Lies and Lullabies is book one in the Hush Note series and Sarina Bowen’s contribution. Having read books 2 and 3 Rifts and Refrain and Muses and Melodies, both of which I loved, I looked forward to reading about Jonas, Hush Note lead singer. Now I went into this book with high expectations, however my experience did not go as expected. The story in of itself wasn’t bad, but the heroine rubbed me the wrong way. The secret baby trope doesn’t sit well with me, but I read the book anyway because of the desire to complete the series.
Summer nights and star-crossed lovers! From USA Today bestselling author Sarina Bowen. This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Title: Lies & Lullabies
Author(s): Sarina Bowen
Series: Hush Note #1
Also in this series: Rifts and Refrains, Muses & Melodies
Published by Tuxbury Publishing LLC on September 22, 2020
Pages: 278
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchase
Format: eBook 
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
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Once upon a time, he gave me a summer of friendship, followed by one perfect night. We shared a lot during our short time together. But he skipped a few crucial details.
I didn’t know he was a rock star.
I didn’t know his real name.
Neither of us knew I’d get pregnant.
And I sure never expected to see him again.
Five years later, his tour bus pulls up in Nest Lake, Maine. My little world is about to be shattered by loud music and the pounding of my own foolish heart.
Five years ago, Jonas went to Maine for a break from the band and to get his creative juices flowing. While there, he met Kira. A special bond developed between after weeks spending time together. On his last night in Maine, they shared an unforgettable night of passion. Fast forward four years later, Jonas returned to Maine with the band, hoping to reconnect with Kira. Upon his return, he discovered he had fathered a daughter. A discovery which brought changes, which at first appeared insurmountable. However, his determination and love Kira and his daughter gave him the strength needed to overcome.
Earlier, I mentioned how the heroine rubbed me the wrong way. Here is the reason. She had no justifiable reason to keep the child a secret. No attempts were made on her part to inform Jonas that he was a father. I understood her fear of being rejected, seeing how she has poured out her heart to him, which he never responded to. However, it still did not justify her actions. There were many routes she could have taken to inform him.
Despite his imperfections, Jonas was an exceptional hero. He readily acknowledged his mistakes and willingly embraced being a father. His willingness to acknowledge his mistakes, coupled with his love for Kira, made it easier for him to forgive her. Also, her actions throughout the story reeked of insecurities. Because of her insecurities, she spent most of the time pushing Jonas away.
The romance was beautiful. Jonas put his all into making his relationship with Kira and his daughter work. A busy schedule and nosy band mates would not be a deterrent.
Overall, although not my favorite of the series, I thought the story was fairly good.
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Title: Brooklynaire
Author(s): Sarina Bowen
Series: Brooklyn #1
Published by Rennie Road Books on February 12, 2018
Pages: 298
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchase
Format: eBook
Purchase: Amazon|Audible
Reading Challenges: 2023 Thrifty Thursday Reading Challenge, 2023- Coyer
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A sexy new standalone from USA Today bestseller Sarina Bowen.
You’d think a billion dollars, a professional hockey team and a six-bedroom mansion on the Promenade would satisfy a guy. You’d be wrong.
For seven years Rebecca has brightened my office with her wit and her smile. She manages both my hockey team and my sanity. I don’t know when I started waking in the night, craving her. All I know is that one whiff of her perfume ruins my concentration. And her laugh makes me hard.
When Rebecca gets hurt, I step in to help. It’s what friends do. But what friends don’t do is rip off each others’ clothes for a single, wild night together.
Now she’s avoiding me. She says we’re too different, and it can never happen again. So why can’t we keep our hands off each other?
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
Brooklynaire is book one in Sarina Bowen’s Brooklyn Hockey series. It’s a spinoff of her Brooklyn Bruisers series, which I have yet to read.
Brooklynaire features a friends to lovers romance between billionaire Nate Kattenberger and Rebecca Rowley. From the beginning of the story, readers learn that Nate and Rebecca have had feelings for each other for the past seven years. Long before Nate become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company and owner of a Hockey team. However, because their relationship crossed over into the professional, romantic entanglements were forbidden. Then Rebecca suffered a head injury, which led to several weeks of sick leave and Nate stepping in to take care of her in his own way. Of course, Rebecca wasn’t too keen to accept his help, but with no other recourse, she grudgingly accepted.
The story provides flashbacks providing readers with Nate and Rebecca’s story. Readers see how their friendship developed and Rebecca’s contribution to his success. From the flashbacks, one can sense the attraction brewing between them. However, the fact she works for him placed a damper on the prospect of a HEA. But then, where there is a will, there is a way, and Nate and Becca would surely find their way.
Now, Nate is not your typical billionaire. He is a nerd who possesses a brilliant mind and potent sex appeal. Everyone who came in contact with Rebecca loved her. Her generous spirit, coupled with her fun and energetic personality, drew people to her. I loved these two together. Rebecca and Nate made the perfect couple as they had so much in common. They both care for their family and they gave their all for those whom they cared about.
Their journey to their HEA faced many obstacles. So we see it’s not only their work relationship standing their way, but also Becca’s insecurities and fears. I didn’t like how she kept comparing herself to Nate and believing she came up short. Thank goodness she finally believed in her self worth.
The story in Brooklynaire will not only warm the hearts of readers but will also leave them smiling at the end.
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Lies and Lullabies which was free on January 26, 2023 is currently $5.99 at Amazon and Brooklynaire which was free on May 28, 2020 is currently $4.99 at Amazon as of writing this post)
Lies and Lullabies: Overall rating 4.3 with 2,609 ratings on Amazon and 6,334 on Goodreads.
Brooklynaire : Overall rating 4.5 with 5,262 ratings on Amazon and 19,250 on Goodreads.
About Sarina Bowen
Sarina Bowen is a twenty-three time USA bestselling author, and a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance novels. Formerly a derivatives trader on Wall Street, Sarina holds a BA in economics from Yale University. A New Englander whose Vermont ancestors cut timber and farmed the north country in the 1760s, Sarina is grateful for the invention of indoor plumbing and wi-fi during the intervening 250 years. She lives with her family on a few wooded acres in New Hampshire. Sarina’s books are published in over a dozen languages with fifteen international publishers.
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Love the sound of this one! Sarina Bowen’s romances are so great. 😀
The secret baby trope doesn’t sit well with me for the most part either. Sometimes it’s justified and I can understand it but if there’s no justification then it just doesn’t make sense. Thank you for the great review.
Yay I have both of these and haven’t read them yet. They sound pretty good overall and I like this author. You did one of my things which is to combine up the freebies from an author to get a feel for them.
I thought this would be a convenient way to read more of a author’s work.
Brooklynaire looks good. I don’t like the secret baby trope. Great reviews!
I read the first book as an arc so it has been a while but I remember loving the Hero of the story. I still need to read Brooklynaire! It sounds like one that I will definitely enjoy!
I usually love Sarina Bowen’s books. I liked Lies & Lullabies, but not as much as most of her other books. And I loved that hockey series that Brooklynaire is part of.
I loved this one! I still have a few to read in this series though. Must get to it!