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December gave me dark romance, emotional journeys, messy love stories, and characters that still live in my head. Late nights, nonstop pages, and books I couldn’t stop thinking about. Every book brought something different, but together they made December an unforgettable reading month — the perfect way to end the year.

I love a good series, but getting the entire story in one book is the best: no waiting, no downloading the next installment, and no breaking the momentum. The Now/Then structure worked so well, moving the story forward while stepping back just enough to give important context to the relationships and emotions. Hunter’s story is something else. The things she goes through are horrific, and yet she never completely stops moving forward, even if it’s only one small step at a tim

I loved that this book jumps straight into the thick of it. Estella is a widow struggling to cope with her new reality, and she starts out completely broken and numb. Given how suddenly her world is turned upside down, her grief feels raw, real, and entirely understandable. Thankfully, she isn’t alone. She has three men who step in to support her through the slow, painful process of healing. Each of them cares for Estella in a way they couldn’t when her husband was alive, and

Ryan’s banter in Bossy Wicked Prince  had me so excited for this book, and it absolutely did not disappoint. Ryan is the definition of a bachelor, so when Pippa moves in with him, I immediately felt for her. She’s such a genuinely sweet girl, suddenly thrown into his messy apartment and very aware of the many girls who came before her. It was hard not to root for her from the start. But watching Ryan’s side of the story unfold had me giggling with glee. I love a man who prete

The start of this book was absolutely devastating. The boys’ reactions to what happened felt so heavy and real that I genuinely wanted to jump into the pages and hug every single one of them. The fact that they never stopped looking for Addison/Mikayla speaks volumes about their devotion. Kade is the quiet one and he completely stole my heart. His moment with Mikayla took my breath away and hit me right in the chest. Zane is the opposite of Kade, overly protective, intense, a

I loved Dante and Isabella, but Alessandra and Elena are just as incredible. Alessandro may have chosen Elena as part of an alliance, but watching him completely unravel for her was beautiful. Every vulnerable part of him slowly comes to the surface, and his protectiveness toward Elena is undeniable long before he even understands his own feelings. Elena has been conditioned from a young age to obey, to stay quiet, and to accept her role without question. Alessandro sees stra

The blurb describes this book as a reimagining of the Hades and Persephone myth, so I went in expecting the focus to be solely on those two characters. What I got was so much more. There were additional characters, layered storylines, and unexpected situations that made the book far more exciting than I anticipated. Kore goes through so much in this story, not physically, but internally. Her journey is filled with realizations as she uncovers truths about herself and the thin

This book was so much more than I ever expected. I do want to say upfront: it touches on several sensitive subjects, so definitely check the trigger warnings before diving in. But once you do… prepare yourself, because this story takes you everywhere. My emotions were all over the place while reading. One thing I absolutely loved is how communication is such a huge part of CiCi and Damian’s relationship. It’s real. It’s messy. It’s vulnerable. They talk through things, the go

I wish I could go back and read this book for the first time all over again. The story between War and Liv was incredible, but the feelings it pulled out of me were on a whole different level. Warren was everything I want in an MMC. The way he instantly fell for Liv was dreamy — completely, unapologetically devoted from the moment he laid eyes on her. Every step he took, every thought he had, every plan he made revolved around her. He wasn’t just obsessed; she became his enti

I didn’t read the first three books in the series, so I know there was some context I missed—but even so, this story was captivating. The Blood Games at the beginning set the tone, showing Serafina as someone trapped under the weight of others’ control—especially Dante’s. The power imbalance is intense, and you can feel it slowly breaking her down piece by piece. But midway through, everything shifts. Serafina’s transformation is incredible—she goes from the girl in the colla

There is a storm between Axel and Dakota, and it grows every single time they’re together. Every fight cracks like lightning, sharp, bright, and impossible to ignore. And when the thunder finally rolls in? It’s loud, raw, emotional, and absolutely powerful. The reason Axel became who he is broke my heart and suddenly made all of his behavior make sense. Dakota’s reasons for how she presents herself online hit hard too, because it reflects something so many people quietly stru

The sparks between Alexei and Emiliya were obvious from the very first chapter. I understood why they both tried to ignore them, but watching that tension finally unravel? It was everything. Even when Alexei pretends he doesn’t care, his protector vibes give him away every single time; the man is incapable of being indifferent where she’s concerned. Emiliya’s whole world revolves around her mom, and she would walk through fire for her. The things her father did to her were ge

Nina was an amazing MC. She’s the perfect example of hard work, resilience, and dedication while raising her daughter. She never gave up, even when life kept throwing her curveballs, and I admired her determination on every page. Artyom’s affection for Nina is obvious from the very beginning. He never stopped loving her, even when distance and circumstance got in the way. Nina’s caution makes complete sense, and following their dynamic was incredibly entertaining. Watching Ar

This book appealed to me because my husband is a gamer (not a streamer but no one’s perfect) and while I may not write books, I sure love to read them. And I’m so glad I picked this one up, because it was amazing. I loved watching Ryker and Odette navigate their feelings. They’re both nervous for very real reasons, and everything that unfolds forces them to face those insecurities head-on. Their chemistry builds so naturally, and seeing them grow together was incredibly satis

Teagan moves to a new town, where her friend Tori lives, after losing her parents, hoping for a fresh start. That’s where she meets Cole, who’s also rebuilding his life, just in a very different way. From the moment their paths cross, the connection between them starts to sizzle. Cole opening up to Teagan was one of the most beautiful parts of the story. His vulnerability makes sense and watching him slowly trust her created such a powerful shift. And Teagan’s patience? Absol

I was extremely impressed by this book. It honestly felt like two books in one, in the best, most addictive way. The first half reads like a full, heartfelt romance. I loved watching Noah and Goldie fall into each other so naturally. Their chemistry is instant but deep, and those spice scenes? Next level. I read a lot of spicy books, but something about their moments hit harder: intimate, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable. Then halfway through, the entire tone shifts. T

I absolutely love Jagger’s work, and this book did not disappoint. From the start, you can tell Dove has been through a lifetime of pain, and somehow the hits just keep coming. The more the layers peeled back, the more I felt like I needed to take notes to keep up. Her story is so intricately written that every new reveal had me questioning everything I thought I knew. And then there’s Bane. Moody, grumpy, and absolutely magnetic. I loved watching his instincts shift the long

After seeing Damien more as The Wolf in Watch Me Break, I loved finally getting to see him in the daylight. Watching him bring Luna into his world, protecting her, spoiling her, and letting her see the man in the sun, was such a stark contrast to the dark, shadowed side of The Wolf. It’s so easy to understand how her feelings for that part of him began to grow. With how much time she spent with both sides of him, I wasn’t shocked when she grew feelings for both. The way she n

There was so much about this book that kept pulling me farther and farther in. The shock started early — with the dedication, to be specific. After reading that, I knew I was in for something good. Izzy begins as a girl who has lost faith and confidence in herself. She’s stuck in a massively toxic relationship (screw Evan) and spends so much time overanalyzing how she feels and what she should change. My heart broke for her when she felt she needed to change her body to be “g

I was genuinely blown away by this book. The blurb is spot-on and perfectly sets the tone for what you’re walking into, dark, emotional, and beautifully layered. Ava isn’t weak or incapable in any way. She’s intelligent, grounded, and good at what she does. When her boss brings her to meet a client, her entire world shifts the moment she meets him. Her journey is surprisingly deep, and because the story is told entirely through her perspective, you feel every emotion, every d