Published by Avon on January 20, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey is back with an all-new marriage of convenience, friends-to-lovers sports romance about a baseball catcher and the burlesque club owner he can’t get out of his head.
Madden Donahue, the newest catcher for the Yankees, has been in love with Eve Mitchell since high school, but for some mysterious reason, the burlesque club owner always turns him down. That never stopped him from being her self-appointed protector. Case in point, now that Eve’s sister has left Eve with her two children indefinitely, Madden steps in with a proposition—marry him for the much needed health benefits.
Eve has secretly harbored feelings for Madden all along, but there’s one problem—her best friend Skylar called dibs on him when they were fourteen. Eve has always put their friendship above all else, and she’s not willing to risk losing Skylar over a man. Raised by the local strip club owner, Eve is woefully short on friends and treasures the ones she has. But with Skylar happily paired off, Eve finds herself accepting Madden’s proposal—on the condition that their marriage remains strictly private. She’s not about to let her unique profession and maligned reputation destroy Madden’s shiny new career.
Madden won’t let Eve get away that easily, though. What starts as a marriage of convenience soon ignites into something much hotter, and now it’s up to Madden to convince Eve that their connection is far more than a business arrangement. As the passion builds, can their fake marriage become the real deal?
I loved the way these two pined for each other for years, and forget about my heart explosion when I learned a few things that teen Eve did. I think that was one of my favorite parts of their shared history. Eve and Madden had both been treated poorly in the past but were lucky enough to find people who cared for them. These people gave them support and helped them learn to trust.
Eve was an interesting and complex character. She was not treated fairly by the people of her hometown, but Madden (and her best friend's family) loved her as-is. It was difficult for Eve to see herself as worthy and not an anchor that would sink him, but Madden wasn't having it. Thank goodness!
That man was solid in every way. He fled an abusive father when he came to the states and built a strong friendship with Elton, but it was Eve who made this a home for him. The flashbacks chronicling Eve and Madden's past were all very sweet and touching. I love that they had such good memories, and I was excited that their situation pushed them towards their forever together.
I will say I enjoyed the epilogue, but is this the last book? Some people are saying it is, but it seemed as though the next coupling was being set up. Maybe a spin-off? I don't know, but I would read that book and hope to spend more time in this world.
Published by Piper Rayne Inc. on December 9, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
It was straight out of a rom-com—until two pink lines changed everything.
Zander Shaw is country music’s hottest star. So, when he singled me out of a packed arena and had me pulled backstage, I should’ve known I wasn’t his forever. One signed NDA later, I was sneaking onto his tour bus, wrapped up in his world, and him. But it ended before it really started when he ghosted me.
Then he shows up on my family’s ranch to film his new music video, a surprise to us both. Now I’m his appointed tour guide around the ranch, stuck sharing all my favorite places with the man who carelessly discarded me.
The more time we spend together, the harder it is to guard my heart because his flirty half-smile makes me forget my anger. But Zander’s made it clear, he’s not looking to ride out into the sunset with anyone.
Which would be fine… if I wasn’t carrying his baby.
I am trash for big families and farms, and this book had both.
The heart of this tale is the romance between Romy and Zander, a small-town girl and a country music superstar. Zander had plucked Romy from the audience, and they enjoyed a whirlwind romance, but for some reason, he pushed her away. Fate, or Zander's music video, have them reunited on the Plain Daisy Ranch, owned and operated by Romy's family. Though they would be connected due to an accidental pregnancy, spending time together on the ranch only reminded them of the feelings they harbored for each other. I enjoyed the romance and loved watching Romy and Zander trying to figure out how to make things work. They were great together and definitely had something worth putting their energy into.
The setting and all the side characters added so much to this story. Romy's family was big and wonderful, and I adored how hard they loved. They were also nosey meddlers, but it was part of their charm. Zander was lucky enough to have Beau in his life. He was a most loyal friend and the only real family he ever had.
Overall, I had a wonderful time at Plain Daisy Ranch, and now I need to go back and read the other books.
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