My feelings for Cat Wynn’s Partner Track are complex. There are some things I loved & then there are things that had me going what?! internally.

The book starts when attorney Perdie Stone scores a big victory against Ivy League grad, now defense attorney, & impossible hottie Carter Leplan.

A major snowstorm & not enough rooms at the hotel result in an only one bed situation which turns into—as these things often do in a romance—a steamy hook-up.

When Perdie returns home she soon realizes that Carter is a new partner at her firm, a fact that’s more than infuriating given how long she’s fought for a similar position.

But they can’t stay away from each other & things get heated between them again & again.

Other reviews mention the steam of this one & it’s true, it’s so hot 👏🏻. There’s one office scene involving red underwear that had me feeling all kinds of things. You can feel the heat coming off the pages & it is y u m.

The chemistry between them is explosive & it’s offered as a reason why the characters can’t resist each other, despite Perdie’s *numerous* attempts to break things off.

Speaking of Perdie, it was great finding an unlikeable heroine & seeing her ultimately pursuing the things that will fulfill her. I repeatedly got the sense that Perdie Stone doesn’t stay down for long. She’s in her late 30s & she’s assured & knows how to take her pleasure & I can only applaud her for all of those things.

Carter is beta hero heart eyes: he is extremely sexy, self-aware, & sensitive. Also a dirty talker.

But the romance arc is filled with frustrating & confusing mixed messages on Perdie’s end & often propelled forward by jealousy. In the end I didn’t feel super confident in the stability of their relationship though the last couple of chapters including the epilogue are cute & a nice touch.

The romance itself unfolds in a muddled, frustrating way for this reader but I really appreciated aspects of the characters & the scintillating passages that pepper its pages.

Isn’t it amazing when you read an author & you immediately think, I need to read more of her books?

I loved Tanked by Mia Hopkins, a hot (!) second chance romance between two people who hooked up years three years earlier & reconnect during the pandemic.

This book has a gesture that I think will win over readers everywhere—lead Angel Rosas makes sure lead Deanna Delgado’s phone is charging when they go to sleep on multiple occasions 🥺😆.

I was more than a little in love with Angel when the book ends, he’s so sexy but also so earnest and sincere when it comes to Deanna. He manufactures a fantasy for her that is 🔥 but he also knows how to reassure her whenever she expresses vulnerability or insecurity & that is a sterling hero in my mind.

The interplay between Deanna & Angel is not only sensual as all get-out, it’s also rooted in real love & respect & loyalty. It has one of those things I love: leads standing up for each other with family—not to mention leads who communicate their needs & wants with one another. Especially when it comes to sex and Angel’s participation in underground fighting.

The stakes feel big in this one: I think it’s only the second book I’ve read that’s set during the pandemic & there are references to death & isolation. The business Angel & his family own is struggling & Deanna is laid off. There’s also just “normal” challenging family dynamics.

But this couple & the community surrounding them is strong, & I really love how Hopkins portrays both elements.

There are a couple of things that didn’t get tied up as clearly as I would like but if you’re looking for a contemporary romance that serves up plenty of steam & feels I definitely recommend this one!

Serving Sin was my first time dropping into Angelina M. Lopez’s Filthy Rich series but as soon as I saw bodyguard romance I said helloooooo there.

Roman Sheppard & Cenobia (Cen) Trujillo met about 13 years ago when he was a former Army Ranger, newly turned private security CEO who rescued her after she was kidnapped.

Now, at a special celebration in Monte del Vino Real, Spain, where Roman now lives with his half siblings & serves as adviser to the king & a freaking prince, Cen reveals (1) that it was actually her who led the initiative to help their struggling country out of a financial bind, not her father as he thought & (2) she’s receiving violent threats as her huge car production company prepares to launch its first car.

Roman wants to keep her safe, even as he knows how challenging it’ll be to be around the stunning woman he’s spent the last several years avoiding.

Well, call me a Lopez fan because this book has so much of the good stuff:

⭐️ Cen knows her shit. Her business acumen🏻. Her drive, her stubbornness, her tenderness.
⭐️ age gap
⭐️ Roman is just in awe. Would also like to add that he doesn’t see himself as worthy of anything & while this is very sad that’s also my catnip.
⭐️ really interesting consideration of misogyny
⭐️ throughhhh sex scenes that aren’t clinical in the slightest.
⭐️ so much respect between leads
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There are a couple of moments where I came out of the story a bit due to how those plot points are presented, but overall, Serving Sin has great steam, characterization, & heart, & I really enjoyed my time with it!