It’s nothing but 5-star reads for August in EV Summer Reads. Click the titles below to see more from each book.

This was my first Rachel Magee book and it will not be my last. From the first time we meet each character to the way each story line is wrapped up, I loved every moment.
We first meet Helena & her teacher best friend Landon as Helena prepares to spend her mother’s wedding weekend with ‘The Perfects’ on a remote Florida island. Helena ropes Landon into joining her for moral support but when they arrive to The Maddox home in Florida, Landon quickly finds out the biggest surprise of the weekend may be his own.
Enter Helena’s soon to be step-sister and Landon’s “one that got away”.
I went into this read somewhat blind which had been my favourite way to read Advanced Reader Copies as of late and it was one wonderful surprise after another.
This storyline has 4 points of view & each one adds value and perspective to the storyline of 4 individuals to who together and find the pieces of themselves that they once thought lost.
It’s a 10/10 and now I can’t wait to read more from Rachel.
Disclaimer: I received both the Advanced Reader and Listener copies from Netgalley. I both listened and real the book and found myself preferring to read the book and develop the sound of each character in my own mind.
All thoughts and expressions in this review are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and TNZ Fiction for the opportunity.

Flirtation or Faceoff & Betrothal or Breakaway - Leah Brunner

Continued with this series from Leah and it did not disappoint. These books are fun and flirty and allow readers to dip their toe in the world of professional hockey. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but are part of Leah’s series on the fictional NHL hockey team the D.C. Eagles.

Don’t Go Faking My Heart - Kate Watson

Welcome back to Sugar Maple Farms where we catch up with Ash and Rusty.
Our fourth trip to Sugar Maple Farms is here as we get reacquainted with The Janes and get to know Ash & Rusty a bit better. He’s the VP of Agricultural Distribution & Retail Ops and she’s the CMO for Jane & Co. But where Rusty has memorized Ash’s intricacies like a baseball card, she is just getting up to speed with what makes Rusty the man he is.
When Rusty isn’t working at the farm, he can be found helping a neighbour, working one of the fruit stands or supporting Jane & Co with their latest marketing endeavour.
Ash? She’s on top of the world with a new pitch that will support the town, that is until someone unexpected from her past becomes a VERY visible presence in her new world.
What I loved:
• The small nods to the first three books
• The way Ash takes the time to get to know Rusty for who he truly is.
• The quiet moments they spend together.
• Ash finally gets to meet Rusty’s tummy waffles
• The way they support one another, in celebration and in hard moments.
Kate Watson knocks it out of the park once again with our fourth trip to Sugar Maple Farms. I have genuinely loved the first three pairs we’ve met but didn’t expect to be so impacted by book four. These characters will stick in my mind for a while.
@katewatsonbooks has quickly become an auto-buy author for me so I pre-ordered Don’t Go Faking My Heart the moment it became available. In addition to that, I was fortunate to receive an early copy of the book and got to read it ahead of the world.
Thanks Kate for this opportunity.

Runaway Bride & Prejudice - Emma St. Clair

You should see my face through every twist & development of Runaway Bride & Prejudice 🥹😳🤣😍

It all starts when Van walks into a room in a church, finding a groom getting cozy with a woman who isn’t the bride.

Two black eyes and a Runaway bride later, we embark on an adventure with Van and Amelia as Van proves he is more than the bad boy of the Appies & that Amelia is free to fly from the rules that have held her in one spot for far too long.

This book 😍 the omg you should see your face moments 😳 and the adventure with two people who have a surprising second chance at romance 😍.

What you’ll love

* drama and friendships in and out of the Appies arena.

* Coaches daughter conflict & romance (you are not prepared!)

* We see more from the women of the Appies & how friendships are developing

* Inside look at the Dream Team text thread.

* He goes out of his comfort zone so she can fly.

* Stepping up for one another in their own moments of need.

* The importance and impact of family, born into and found.

Emma St.Clair has outdone herself with this latest addition to the Appies universe. When she told us early readers that she took a few risks in this book I was not prepared for how much I would love the outcome.

It’s a 10/10, 5-star, top shelf material read and a must add to your collection.

Note: Emma is on my short list of authors that are an automatic buy. I pre-ordered this book as soon as it was available and was also fortunate to be an early reader thanks to Emma’s generosity. All thoughts and reviews are my own and Van now joins the rest of the Appies on my bookshelf.

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