Release date: December 9, 2025

Publisher: Harlequin Audio

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Narrator: Carly Robins

Synopsis:

An emotionally gripping page-turner about heartbreak, old secrets, and second chances—with an unexpected Cyrano twist. For fans of Lucy Score and Mia Sheridan.

When mathematician Aubrey MacLean’s career implodes, she has no choice but to return to her rural Indiana hometown, at least temporarily. But small towns have long memories, and so does she, especially when it comes to Nick Thacker, the boy who broke her heart.

Nick’s life is long shifts at the steel mill, plus a side business writing love letters for other people. It’s enough to numb his regrets—until his first love returns, stirring up a past he thought he’d buried.

Aubrey is focused on rebuilding her career, until she falls for a new man whose love letters feel achingly familiar. But as their connection deepens, so does her sense that she’s been here before. The similarities must be a coincidence, right? Because if not, Aubrey may have to choose between the life she’s built and the love she left behind…

Review:

Love Letters to Other People hit me right in the emotions, and the audio narration by Carly Robins made it feel even more intimate. She’s been one of my OG audiobook favorites since I first got into listening, so there’s a comfort and familiarity to her voice that instantly pulls me in. Her delivery captures the heartbreak, longing, and tentative hope between Aubrey and Nick in a way that feels raw and deeply human. From the very first chapter, I could feel the weight of their shared history and the ache of everything left unsaid.

Aubrey and Nick’s story unfolds across two timelines—past and present—which adds a beautiful emotional layering. You experience their high school romance as it blossoms and then fractures, and at the same time, you follow the adults they’ve become, still shaped by the choices they made 17 years earlier. That dual perspective makes their second chance arc feel earned, messy, and meaningful. The writing is romantic and heartfelt, and the inclusion of actual love letters added such a tender, nostalgic touch. Their journey to a hard won HEA is full of slow burn tension, emotional upheaval, and growth, and I loved every moment of watching them figure out who they are now, and who they want to be for each other.

If you love emotional second chance romances with secrets, history, and a whole lot of heart, this one absolutely delivers. It’s beautifully written and even more beautifully narrated, and listening to Carly Robins bring these characters to life made the experience feel personal and unforgettable.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Release date: November 20, 2025

Publisher: Amazon Originals

Genre: Romance

Synopsis:

Snow Place Like Home

After a devastating breakup, a sunny veterinarian goes home to the mountains to lick her wounds—and savor a holiday snack—in this heartfelt story from Laura Pavlov, author of the Blushing series.

At her brother’s wedding, Goldie Jacobs brushes shoulders with Ace Bonetti, his childhood best friend turned Hollywood hotshot. Ace has been crushing on Goldie ever since high school, and seeing her again reminds him exactly why. They spend one toe-curling night together, then part ways, expecting nothing more. But when those moments under the mistletoe felt so right, how can they ever let each other go?

Laura Pavlov’s Snow Place Like Home is part of Home Sweet Holidays, a cookie-sweet collection of holiday romances sure to bring color to your cheeks. Read or listen to each story in a single heart-fluttering sitting. And to fully immerse yourself in the charm of the season, don’t miss a special message from each of our holiday heroes!

Goodreads

Merry and Bright

What starts as a Hail Mary fake romance scheme turns into the real deal in this delightful story of holiday deception from Ali Rosen, author of Alternate Endingsand Recipe for Second Chances.

Miriam Brody is dreading Hanukkah with her overbearing family in Charleston. Ditto for dreamy pro football player Cal Durand and Christmas. After sharing a few flirty drinks on the flight there, the strangers conspire to tackle the holidays together, posing as a couple. But as shenanigans unfold, Miriam realizes her feelings are anything but fake. Uh-oh. Are they headed for a holiday miracle—or a holiday disaster?

Ali Rosen’s Merry and Bright is part of Home Sweet Holidays, a cookie-sweet collection of holiday romances sure to bring color to your cheeks. Read or listen to each story in a single heart-fluttering sitting. And to fully immerse yourself in the charm of the season, don’t miss a special message from each of our holiday heroes!

Goodreads

Review:

The Home Sweet Holiday Collection is a delightful bite sized holiday treat, perfect for cozying up with a cup of cocoa. Of the four stories, two really stood out for me, delivering charm, festive vibes, and swoon worthy romance.

Snow Place Like Home by Laura Pavlov follows Goldie, a veterinarian, as she returns home for her brother’s Christmas Day wedding, and Ace, her brother’s best friend and a movie star, who has secretly harbored feelings for her for years. The story is fast, sweet, and full of the author’s signature wit, capturing that perfect mix of holiday cheer, romantic tension, and heartfelt confessions. The wedding set during Christmas adds an extra layer of festive fun, and watching these longtime crushes finally admit their feelings was incredibly satisfying.

Merry and Bright by Ali Rosen was my first by this author, but it certainly won’t be my last. The story follows Miriam and Cal, who meet on a flight home for the holidays—she’s celebrating Hanukkah, he Christmas—and immediately click. Both dreading the family festivities, they agree to a fake dating arrangement that feels effortless and believable. The chemistry between them is instant, sweet, and festive, making this story a standout for its humor, warmth, and that perfect holiday sparkle.

Overall, these two stories made the collection worth diving into, each offering a unique slice of holiday romance that’s fun, heartwarming, and utterly bingeable in one sitting.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.

Goodreads

Release date: November 4, 2025

Publisher: Atria

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Synopsis:

College professors Sadie Sheridan and Felix Graham are on sabbatical at Hemlock House, located on a remote mountain homestead established years ago by Felix’s family. When Felix leaves on a work trip but doesn’t return, effectively stranding Sadie on the mountain, her world collapses.

Alone at Hemlock House, frantic Sadie struggles to make sense of what her missing astronomer husband left behind. Forced to confront two mysterious trespassers just as a powerful storm bears down, Sadie and the strangers have no choice but to ride it out together. As conditions worsen and shocking secrets are revealed, Sadie must face whether or not she ever knew the man she married and is she fighting only for her own survival now—or still for the man who promised her the stars?

Where He Left Me is another compelling, emotional thriller from an author who “writes with a poet’s eye for language and a storyteller’s gift for suspense” (William Kent Krueger, New York Times bestselling author).

Review:

Nicole Baart delivers another deeply emotional and quietly haunting story in Where He Left Me. The novel follows Sadie, who retreats with her husband, Felix, to his family’s vacation home Hemlock House, a sprawling estate with an unsettling presence. When Felix leaves for a business trip and doesn’t return on time, Sadie finds herself alone in the house as a storm closes in. Her solitude is soon broken by the arrival of two strangers trespassing on the property, and what unfolds from there is a taut, layered exploration of grief, betrayal, and the secrets we keep.

Told through alternating timelines that trace Sadie and Felix’s relationship from its earliest moments to the tense present, Baart crafts a slow burn suspense that feels both intimate and cinematic. The shifting narrative builds a steady undercurrent of dread, while her lyrical writing grounds the story in emotional realism. As the storm outside grows more violent, the true turbulence lies within Hemlock House—and within Sadie herself—as the truth begins to surface in unexpected and unsettling ways.

Where He Left Me is atmospheric, beautifully written, and psychologically rich. Baart’s signature blend of emotional depth and understated suspense shines here, making this one of those quiet thrillers that lingers long after the final page. If you enjoy character driven mysteries that balance tension with introspection, this is a must read.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.