Blue Collar Bidders ARC Review

Lara London is back at it again with Blue Collar Bidders. This is another quick read that is hard to put down. This was undoubtedly a fast-paced story centered on romance.

The story introduces thirty-one-year-old hotel day manager Nora Rogers, who has put herself on the auction block in this small-town with three men in mind that she wants. Will they choose her once they know what she wants? Will they get along? No clue.

Who are these men? First, there's Vance, the six-foot-five chef that is all muscle. Then, there is Rocky, who works at the quarry and is into gaming just as much as Nora is. Last but not least is Penn, which Nora works and sees daily.

One thing that was different this time compared to some others I have read is the amount and types of scenes. There were three one-on-one scenes, one two-on- one with a watcher scene, and a scene with all four together. None of the scenes were exactly what you were expecting either, which made it even better.

Blue Collar Bidders is actually book two of the Foxy Falls Auction series. They can be read independently so starting with this one had no effect on me as a reader. I definitely will try to read the rest of this series. I also recommend getting the bonus scene as it is a quick and steamy scene as well. Overall, I cannot recommend Blue Collar Bidders and Lara London's books enough. The quickness and the ability to still tell a story have me hooked. The blue-collar men and the promise of a happy ever after are extra bonuses.

A Veteran's Protection ARC Review

A Veteran's Protection by Sadie King is definitely one of the better reads I have read in a while. It has plenty of intensity, enough spice, and the expected happy ever after. It is the first book of a series, which means I can't wait to read the next one.

The story introduced the small mountain town of Hope through the eyes of Alexandra "Lexi" Gibbs and Aiden Whitley. Lexi is twenty-three, curvy, with big brown eyes, brown hair, and is a virgin. She has one year left of school. In order to come to Hope, Lexi had traveled by bus for two days, as she had some property left to her by her late father, whom she never met. She is determined to sell, as she has debts and bills to pay. Aiden is a veteran who does security for Jake's Retreat, a place for veterans to get them ready for civilian life. He is tall, broad, dark headed, cropped short with a hint of stubble. He grew up in Kentucky, enlisted at seventeen, and has been out of the military for a few years.

Both Lexi and Aiden are trying to find their place in the world and make their home base. When they meet, they both have thoughts they don't expect, with the intense electricity between them feeling unreal. His protectiveness wins her over despite only knowing each other for a short time. His care and concern are something Lexi has not experienced in a long time.

If A Veteran's Protection doesn't give you fireflies, in all of its happy ever after and fast-paced relationship, I'm not sure what you were expecting. I recommend getting the bonus chapter as well to complete the happy ending. I can't wait to read the continuation of the series and other Sadie King books. This was exactly what I needed, and it was just the perfect length for a story.

The Cowboy's Forever ARC Review

I just had to select The Cowboy’s Forever by Matilda Martel when it became available through Instalove Influencers. Cowboy and rancher romances are some of my favorite subgenres to read. This one was no exception, despite not being exactly what I expected.

This second chance at love romance introduces us to Dallas Sawyer. He has been a widower for fifteen years, despite only being thirty-nine, after his wife died in a car accident. Dallas is a rancher with brown eyes and a deep, jagged scar on his chin. He had almost given up on ever loving again until he met Serena Butler. Serena has also given up on a second chance after getting divorced, choosing instead to focus on being the best restaurant owner and keeping herself busy as much as possible. Their slow burn romance is really slow, but their pasts explain the hesitancy they share before they become a couple.

This is also book four of a series. It did not affect the story at all.

Overall, I can recommend The Cowboy’s Forever by Matilda Martel. It had moments that were slower than I wanted, but the romance and happy ever after ending made it all worth it. I definitely recommend it to any romance reader, especially if you like extra slow burns.

The Stuffie Stand ARC Children's book review

I originally found out this book was coming out in the publication Booklist. It was much better and cuter than I had expected. I can definitely recommend The Stuffie Stand to anyone looking for a new children's book.

For starters, it definitely has a cuteness factor that elementary school kids and younger are going to enjoy. Especially with the character Mabel. She means well, but she can come across as annoying in the way she just wants to help and in the way she gets excited over everything. Just like an actual child might at the intended reader's age. 

There is also the introduction of the idea of entrepreneurship in the way the stuffie stand comes to be. What starts out as a hobby turns into a business. When the business gets bigger, there is the idea of supply and demand and expanding the business. Of course, these terms weren't included but were shown at the intended reader's level.  

Another theme underlaid into the story is the importance of friendship. Without Moose and Mabel's friendship, they would not have been able to work together and expand their business. Mabel stuck by Moose even when he did not want her to. Like an actual friend does. 

I see many possibilities for The Stuffie Stand to be a very useful book. The themes of entrepreneurship and friendship especially give it great use in the classroom or in a homeschool setting. The cuteness factor helps keep a child's attention as well. 

This book comes out June 9, 2026.

Flushing His Pipe by Lara London ARC Review

Flushing His Pipe by Lara London was a rethat I didn't know that I needed. It was a quick read (read it in a night) that had some funny moments. It is also an adult book, definitely for the eighteen-and-over crowd.

This grumpy/ sunshine read introduces the two main characters, Jameson and Naomi. Jameson has sworn off love. He is exactly the blue-collar man some of us want because he is rough, tough, handsome, and gruff, running his own construction company, going from plumber to foreman. Naomi appears to be his polar opposite. She is temporarily living at the construction site that Jameson is working because of being new to the area, coming to town for her new job. Working with a wedding planning company her friend owns, Naomi is offering new opportunities as a massage therapist, a yoga instructor, and an aesthetician. She also is a curvy, blonde bombshell with a soft and soothing voice and soulful eyes. Of course Jameson would find her irresistible. Her dog, Fred, is a bonus as well.

The hesitant in the beginning to the full steam ahead attraction is a major part of why I couldn't quit reading this book. Their attraction and fast paced romance makes sense without the need to slow down. I'm typically more a slow or medium paced burn fan but this book may be one to fully change my mind.

The other characters make me look forward to reading the rest of the series as well. Especially Betty's shirt gifts. They have similar themes to the title of this book.

I definitely recommend Flushing His Pipe by Lara London. I also recommend grabbing the bonus scene by joining her newsletter. I'm definitely out of my reading funk I have been in. I can't wait to read more Lara London books.

Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws review

There is so much to say about Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws. It made me laugh, cry, and occasionally kept me in temporary suspense. It was so much better than I expected, which is probably why I finished it in the early morning hours. 

This book may not be suitable for everyone, as there are some themes around surrogacy, harsh family life, and the aftermath that can sometimes occur. 

While the Nine Month Contract focuses on the whole Fletcher family, the main characters are Wyatt Fletcher and Trista Matthews. Wyatt has wanted nothing but to become a father and is willing to use a surrogate to make it happen. He's tried using an agency to no avail. When his niece steps in to find him a surrogate and hopefully his forever, she can just feel it. Who does she run into other than Trista, who was deemed unfit as a surrogate by the exact agency Wyatt was using? The agency found her “too big” for their standards. Trista just wanted a way to start her own rescue for animals other than dogs and cats. She's just strapped for money. 

As luck would have it, Wyatt and Trista find exactly what they were looking for and get their happily ever after. They must work through things separately and together. And the number of farm animals that make it up the mountain is usually just a hilarious anecdote. Handsome might have just been my favorite. The spark between Wyatt and Trista is great, too, once they stop fighting it. The way she got pregnant was also worth a chuckle or two, too.

I can't wait to get another chance to read an Amy Daws book. I had watched the movie to one of her books a few years ago. If all of her books are this paced, funny, and witty, I look forward to the next one. 

Kingridge Ranch Box Set 1 by Elsie James review

This book review may look different from the rest because this time, a box set has become available for review, and some of these books I reviewed earlier. If you have been following me for long, you may have already read these reviews and maybe some of the books yourself. If not, you have another chance and can even get them as a set! 

Kingridge Ranch Box Set 1 by Elsie James has just become available. I am a fan of Elsie James and cannot recommend her writings enough! This box set has four of her Kingridge Ranch books. If it is a book I have already reviewed, I will just insert a link to it. 

Book 1: Rope Me: Cowboy’s Single Mom 

http://tabtakeson.blogspot.com/2025/02/rope-me-cowboys-single-mom-by-elsie.html

Book 2: Ride Me: Cowboy’s Fake Relationship 

http://tabtakeson.blogspot.com/2025/03/ride-me-cowboys-fake-relationship-arc.html

Book 3: Redemption in Misty Mountain

http://tabtakeson.blogspot.com/2025/04/redemption-in-misty-mountain-arc-review.html

Book 4: Wrangle Me: Cowboy's Surprise Baby

Wrangle Me: Cowboy's Surprise Baby is exactly what I needed to read. It focuses on the Kingridge brothers, has some intense moments, but, as always, has a happy ending. 

With more of a focus on Maisie Reagan and Callum Kingridge than the rest of the family, we get to see their relationship develop. Maisie has a sweet, kind, and innocent nature about her, which makes her unique. She's defining who she is by how she was raised. Callum catches her attention with his dark hair, brooding eyes, and deep-set dimples. A ten-year age gap doesn't seem to matter. Callum does stick his foot in his mouth a few times, but makes it up to Maisie over and over again.

Their love story is definitely one to remember. Who wouldn't want libraries as gifts? This is definitely a quick read, happy ever after that I can't recommend enough. 

Overall, all these stories in Kingridge Ranch Box Set 1 by Elsie James are guaranteed to get anyone out of a reading funk. Her guaranteed happy ending gets to be a bonus. Go check them out for yourself today!