Book #4 Kings of Ice Series - Kandi Steiner - March 2025 THIS JUST IN: HOCKEY BAD BOY AND POP STAR EXTRAORDINAIRE ENGAGED!  Kandi Steiner delivers a swoon-worthy slow burn in Save Your Breath, the fourth standalone in her addictive Kings of the Ice series. Packed with emotion, longing, and perfectly layered tension, this friends-to-lovers romance checks every box for readers who love their fake relationships with a hefty dose of real feelings. Aleksander Suter, NHL’s resident bad boy, has always been the one person who could fluster pop star Mia Love—and now they’re in a pretend engagement that feels a little too believable. What starts as a PR stunt quickly spirals into something deeper, as childhood memories and long-held feelings surface in the midst of fame, pressure, and a hurricane-induced forced proximity. Their chemistry is palpable, and every shared moment—whether a quiet confession or a heated glance—carries the weight of years of unspoken lo...

Time Travel Swap Connie Lacy Publication date: February 26th 2025 Genres: Adult, Romance, Time-Travel A unique time travel romance With her star rising and her rock band about to hit the big time, Carly Munro is infuriated to find herself whisked thirty years into the future. Her band needs her. So does her guitarist boyfriend – her partner in the band. But the doorway that transported her to 2054 seems to be a one-way street. A guy named Ian takes her in and becomes her ally as she tries find her way home. They discover her trip through time may have been more than just a random accident of nature. There’s something suspicious about how it all went down. Stuck in the future, she can’t help feeling that her life has been stolen. When Carly and Ian develop feelings for one another, it comes as bad news since she has no intention of giving up the music career she worked so hard to build. To her ears, the pop music of 2054 sounds like it’s straight off an Artificial Intellige...

Review: Lonely For You Only - Book #6 Lancaster Prep Series - Monica Murphy -February 2024 I am going to be sad to see the Lancaster Prep series finish as I've only got two more books sitting on my bookshelf to read until I am up to date with this series and have to wait for Monica Murphy to write more of the next generation of Lancasters. At the end of New Year's Day, we saw Scarlett Lancaster and Tate Ramsey on TV as he sang in Times Square as the ball dropped.  Lonely for You Only is their story and how their story began. It all started with Scarlett's 18th birthday party and her desire to impress and finally tell Ian how she felt about him, only for him to leave the party. Her father had hired Tate as a surprise as 13/14-year-old Scarlett had been in love with him and had his poster above her bed, now he is just a washed-up pop star but after singing at the party, he is now a viral act and the records and studios want him back as he is currently a hot commodity. The ...