Back of Book: 

Let’s get a few things straight: I am not a runaway bride, nor am I a jilted bride.

It would be impossible for me to be any kind of bride at all since my ex-fiancé called off our engagement the day after our wedding planner mailed our invitations.

I did not run away from the ceremony, and I was not left at the altar.

I am a non-bride!

And the only things I’m running away from are the sympathetic smiles and back pats from people back home, who suddenly decided to treat me like I have a terminal diagnosis. Terminally single? Sign. Me. Up.

The last thing I needed after a seven-hour drive across Texas was for some wannabe cowboy in his big black pickup truck to make me miss my exit.

Correction, the last thing I needed was to finally make it to my rented duplex half an hour after the movers had given up on me and unloaded all my stuff onto the driveway.

Nope, that’s not right either. The actual last thing I needed was to discover that the road raging idiot, who should have his license revoked for reckless driving, is my new neighbor. As in, we share a fence. And a bedroom wall.

I never needed to know that he sits on his back patio wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs while he drinks his morning coffee, also black. And I for sure never needed to know what he sounds like when he—

What I’m saying is we are entirely too close for comfort, okay? And I am a non-simp for my neighbor! No matter how many times he fixes something I break.

It’s not like he can fix me. 

Book Number: One

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: ?

Back of Book: 

“Get to the airport early,” they said. “You don’t want to miss your flight.”

I got here three hours before my departure time. But my flight decided to miss me.

It seems like everyone’s flight has been canceled.

They can’t all have weather delays!

All I want is to roast on a beach in Florida and forget all about the fact that I’ve been fired. Dismissed. Discharged. Terminated is the word human resources prefers. Because they’re actual sadists.

The last thing I need is this human-shaped Golden Retriever, who won’t stop smiling at me and telling me it’s not so bad. Things could be worse. No sense being angry about what we can’t control.

I don’t know what I did to attract this man. Was it my entirely unapproachable expression? The way I was screaming at customer service on my phone?

Whatever the reason, I am not sharing a hotel room with him. His snores probably come out in the tune of “You Are My Sunshine.”

He’s too happy to be real. Even if he does seem genuinely interested in helping me find some joy in spite of my current situation.

It’s not like letting him make me smile is going to change anything. 

Book Number: Two

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

Sparks fly in the airport terminal in this romantic comedy novella after Darby dumps coffee all over Zane's shoes. 

Darby has just been laid off and is furious at the world. Her mood isn't helped when she learns that her flight is delayed due to a winter storm that doesn't look to be clearing any time soon. When she accidently runs into a handsome man by the name of Zane and spills coffee all over his shoes, Darby never could have guessed that this happy-go-lucky man might be the only thing to get her through this storm without losing her mind. 

This was a fun quick read! The banter and wit between Darby and Zane are one of my favorite parts of this novella, so it's no surprise that humor is one of its greatest strengths. 

Getting stuck in an airport for days seems like a complete nightmare. I mean, they're crowded, they're noisy, and you find yourself forced to sleep on the floor. But for Darby and Zane, getting stuck in an airport is the chance of a lifetime. Darby and Zane have a great meet cute that involves Darby dumping coffee on Zane, and Zane turning it into an opportunity to buy her a new coffee in return. Darby is so grumpy and cynical, so it is really fun to see her encounter someone like Zane who brushes off the bad and focuses solely on the good opportunities that arise in any situation. These two truly have entertaining chemistry. 

I appreciate how this book showcases how sometimes the oddest and most unlikely of events end up leading to the best of circumstances. It's crazy to think that one could meet one's future partner while delayed in an airport, but that's the glory of this world. The universe works in mysterious ways, and stories such as this are really cool tales of first-time meetings. 

The spice in this one was scorching! I appreciate that Zane and Darby didn't immediately jump into bed with one another despite their obvious attraction. It doesn't take them long to go all the way with one another, but the fact that they held back made me appreciate them more both as characters. The spicy scenes in this one definitely had me blushing, but they were a great addition to this romcom novella. 

Overall, "Changed Plan" is a witty and spicy novella featuring two really fun characters. Darby and Zane are quite different people, but their grumpy x sunshine nature is so entertaining (especially when they are bantering with one another). The premise of meeting someone you're romantically interested in at an airport while one's flight is delayed is quite fun. I enjoyed my time reading this one and am intrigued to check out the other novellas in this series! 

Back of Book: 

One of us has definitely gotten our dates wrong. And it’s definitely not me.

If there’s one thing that I’m good at, it’s planning and keeping things organized. Okay, that’s two things, but they’re related, and they are the most crucial aspects of who I am.

I am a professional organizer.

Who cares if that national brand didn’t want to partner with me, and those TV star entrepreneurs said “no deal?” Their loss.

I am an organizational savant!

I’m not escaping to this vacation rental to lick my wounds from my recent rejections. I just need a quiet place to regroup and plan my next move. To organize my thoughts.

And I’m very sorry for this seemingly nice guy, who has misunderstood that this house is his for the week.

So, here we are, waiting for the property owner to return our messages. I’m not going to a hotel. I cannot endure the stress of slamming doors and voices in the hallway all night long. I need my sleep. Peace. Solitude.

Oops. It appears I made a teeny error in my calendar.

But I’m not about to make another mistake and spend a week in a house with a total stranger. Even if he is a complete mess, who could seriously use my help.

It’s not like he could help me in any way. 

Book Number: Three

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: ?

Back of Book: 

Some people get excited when they find out their business is being scouted as a filming location—people other than Mav Grinberry.

I’m a professional location scout. I know the right spot when I find it.

And Grin’s Pub, located in Grinberry Falls, Texas is the perfect small-town bar. It is exactly what I was looking for, but its owner is a stubborn drink-slinger, who is determined to keep film crews out of his establishment.

Hell, truth be told, he wants to keep them out of the entire town. As far as I can tell, Grinberry Falls could use a little economic shot in the arm, but this man is too hard-headed to see reason.

Well, if he wants a fight, he’s got one. Bring it on, bartender! There’s nothing I like more than a challenge.

I will get him to sign the contract, and hopefully soon because I am not a small-town girl. The quicker I’m out of Grinberry Falls, the better. Too much peace and quiet makes my fingernails itch. A slower pace of life makes my heart race, but I’ll get what I came for.

It’ll take more than a man with a steady hand and a southern drawl to change my mind about the perfect shot. 

Book Number: Four 

Genre: Adult | Contemporary | Romance 

Review: 🌟🌟🌟 

A spicy novella set in a cozy small town that features a grumpy alpaca. 

Sabrina is a professional location scouter. She has one goal for her time in Grinberry Falls: convince Mav to let her company use his bar as the set for a new movie. Unfortunately, Mav is a very stubborn bartender, and he doesn't want the name of his bar to be smeared in the mud. Sabrina is determined that she can charm Mav in under three days. Failure is not an option for her. 

This is the second of the "Rocky Start Romance" series I've read, and I still feel pretty meh about them. I liked this one about the same as "Changed Plan" and I'm interested to see how the other books will fare if I give them a read. All of Sparks' books seem to be on Kindle Unlimited, so there's a decent chance that I'll check out the rest of this series someday. 

Sabrina and Mav's banter with one another went a bit too far for me. They just seemed overly rude to me, but I guess that's just how some people flirt. Their relationship definitely moved really fast, but that's kind of the point of a spicy novella. It's so hit or miss if they work for me, and this one didn't more than it did. 

Oliver the grouchy alpaca was one of my favorite parts of this book! It would be really easy to make the town alpaca feel odd or clickbaity, but his presence felt decently natural. It did crack me up that Mav allowed Oliver into his bar, though. 

Mav's trauma is the deepest part of this book. He has lost every member of his blood family and has found himself to be mostly alone in life. Sabrina fills a void in him that hasn't been filled in years, which is super sweet. And it's nice that there is actually lore behind why Mav is so jaded. 

This one does indeed showcase how unexpected love can be, but it doesn't feel as random as in "Changed Plans." This book is acting as a bridge to Sparks' spin-off series, "Grinberry Falls," so it makes sense that the series' theme is a little less prevalent in this one. Following characters in this cozy small town actually has a good chance of being cute, so there's a chance I might check out that series at some point. 

Overall, "Chased Shot" was just okay. It was another spicy novella in which the characters immediately fall in love and completely change their lives for one another. They sort of read like real-life fairy tales; the characters fall in love and live happily ever after with all the messy details omitted. Sabrina and Mav weren't the most likeable characters, but I like the setting of this one. These "Rocky Start Romance" books aren't anything special, but there are certainly worse ways to spend a few hours of one's day.