Sophie Reads YA: December 2025

December Summary

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ARC Review: Before the Ball Drops by Sarah Hill

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Before the Ball Drops
Series: None
Author: Sarah Hill
Published December 6th 2024

Goodreads Synopsis
When headstrong college student Holly Lane’s meticulously planned life collides with MLB heartthrob Connor Lawson during a batting practice gone awry, more than sparks fly. With a shattered bat and an unexpected connection, Holly finds herself swept off her feet in a whirlwind romance that feels as exhilarating as a home run.

Fast forward sixteen months, and Holly is nervously preparing to introduce Connor to her family for Christmas. But beneath the twinkling lights and festive cheer, anxiety looms. Holly can’t shake the feeling that this picture-perfect holiday could unravel, shattering her heart and her family’s dreams of a future with Connor.

As laughter fills the air and they explore the magic of her small-town winter wonderland, Connor carries a secret that could upend their future. With every stolen kiss and tender moment, the clock ticks down to a New Year’s Eve that could change everything.

When Holly learns the truth, she’s left to question whether their love can survive the curveball fate has thrown their way. In a race against time, Connor challenges Holly to step up to the plate and make the ultimate Will she swing for the fences, embrace a future with him and score a happy ending before the ball drops at midnight? Or will the pressures of the season leave them out cold?
Goodreads

Review

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Holly and Connor have been together for over a year, and it's time for him to meet the family. Holly's a perfectionist, and the fact that Connor is a MLB hearthrob makes her second guess everything. She knows Connor is keeping something secret, and she can't shake the feeling that something is about to go wrong.

This was such a cute and quick Christmassy read. The way that Connor and Holly met just put a stupid grin on my face, and I was hooked! I loved the small town, close knit family vibes, and the way that Connor just fit in so well with the Lane family. Holly and Connor were great for each other, and the conflict really broke my heart. It was touch and go for some time, but the ending was well worth the heartache.

Dates Read:
November 24, 2024

Rating
3 Stars

Stacking the Shelves: December 27th 2025

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ARC Review: Out of My League (The Royals #1) by Mariah Jolie

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Out of My League
Series: The Royals #1
Author: Mariah Jolie
Published October 31st 2025

Goodreads Synopsis
Forrest “Tree” Barkley is a legend behind the plate.

And not just because he’s the New York Royals’ beloved catcher.

He’s steady under pressure, loyal to a fault, and, according to most of New York, the Royal with the best ass in baseball.

But off the field, Tree’s barely holding it together.

With the season ramping up and his mom’s diagnosis looming large, he doesn’t have time for anything else.

Until one night with a gorgeous stranger gives him something he didn’t know he was starving for… a break from reality.

Ainsley Hansen just moved to town after a messy divorce, hoping to rebuild her life on her own terms.

She’s a total free-spirit, a wildflower in a field of roses. The kind of beautiful that makes one night feel like nowhere near enough.

But one night is all either of them has to give.

Tree never expected to see her again. That was the deal, after all.

He certainly didn't expect to watch her walk onto the field a few days later…

Coach Hansen has one rule: His daughter, Ainsley, is off-limits.

Now the game’s changed.

One night was a mistake.

Falling for her? That might cost him his career.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.

Meeting the love of her life in a bar when she least expects it, Ainsley Hansen is reluctant to let Tree Barkley into her heart. Wanting only to spend one night with him, to help her get over her ex and kickstart her rebuilding her life with her newly discovered father and brother, she never expects to see Tree again, but he happens to play for the New York Royals baseball team, the very team her dad coaches. Forrest "Tree" Barkley's life is crumbling around him. His mother's cancer diagnosis has turned terminal, and he and younger sister Pim are facing the unimaginable. He's trying to stay strong, but around Ainsley, he's found he can be vulnerable. Are they both willing to risk it to be together, or have they been burnt too much in the past.

I loved Foul Play when I read it in the summer, so when this one appeared on BookSirens, I knew I needed to read and review it. Tree is River's best friend (from Foul Play) and one of the players for the New York Royals. He's quite used to women taking him up on his offers, so when Ainsley doesn't immediately fall at his heels, it's quite refreshing. They are both great with each other, and I loved the way that Ainsley really connected with Tree's family, and with the rest of the Royals. She might have lived a very different life with her mother, and ex-husband, but she discovered her true self in New York. There was a third-act breakup, which I wasn't a fan of, but the conclusion was worth it.

Dates Read:
November 25, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

ARC Review: Lanyards & Lariats (Working for Love #1) by Amber W. Lynne

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Lanyards & Lariats
Series: Working for Love #1
Author: Amber W. Lynne
Published August 5th 2025 by Carnelian & Quills Publishing

Goodreads Synopsis
She was expected to inherit the family fortune. He was supposed to write a simple story. Neither expected to find love.

Bailey Reynolds traded New York high society for a quiet life in Serenity, Texas, as a single mom raising her daughter far from the spotlight. But when her mother’s sudden passing pulls her back into the world she left behind, Bailey returns to the city to protect her legacy—and her daughter—from the very life she escaped.

Enter Malcolm “Mac” Ryan, a war-weary journalist temporarily stuck on the society beat. Their first meeting? A night of laughter, lariats, and just enough whiskey to blur the lines. Their second? Bailey pointing a shotgun at him when he shows up on her ranch to write the story of her life.

Mac isn't one to back down. Drawn to Bailey’s fierce independence and guarded heart, he offers to help her navigate ruthless headlines, a scheming ex, and the tangled secrets of the Ladder H Distillery. But as strategy sessions turn into stolen kisses and attraction grows into something deeper, a looming scandal threatens everything they’ve built.

With her family’s future at stake, Bailey must can she trust the man who’s slowly earning her heart—or will the past rewrite their ending before it begins?

She traded her Louboutins for Ariats—and stepped into a love story she never expected!
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.

Though she might have grown up as a socialite and heiress, Bailey Reynolds is more at home on her Texas farm in her boots than she ever was in a pair of Louboutins. However, her mother's death has left her the owner for the family business, and she needs to step into the role for the good of her daughter. Crashing into a dive bar on the night of the funeral, Bailey meets Mac Ryan, a reporter who manages to change her world.

I found myself drawn into this book so much, and only put it down to go to sleep. Bailey and Mac's relationship was real and messy, and so right for their characters. Bailey had basically fled New York when her marriage became abusive, and she managed to escape with sole custody of her daughter Rosie and the keys to her mother's old farm. She was more than happy to stay there indefinitely, but the will made it clear that she was the sole owner of Ladder H, and her father and ex (who was the CEO) were ready to go to war for it. I liked how Mac may have initially gone to Texas for the story, but he soon made it clear that he would not mix business and pleasure, and his feelings for Bailey and Rosie meant he would do what he could to protect them. Bailey really struggled to let him in, thinking that she wasn't able to be loved, but once she learnt to trust herself, she could trust Mac to care for her and her daughter. The scenes between the three of them as a family were so cute, and that epilogue nearly killed me with how sweet it was! This is my first book by this author, but I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from Amber in the future.

Dates Read:
August 27-28, 2025

Rating
3 Stars

Stacking the Shelves: December 20th 2025

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ARC Review: The Holiday Fakers (Hideaway Harbor #2) by Evie Alexander

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The Holiday Fakers
Series: Hideaway Harbor #2
Author: Evie Alexander
Published November 7th 2025 by Emlin Press

Goodreads Synopsis
One fake boyfriend. One bed. One very complicated Christmas.

Piper
I promised my mom I’d bring a boyfriend home for the holidays.
I did not mean Brody King—Hollywood heartthrob, tabloid trainwreck, and the reason I have a folder of fantasy fan art I’ll take to the grave.
He’s also my brother’s best friend and the man who ghosted our small town (and me) twelve years ago.
Now we’re sharing one bed, faking a relationship, and pretending he’s changed.
The problem? I’m starting to believe it.
But Brody doesn’t do forever.
And I don’t do heartbreak twice.

Brody
The plan was simple: come home, look reformed, and don’t fall for Piper Locke. Again.
Instead, I’m stuck in a snow-globe town with the girl I never stopped wanting.
Piper’s smart, hilarious, way too sexy—and still completely off-limits.
She thinks I’ll leave like last time.
And she’s right. My next job’s a world away from Hideaway Harbor.
But this fake relationship feels dangerously real, and Piper isn’t just a PR fix.
She’s the reason I want to stay.
Too bad I’m the last person who deserves her... and the one person who can’t seem to walk away.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.

Piper Locke never expected that the google alert she set up for her old friend, turned movie star, Brody King, w0uld state she was his hidden girlfriend. She hasn't seen him in over 12 years, and next things she knows she's agreeing to be his fake girlfriend to help him get the role of his lifetime. Brody knows he messed up, and leaving Hideaway Harbor the way that he did, avoiding the only family he's ever had because he was scared, was a mistake. He needs Piper to help him, but hiding his feelings is getting even more difficult.

I always love a second chance romance, especially when there's a brother's best friend element too. This book had it all. Piper and Brody had basically grown up together, with Brody being her brother, Ethan's, best friend. They had feelings for each other, and nearly kissed when Piper was 16, but then Brody left. First he did some modelling, but then he made it big in Hollywood. The last few years have been hard, though. He's had bad press, time and time again, and he needs to change it around before he loses it all. I loved the way he and Piper managed to rediscover their past friendship quite quickly, and they didn't fight their feelings for each other too much. They realised they had lost out on the last 12 years, and they weren't going to waste any more time being apart. The conflict between them was handled so well, and the epilogue was the sweetest! I really need to see more from the Locke family, especially after little Martha's Christmas wish for her single dad, Ethan.

Dates Read:
November 30, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

ARC Review: The Luminaries (The Luminaries #1) by Susan Dennard

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The Luminaries
Series: The Luminaries #1
Author: Susan Dennard
Published November 1st 2022 by Tor Teen/Daphne Press

Goodreads Synopsis
Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you.

Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night.

Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal—and restore her family's good name. Or die trying.

But in order to survive, Winnie enlists the help of the one person who can help her train: Jay Friday, resident bad boy and Winnie’s ex-best friend. While Jay might be the most promising new hunter in Hemlock Falls, he also seems to know more about the nightmares of the forest than he should. Together, he and Winnie will discover a danger lurking in the forest no one in Hemlock Falls is prepared for.

Not all monsters can be slain, and not all nightmares are confined to the dark.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After her father was revealed to be a traitor to the Luminaries of Hemlock Falls, Winnie Wednesday and her family have been outcasts. On the edge of society, looked down upon, Winnie lost everything, but especially her friends, Jay and Erica. Now that she's turning 16, she has a shot of restoring her family's reputation, when she takes part in the deadly Luminary hunter trials. She has once chance, and without the training that everyone else has had, she's at a distinct disadvantage. There's only person who could help her, but can she trust Jay not to let her down again?

Well, I'm not sure why I put off reading these books for so long. I adored Suze's Something Strange and Deadly series when I read it way back when, and I can remember when the Luminerd's was happening on twitter during the pandemic. Oh well, I'm here now, and this book was definitely enjoyable. I really liked the world building of the Luminaries, with the seven different family's all being named after the days of the week, and each had their own distinct role in Hemlock Falls. Winnie was a great main character, and her growth across the book was great. She may have lied to everyone about the first trial, but she proved her worth as time went on. I definitely have my theories over the Whisperer, and I'm sure I'll discover if I was right in the next two books.

Dates Read:
October 17-21, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

ARC Review: Auction to Altar (Men of Mill Creek #1) by Elodie Ashwood

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Auction to Altar
Series: Men of Mill Creek #1
Author: Elodie Ashwood
Published May 29th 2025

Goodreads Synopsis
One bachelor auction. One fake marriage. One ex-wife with a grudge.

Now I’m living with the town’s grumpiest vet— and I’ve officially lost control of this dumpster fire. Send wine.

Jake Rivers.

Single dad.

Stupidly, devastatingly, ruin-your-sanity hot.

Mill Creek’s town council gave him thirty days to prove he’s “stable” and “family-focused”…
or lose his clinic.

Lucky for him—he’s got me.

My solution? Fake marriage.

The rules were no feelings. No complications. Definitely no… (ahem) touching.

Then he kissed me.

Pinned against his barn wall. Hand in my hair. Body pressed against mine.

Chemistry that would make my science classroom explode.

Now I'm wearing his grandmother's ring, living in his farmhouse, and every time he looks at me, I forget this marriage is fake… and that I have dignity.

But his conniving ex is manipulating the town council.

She wants Jake humiliated.

Wants to take it all—
his clinic.
His daughter.

If she finds out we’re faking?

He loses everything.

And I might lose the one thing I never meant to want.
Goodreads

Review
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via BookSirens. This in no way impacted on my view.

All Jake Rivers wants is for his daughter, Emily, to be happy, and for his veterinarian practice to flourish. So when the town council decide to introduce a new initiative showing they are family focused, they've got their eyes set on him. A divorced, single dad doesn't fit in with the Mill Creek narrative, and the council are out for blood. Luckily, Jake's best friend since college, Lexie Brown, will not let anything or anyone hurt Jake or Emily, and she agrees to marry him to prove he is a family man, and help get him through the next month. However, the council are being controlled by his ex, and they don't seem to be convinced by the whole charade, so Jake and Lexie step up the PDA - to the point that they are even wondering if it's fake any longer.

As soon as I saw this book on BookSirens, stating it had fake dating, single dad, friends-to-lovers, small town romance tropes, I knew I needed it. The minute it landed on my kindle I dove in, and devoured the whole book in 2 sittings - I only put it down to sleep. Jake and Lexie were the best of friends, and the insight we saw into how they were when they met in college was really good for understanding them more. There was one moment in college when they nearly kissed, but then Jake's now-ex got in the way, and they've been in the friend zone ever since. Once Jake's divorce was finalised, Lexie was there to help him and Emily get through it, and she is probably the second most important person in Emily's life after Jake. I loved seeing the family dynamic between them, and the fact it didn't actually change all that much after the wedding. They were already a family, Lexie just had a ring on to prove it. Jake's ex, Marissa, was such an awful character, and the way she treated everyone she came across - including her daughter - was horrific. The only good part of those interactions was seeing Lexie go all mama-bear on her to protect Emily. The drama was really well thought out, and I enjoyed the extended cast of characters all having a part of play. I really hope we get to see the story between Jenna and Travis because there's a lot of chemistry between them! I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books in this series.

Dates Read:
August 28-29, 2025

Rating
4 Stars

Stacking the Shelves: December 13th 2025

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