Published by Piper Rayne, Inc on February 16, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Sports, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
Raising my cousin’s three kids wasn’t in my five-year plan. Actually, it wasn’t in any plan.
One minute I’m a single labor and delivery nurse living a quiet life and the next, I’m navigating guardianship hearings, meltdowns, and homework I’m pretty sure requires a math degree.
Enter Hayes Carlisle.
My best friend’s older brother.
Chicago Colts newest catcher.
And the man I once kissed and immediately pretended I didn’t.
So, when the custody battle I’ve been dreading becomes a reality, I shouldn’t be surprised that Hayes swoops in with a wild idea—a fake relationship. According to him, pretending we’re together will polish his image and prove to the court I’m not taking on an instant family alone.
But pretending to be Hayes’ girlfriend is a terrible idea.
Because he remembers how to make me laugh.
Because he looks at me like our kiss wasn’t a one-time mistake.
Because the kids start asking him to read bedtime stories.
Because my heart starts wanting things my life doesn’t have room for.
I can manage the chaos. I can fight for these kids.
But pretending not to fall for Hayes Carlisle?
That might be the one thing I can’t do.
When Leighton's cousin and her husband die in an accident, she becomes guardian to her cousin's three children. Trying to handle instant motherhood and her grief all at once, Leighton comes to rely on her best friend's brother, Hayes. Last season was a rough one for Hayes, and he was looking to rehab his image. At the same time, Leighton needed to prove her suitability to the courts. In a two-birds-with-one-stone situation, they begin fake dating, but let's see how long they can keep up the rouse.
I enjoyed this immensely. I had read a few of Rayne's other books set in that building (it was the Nest back then). I was delighted to find Ruby was still slinging drinks, but mostly, I loved the connection between Leighton and Hayes. These two inhabited the same orbit for some time, and they were good together. They "saw" each other and offered mutual support when they both really needed it.
I won't lie, the kids were pretty cute and added a lot of fun to the story. More endearing was how good Hayes was with them. I am mush for a man who can be gentle like that. The bromance was good too. The scenes with his teammates were chaotic and fun, AND there was quite an interesting setup for the next book in that epilogue. There was a twist toward the end that I didn't see coming. I understand its purpose in moving the plot forward, but I had mixed feelings about it. Otherwise, I had a great time getting to know this crew, and I look forward to the next book.
Published by Harper Perennial on June 3, 2025
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
In this delightfully charming and heartfelt debut love story, two lonely and wildly different strangers embark on a short-term friendship over one London summer—only to discover they may be something more by the time the season ends.
No one would ever call Ava Monroe a people person, which isn’t ideal for a barista in a busy London coffee shop. She’s sarcastic, blunt, and cynical, and her relationships are strictly no strings attached. With her best friend Josie soon leaving for a year, Ava knows she’ll be all alone unless she shakes up her routine. But she can’t risk bringing chance back into her carefully controlled life.
Then insufferably cheerful, country-hopping, undeniably gorgeous Finn O’Callaghan rolls into her coffee shop with a horrifying proposal —a strictly friends-only summer fling. Finn needs a local to help him complete his London bucket list, and Ava needs to reassure Josie she won’t be on her own. And it’s only for a few months.
To Ava’s surprise, their mismatched friendship of convenience becomes oddly tolerable, and as they work their way through Finn’s list and around the sun-drenched city, from rooftops and floating bars to nights at the museum, their adventures—and Finn’s company—start to feel . . . nice. Incredibly, terrifyingly, dangerously nice.
Still, rules are rules—Ava has good reasons for them—and as the days get shorter, Finn’s departure gets closer. Because that’s the thing about it always ends. Right?
Ava was fine. Things were going fine. She had a job she could tolerate and a (very) small circle of friends. Then Finn stumbled into her coffee shop and into her life. With the end of his contract approaching, Finn was looking for someone to help him with his London bucket list, and Ava reluctantly agreed. It's only for a few months, right?
This book was really good. I loved the concept of the London bucket list, and I greatly enjoyed checking those items off the list with Ava and Finn. It was fun to "visit" London again, but what I liked more was the friendship that developed between these two.
Both Ava and Finn carried some baggage. Finn's was related to never feeling he had a "home" due to his vagabond childhood and nomad lifestyle. Ava always felt that everyone left her, and therefore, kept people at arm's length. But things were different now. They found this connection and ease with each other, and I whole-heartedly supported it. They were great together, and it pained me to watch their days together tick down.
I appreciated how much better their lives were with each other in them. They seemed like an unlikely pair but actually complimented each other so well. Their time together was marked with fun and happiness and a tremendous amount of personal growth.
I loved Ava and Finn and all their friends so much by the end of the book and was brimming with feelings! Good feelings! Overall, I had a wonderful time reading The Friendship Fling, seeing London, and rooting for these two.
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