This Chick Read: Free Falling (Colburn Brothers #2) by Jill Shalvis

Caleb Colburn needs this construction job he’s managing to go smoothly so he can prove his worth in the family business. Emma Sumner is the liaison assigned to the project- she’s also the woman who made his life a living hell in college. Emma’s in love with the beautiful historic building but her feelings for Caleb run more towards hate. She blames him for taking the scholarship she needed and she’s never recovered. But forced proximity and surprising common ground have these enemies starting to wonder just how fine the line between love and hate is.

The second in a series about the Colburn brothers, this one about ex college hockey star turned contractor, Caleb. On the surface he seems to be a smooth talking charmer but there are a lot of hidden depths to his character that are brought into the light through his growing relationship with Emma. She, too, has a lot of baggage from her past and surprisingly, despite the synopsis she seems to have a pretty easy time forgiving Caleb, but she is cautious letting him into her life. It’s this will they or won’t they that drives the tension in the story.

Throw in some charming side characters and a small woman in jeopardy plot and there is plenty of meat to this novel to hold my interest. I can always count on this author’s interesting characters and the continuation of the sabotage of the construction projects means I’ll be reading that third novel to find out the conclusion and of course the romance of our third Colburn brother. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Free Falling

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This Chick Read: Silver & Blood by Jessie Mihalik

This romantic fantasy is based loosely on the fairy tale Beauty & The Beast. When one of the villagers is attacked by a beast in the woods, Riela, as the only mage in the city, is sent into the woods to banish the beast. Just barely a mage, Riela is overcome by not one but two beasts and is losing the fight until a mage stronger than any she’s known, saves her life. She wakes up in a magical castle, with a beautiful library, and a surly, dark haired, handsome man who is trapped by a 100 year old curse. As she gets to know Garrick she finds that his powers are weakening and he needs her help in getting back to his kingdom. As they start to build trust, will their secrets and lies drive a wedge between them?

I vaguely remembered hearing this was a fairy tale re-telling, but as I was reading the novel it didn’t feel like Beauty and the Beast. Yes, there were some minor similarities, but the story was so good that I got lost in these characters and didn’t allow that rumor to ruin my enjoyment in reading this novel.

Riela is one of those heroine’s that I just love to read about. She is self-sacrificing, fearless, and has a heart that’s bigger than her brain. In this case she wants to save everyone. The villagers because the beasts in the forest may break free and endanger them and Garrick because he is trapped in this castle away from his people and his magic is dwindling. As she gets to know Garrick and come to have feelings for him she’s determined to figure out a way to get him free. Oh, and I also liked her sass- that’s an important attribute in any great heroine.

Garrick on the other hand, just as the beast, is a bit full of his own importance and through knowing Riela, he starts to have a little humility and starts to lead with his heart instead of his head. Their adventures make for an entertaining story, and I can’t wait to read the second. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book.* Silver & Blood

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book by the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: The Future Saints by Ashley Winstead

When Theo first meets the California band, Future Saints, they are playing in a dive bar and bombing. Until their final song with lead singer Hannah falls to the floor singing a new song that rocks his world. As their new manager, Theo was sent to get one last album out of the Future Saints or let them go. After video of that song goes viral the label wants to take advantage of their sudden fame and get them out on tour. As Theo gets to know the band members, and especially Hannah, he is determined to help them through the grief of their previous manager and launch them to fame, but Hannah’s destructive antics become a distraction for the group jeopardizing the band’s road to success.

Sometimes it’s hard to read a book about a character’s spiral into darkness. While I appreciated the content and great writing from the author, this was one of those stories that while good, I just wanted to get through. I have a hard time finding self-destructive tendencies entertaining. Thank goodness there was a redemption arc to give this story a little light at the end of the story and with that in mind I kept reading, determined to get there.

I did really like all of the characters. Kenny and Ripper, Hannah’s band mates and long time friends created and interesting dynamic for the group. Kenny’s more granola approach to life and Ripper’s steady rock n’roll lifestyle created interesting contrasts to Hannah’s California girl gone wild. Theo was the calm within the storm, always trying to steer them (especially Hannah) onto the straight and narrow. I can totally see he and Hannah as a couple because they balance each other really well and he handles that crazy rock lifestyle like a pro. The characters were all what made this book so believable and good and got the reader (and Hannah!) through the dark spots.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I receive a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Future Saints

Copyright 2026 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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This Chick Read: Alchemised by SenLinYu

I do not keep up with fanfiction writing but I am aware that it’s out there and some readers obsess over certain subjects. Harry Potter is a favorite and for some reason a Hermione and Draco romantic relationship is featured in a ton. I was about halfway through Part 1 of Alchemised when it struck me that I might be reading a novel that possibly might be about those two characters. I stopped and Googled. Sure enough, Alchemised was originally written as fanfiction and was uber popular. I must’ve been the only person in the universe who hadn’t heard or read the first iteration. SenLinYu, prior to publishing this novel removed all of those references but there were still enough that even I figured it out. Despite, or maybe even because of those similarities I was struggling through the first act. I couldn’t figure out the world, the bond these Helena had for Kaine despite his evil nature, and truly how desperately weak Helena seemed to be portrayed. She did not fit my vision of Hermione and I hate weak female protagonists. There were so many five star reviews for this book that I pushed through my dislike and kept on reading. Boy, am I glad I did.

It was during Part 2 that I was caught like a fish on a hook. Through flashbacks I got a more complete vision of the world this author was building, but also saw that the Helena I saw in Part 1 was a result of mind manipulation. In the past, she had a stronger nature and her magic was interesting and different than everyone around her. Part 2 was where her relationship with Kaine was explained as well. That push and pull of emotions between she and Kaine in Part 1 were explained. I found myself re-thinking each of those scenes from that first act through eyes that saw the true nature of their relationship. It all kind of made sense now! Helena’s weak character in Part 1 was explained through her strong actions in Part 2. Kaine, too, had his nature explained. Yes he was and is more evil and doesn’t regret too many of his actions, his feelings for Helena become his redemption. Their love story was intricately written and very emotional. If you can get through Part 1 the rest of the book totally makes up for having to make yourself read a million pages to get through it.

I’ll leave you with one last note. Why do author’s think that the longer a book the better it will be? This book, in paper, is 1029 pages. On my kindle it was interminable. I truly believe that the story could’ve been written in 1/3 of the finished length. The characters development wouldn’t be affected and the story arc’s could’ve been tightened up making each written page add to the story. Despite that, I enjoyed the book. It was one of those where you finish reading it but it lingers in your mind for a few days as you’re mulling over each small action. I love those types of novels, but because of the length of this one I probably will not go back for a revisit. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Alchemised

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This Chick Read: Room To Breathe by Kasie West

Indy and Beau were best friends, competing for honors at the top of their class along with their other friends Caroline and Ava. Until one night when her life came crashing down. She had a secret that she couldn’t share and she made a couple of decisions that sent her into a spiral. One day she found herself locked in a school bathroom with Beau and her messy secrets found the light.

Well, this one was quite a surprise! Kasie West’s young adult novels are typically hope-filled coming of age stories with a couple of life lessons thrown in. Room To Breathe was a little more gloomy and Indy was filled with despair. Along with that despair were some of the typical young adult plot lines you’re used to reading. One of those was a casual relationship with the bad boy at school, although in this case he didn’t really have any redeeming qualities, so that added to that overall feeling of hopelessness Indy was feeling. She used that relationship with Cody as an escape from reality but in truth it also was one of the bad decisions that added to the pile.

When she and Beau get locked in the bathroom, it’s her chance to let all of that anger and regret out. The author chose to switch back and forth from what led to that locked bathroom, and what conversations were happening in that moment itself. I don’t usually love flashbacks, but if I hadn’t had those brief moments of she and Beau figuring things out, I would’ve probably bailed on the gloom and doom story. Thank goodness there was a thoughtful full circle conclusion to this story which somewhat redeemed the dark mood. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it is honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Room To Breathe

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: Only On Gameday by Kristen Callihan

Recent NFL draft pick Austin Luck is on a rising trajectory, but he keeps messing it up with bonehead moves. His most recent bad behavior has gone viral and his PR team is telling him to tone things down. When he goes home for the weekend he runs into his childhood friend, Penelope Morrow. Her mother and his were best friends so she was always around but whenever he stepped into the room she left it. This time things are different Pen has a problem too. She has inherited her grandparents home in Los Angeles and can’t afford the estate taxes. Austin proposes a solution. Would she consider being his fake fianceé? He’d help her with her estate taxes in exchange for he help with his image. Win-Win, right?

It’s been a few years since this author’s last book release and I had forgotten how much I like her writing style. Penelope and Austin were pretty down to earth, regardless of Austin’s stress causing him to act out in embarrassing ways. He definitely used some of his game moves to talk Pen into his fake dating scheme but the rest of the time he had a pretty soft approach and took his time in sweet talking Pen into giving him a chance at a real relationship.

Not your typical WAG, Pen comes across as shy except for when she’s alone with Austin, then she’s the sassy type of heroine I enjoy reading. Kristen Callihan proved a deft hand at some great dialogue keeping the pace flowing pretty quickly, with each chapter ending with a moment that kept me reading past the time where I should’ve put the book down.

It was fun reading a new novel by this author again. In fact, I may need to pick up her backlog of books and re-read them again. Hopefully this is the first of many more enjoyable books to come!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase this book!* Only on Gameday

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This Chicks Audio Review: Bound by Ali Hazelwood

Surprise! The very prolific Ali Hazelwood released the audiobook of Bound in November. I had no idea this one was on the horizon but as I’m a big fan and the synopsis seemed different I thought I’d give it a listen.

Veronica “Vero” Mercer grew up with con artists as parents. In grad school for a degree in art history, Vero gets talked into doing a little forgery to keep her friends in their jobs at an art dealer. Her forgeries are so good she comes to the attention of Dr. Viktor Ashworth, a very private, British professor. He too has a little side job for her. He wants her to reproduce an ancient manuscript for him. It’s supposed to be a short term deal, but as Vero spends more time with Viktor and things become more dangerous she has to wonder. What does Viktor really want? And why can’t she seem to stay away?

As I listened to this book, I realized that this author has done it again. She’s pivoted subject matter and type of romance and given her fans a slow burn romance that takes place in a world where our heroine is very knowledgeable about art history and how to forge a books. How does Ms. Hazelwood find the time to both write a novel at breakneck speed and research a new subject matter, assuming she herself wasn’t an art history major? I never felt like I was being sold a bill of goods and found everything she wrote to grab my attention in a way where I didn’t doubt what she had written. She is truly amazing.

I need to also give credit to the two narrators. Brittany Pressley and William Macleod did a great job imbuing the characters with life and personality. Viktor was a little stuffy, but he was English, Immortal, and a professor so that modulated tone fit well. Did you catch that I threw in the word immortal? Yep! The author pivoted genre’s and has given us a paranormal species (race?) that we haven’t read before in any of her past novels. Viktor and his crew were very interesting and I wished that their past had been fleshed out just a touch more, however, I enjoyed what was written and their being immortal didn’t detract from my liking the story or where it led me.

If you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood’s I think you’ll also like this novel. Bound is different, kind of like her other paranormal series, but not too much like them and not set in that world. I was entertained which for me is what reading or listening to a good book is all about. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Bound

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This Chick Read: Ship of Spells by H. Leighton Dickson

Ensign Bluemage Honor Renn was serving her first post on a naval ship when they were attacked, her ship was sunk. As a Bluemage, it was her job to reinforce the magical spells of the head mage of her ship. As they were attacked, she threw spells above her seniority, and caught magical cannonballs that ate through her skin leaving her dying in the ocean. When she awoke she was on the mythical ship, Touchstone, run by a mysterious elven captain and a misfit crew. Their mission was tied to the Dreadwall, a crumbling barrier that has kept the Overland and Neversea from war for a hundred years. Renn carries in her bones, the remnants of a magic that is chimeric arcane and is slowly killing her but the Touchstone’s mission may be her only chance to survive. Her choice is to join its crew or die.

What girl doesn’t dream of joining a magical misfit crew with a handsome mysterious elven captain at its helm? If I’d have thought of it, I would have certainly had this dream. Reading Honor Renn’s journey was the closest I’ll ever come to holding magic and living the pirate life. I relished reading each page and living out a fantasy I never knew I wanted. I loved the hatred and confusion that Honor Renn felt for her captain at the beginning that soon changed to respect and admiration. There were so many things to like about our main character who held duty and honor in high esteem. She had an unusual magic, she was sassy, fearless, and had most importantly had a huge heart. The other characters were just as fascinating and added to that magical world with humor, anger, adventure, and love.

When I was a teen, I loved reading fantasy novels with an epic journey and Ship of Spells reminded me of those long ago novels that I’d get lost reading on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. What a fantastical novel. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Ship of Spells

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This Chick Read: Seeing Other People by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka

Morgan is haunted by her ex. Seriously, his ghost is following her around and basically making her life hell. It wouldn’t be so bad if she knew him, but they only went out one time and she can’t figure out why she’s the one he’s haunting. Sawyer’s fianceé turned ghost is starting to fade and he’s not ready to let her go. At a support group for humans and their haunters Morgan and Sawyer meet and although they face opposite problems they decide to work together to solve their problems. As Morgan and Sawyer work towards figuring out their ghosts unfinished business, they start to develop feelings for each other, feeling more alive than they’ve ever felt.

This was a surprisingly sweet and funny story. Morgan’s ghost, Zach, tends towards poltergeist shenanigans while Sawyer’s ex-fianceé is just getting more sad as the days go on. Sawyer keeps trying to live their lives like she’s alive, but has actually stopped living, afraid to move on because he’s not ready to lose her. When they meet up at the support group Sawyer doesn’t really want to have anything to do with Morgan, but for some reason he allows her to move into his studio rent free while they sort out their ghosts unfinished business. I really enjoyed the friendships that Zach, Sawyer, and Morgan created. Zach was mischievous in death, and as they got to know what he was like in life their feelings for him became bittersweet. Yes, this was a little bit of a love story between Morgan and Sawyer, but truthfully, I liked the friendship trio that Zach’s ghostly presence created. He was such a quirky individual and added a lot of heart to this story. Without Zach I think this story would’ve been two dimensional.

If you’re looking for a ghost story, well, there are ghosts in the plot but it’s not spooky at all. It was a story about holding your loved ones close, but also it was a story about it being ok to let go and keep living. I liked that theme a lot!

❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book though NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Seeing Other People

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This Chick Read: Second Chance Romance (Harlot’s Bay #2) by Olivia Dade

When Molly heard her childhood best friend Karl Dean had passed away suddenly she returned to the town she never thought she’d step foot in again, Harlot’s Bay. This was the town that was closest to her heart, and where she spent her high school years. That’s where she met and became friends with Karl, someone whom she had feelings for, but those feelings were never returned. After her parents split suddenly at the end of her Senior year, she and her mother moved to California where she rooted and stayed. Now divorced, she has returned to honor Karl, but she finds that her information was incorrect and Karl is alive. He’s also still holding a torch for Molly.

I love to read Olivia Dade’s novels. They are very body positive and for those of us who are larger than a size two, it’s great to read about a character who has some similarities to themselves. Molly is not only lush and beautiful, she also makes her living narrating audiobooks, some of which are quite spicey. When she runs into Karl again, she finds out that he’s been listening to those books just so he can hear her voice. Their re-connection is fierce and has a lot of chemistry, but she agrees to stick around Harlot’s Bay until their high school reunion in one month’s time. Karl is going to use that one month and get to know her and make her fall in love with him.

Karl is our connection to the previous novel. If you read that book you’ll remember he’s the very gruff and grumpy baker who gave Athena advice. Although he’s great at giving that advice he’s not so good at taking it. This non-communicative bear of a man is a “my actions speak for how I’m feeling” kind of guy, which makes it hard for he and Molly to re-build their relationship. I’ll admit that I enjoyed their efforts though and Olivia Dade does write some great dialogue. Molly is a forthright, sassy woman, and Karl delivers those one liners right back. It makes for an enjoyable read!

Note to the reader- this is a spicey romance! Not only does Molly narrate spicey romances, but they are monster romances and there are many-penised monsters discussed and romanced. Hilarious reading but it can be a lot if that kind of language isn’t your thing. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase this book!* Second Chance Romance

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