Want You to Want Me by Lorelei James

I would sort of classify this as a slow burn. There is a LOT of relationship building before the sexy times which means that the characters have a lot of time to get to know each other. Which is good since the book opens with Gabriella Welk being dumped by her boyfriend for her younger sister. And she, gasp!, doesn't hate her younger sister for it. But Nolan Lund does overhear the exchange. He's not particularly comfortable being there but he does offer to take the hockey star/coach out for drinks.  While at the dive bar, Gabi overhears him say something rather uncomplimentary. But then... he owns his mistake! No excuses, just is sorry and then builds his way back in to her good graces.
The bummer of this story is the awkwardness of how the rest of the books in this series are set up. For the first 3/4 (maybe a little less), we have a smooth-flowing story. Then there's a whole other story that's shoehorned in that might have made more sense if there were hints in the first book but I honestly don't remember there being any. It also might have made more sense if there was a build up to the next book but instead there's a story line just plopped like a rather large unwieldy stone.

Four stars
Follows I Want You Back
This book comes out August 4th
ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

I Want You Back by Lorelei James

In a previous book in this series, Jaxson Lund had described his daughter's mother, Lucy Quade, as someone barely better than Lucifer himself. At the end of the story, we learned that Lucy may not really be as bad as she seemed. And now that Jaxson has retired from hockey and pulled himself out of the grips of alcoholism, he can admit to himself that she is a really good mother. And a really good woman. In fact, he wants her back.
But Lucy isn't so sure. Mimi was an unexpected baby. She and Jaxson had supposedly been in love but he cheated on her and then dragged her name through the mud. She's dating and looking for something better. Even though that park is still there...
I liked that Jaxson had some consequences from his sleeping around. I did not so much like the flashbacks. I'm not sure why it's so popular right now to flip back and forth between the present and the past in romances but I find it very distracting. Not distracting enough not to read the next book in the series though; I'm really hoping it's the romance between ice skater Gabri and Jaxson's brother.

Three and a half stars
Followed by Want to Want you
This book came out April 2nd
ARC kindly provided by publisher and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Racked and Stacked by Lorelei James

Larissa "Riss" Thorpe is a strong-ass woman who is going to find her joy where she can and isn't going to be slut shamed by anyone. Though she might get annoyed by... certain people. Ike Palmer being the one who gets under her skin. And now the truce they've called to help them get through their friends' wedding is off. And then Riss breaks her arm and Ike feels a strange compulsion to rescue her from her brothers.
 I quite liked this book and believe that regular James readers won't be disappointed.

Four stars
This book came out August 7
ARC kindly provided by Net Galley