WWW Wednesday: July 29th, 2026

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Here is what I am reading, what I recently finished, and what I plan to read from Thursday to Wednesday.

Let me know if you have read or plan to read any of these books!!


What I am currently reading:

As a game warden, Conor has encountered a lot of big game hunters, but none like this.

Part-time bartender Erin Gardner is friendly to everyone who bellies up to her bar, including the local law enforcement and firefighters who keep her city safe. That’s where she meets game warden Conor Paxton, a regular who she asks to join a canoeing trip she’s leading for her university day job. When the trip leads to something more, Erin couldn’t be happier.

Conor adores Erin, more than enough to help her continue to get over lingering self-esteem issues from her childhood. He’s thrilled he’s found someone who enjoys spending time in nature as much as he does.

Just when the couple thinks they’re on their way to a happily ever after, Erin finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there’s no way she’ll just lay down and die. She’s woman enough to save herself—and lead her man to her when she’s done.


What I recently finished reading:

She’s shy, he’s stoic…not the hardest personality traits to overcome, but Sophie Carson and Roman “Chief” Proudfit have their work cut out for them.

Sophie has a crush on the silent-but-studly firefighter next door. She’s been pining away silently while secretly helping the hardworking man by mowing his lawn—which he thinks is being done by her nonexistent husband and/or boyfriend. He’s definitely not big on neighborly chitchat, but with her stutter, that suits Sophie just fine. But now a misunderstanding at a bar has put him even further out of her reach.

Roman’s difficult upbringing on an Indian reservation is a sore spot, so when he thinks Sophie is taking advantage of poor people for medical trials at her workplace, he lets her know exactly what he thinks. But when he discovers he misunderstood, he’s man enough to admit it…and also that he should have opened his eyes to his beautiful, sensitive neighbor sooner.

As the couple gets closer, each helping the other overcome lifelong pains, for the first time in years, Roman has something to live for other than his job. And, as he discovers when Sophie puts herself in danger, something even bigger to lose…


What I plan on reading Thursday through Sunday:

Once she’s in his sights he’ll crawl through hell to get her back. 

It’s been years since Milena Reinhardt has seen TJ “Rock” Rockwell. The last time, he was nearly a shell of a man…but he was her man…and he tore her heart out of her chest. Circumstances unbeknownst to TJ have ensured Milena’s never fully recovered.TJ left his sniper days behind—for the most part—when he left the Army and become a respected Texas Highway Patrolman. He also left behind Milena. He’s convinced it was the right thing to do at the time, but that doesn’t mean he’s ever forgotten the woman who loved him in his greatest time of need…or has stopped thinking of her since.

Neither thought they’d see each other again, until a pedophile’s operation is taken down and the evil man sets his vengeful sights on Milena. This could be their second chance, even though TJ and Milena have enough secrets and trust issues to end any relationship before it starts. But when the bad guy closes in, they’ll have to set aside their fears and trust in each other, to save the one thing that means the world to them both.

** Justice for Milena is the 10th book in the Badge of Texas Heroes Series. Each book is a stand-alone, with no cliffhanger endings.**

TJ and Milena face a truly nasty foe. While his sins are never described on the page, certain basic information is included for the characters to grasp the full breadth of the villain’s evilness. For my more delicate readers, please remember…good always triumphs over evil.

Blythe Coopman never imagined she’d be homeless, but a series of events has landed her on San Antonio’s streets…hungry, tired, and scared. She clings to her most precious possession, a phone accidentally swiped from a local firefighter, who, instead of canceling the number, starts texting her. Soon, the man’s calls and texts are the highlight of her days, but she declines his frequent offers of help. Blythe refuses to be his burden—until a vicious attack takes the decision out of her hands.

When the woman he’s already begun to care for ends up in the ER, Sawyer “Squirrel” McClay is livid—and ashamed. He should have insisted she accept his help long ago. Now, he’s not taking no for an answer. While his friends rally round Blythe, Squirrel’s bond with her grows stronger by the day, until he realizes he’ll do anything to keep her safe, healthy, and happy…even as his own lifelong insecurities work against him.

But despite leaving the streets behind, Blythe and Sawyer discover old dangers still linger, threatening to end the couple’s new bliss before it’s barely begun.

Hiding from her ex is exhausting enough, but for Hope Drayden, putting her seven-year-old son through a life on the run and living on the streets has been mentally torturous. When a kind diner owner offers her a job, Hope begins to claw her way toward a new beginning for herself and Billy, one tip at a time. But since her son’s recent abduction, and with threats from her ex still fresh in her mind, she’s constantly looking over her shoulder. Then a surprising, and lucky, tip from a diner regular puts yet another target on their backs.

At the request of a friend, medical examiner Calder Stonewall has been looking for Hope and Billy for weeks. When they unexpectedly show up at the scene of a crime, his interest soon becomes personal. He’s amazed by the beautiful, brave woman and her resilient son. He’s also surprised by his growing need to take care of them both, although winning Hope’s trust won’t be easy. But when a tragedy thrusts the couple together, Calder quickly proves he’s a man Hope can rely on.

Which is a good thing…because she’ll need all his support, and love, to get through a threat they never saw coming.

Freak. Witch. Ugly. Abomination.

Having grown up with a port-wine birthmark on her face and neck, Quinn Dixon’s heard them all. Her own mother couldn’t bear to touch her, let alone strangers. Years of stares and insults from everyone from classmates to foster families have made her understandably reluctant to trust. So when John comes along, of course he couldn’t be interested in more than a brief affair. He’ll get sick of all the gawking and whispers soon enough and leave her…just like everyone else.

John “Driftwood” Trettle was captivated by Quinn the moment they met. After months of skirting around their attraction, one pivotal evening finds John seizing the reins and refusing to be denied a chance to prove he’s worthy of Quinn’s time, her trust, and her love. To show her he’ll have her back, always, and defend her against anyone cruel or stupid enough to hurt his woman.

But he can’t protect against an unknown threat. Even if it wears a familiar face…

Romanceopoly 2026—July—Frostbitten Trials (Winter Event)


Velvet Blitz: Read a dark romance (psych thriller with romance, villains MC, or Mafia/assassin love stories)

July Romanceopoly 2026—Paranormal Studies


Phantom Wing: Read a ghost romance or a cursed love story

July Romanceopoly 2026—Dark Psychology

A gothic board game titled Romanceopoly with dark psychology theme and two players holding cards.

Velvet Room: Read a dark romance with a walking red-flag love interest (villain, mafia boss, assassin, etc.). “I can fix him”/ “Hurt/comfort” strongly encouraged.

Main male character is a mafia boss who kidnaps the main female character

CONTROL CENTER: Read a dark romance with an obsessive, “touch her and die” love interest.


Mirror Wing: Read a stalker romance or romantic thriller where someone is being actively watched or followed

Romanceopoly July 2026—Theta Tau Theta Club


That Was Not A Healthy Relationship: Read a romance with toxic dynamics

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?—July 27th, 2026

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a place to meet and share what you have been reading and what you are about to read this week. It’s a great post to organize yourself. It’s an opportunity to visit, comment, and add to your groaning TBR pile! So welcome everyone. This meme started on J Kaye’s blog and was then hosted by Sheila from Book Journey. Sheila then passed it on to Kathryn at The Book Date.


What I am Reading Now

She’s always acknowledged her special needs, but she never thought they would include him.

Saddled with a job she hates and a detestable boss she likes even less, Adeline Reynolds could use a break. It doesn’t look like she’ll get one today. Her service dog, Coco, is alerting her she’s about to have an epileptic seizure—and her frustrated blind date has left her to deal on her own. Enter firefighter Dean Christopherson, who escorts her to the nearby fire station, where she can suffer through her ordeal safe from injury and prying eyes.

Dean—known as “Crash” to his friends—didn’t expect to find The One in a diner during his lunch break, but he’s blindsided by the beautiful, brave Adeline. She brings out his every protective instinct—along with the carnal ones. As they get to know each other, Dean’s feelings for Adeline grow fast, as does his irritation with her boss, whose behavior is suspicious at best.As much as he wants to protect Adeline from the world, Crash has to tread carefully. His overprotectiveness could push her away…and leave her vulnerable to a man whose obsession has reached the boiling point.


What I plan to read Monday and Tuesday:

She’s shy, he’s stoic…not the hardest personality traits to overcome, but Sophie Carson and Roman “Chief” Proudfit have their work cut out for them.

Sophie has a crush on the silent-but-studly firefighter next door. She’s been pining away silently while secretly helping the hardworking man by mowing his lawn—which he thinks is being done by her nonexistent husband and/or boyfriend. He’s definitely not big on neighborly chitchat, but with her stutter, that suits Sophie just fine. But now a misunderstanding at a bar has put him even further out of her reach.

Roman’s difficult upbringing on an Indian reservation is a sore spot, so when he thinks Sophie is taking advantage of poor people for medical trials at her workplace, he lets her know exactly what he thinks. But when he discovers he misunderstood, he’s man enough to admit it…and also that he should have opened his eyes to his beautiful, sensitive neighbor sooner.

As the couple gets closer, each helping the other overcome lifelong pains, for the first time in years, Roman has something to live for other than his job. And, as he discovers when Sophie puts herself in danger, something even bigger to lose…

As a game warden, Conor has encountered a lot of big game hunters, but none like this.Part-time bartender Erin Gardner is friendly to everyone who bellies up to her bar, including the local law enforcement and firefighters who keep her city safe. That’s where she meets game warden Conor Paxton, a regular who she asks to join a canoeing trip she’s leading for her university day job. When the trip leads to something more, Erin couldn’t be happier.Conor adores Erin, more than enough to help her continue to get over lingering self-esteem issues from her childhood. He’s thrilled he’s found someone who enjoys spending time in nature as much as he does.Just when the couple thinks they’re on their way to a happily ever after, Erin finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But there’s no way she’ll just lay down and die. She’s woman enough to save herself—and lead her man to her when she’s done.

Goodreads Monday: Better Than Revenge by Taylor Henderson

This is a weekly meme in which anyone can choose and highlight a random book from their Goodreads TBR. It was formerly featured on LaurensPageTurners and was taken over by Budget Tales Book Blog.


Goodreads Synopsis:

Ever since Violet Forrester first moved next door to Brianna, she has been tortured relentlessly…

It seems like Brianna has everything, and yet she still doesn’t have the one thing she really wants; the one thing that Violet cares about the most—Blake Edwards.

After years of letting Brianna walk all over her, Violet’s finally had enough. She’s tired of sitting back and watching Brianna flirt with her boyfriend, steal her friends, and push her around. She’s finally ready to stand up for herself.

To do this, Violet and her new friend, Lena, devise a plan to make Brianna realize that not everything is hers for the taking, and Violet knows the perfect way to do it…

After all, nothing is better than revenge.

That is, until someone gets hurt.

Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026—July


Title that Contains Instructions: NOVEMBER BUZZWORD THEME (titles that give a directive to the reader. Examples: “Eat this,” “Do that,” “Close Your Eyes,” “Eat My Shorts.”)

Romanceopoly 2026—Romantic Arts—July


Pinehill House: Read a second-chance romance or small-town romance

Small-town and second-chance romance

WWW Wednesday: July 22nd, 2026

WWW Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Sam at Taking on a World of Words.

The Three Ws are:

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?

What do you think you’ll read next?

Here is what I am reading, what I recently finished, and what I plan to read from Thursday to Wednesday.

Let me know if you have read or plan to read any of these books!!


What I am currently reading:

Blind since birth, Corrie Madison relies on her other sharpened senses in her job as a chiropractor. Never did she imagine she’d have to depend on them to identify a killer. But when a man enters her practice, murdering everyone in his path, Corrie is the only witness—putting her directly in the killer’s crosshairs.

Officer Quint Axton wasn’t looking for love, or even a relationship, until he meets Corrie. Beautiful and brave, resilient and intelligent, she’s everything Quint wants—if he can keep her alive long enough to explore their mutual attraction. The threats on Corrie’s life are escalating. Surely a blind person is helpless against a ruthless killer?

Hardly. Corrie is about to prove that disabled does not equal defenseless.


What I recently finished reading:

For Cruz Livingston, becoming an FBI agent is a lifelong dream, guarding the streets of San Antonio, a calling. His latest assignment—infiltrating the Red Brothers Motorcycle Club—will help stem the flow of illegal drugs brought into the city by the violent gang. He expects the job to be dangerous. He doesn’t expect to meet the woman of his dreams while undercover.

Mickie Kaiser is refreshingly sweet, but her sister is intimately involved with the RBMC’s president. Cruz can’t afford to come clean about his double life without putting his operation in danger, but as violence creeps ever closer to Mickie, his priority becomes crystal clear. Cruz will do anything to keep Mickie alive…even if it means losing her love.


What I plan on reading Thursday through Sunday:

Reluctantly taking her best friend’s place at a photo shoot, realtor Laine Parker expects to assist the photographer for the day…not drool over the volunteer model, Westin King. The Texas Ranger and real-life cowboy is hot-on-hot sexy, from the tips of his boots to the top of his Stetson. Despite her visceral reaction to the man, the last thing Laine expects is a whirlwind romance–but that’s exactly what she gets.

Wes has been around the block enough to know what he wants, and he wants Laine. He wastes no time showing her how he feels…but he may never get the chance to tell her. Laine has disappeared, and it will take every connection Wes has–and a little help from a mangy stray–to get her back in his arms.

Elizabeth Parkins lived through a nightmare come true—getting kidnapped by a serial killer. Seeking a fresh start, she moves to Texas, but escaping her demons proves impossible when she’s too terrified to leave her own apartment. A small, accidental fire sparks a coping method she’d never expected, and brings an amazing man to her door.

Firefighter Cade “Sledge” Turner’s idyllic life ended the day his sister was kidnapped. Now he knows firsthand that tragedy can befall anyone, at any time. Meeting Elizabeth on the job was a gift. Cade can envision spending his life with this woman. He understands what she’s been through, is willing to help her heal…though even Cade is unaware of Beth’s new secret obsession.

As Beth takes steps to help herself heal, and Cade attempts to earn her trust and prove his own, they’re both about to be tested—in a way that could see everything they’ve worked for go up in flames.

Sheriff’s Deputy Hayden Yates has worked hard to gain the respect and admiration of her fellow law enforcement officers. She’s succeeded so well, in fact, that she’s become just one of the guys. As her friends slowly begin to meet their soul mates, Hayden longs to be seen as a desirable woman, and not the tomboy she’s always been.

No slouch when it comes to attracting the opposite sex, cowboy Boone Hatcher might want to give it a rest for a while, especially after his last girlfriend accuses him of domestic abuse. Deputy Yates sees right through his ex’s ruse—and Boone sees right through Deputy Yates. Hayden might seem all business, but her need for justice comes from a heart that beats with pure passion.

A few dates turn into something more, and as the couple’s relationship deepens, so do the threats from his ex. It’s up to Hayden to convince Boone the danger is real…before jealous antics escalate to deadly obsession.

She’s always acknowledged her special needs, but she never thought they would include him.

Saddled with a job she hates and a detestable boss she likes even less, Adeline Reynolds could use a break. It doesn’t look like she’ll get one today. Her service dog, Coco, is alerting her she’s about to have an epileptic seizure—and her frustrated blind date has left her to deal on her own. Enter firefighter Dean Christopherson, who escorts her to the nearby fire station, where she can suffer through her ordeal safe from injury and prying eyes.

Dean—known as “Crash” to his friends—didn’t expect to find The One in a diner during his lunch break, but he’s blindsided by the beautiful, brave Adeline. She brings out his every protective instinct—along with the carnal ones. As they get to know each other, Dean’s feelings for Adeline grow fast, as does his irritation with her boss, whose behavior is suspicious at best.As much as he wants to protect Adeline from the world, Crash has to tread carefully. His overprotectiveness could push her away…and leave her vulnerable to a man whose obsession has reached the boiling point.