Maisey Yates gives readers a twist on the friends-to-lovers trope by adding layers of negative family history on both sides, considerably raising the emotional stakes in her latest romance, Untamed Cowboy. Kaylee Capshaw has been in love with Bennett Dodge since she was 13, but to protect her heart, she never pursued him. She’s struggled to cope with unrequited feelings ever since, even as the best friends share a veterinary practice in rural Gold Valley, Oregon. Kaylee has psychological reasons to keep her attraction to Bennett a secret—her parents’ marriage was a disaster and Kaylee was constantly aware she was unwanted and unloved. Her friendship with Bennett is important to her and Yates develops a long, comfortable, affectionate history between them.

After his mother’s death when he was a child, followed by too many stepmothers to count, Bennett has followed a strict plan for his life that ensures a quiet, well-organized existence. Powerful emotion isn’t allowed and he’s unaware that he subconsciously, purposefully, never considered Kaylee as a potential girlfriend. When his sensible fiancée breaks off their engagement and immediately falls in love with another man, Bennett is at loose ends. He’s disappointed but thinks he’s coping with the situation as well as could be expected. But then his regimented life is hit by a bombshell when a social worker arrives on his doorstep with the son he didn’t know existed.

Bennett’s determined to meet the challenge of fatherhood and turns to Kaylee for support. While they’re taking a break from their worries at a bar one night, she bluntly tells him that if he’s looking for a hookup, she’ll volunteer. He’s shocked but also instantly, overwhelmingly, in favor of the idea. Neither of them expected their reckless decision to have such far-reaching consequences. Their connection is earthshaking, laying bare all the emotions they’ve both denied for years, and they’re both knocked off kilter. Yates does an excellent job of painting two honest, vulnerable people who are each carrying a ton of baggage from their childhoods. Nevertheless, they are equally determined to find their way past their scarred psyches to secure a future together.

Lois Dyer writes from her home in Port Orchard, Washington.

Cheris Hodges pairs a New York businessman and a Southern entrepreneur in her latest novel, Strategic Seduction. Comparisons between the North and South fly thick and fast, most noticeably when the pair is sampling mouthwatering food. Readers will find themselves craving a trip to Georgia just to visit the restaurants, diners and coffee shops mentioned in this smart contemporary romance.

When Alicia Michaels returns to Atlanta to launch her new PR company, she doesn’t expect to meet the man of her dreams. Especially when said man is newly divorced Richmond Crawford, a wealthy New Yorker and the brother-in-law of one of Alicia’s best friends. Both she and Richmond have plenty to prove—Richmond with his first solo hotel project for the family corporation, and Alicia with the launch of her own firm. Neither is looking for love, and both have an abundance of emotional baggage that makes them cynical and wary.

The novel’s supporting cast of characters includes a group of hilarious, successful girlfriends whom Alicia considers sisters. They worry about her dating a man who’s so recently divorced, and given the scheming nature of Richmond’s ex, it’s soon clear the friends have cause for concern. The reappearance of his avaricious ex-wife heightens the tension and further threatens the couple’s hopes for a happy ending. In the end, however, a loving future is more dependent on Alicia conquering her own insecurities than a threat from any outside force. When unexpected news shocks Alicia and Richmond, both will have to face life-changing choices before they can finally put their pasts to rest and embrace a bright tomorrow.

Lois Dyer writes from her home in Port Orchard, Washington.

Alisha Rai concludes her emotional Forbidden Hearts series with a love story between an heiress struggling to live life on her own terms and her tattooed, very much off-limits crush.

Evangeline Chandler has suffered greatly trying to live up to her father’s expectations. Emotional abuse doesn’t even begin to cover it. She’s determined to make decisions for herself from now on to ensure her own happiness, which results in a beautiful, satisfying arc that unfolds alongside the romantic plot.

For years, Eve has crushed on Gabriel Hunter, though her love is seemingly unrequited. Gabe rejected her in the past and Eve has never forgotten it. Gabe is not only much older than her, but he’s also “the help,” and one of her brother’s friends. All of which are things Eve knows should keep her away. But despite Gabe’s rejection of Eve in the past, he’s been harboring his own feelings. He knows he can’t offer her the future she deserves. She has money to burn and her family’s clout and, in his mind, he’s just the son of a housekeeper. But nothing is insurmountable in romance!

When Eve and Gabe are forced together for a wedding weekend, avoiding each other becomes impossible and it quickly becomes clear there’s more chemistry between them than either previously thought. Eve’s growth as a self-assured woman is one of the best aspects of Hurts to Love You. Floundering under the opinions and expectations of others, Eve realizes that she needs to take ownership of her life, and one of the first steps to doing that is admitting her attraction to Gabe. That’s easier said than done—both are working to overcome toxic family dynamics and painful moments in their past, and are also hopelessly shy and awkward at times. But the emotional fallout of Eve shedding her shell and Gabe coming clean is balanced by how utterly helpless they are in each other’s presence.

It’s an irresistible attraction and Rai writes it seamlessly. Her ability to capture raw and realistic emotions is such a strength. Every conflict feels real and twists the reader’s heart. Every tender moment will make you sigh. Hurts to Love You is an emotional rollercoaster that you’ll want to ride again and again.

Additionally, any loose ends leftover from the previous Forbidden Hearts installments are satisfactorily resolved. While Hurts to Love You is still an amazing read on its own, the relationships and histories of books one and two add a depth that should not be missed. The only bad thing about this book is accepting that it’s the end of the series. Surely, Rai won’t deprive us of more romance for long.