Published by The Dial Press on July 1, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
Two sisters examine what they owe each other and what they are willing to sacrifice to make their family dreams come true.
What would you give up for the person you love most? What would you expect in return?
Mia and Cricket have always been close. The gifted daughters of a young single mother, the “Lowe girls” are well-known in the small Maine town they call home. Each sister has a role to fill: The responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, a bouncing ball of energy and talent, seems born for soccer stardom. But the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price.
As Mia and Cricket grow up, they must grapple with the legacy of their mother’s secret past while navigating their own precarious future. Can Mia allow herself to fall in love at the risk of repeating a terrible history? Will Cricket’s relentless chase of a lifelong goal drive her sister away? When does loyalty become self-sabotage?
A sharply observed and tender portrait of sisters, love, and ambition, Spectacular Things is a sweeping story about the impossible choices we’re forced to make in pursuit of our dreams.
Mia and Cricket didn't have much growing up, but they always had each other. Mia gave up her wants and needs, time and time again, in order to propel Cricket to soccer greatness. Now, it's Cricket's turn to make a sacrifice for Mia, but will she be willing to abandon her dreams for her sister?
What a wonderful, thoughtful, and interesting story. Spectacular Things is about the lengths we go to for the ones we love, the forfeiture of ones own dreams to support those of another. I am trash for stories about siblings, and I also adore stories featuring elite athletes, so this one was page turner for me. I was totally involved in the lives of both Cricket and Mia. I was probably a little ragey about all the demands made on Mia, but I also admired how she stepped up.
The Lowe women experienced a lot of ups and downs. There were setbacks, but they always fought against the odds for the things they wanted and the people they loved. I admired their spirit and drive. I loved celebrating their wins while their losses broke my heart. But I knew they would be ok because they had each other.
This was quite a journey for both women, and it was a pleasure taking it with them.
Published by Kate Meader LLC on July 15, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
A surprise single dad, nanny, age gap, hockey romance!
Lars
I just found out I’m a dad.
My one-night stand dropped a baby bombshell in my local bar where I was celebrating my team’s win. Then she fled, leaving me holding my new daughter.
Thank God for Adeline. The daughter of my teammate and closest friend on the Chicago Rebels, she practically raised her little sister and knows exactly how to deal with this situation. I need a nanny; she needs a job. Problem sorted, right?
Not so fast …
Adeline
I think you’re the sexiest guy alive.
That’s what Lars Nyquist overheard me say while recounting my embarrassing crush on him. Yeah, that Lars Nyquist. Defenseman for the Chicago Rebels. Owner of the thickest thighs in the league. More than a decade my senior. Oh, and my dad’s teammate.
My only option? Leave the country, of course. Luckily, I’d already planned a round-the-world trip with my bestie and by the time I returned to Chicago a year later, I expected my blunder would be long forgotten. Shows what I know. Now I’m lying awake in the bedroom next to his while playing nanny to his surprise little girl. But I can ignore this stupid infatuation. I have to. Even though the sight of Lars learning to be a dad leaves me breathless and takes that crush to a whole other level.
One that has the potential to break my sorry little heart …
It was so great to return to the world of the Rebels, and I LOVE that Meader is showcasing Theo and his family with this spin-off. It's a fact that Theo is my favorite Rebel of all-time, so more Theo makes me happy, but also getting to know his kids and all the children of the Rebels we have grown to know and love is a thrill.
Sweet Thing was an age-gap romance between Lars Nyquist and Adeline Kershaw. This was a complicated coupling not just because of the the (very) big age-gap, but because Lars was very close to Theo and the rest of the Kershaw family who welcomed him into the fold and supported him as one of their own. In general, I am not a fan of age-gap romances where the man is older, and I felt this was a HUGE gap (with Lars closer in age to Theo than Adeline), but I still loved it. If Lars didn't keep reminding me how much younger Adeline was, it was easy for me to forget about it. She slotted right into his life and they shared a great dynamic.
The secret baby storyline added a ton of cuteness to the story. Being a father was a challenge for Lars since he did NOT have a very good example of one in his own life. He rose to the challenge (with the help and support of Adeline) and showed a spectacular side of himself.
Overall, this was a fantastic start to the new series. I love getting to opportunity to meet this next generation of Rebels as well as catch up with favorites from past books. It was also easy to cheer on Lars and Adeline as they navigated a very sticky situation on the road to their HEA which was complicated but well worth the journey.
Let us know in the comments!
Spectacular Things sounds like a good one.
ReplyDeleteIt was a great family drama with a fabulous sports angle. I enjoyed it a lot.
DeleteYes, having the age gap problem brought up over and over can be annoying. Sounds like a big age gap, too, but I love Meader and her Rebels series. Someday I'll get to this.
ReplyDeleteIt was like over a decade between them. But, as with all age gap romances, out of sight, out of mine for me. I did like the pairing though and it was a great start to the series.
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