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This book landed in my hands at the perfect time. With the insane mid-July heat outside, Strangers in the Villa felt like the ultimate summer read because the vibes absolutely scream couple’s vacation in Spain. It had been sitting on my Kindle for a while, and I’m honestly glad I finally opened it.
The story follows Sydney, a lawyer living in New York with her partner of twelve years, Curtis. I’m still not entirely sure what Curtis does for a living, but I do know he slept with one of his clients… and, suspiciously enough, he was the one who confessed it to Sydney. Weird, right? After months of couples therapy, Sydney decides—despite her brother’s and friends’ advice—to give him another chance. The two move to Spain, hoping a fresh start will save their relationship.
Spoiler: it doesn’t.
As if things weren’t already awkward enough, a young Australian couple, Bianca and Damian, show up after their van conveniently breaks down right outside the villa. Sydney and Curtis let them stay while it’s being repaired, and things quickly spiral into something much darker. Curtis seems a little too interested in Bianca, Damian is clearly flirting with Sydney, and Curtis suddenly has a burner phone he’s using to call… his mistress?
Insane.
I genuinely couldn’t wait to see where this was going.
A little later, we finally start understanding who’s actually after Curtis and why, while Bianca and Damian slowly reveal that maybe they’re not exactly the stranded tourists they pretend to be. The premise is really intriguing, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the book was much longer than it needed to be. It kept me turning the pages because I desperately wanted answers, but there were definitely sections that dragged. By this point, Bianca and Damian have practically forgotten their Australian accents and are focused on squeezing money out of Curtis, claiming he was involved in Bianca’s sister’s death. Meanwhile, Sydney is still completely in the dark—or at least she tries to be. She clearly senses something is off, especially as she grows more and more uncomfortable with her unexpected house guests.
And honestly? As nice as I try to be, I would’ve never opened my door to those two.
Then again… I also would’ve never taken Curtis back.
So I spent most of the book hoping Sydney would somehow make it out of this mess.
Three days later, I finally reached the ending. Not because the book was boring—it wasn’t—but because it simply felt too long for the story it was telling.
But that ending?
It saved everything.
One of the most satisfying endings I’ve read in a long time. It gave me exactly what I wanted: fucking justice.
If you’re looking for a beach read this summer, read this instead of taking a nap.
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Empire of Desire follows Gwyneth Shaw, a young woman who’s spent years trying to bury an impossible crush on the one man she could never have: Nathaniel Weaver, her father’s best friend. Billionaire, powerful, emotionally guarded, and eighteen years older than her, Nathaniel has always been everything she wasn’t supposed to want. After one impulsive kiss changes everything, Gwyneth convinces herself she’s finally moved on—until fate forces them into a marriage neither of them ever expected.
Suddenly, the feelings they’ve both spent years suppressing become impossible to ignore. As the line between duty and desire begins to blur, they’re drawn into a slow-burning relationship filled with unresolved longing, emotional baggage, family expectations, and undeniable chemistry. But with a past full of regrets and a future neither of them planned, they’ll have to decide whether love is worth risking everything they’ve built.
This is the first Rina Kent book that isn’t marketed as a dark romance, and… I honestly don’t know how I feel about that. I do appreciate that, even though four books share the Empire of… title, they’re all complete standalones. After reading so many interconnected series lately, that was honestly refreshing.
That said… I think I’m going to take a break from this series. The writing is still addictive, the chemistry is there, and yes, the spice is fantastic. The age-gap tension definitely delivers. But the story itself just wasn’t for me. I kept finding myself only half invested, constantly thinking about DNFing, and if this hadn’t been a Rina Kent book, I probably would have.
I actually met Nathaniel back in Red Thorns, where he came across as the cool, charismatic uncle everyone loves. Here, though? He’s an entirely different man. Extremely dominant, incredibly controlling, and convinced that his word is law. Now, that kind of dynamic can be entertaining within the romance itself, but watching a man constantly try to control every aspect of a woman’s life? That’s just lame as hell to me.
I genuinely expected to fall in love with this series, but surprisingly, I think I’ll be skipping the remaining standalones. They just don’t hit the same way Rina’s darker, more twisted books do for me.
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Imogen returns to her small hometown of Lake Blair alongside her twin sister, Amelia, for their beloved mother’s funeral. Going back to your hometown is already hard enough—I know that feeling all too well. But returning because your mom died? That’s a different kind of heartbreak. Unfortunately, I know that feeling too. 0/10. Wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Not long after arriving, Imogen begins to suspect that maybe her mother’s death wasn’t as natural as everyone believes. Teaming up with her childhood crush, Rory, she starts digging into long-buried secrets that tie her family’s tragic past to the disappearance of a young woman the year before.
But Lake Blair is the kind of small town where everyone knows each other—and everyone is hiding something. Secrets, lies, old grudges, suspicious neighbors… if you love small-town mysteries where every character feels guilty, you’re going to have so much fun with The Season of Sinking.
The timing of this read couldn’t have been more perfect. Summer thunderstorms are my favorite, rain makes me feel alive, and this book carries that same eerie, stormy atmosphere—even though it’s actually set in early autumn.
From the very beginning, I realized Imogen and I had something in common: being raised by an anxious mother. They love you with every piece of themselves, but sometimes that love teaches you to fear the world just as much as they do. This quote hit me harder than I expected:
“Despite imagining her death innumerable times, I never truly thought about when it would happen. At least not until I was much older, when I had kids of my own. Until she was feeble and delicate, and we saw it coming distantly. Its instantaneous nature couldn’t have been further from anticipated.”
That single passage captured a feeling I’ve struggled to put into words ever since losing my own mom.
Now, can we talk about stalkers? Because nothing irritates me more. What do you mean you think I’m yours? Loving you when all you inspire in me is fear, disgust, and nausea? Absolutely not. This particular stalker becomes even more unhinged once Imogen starts reconnecting with Rory, her teenage crush.
As she should be.
The mystery itself was definitely twisty, and while I guessed a few reveals, I genuinely enjoyed the overall atmosphere more than anything else. I also think the romance between Rory and Imogen added exactly the emotional balance the story needed. Without it, I don’t think I would’ve connected with the book nearly as much. I wasn’t nearly as invested in Amelia and Wes, but Rory and Imogen completely won me over.
If you love stalker thrillers, layered family secrets, small-town mysteries, and lakeside settings that feel both beautiful and deeply unsettling, The Season of Sinking is one to add to your list.
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The Way Out explores the science behind chronic pain and introduces Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), a mind-body approach designed to retrain the brain’s pain response. Blending neuroscience, personal experience, and practical exercises, it offers a step-by-step guide to help readers break the cycle of chronic pain and reclaim their lives.
I don’t usually post reviews for self-help books because, honestly, even the best self-help book in the world won’t change your life if you never apply what it teaches. Reading is easy. Consistency is the hard part. That’s where real change happens.
But this one felt different.
I decided to review it because its message mirrors so much of what helped me recover from anxiety, OCD, and even the chronic lower back pain that often accompanied both. Reading this book felt strangely familiar—it echoed the therapy that changed my life, the research I immersed myself in for years, and the stories of countless people who genuinely recovered.
So instead of letting this become another review that lives only in my private book journal, I wanted to share it here. If it reaches even one person who feels trapped in the same cycle I once did, then it’s worth writing.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that the connection between the brain and the body is far stronger than most of us realize. Anxiety teaches the brain patterns of fear—but those patterns can also be unlearned.
I started noticing something that completely changed how I viewed my own pain. Whenever I was busy, spending time with friends, or fully engaged in life, my back pain would often fade into the background or disappear altogether. But when I was alone, overthinking, catastrophizing, or getting lost in the darkest corners of my mind, the pain would return almost on cue.
That doesn’t mean the pain wasn’t real—it absolutely was. But it made me realize that my nervous system, my emotions, and my thoughts were playing a much bigger role than I had ever imagined.
This book explains that relationship in a way that finally made sense to me.
Over the years, I’ve followed countless psychologists, therapists, authors, bloggers, and people who have fully recovered from panic disorder, OCD, chronic anxiety, and neuroplastic pain. Despite coming from different backgrounds, their recovery stories all share the same foundation: teaching the brain that it is safe again.
There isn’t a magical shortcut. No supplement, yoga retreat, miracle diet, or perfect gut-health protocol can do that work for you. Those things may absolutely support your overall well-being if you choose to use them, but they don’t replace retraining a fearful nervous system.
For me, the biggest takeaway wasn’t that this book offered a miracle cure. It was that it reinforced something I had already experienced firsthand: recovery is possible, but it requires understanding what’s happening in your brain, changing your relationship with fear, and showing up consistently every single day.
If you’re struggling with chronic pain that doesn’t seem to have a clear explanation, or if anxiety, OCD, or fear have taken over your life, I genuinely think this book is worth reading. Pair it with the work of Alan Gordon, Howard Schubiner, Mark Freeman, and Paul David, keep an open mind, and most importantly—be patient with yourself.
Healing rarely happens overnight. But it does happen.
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Jodie has always dreamed of being the perfect housewife. After a whirlwind romance, she marries renowned psychologist Dr. Roy Davies and steps into his luxurious Beverly Hills life. To everyone around them, she looks like the young gold-digger who replaced his late wife far too quickly.
But appearances couldn’t be more misleading.
Jodie didn’t marry Roy for love or money. She married him because she believes he murdered her sister, Deborah, and she’s determined to uncover the truth from the inside. As she digs deeper into Deborah’s final days, she finds herself trapped in a web of manipulation, deception, and carefully buried secrets. The deeper she investigates, the more dangerous her mission becomes—and the closer she gets to discovering that nothing, and no one, is quite what they seem.
From the very first chapters, I was hooked. I instantly loved Jo’s fresh, witty personality, and the premise completely pulled me in. The fact that she’s Deborah’s sister and deliberately marries Deborah’s widower to find out whether he murdered her? That is such a brilliant setup for a psychological thriller. I was convinced Marie, the housekeeper, was the culprit almost immediately—I was sure she was secretly obsessed with Roy. I wasn’t even 10% into the book and already throwing wild theories around.
Good Lord… this book was an absolute ride.
I actually managed to predict a couple of the plot twists, but that didn’t make them any less entertaining. Every reveal kept the story moving, and there was never a dull moment. The pacing is relentless, the tension never lets up, and the twists just keep coming. The characters are deeply unlikeable in the best possible way, constantly making you question everyone’s motives and keeping you suspicious until the very end.
More than anything, it was the nonstop action and psychological mind games that kept me glued to the pages. This was addictive, ridiculously entertaining, and impossible to put down. Natalie Barelli has officially earned a spot on my “must-read again” list—I will definitely be picking up more of her books.
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The duet that slowly drags us one step closer to the Legacy of Gods universe.
Sebastian Weaver has it all—star quarterback, campus golden boy, rich, cocky, and painfully aware of the effect he has on everyone around him. Naomi wants absolutely nothing to do with him, convinced she’s immune to his charm.
She couldn’t be more wrong.
What begins as a reckless bet quickly spirals into a toxic cocktail of obsession, temptation, power, and desire. Every chapter blurs the line between control and surrender a little more, pulling Sebastian and Naomi into a relationship that’s equal parts addictive and destructive.
Classic Rina Kent.
Black Thorns picks up immediately after the brutal ending of Red Thorns, forcing Sebastian and Naomi to deal with the fallout of everything that tore them apart. Love twists into obsession, trust becomes almost impossible to rebuild, and they’re left wondering whether broken hearts can actually be mended—or whether some scars are simply meant to stay. Expect even more angst, possessiveness, secrets, emotional damage, and enough chaos to keep the pages flying.
I really wanted this duet to hit because I originally fell headfirst down the Rina Kent rabbit hole thanks to God of Malice. As many of you know, I actually paused the Legacy of Gods series after God of Wrath just so I could read all of her earlier books in order. So far, though, nothing has managed to dethrone God of Malice, God of Pain, or God of Wrath for me… but I’m still searching for the one that does.
One thing Rina Kent never fails at? Writing chemistry that practically crackles off the page. She somehow turns every intimate scene into something packed with tension, banter, and anticipation instead of feeling repetitive or skippable. It’s one of the reasons I keep coming back to her books.
Now… this duet definitely had me raising an eyebrow more than once.
I absolutely loved that Sebastian is the one who falls first—and falls infinitely harder. That dynamic will never get old for me. He’s easily the strongest part of this duet and, honestly, the main reason I kept turning the pages. His obsession, vulnerability beneath all that arrogance, and unwavering devotion made him impossible not to root for.
That said, the relationship started losing some of its impact as the story went on. The obsessive push-and-pull that hooked me in the beginning eventually became repetitive, and after a while I found myself wishing for more emotional development instead of another cycle of the same conflict.
And then came the second book…
If you thought the traumatic scene in Red Thorns was the hardest part to get through, Black Thorns somehow managed to frustrate me even more. The seven-year separation genuinely broke my heart—but not in the romantic, yearning way I think it intended. Years ago I probably would’ve swooned over that kind of longing. Now? I’m just annoyed they lost seven years they could’ve spent together.
Seeing Naomi married to another man, trapped in an unhappy life because of circumstances and power plays, simply wasn’t my favorite direction for their story. The forced marriage and kidnapping-adjacent vibes didn’t work for me, and I spent most of the second half wishing Sebastian and Naomi had become a real couple much sooner instead of spending years apart.
Don’t get me wrong—I still enjoyed the duet.
Could it have been shorter? Absolutely.
Could it have benefited from more plot progression and a little less repetitive spice? Probably.
Did Sebastian completely carry this duet on his broad quarterback shoulders? Also yes.
Overall, I had a good time, even if this isn’t anywhere near my favorite Rina Kent story. And if nothing else… I’m officially one step closer to finally reading God of Ruin, which feels like the real reward here.
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Summer is the perfect excuse to dive into new mysteries and dark romances, and I already have a few upcoming releases that I’m counting down the days for!
These are the books I’m most excited to read this season. What are your most anticipated summer or fall releases? Let me know in the comments—I’m always looking for new recommendations to add to my TBR!
My Darling Reverie – H.D. Carlton
You’ll Be Sorry, Lisa Gardner – A haunted lodge, a decades-old disappearance, and newlyweds who may have walked straight into a nightmare.
Serenity Falls, C.J. Tudor – Behind white picket fences and smiling neighbors lurks a town built on secrets that were never meant to surface.
The Unknown, Riley Sager – Some mysteries refuse to stay in the past—and this island is ready to claim its next victims.
Bad Intentions, Iliana Xander – Everyone thinks they know who the bad seed is—until the truth starts killing people.
The Season of Sinking, Daphne Woolsoncroft – A mother’s death, a missing woman, and a hometown drowning in secrets.
Pink Ink, Avina St. Graves – When her film project catches the eye of a brilliant professor, she discovers his greatest masterpiece is murder.
The Secrets We Hide, Karin Slaughter – One family is torn apart, and an entire town becomes a suspect.
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Millions of people believe they know Benny and Joy.
Every week, the podcasting duo turns impossible survival stories into something strangely hopeful, proving that even humanity’s darkest moments can come with an unexpected punchline.
But when Joy and her husband vanish without a trace, the voices that once comforted millions become the center of a mystery no one can explain.
An unfinished memoir. A house left in chaos. A best friend desperate for answers. The more Benny digs, the more the polished versions of everyone involved begin to splinter, exposing secrets that were never meant to survive the spotlight.
I’m about to dive into a thriller where fame is its own performance, every chapter peels back another layer of deception, and the greatest survival story might be the one nobody was ever supposed to hear.
Let’s press play.
Okay… Benny being hopelessly in love with Joy was not on my thriller bingo card.
And somehow… it completely worked.
The slow-burning, painfully-timed feelings between them became the emotional heartbeat of the story. Of course, life had other plans because Joy married Xander—a controlling, manipulative walking red flag who also happens to produce their wildly successful podcast… and control their finances. Lovely.
The chemistry between Benny and Joy is impossible to ignore, and Xander notices it too. Then Joy files for divorce…
…and suddenly both Joy and Xander disappear.
Cue my stress levels.
Poor Benny is left trying to piece everything together alongside Sarah while thousands of loyal listeners speculate online. Every clue uncovers another lie, every answer raises three more questions, and I spent most of the book internally screaming, WHERE IS JOY?
Also, can we talk about Xander for a second?
I despised that man with every fiber of my being. Controlling, manipulative, emotionally abusive… absolutely insufferable. And his sister? She started testing my patience too. I kept wondering why her wife seemed so reluctant to help Benny and Sarah. Everyone felt like they were hiding something, which made trusting anyone nearly impossible.
The mystery itself kept me invested, but what surprised me most was how much I cared about Benny and Joy. Their relationship gave the story genuine emotional weight, and without it, I don’t think I would’ve raced through the pages nearly as fast.
Overall, this was an enjoyable thriller with an engaging mystery, strong emotional stakes, and characters I genuinely wanted to root for. It didn’t completely blow me away or reinvent the genre, but it absolutely kept me turning the pages—and sometimes, that’s exactly what I’m looking for.
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Keep Them Close promises a tense domestic thriller where family bonds are tested, every relationship is fractured beneath the surface, and the most dangerous secrets are the ones kept closest to home.
When a husband is murdered, the people left behind quickly become suspects—not just to the police, but to each other. As buried betrayals, hidden affairs, and old wounds claw their way back into the light, every answer only creates another question. How far would you go to protect the people you love… and what happens when they’re the very people you can’t trust?
Allison’s life is already falling apart before the murder. Her husband is cheating, her son is about to leave for college, and the one constant in her life is her brother, Luke, who has an impressive talent for getting himself tangled in questionable situations. Then Finley is found dead—stabbed straight through the heart—and somehow the person who seems to care the most is the detective assigned to the case. Allison? She’s the prime suspect.
Can we talk about Fin for a second?
Because what could possibly be worse than discovering your husband is cheating? Oh, I don’t know… maybe he blows out his knee, you nurse the cheating bastard back to health, he loses his income, you somehow rebuild your marriage from the ashes, everything finally starts feeling normal again… and then he goes running straight back to his mistress.
Sir.
The audacity deserves its own criminal charge.
The story cleverly jumps between two investigations. In the present, Allison is trying to survive being the number one suspect in her husband’s murder. In the past, Luke finds himself under investigation after being caught transporting oxy—except it wasn’t even his car. It belonged to his crush, Trinity, who conveniently owns Pilates studios that may or may not be the perfect cover for something far less healthy than reformer classes. Considering Luke already has a history involving drug charges, things spiral fast.
Everyone has a theory.
Allison is convinced Trinity set Luke up.
Luke believes Fin had something to do with everything.
Meanwhile I’m just sitting there screaming:
Okay… but who actually killed Fin?
And that question kept me turning the pages.
This book completely blindsided me with one particular reveal involving Fin’s love interest. I genuinely did not see it coming. Every time I thought I had figured things out, David Ellis casually pulled the rug out from under me and reminded me that I knew absolutely nothing.
The plot is far more layered than I expected. What starts as a fairly straightforward murder mystery slowly unfolds into something messier, darker, and surprisingly emotional. I especially loved Allison’s relationship with her son—it added warmth to a story where almost every other relationship is held together with duct tape, resentment, and bad decisions.
One thing this book absolutely nails is character complexity. Almost nobody is particularly likeable, yet somehow you still understand why they make the choices they do.
Well…
Almost everybody.
Because Fin can respectfully stay dead.
Overall, Keep Them Close is an incredibly addictive domestic thriller packed with twists that genuinely caught me off guard. It’s fast-paced, intelligently plotted, and constantly keeps you second-guessing everyone. I flew through it, had a great time trying (and failing) to solve the mystery, and by the end I was more than satisfied with where the story landed.
If you’re looking for a thriller full of dysfunctional families, betrayals, morally gray characters, and plot twists that actually earn their shock value, this one deserves a spot on your TBR.
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Role Model follows Troy Barrett, a grumpy NHL player who gets traded to a struggling team after a very public scandal and an equally messy breakup. His plan is simple: stay invisible, keep his head down, and just play hockey like nothing else exists.
Enter Harris Drover, the team’s upbeat social media manager, basically assigned to clean up Troy’s image and make him marketable again. Unfortunately for both of them, Troy wants absolutely nothing to do with PR, people, or feelings. What starts as forced proximity and reluctant teamwork slowly turns into something way more charged, where every interaction feels like it’s one breath away from snapping.
And because Rachel Reid loves a slow burn that burns, the tension builds quietly until it’s impossible to ignore—especially when both of them start seeing each other as more than just a project or a problem to fix.
Not gonna lie, this dynamic isn’t usually my thing. But neither were sports romances once, and look at me now—fully in the trenches, no exit strategy.
Also, I love that Ilya keeps casually showing up across books like he pays rent in this universe. But seriously… where is Shane??
What I really appreciated is that the book doesn’t shy away from heavier themes, especially around assault and how sports culture often protects the wrong people. I recently read about a real-life football player with multiple accusations who is still treated like a star because he brings in money. And it’s disgusting how often talent gets used as a shield for the unforgivable. The book touches on that discomfort in a way that actually sticks with you.
Troy, though? I liked him. Especially when he finally stands up to his ex-best friend. That kind of courage isn’t clean or easy—he risks his career, loses fans, and still does it anyway. But at the same time, it’s unfair how someone else’s actions end up reshaping his entire life. That part sits heavy.
And Harris… Harris might honestly be the grounding force Troy didn’t know he needed. There’s something about the way Troy is so openly drawn to him that just works. He’s down bad in the most unhinged, honest way, and I was already 70% in before I even realized it. I could’ve stayed in their bubble for an entire series.
Overall? I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. It gave me that warm, slightly chaotic “best date on a cold Christmas night” feeling. Not quite Heated Rivalry level perfection, but emotionally addictive in a completely different way.
5 stars. No hesitation.
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Reading in the Mountains
Where cozy meets chaotic.