Published by Dial Press on September 22, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Rating:
Goodreads
Old haunts, new feelings.
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Rebel Blue Ranch series returns to the haunted town of Sweetwater Peak for another love story, this one featuring an antique shop owner and a farmer who fake a relationship to save their legacies…but will they be able to fool the ghosts of their past?
Clarke Cartwright probably needed to get out more. She just had a lot to do. Running Toade’s Antiques was no small feat, especially considering that the roof was in shambles and half her merchandise was unsellable. But dealing with that felt easier than her other two options: third-wheeling with her best friend…again, or chatting it up with the ghost of her childhood crush’s father, who just can’t seem to leave her alone.
Leith Wilkes has spent his life preparing to take over his family's farm. Well, he’s actually spent most of his life flirting, but now he’s ready to buckle down, which has nothing to do with an oddly specific clause that his dad left in his inheritance. Leith is pretty sure he’s the only one who knows about it…until Clarke drunkenly spills that she knows, too, along with a bunch of other Wilkes family secrets.
Leith starts to wonder if there’s more to Clarke than she lets on…and if his dad has something to do with it. And if she is keeping secrets of her own, maybe she won’t mind helping him with his.
I enjoyed my return visit to Sweetwater Peak where I got to know Clarke and Leith better. I loved their history and adored seeing them pushed together. Even though this was fake-dating-of-circumstances, I was rooting for these two to make their high school hearts' dreams come true.
Once again, the paranormal element comes in the form of some friendly ghosts drawn to Clarke, who like her twin sister, could also communicate with spirits. I enjoyed the touch of paranormal as some of the ghosts added a bit of fun to the tale while also being kind of helpful at times. This ability was a sticky thing for Clarke as she always attempted to block or ignore the spirits. This coupled with other stressors and important people leaving town left Clarke with a heavy heart. It was wonderful to see her accept Leith's friendship. He was a kind and generous man with some of his own familial issues to work through, and it was fantastic that they were able to heal together.
It was a treat being back in this world with it's one degree of separation from the Ryders and Blue Rebel Ranch. This story was full of humor, warmth, and heart. I don't know where this can go, but I do hope we return. I mean, they still need to find a way to reunite Earnest and Adeline for good, right?
Published by Dial Press on April 7, 2026
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction
Rating:
Goodreads
Annie always thinks she knows what’s best for everyone, but when her life goes sideways, she realizes that she doesn’t even know the inner workings of her own heart.
After getting fired from her dream job at a tech company in New York City on the same day as she learns that her sister is engaged to the Worst Man Alive…again…Annie refuses to let this bad day get worse. When she sees an open position on her company's data strategy team, she’s determined to get it. So what if she’s never coded; how hard can it be?
Connor, the interim department head, is unconvinced. But Annie capitalizes on her insider knowledge that Connor’s team of jolly nerds lacks a socially capable person and makes it her mission to convince him that she’s the perfect fit. She’ll just have to ignore the fact that he’s an unfortunate combination of exceedingly aggravating and distractingly hot. If that wasn’t tricky enough, Annie also has to attend her sister’s second engagement party, an engagement Annie ruined the first time, and her sister has not forgotten.
So Annie must try to succeed in a job she has no business doing, navigate the budding tension with her new boss, and save her sister before she makes the worst decision a person can make. Annie’s not worried though. If there’s one thing she knows how to do, it’s getting involved in the lives of others. But what if, this time, her efforts to help destroy everything she treasures most?
“This is the tech-world romance I didn’t know I was craving. Crisply written, smart, and full of unique, quirky characters, this is a truly joyful and healing love story. Five big stars from me.”—Annabel Monaghan, New York Times bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script
Annie arrived at work one day to find she was relieved of her job. But not to fear! She had a bestie in HR who helped get her a new position in the data strategy department. What does Annie know about DatStrat? Not much, but she knows how to convince the team they need her. As her work and life adventures continue, Annie started to realize that maybe she didn't know everything.
This book was so much fun. From the very first chapter, I was in love with the snark and the wit. The quirky characters, the workplace misadventures, I adored it all. Annie made some questionable decisions at times, but she learned and grew. Annie at the end of this book was not the same Annie from the start of the book.
And can we talk about her love interest, Connor? He was such a great foil for Annie. He picked up his sword each and every time for the verbal sparring, and I admired his work. It was also obvious how much he cared and what a good guy he was. I was a Connor fan as well as a fan of his whole team. They were skeptical of Annie, but then fully embraced her as one of their own and it warmed my heart to see Annie find her place.
Overall: This was an entertaining workplace romance packed with humor and whip smart banter that kept me smiling from beginning to end.
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