The Love List by Naima Simone

I hadn't read the other books in this series and felt like I missed a little bit. Especially since there seemed to be so much back story to Korrie's fiance leaving her basically at the altar. Which isn't a good look for a wedding planner. Now her ex is back in town trying to get her forgiveness. But there is another man holding her interest...

Israel is the town bad boy and he knows that hooking up with the pastor's daughter probably isn't going to be a long-term romance. But that doesn't mean a boy can't dream. Especially a boy who writes (or used to write) best-selling romance books.

I wish this book had been a longer book. Korrie and Israel needed more time. And Israel's back story as a romance writer? Please. Could we have explored that more?

Three stars

This novella came out March 1, 2002

Follows Christmas in Rose Bend

Followed by With Love from Rose Bend

Opinions are my own

Scoring the Player's Baby by Naima Simone

Kim Matlock got divorced from a football player after it came out he had been extensively cheating on her. Feeling burned, even a year later, she is excited to have a one night stand with a man she meets at a bridal show (I know, right? but he's there with his sister). And she's loving it ... until she learns he is also a football player. And she just can't handle that. Until they meet again and she becomes pregnant. Now he's trying to get past the guilt of loving someone other than the ex who died and she's trying to prove to herself that she's good at her job, even if her father (who has literally told her he wishes she weren't born) doesn't think so.
And, to some extent, it felt like these two characters were in different books. This wasn't as good as the first two books but not as bad as a two star book. I really wish we had seen Ronin's mom... at all. She seemed like she would have been a fabulous character.


Three stars

This book came out July 9th, 2018
Follows Scoring off the Field
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Scoring off the Field by Naima Simone

Tennyson "Tenny" Clark has been in love with her best friend/boss for decades. She even confessed it to him one drunken night but he was so horrified that she immediately played it off as being a joke. But it's time for her to step out on her own. She needs to get away from Dominic Anderson and stop letting him break her heart every time he sleeps with another woman.
But this is when Dominic realizes that Tenny might just be a woman. And he doesn't want to let her go.
And he is kind of a jerk about it. He wants to have his cake and eat it too; Tenny should be his best friend but also have sex but not ever fall in love. I liked Simone's writing but didn't really connect with the characters.

Three and a half stars
Follows Scoring With the Wrong Twin
Followed by Scoring the Player's Baby
This book came out March 12th, 2018
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Reread March 2023

Scoring With the Wrong Twin by Naima Simone

Sophia Cruz agrees to a one-off for her twin. Where Sophia is an app designer and intensely shy, her sister Giovanna is well on her way to becoming an internationally known model. But when Vanna needs help, Sophia agrees to step in.What she doesn't realize is that she's going to be working with football player Zephirin "Zeph" Black. Immediately attracted, she just can't figure out how to let him know she's not what he thinks. Especially since he's been burned by lies before.
This was a really quick and fun book. Easy to read but short. And the shortness means there are some corners cut in showing how either character got to the place of true remorse for their errors or that this would be a relationship with an HEA but it is worth a read, especially when you're having trouble concentrating on reading.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 15th, 2018

Followed by Scoring off the Field
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Reread March 2023