A Sweet Spot For Love

Rock Falls #2

by Aliyah Burke

Former pro baseball player Linc Conner knows exactly where his head’s at. Most of the time, he’s completely focused on running his community center and focusing on the kids. But when it comes to single mom Emma Henricksen, Linc can’t see straight. She’s driven, resourceful—not to mention that smart, extra-kissable mouth—and when she’s near, he gets lost in a fog of lust. But getting her he needs her help to convince an investor that they’re engaged.

Emma’s too busy raising her gifted little girl to have a sex life that’s not battery-operated. Still, how could she resist being engaged to a guy who’s the sexual equivalent of her favorite dessert topped with whipped cream and a cherry, even if it’s just pretend? Emma knows all too well that if something seems too good—or too tempting—to be true, it definitely is…

Now it’s a game of pretend with a whole lot of chemistry between the guy who’s used to playing the field—and the woman who opted out of the game long ago. All that’s missing is one helluva curveball…

Each book in the Rock Falls series is
* Tinkering with Love
* A Sweet Spot For Love

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Fake Dating, Baseball, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com

287 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2023

About the author

A USA Today Bestselling author, Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer). She loves to hear from her readers and can be reached http://aliyah-burke.com/blog/contact/
Facebook, twitter, Instagram, or via email.

She is married to a career military man, and they are owned by 4 Borzoi. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training/showing.

Reviews

[Kims.reading.nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emma is a curvy, devoted single mother to her young daughter Greer, and is determined to give her a better childhood than she experienced. Greer has recently discovered a love of baseball at the community centre and Emma is struggling to manage her work commitments around this.

Linc, a former professional baseball player, built and runs the community centre and has dreams to expand. When an Investor steps forward with the expectation that Linc is a 'family man', he makes a split second decision and points out Emma as his fiancèe in the crowd.

So begins a fake relationship between the two that gets more complex as time goes on! Emma can't believe that her childhood crush picked her out of every woman in the crowd, whilst Linc is amazed that a woman as incredible as Emma is still on the market!

I read this book in one sitting and stayed up WAY later than I should have. It was that good, I couldn't bear to wait until the next day to see what happened!

It is your classic fake dating trope in a small town, with amazing tension and a slow burn. But when it all happened it was 🔥🔥
I really loved all the MCs, and their close friendship circle were the perfect additions to the story.

Thank you to Author Aliyah Burke, Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with this ARC. I have given this review freely with all opinions being my own. Look out for publication in Australia on March 27th 2023 💕

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 ⭐️ How NOT to: write a book boyfriend ft. a heart-shaped engagement ring.
Single mom / Ex Pro Athlete / Fake Engagement

This book did not work for me. From the MMC being an ass who’s constantly barking orders at the FMC, to the inconsistent narration, the odd grammatical choices, and the lack of connection between the MCs, this book was a total flop.

I can see a lot of potential in the story, and I liked the blurb, which is why I picked it up. I enjoyed the plot well enough, but the execution was awful. It was difficult for me to understand, let alone get immersed into the story, when the narration and dialogue was so stilted. I had to put the book down multiple times because I was exhausted at having to decode what exactly was happening. The MMC, Linc, didn’t help at all. He’s one of my main problems with this story. He’s entitled, paternalistic, possessive (and not necessarily in a good way) and riddled with not-so-subtle sexist overtones throughout the whole book. I mean, when he finally gets around to proposing for real at the end, it starts with:

“Emma, I’ll never find another woman who makes me feel the way you do. A woman who always puts others before herself. A woman who loves with her entire being. I’m a jackass and doubt an asshole.”

... I mean... He said it all by himself, didn't he?

Honestly, I could go on, but I don’t enjoy putting down someone’s work, so I’ll just say that it didn’t work for me, and I therefore would not recommend it.

⭐️.5 / 5
🌶️ / 5

Thank you so much Net Galley and publisher for providing me with an eARC of the book!

[Emily Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sweet Spot for Love
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Romance
Author: Aliyah Burke
GR: 3.58

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Former pro baseball player Linc Conner knows exactly where his head’s at. Most of the time, he’s completely focused on running his community center and focusing on the kids. But when it comes to single mom Emma Henricksen, Linc can’t see straight. She’s driven, resourceful—not to mention that smart, extra-kissable mouth—and when she’s near, he gets lost in a fog of lust. But he needs her help to convince an investor they’re engaged. Emma’s too busy raising her gifted little girl to have a sex life that’s not battery-operated. Still, how could she resist being engaged to a guy who’s the sexual equivalent of her favorite dessert topped with whipped cream and a cherry, even if it’s just pretend? Emma knows all too well that if something seems too good—or too tempting—to be true, it definitely is… Now it’s a game of pretend with a whole lot of chemistry between the guy who’s used to playing the field—and the woman who opted out of the game long ago. All that’s missing is one helluva curveball…

My Thoughts: This is book number two in the Rock Falls series. The first book is Tinkering with Love. This book can absolutely be read as a standalone book. This follows a classic fake dating in a small town setting with some miscommunication trope built in. I loved that the book features a curvy single mother paired up with a former professional baseball player. This was a slow burn that built up the story.

Emma is a single mother to her daughter Greer, who loves baseball. Emma was a fierce, determined and devoted mother. Linc is a former baseball player and when an investor wants a ‘family man,’ Linc points to Emma as his fake fiancé and so the story begins. Linc was not my favorite in the beginning, but he did grow on me. The characters are well developed, witty banter, with chemistry, and the supporting characters, aka friend group, really enriches the storyline. The author’s writing was creative and flowed well, even at a slow burn.

I wanted something more from the story. Now do not get me wrong, overall, this was a good story, I just wanted something more. I think less sex jokes and more connective chemistry would have added another depth to the story. I would recommend picking up as this was short read.
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[Ethel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5
Spice meter: 2

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for allowing me to review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and have not been influenced by anyone else.

Former baseball pro Linc Conner is focused on his community center, until single mom Emma Henricksen comes along. Emma is too busy raising her daughter to have a sex life that isn't battery operated. But when she meets Linc she can't resist his charm. When he needs her help to secure an investor, pretending to be engaged seems like a good idea, but with chemistry this strong, things could get complicated. Will they be able to handle this curveball?

Not gonna lie it took me a while to get into this book but once I did I couldn't put it down. While it wasn't my favorite it was a quick and short read with just the right amount of slow burn and tension in-between .
This was a quick sports romance book with a bit of slow burn to it.

What I loved about this book

1) Emma's ability to drop everything for her daughter. Greer was the cutest kid I have seen in a book in a long time. I really enjoyed the concept of her character. A single mum who wasn't put down by her circumstance but instead tried to rise above it.

2) I loved how linc made Emma feel comfortable in her own skin. Emma was constantly insecure about her body and educational background but linc made it a constantly aim to make her feel comfortable in her own skin no matter what.

3)Linc's Dirty mouth ifykyk🤭

What I disliked about this book

1)Emma constant ability to put down herself. If linc gave her a compliment she'll say something along the lines of "but I'm fat" or "I'm a highschool drop out. There's no way you could possibly think that about me. Honestly it was infuriating. I constantly found myself wanting to enter into the book and smack some sense into her.

2)The miscommunication. Mind you this was at the end of the book so it wasn't a major trope in the book but I'll tell you this what the whole miscommunication was about would not have happened if linc would have asked Emma what happened instead of jumping into conclusion

Overall I really enjoyed this book. If you're looking for something quick but sweet with a bit of slow burn them I definitely recommend this book.

[remis.library · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate that I didn’t enjoy this one, since the cover is gorgeous! Let’s break down why this book let me down:

1.) It read to me like… a male wrote it. I know that this isn’t always a bad thing, some of my favorite authors are males. However, it just didn’t work here. As soon as Linc saw Emma, he lusted after her. 90% of the book was just him making remarks about how great her ass looked. It was hardly ever a compliment about her, just her body. If this is your thing, then go for it! Just kinda gives off male douche vibes, who only see women as objects. Gross.

2.) How can this be a slow burn AND an insta-love (lust)???? Literally, they make sexual jokes with one another ALL THE TIME. They both know they are attracted to one another, they’re both adults, both have extroverted personalities, but neither act on their feelings??? Wtf. When I say it’s a slow burn, I mean it. Sex didn’t occur until 79% of the book (literally, my kindle has the proof). Insta-love (list) is gross to me anyhow. Please see reason one.

3.) The plot was boring. Dreadful, even. I wanted to dnf this one, but didn’t because it was an arc and the writing style wasn’t terrible.

4.) 3rd-act break up. I don’t need to say more.

This one got 2 stars because the writing style was about a 4/10 (mediocre) and I liked Greer.

Thanks NetGalley & Entangled Publishing for the arc of this book. All thoughts are my own.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5

I did really enjoy this but it was just missing something for me. It was made clear by their relationship that he spent time with Greer but it wasn't actually shown to us. Like the end where she tells him that she wanted him to be her dad was adorable but we've hardly seen them together. I also wanted him to grovel more at the end.

I received an arc through netgalley.

[Jules · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boy and girl went to high school together. Boy and girl ran in two different crowds. Boy was a popular baseball player. Girl was an overweight loser. Boy did not know who girl was, but girl knew who boy was.

Sound familiar? This is a very similar backstory to Hail Mary by Kandi Steiner. And while it worked in Hail Mary, it did not work here. Steiner used her first three chapters to set up the story, showing us Mary and Leo's lives in high school. In A Sweet Spot for Love, we get none of this depth. Instead, we are told about the past through the main characters' inner monologues.

The male main character, Linc, is paternalistic, possessive, and self-righteous. He repeatedly makes decisions for Emma, the female main character. At the beginning of the book, he quits Emma's job for her. Mind you, she is single mother struggling to make ends meet (she reminds us enough of this throughout the novel; Linc could never be attracted to an overweight, single mother, high school dropout). Even though her boss was a total creep, Linc had no right to interfere with her life like that, even if he offered her a job afterwards.

Emma and Linc's relationship felt a little too close to insta-love to me. I didn't feel the connection between them. Sure, I kept hearing about their supposed physical connection but nothing about an emotional connection. They went from 0 to 100 really fast, as soon as they started talking to each other. In fact, some of the first words Emma said to him were, "Take that shirt back off." At one point, we are told that Emma had "been more than half in love with [Linc] for the majority of her life," but she didn't actually know him, had never actually talked to him, until a couple days ago?? Babe, bffr.

The writing style constantly sucked me out of the story. The dialogue was cringey, and I often found myself confused by what was happening. The characters felt very one-dimensional, especially Emma's daughter, Greer. I think the author was trying to do too much, leaving everything underdeveloped.

I could say more, but those are my biggest gripes with this book. I will say that it had potential, but I honestly can't recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to voluntarily read and review an advanced copy of this book. I'm grateful for the opportunity! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

After his career as a baseball player ended Linc has redirected his focus to ensuring the ongoing success of the community center. He has an investor that is willing to provide the funds he wants to expand however he needs to show that he has a committed personal life and that is where Emma comes in.

Emma is trying to balance her career and being a single mother to Greer, her daughter. If that isn’t enough she finds herself at the community center watching her play baseball where circumstances unfold that find her pretending to be engaged to Linc and that is when the complications really begins!

At first glance you may wonder how Linc and Emma could work but they do in the best way. Not only do they draw you in but there is a great cast of secondary characters that enhance the story.

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story! Emma and Linc at first site might seem like an unlikely pair but together they were fire!

I loved reading a book with a curvy single mom who may have been a hot mess express but at her core was a loving soul knew how to work hard and had a brilliant mind! As a former single mom I will say that the author really nailed how it feels to take on the world when your whole world is your child! I love the patience Linc had for Emma and for Greer!

The dual point of view in each chapter had me loving the book even more! I love dual perspective and being able to see what each was feeling and thinking made the reading experience feel more involved!

This book was an easy and enjoyable read because of its great characters!

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A slow burn, dual POV, fake dating romance between a plus size single mom and her ex-MLB player boss. Sparks fly between Linc and Emma (who's had a long time crush on Linc since she was a teen). I enjoyed seeing these two fall for one another with the help of Emma's daughter who takes baseball lessons from Linc. Good on audio and part of a series but can be read as a standalone too.

Steam level: open door

[monica • · Rating 4 out of 5]

this ended up being so cute! its such a sweet single mom, emotional slowburn fake engagement romance and if you like that, this is definitely for you. its definitely steamy but also had so much heart to it too. thank you netgalley for this arc.

[Joyce M. H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Linc Conner is a former professional baseball player and runs community center and is focused on the kids at the center. Emma Henricksen is a single mom to her daughter Greer who has a passion for baseball. With Greer’s passion for baseball Linc is there is to help her along the way. Linc is very much attracted to Emma, but Emma is very much invested in her daughter Emma and doesn’t have time for a relationship. Linc wants to expand on his community center nationwide to help other children. For Linc to get possible investors he needs to be in a relationship. The only person that comes to mind to help Linc is Emma who he has been lusting after and is very much interested in and attracted to. He needs Emma to agree to be engaged to him so that he can get investors to invest in his community center. Now that the two are in a pretend engagement they both get more than they bargained for. For Linc it is a win win situation since he already has feelings for Emma. This is a great read, love the banter, attraction and chemistry between Emma and Linc.

Did Linc get the investors to back his community center deal, will Linc and Emma take their relationship to the next level, how is Emma progressing with baseball?

I received an ARC via NetGalley and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been six months since former pro-baseball player Lincoln “Linc” Conner overheard single mom Emma Henrikson make a disparaging remark about her love life and he’s never forgotten her.

Though everyone knows everyone–and their business–in the close-knit community of Rock Falls, Vermont, Linc only knows Emma as the landlady and bestie of Dawson Shay, the fiancée of his buddy, Tully Faulkner.

That all changes when Emma’s young daughter, Greer, joins the sports program at Linc’s community youth center. Willing to make whatever sacrifices necessary just to see her daughter smile, Emma visits the center to see if she can grant Greer’s wish while still meeting the demands of her overbearing boss at her low-paying job.

Emma’s flustered when she meets the man she’s had a crush on since high school, and who’s high school and professional careers she followed closely, even after dropping out of school because of an unplanned pregnancy. Even though Linc flirts shamelessly with her, Emma doesn’t believe for a second he has any interest in her. She remembers the public photos of the women he dated, and a frumpy, plus-size single mother doesn’t compare.

The story’s pace picks up when Emma not only becomes an employee of the youth center but also Linc’s pretend fiancée!

Full disclosure–I am not a fan of the fake relationship craze AT ALL, but I’m giving Linc and Emma a pass, and Kudos to author Aliyah Burke, because the way this situation came out of left field (baseball pun intended) and played into the plotline worked beautifully!

I love their characters. They’re flawed and edgy with some fantastic romantic banter. Well-developed as individuals and as a couple, I couldn’t help but cheer for Emma and Linc .

Emma’s insecurities are not overplayed and realistically addressed. I felt she didn’t give herself enough credit for the amazing person she is and beat herself up too much, but it’s all she’s ever known.

However, it’s Linc’s demons that implode enough to shake up the town and lead Emma to consider leaving Rock Falls. He wants another chance and forgiveness from Emma, but he must forgive himself first.

While the onus is on Linc to repair things with Emma, he has amazing support from Linc and Mitchell. They’re loud, intrusive, and in-your-face, and a refreshing change from the standard fictional (and real) bromances. Their support for each other is unwavering. But they don’t hesitate to call each other out when they’re wrong, and that’s exactly what Tully and Mitchell do to Linc.

Emma’s never had friends until Dawson arrives in Rock Falls. She understands Emma’s insecurities and trust issues and can be there for her without judgement. However, that doesn’t mean she’s not always ready to deliver a few hard truths.

My two favorite characters in this read make brief appearances which are more than memorable. Retired school employee Mrs. Juliet Sprague is a fierce octogenarian who says whatever she wants, whenever she wants, to whomever she wants. She’s not malicious, just honest to a fault, and her biting comments could leave marks. I loved her take-no-prisoners attitude.

Then there’s Rock Falls PD’s own Officer Parker Hewes, or as Linc referred to him, Barney Fife! Parker was crude, rude, offensive, bumbling, and stupid… and karma swooped in for him in record time! Hilarious scene!

Tinkering with Love is a fun read that shows love of family, friends… and self makes love of the heart even sweeter.

Enjoy!

(Read through Kindle Unlimited)

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This is a story about single mother Emma and former baseball star Linc. Emma has been in love with Linc forever, since high school, though he didn't know she even existed. She ended up dropping out of school when she got pregnant with her daughter, Greer, and works full time as a waitress to make ends meet. She desperately wants to give Greer a better life than she had. When Linc suffers from a career-ending injury, he returns home determined to give back. He opens a community center, a safe place for kids to come hang out and hopefully keep them out of trouble. Keeping the place funded and possibly turning it into a national chain of centers are his top goals.

Through friends, Linc has been introduced to Emma, and he can't stop thinking about the curvy, dedicated single mother. She ends up working as his secretary, and the sparks fly between them. Linc ends up claiming Emma as his fiancee in an attempt to get a rich Texan to support the center, but will she go along with his lie? As for Emma, to help secure funding, she looks to Linc's former teammates, not realizing that he doesn't speak to them anymore and wants nothing to do with them. She's taken the initiative to loop the team in on what Linc's been doing, but will it backfire on her?

This story hooked me with the blurb, so I requested it from NetGalley. Unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The writing was a little rough for me; there were several times where I felt I must have missed something so I went back to look, only to find that I hadn't missed anything at all, which made the story feel a bit spotty.

Linc wasn't entirely likeable - the man quit her job for her pretty much first thing in the book - and it is largely because he is so domineering and stubborn. I related to Emma, though she was quite unable to see anything good about herself. When everything hit the fan, I cried for her, since I understand a lot about her way of thinking. I wanted her to be kinder to herself, though. I also wanted more from the grand gesture at the end. There's a devastating 3rd act breakup, so there should have been a dramatic win-her-back, but Linc was really lackluster. I just think she deserved so much more from him.

As other reviewers have said, it had potential, but the negatives kept it from being a great book. It was too much tell, not enough show, especially when it came to the romance and the relationship. I really did enjoy some of the other characters, though. After the story wrapped up, there was a look into the previous book of the series - Tully's story - and I like those characters enough to be curious about reading it, though I'm not sure I'll actually seek it out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Sana Kiel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is fun, and would be more fun if you didn't have the particular chips on your shoulder that I do. I was so hopeful because it had so many promising components—body positivity, fake dating, single mom, etc—but personally it just fell flat with the execution.

Things this book did well:
(1) The chemistry. The desire and tension between the leads was immediate and palpable and I really loved how humbling and visceral it was for both of them!
(2) The admiration/respect Linc has for Emma’s role as mother. Past his attraction, past his fondness, he does admire and respect her care of/for her daughter. This also extends to his relationship with Greer, which was sweetly (if offscreen) developed.
(3) The wallflower and rake!!!!! trope!!! Oh it’s one of my favorites. He sees her when she doesn’t, he values and affirms her, and then she gets to give him identity beyond his sexuality and this was an AMAZING example of this trope. Linc’s celebrity status and Emma’s long time crush made it the perfect adaptation of the stereotypes, and it was such a fun twist on it.
(4) Friendship! Between guys, between gals, between bestie and bestie's husband (v relatable), I thought this book really well expanded on relationships that aren't just romantic. There's support and empathy from platonic relationships, and that's really powerful to read!

Things that detracted from that rating:
(1) Descriptions of how a woman’s body SHOULD be. I totally hear that we have been socialized one way, with own standard of attractiveness, but I don’t think the response is proposing a new standard. As a plus size person, I always recoil a bit when “real woman” rhetoric is introduced. Descriptions of curves as beautiful? Love to see it. Description of curves as beautiful, with deprecation of anything other? Pass.
(2) Linc’s ‘protectiveness’. I get it, it’s a hard trait to capture, but there were times when he totally overstepped with an “I know best, trust me” attitude that was deeply infuriating. There’s a fine line between commandeering and commanding and it felt as though the author expected me to be hot enough for Linc to not notice when he stomped all over Emma’s boundaries, and decisions she very much needed to make for herself, under the ruse of knight in shining armor. And since this is no small part of his appeal to Emma, it's no small part in his characterization/how I'm supposed to fall for him.

All told, I think this novel felt mostly like a romcom from the aughts--sweet and well intentioned, but with some undertones that sour upon second viewing.

[Sharon Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Sweet Spot For Love is the second book in the Rock Falls series by Aliyah Burke. I did not read the first book in the series, and was able to fully enjoy the read. Although, I think returning readers will find the returning characters and advanced knowledge of the main characters make the read more enjoyable.

Former pro baseball player Linc Conner knows exactly where his head’s at. Most of the time, he’s completely focused on running his community center and focusing on the kids. But when it comes to single mom Emma Henricksen, Linc can’t see straight. She’s driven, resourceful—not to mention that smart, extra-kissable mouth—and when she’s near, he gets lost in a fog of lust. But he needs her help to convince an investor they’re engaged. Emma’s too busy raising her gifted little girl to have a sex life that’s not battery-operated. Still, how could she resist being engaged to a guy who’s the sexual equivalent of her favorite dessert topped with whipped cream and a cherry, even if it’s just pretend? Emma knows all too well that if something seems too good—or too tempting—to be true, it definitely is. Now it’s a game of pretend with a whole lot of chemistry between the guy who’s used to playing the field—and the woman who opted out of the game long ago. All that’s missing is a curveball.

A Sweet Spot For Love is a cute and fun romance with some great characters. I did enjoy getting to know Linc and Emma, and I thought Greer and the circle of friends were wonderful additions to the story. I liked the center they are both working hard for, and the small town vibes. There was a lot that really worked for me. The slow burn as the faked dating, the cute moments with Greer, the support systems and friendship, and more. I appreciated getting both points of view, and how However, I felt like the romance side was a little off. I felt like the slow burn switch flipped to something else in a weird moment and that rather threw me off. Also, some of the choices and actions seemed a bit out of character for both of them and there were side stories that could have been skipped entirely while others got left behind when they could have made a good addition to the story overall. I also felt like some of the resolution was off a bit as well. I really wanted to love this read. I did enjoy it, but it did not live up to my hopes or expectations for the book.

[Fedythereader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so so much to the author and the publisher, Entangled Publishing Amara, for sharing an ARC copy of this book with me on NetGalley!!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinion are my own.

"Until I get to claim you like I want, this will have to do. See you in a bit."

"No hiding from me, Freckles. I love everything I'm seeing. I want to take it slow and savor what you have”

Book two in the Rock Falls series but each one can be read as a standalone (although I highly recommend to read book one that was SO GOOD !!!)
A single mom romance with a wonderful baby girl so spirited that literally melted my heart !!!! With enemies to lovers romance a a fake fiancée situation to help him for his job and an attraction that makes the tension between them so terribly thick, Linc and Emma’s story was so good it made it impossible for me to stop reading !!!!
Their romance had basically some of the best tropes ever !!! Starting with the plus-size and Adonis dynamic to the sharing of a room with forced proximity and such a SLOW BURN !!!! And the spice was really enjoyable !!!! But most of all it was the story of a young mom trying to overcome everything shitty that happened in her life to take care of an unexpected wonderful daughter that she has every intention to give each and every chance she never had !!! While she was trying to re-learn how to trust others, Emma found herself between Linc’s arms and their chemistry was impossible to fight !!!
Plus ain’t no denying that whenever there is a child involved in the romance … I’m so so lost in the game and Greer is so sweet !!!! I had such a good time reading this second book in a series and I honestly cannot wait to figure out what the author is up to with the next book !!!

"The catch is you have to trust us to help you."

[Nikki Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aliyah Burke has scored another homerun with the latest book in the Rock Falls series! One hot, super sweet, pay-it-back, former sports star and a curvy single mom with the most precocious kid? Um, yes please!

Emma lives for her daughter. She puts up with her skeevy boss thinking its the best she can do for now after dropping out of high school when she got pregnant. But when her daughter Greer develops a passion for Baseball, she is brought back into the orbit of the star of all her teenage fantasies - Linc.

Linc may have been a superstar Baseball player but he had to give it up before he was ready to and he cut himself off from his former life and friends. Now he lives for the community and sports centre he runs. He wants kids to have a chance at everything he couldn't and to have a space space they can go to. But he needs investors with deep pockets but when his latest whale investor infers it would go better for his financial application to be in a relationship> Well Linc knows just the person to ask!

Fake relationships, very real feelings, small town gossip and well meaning, interfering friends and family make for great reading. Whilst it's very much a romcom, there is a morale to the story - Don't make assumption based on the labels YOU attach to someone. We are all more than the sum of our parts. Emma struggles with thinking that she is failing her daughter and not enough for Linc. Linc struggles with his injury, addiction and being constantly underestimated.

I read this in one fell swoop, I could not put it down. I loved seeing Rock Falls again and meeting some of my favourite characters from the previous book. Witty banter, all the feels and Greer is just an absolute angel, she is so wise beyond her years and her instant bond with Linc was just awwwwww.

[Allison Yarri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for allowing me to voluntarily read and review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Sweet Spot for Love follows single mom Emma and former professional baseball player Linc. Linc runs a community center, and needs to appear "family oriented" to attract investors, so pretends that Emma is his fiancé.

Now don't get me wrong, I love a good fake dating/marriage of convenience story, but this book missed the mark for me. The main characters had physical chemistry, but not much else about their relationship is fleshed out beyond that. Linc would wax poetic about admiring and supporting Emma being a single mother, but he was very controlling and made all of her decisions for her. It bordered on misogyny, the word "females" was used instead of women, which always puts a bad taste in my mouth

I thought the fake dating premise was weak, the plot was a little all over the place, the writing style was questionable, and the author frequently introduced side characters that it seemed like we were already supposed to know who they were. The FMC's weight and the MMC's race were frequently referenced, though not in a particularly thoughtful way.

The relationship between Emma and her daughter Greer is one of the positives of this book. It was sweet watching Greer open up from her shy persona as she got involved with the baseball team.

Overall, this book was not my favorite and I would not recommend.

[Brownskinnedreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are looking for a slow burn interracial romance then this book is for you!


Overview:
This book follows the romance of Emma and Linc. Emma is a high school dropout single-mother. Linc is an ex-baseball player and the owner of a community center. Linc and Emma attended school together but he doesn't remember her from high school. His first time noticing her is when he sees her hanging out with his friend's girlfriend and Emma is discussing her battery usage with certain items. After that, Linc is fully lusting after her. At his community center, he notices Emma's daughter is interested in Baseball and convinces her to join the team's he is building. This is where Emma and Linc's romance start!

This book was hard for me to read! I found Linc to be a bit much and that normally doesn’t bother me. Emma was truly stuck on the fact that she didn’t graduate and she was slightly overweight. This is why I wished they added a part where she went and got her GED, just something to show that she had growth in this book. The writing was also hard due to some odd phrases and wording throughout the book. My favorite part of the whole book is when Linc explains his reason for opening the community center. I also loved how protective he was of Greer, Emma’s daughter. She couldn’t have written a sweeter little girl.

In the end, I liked the story but I wished the characters developed more.

I received this book as an arc and I was unable to read it in time due to some personal issues.
Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for sending me this book.

[Hilari]

I’m having trouble with this one and I wanted to like it so much. There’s weird jumps in the chapters - so much so that I kept thinking my audiobook was skipping chapters.

What I didn’t like: I’m always leery of the fake dating trope. If it’s not done well, it’s makes the story seem dated. Why would having a relationship make him a better investment for the community center? Baffling. And how do they make the jump to engaged? The potential investor says he values commitment and the logical conclusion is having a fiancé?

Emma is a curvy girl but she’s constantly putting herself down for it. It gets boring.

Random comments that make no sense: like not taking the private car to the Alamo because it would “ruin the experience.” How, exactly?

It’s billed as an interracial romance but I believe there is only one comment about Linc not being white. Maybe I missed it because there’s a lot of really stilted dialogue that I blanked out on.

There’s a lot of thinly veiled stereotypes: the Stetson wearing Texan who calls Linc “boy”. The fat girl who thinks she’s not worth loved until the guy shows up. The former athlete with a chip on his shoulder who orders the FMC around. The spicy octogenarian who says shocking things about sex. The sweet child who just a little too sweet. The overbearing boss. The wisecracking Black friend. It’s a lot.

Finally, the main characters, only seem to have a physical attraction. 90% of the inner dialogue is all about how hot they look in jeans, that dress, leaning against furniture. Whatever.

DNF, and really sad about it.

[Zeina Aldarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"She has been more than half in love with this man the majority of her life, watching from the outside, wishing to be there with him. The dreams, the fantasies.


Small Town Romance 🏡
Cinnamon Roll Hero🥰
Fake Engagement💍
Multiple POVs
Single Working Mom
Sexy Banter🔥
Steamy🌶️
High School Crush🙈

Emma has been infatuated with Linc since she was in high school. She is a wallflower he's a sexy and popular baseball player.
Life got in the way and Emma got pregnant and had to drop out of school. Now, she's a single working mom to a beautiful little girl called Greer.
Link on the other side, is running a community center for kids and has left to playing baseball after suffering from a severe injury. Trying to go National with the community center he's looking for investors and one of them happens to be interested in a responsible family man so when Linc slips and lies that he's engaged he's left with no choice but to pretend and there's no woman that he's he likes to pretend with rather than Emma.

Sexy, steamy, and slow Burn romance. Very cute and funny
Fast-paced chapters and lovable characters you would not want it to be finished it was a love from first word for me and I'm sure it will be the same for you.

Thank you to @Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #ASweetSpotForLove in exchange for my honest review.

[K-la Hugie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sweet Spot for Love was my first Aaliyah Burke book, but it certainly won’t be my last! This is the perfect book for any romance lover. Such a cozy and romantic read. I read this in one sitting, because it was so good. There is romance, trauma, a big makeup and some pretty sexy scenes. There is something for every type of romance reader.

I truly enjoyed all of the characters, they were so real with real problems and faults. They had baggage, but were still amazing people that you wanted to root for. It was a bit of a super sexy slow burn. Hand holding has never been described so sexily! The only thing that I think could have been done a bit better is that there are some traumas that are spoken about in detail, but you never really see any of them resolved. They are brought up as part of the plot for why the characters are the way they are, but they are never actually addressed between the two love interests or even in therapy etc. The book is rather short, but I would have gladly read more especially if the main characters addressed some of their traumas.

Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more by this author. I will be singing praises far and wide. Thank you Aaliyah Burke for creating this!

[Brandi Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Sweet Spot For Love follows Linc, a former professional baseball player who was permanently benched due to an injury, as he works hard to build a community center for children to learn and play. This - is where his path crosses with Emma. A single mother to her daughter Greer, Emma has always put herself last to make sure that her daughter had everything that she needed to succeed. When shy, introverted Greer comes home spouting her newfound love of baseball at the community center- Emma knows that she will do anything she has to do in order to support her. It's this choice that puts her directly in Linc's path. The electricity and slow burn between the two is palpable, and it will hold you captive the entire time that you read this book. Both Linc and Emma spend the entire book bantering back and forth and it almost feels like watching a riveting tennis match to see which one of them will get the point in the end.

This book is great for people who want something heartwarming that they can finish in an afternoon. Full of loving moments, trust being built and turns that you never see coming, this was a really satisfying read.

[BookedWithCara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

Emma is a single mother who is busy raising a cute 7 year old daughter. Too busy scraping by to care about men, her focus is all on her daughter.
Franklin Connor or Linc for short is a former pro baseball player. After an early end to his career, he is focused on his community center to help out the kids.
While in the phone with an investor, Linc is distracted by his crush walking by, Emma. When he later realizes he’s said he has a fiancée, Linc convinces Emma to help him out. When pretending, or not pretending, blurs lines and feeling come into play the two have a complicated time ahead of them.

I really enjoyed how Emma was shown as a mother. Greer was cleared loved and cherished. I adored Greer coming out of her shell with starting sports. I also liked the supportive friendships and found family.
I feel like we spent less time with the characters actually together instead of in their own heads. Additionally, I would have liked more time with Greer and her interactions with Linc. I did enjoy this book to consider carrying on with the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[ReadForSanity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aliyah Burke sure knows how to write a slow burn romance and turn it into a fun, quick read. I was given the pleasure of receiving an arc for the first book of the Rock Falls series, Tinkering With Love as well and book 2 had easily become my favorite!

The story follows ex pro baseball player Linc Conner and single mom Emma Hendrickson. Linc and Emma agree to a fake engagement scenario to satisfy an investor for Linc’s community center.

Emma is a single mother who does everything to make sure her daughter wants for nothing. She is a high school dropout and has such a low self esteem because of it and the fact that her father was the town drunk. On the other hand, Linc has a single father and understands the sacrifices that Emma willingly makes for her daughter, Greer. Linc is constantly giving Emma compliments, seeing past her insecurities.

Overall, I truly loved this book and I hope there will be a third installment in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley, Entangled Publising LLC, and Aliyah Burke for the digital arc. I look forward to more from the author in the future.

[Lyndi (mibookobsession) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a career ending injury ends his pro baseball career, Linc Connor puts all his energy, and money, into running his community center, determined to give all kids an opportunity to play sports. In order to expand the center, he needs investors, but for some reason his biggest investor believes he's engaged. Emma just started working with him at the center after her daughter Greer joined the baseball team and she goes along with the fake engagement to help out. But it doesn't help that she's had a crush on him and followed his career since high school while he never noticed her until he needed something. How can he convince her that his attraction to her is real and not for show?
I love that this book is based on an interracial couple with a curvy woman. Linc does everything he can to show how attracted he is to her and how much he loves her daughter. Both of them have issues in their past to work through in order to find their HEA.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 Stars

I was not a huge fan of the big conflict, but otherwise, I enjoyed this book. I adored Linc's interactions with Greer (the heroine's daughter). The kid was adorable, and Linc really connecting with her. I enjoyed the interactions with Linc's friends too. I am always up for a bromance, and they seemed to really care for each other.

Emma was great, even if she didn't seem to know it. I understand she carried scars from her past, but she was so resistant to believing anything good about herself. It took a while, but I was happy Emma finally let Linc in, and he also made some positive changes in his mindset. This was a romance, so we all know there was an HEA which was capped off with a great epilogue.

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[Meagan Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a sweet romance novel of two people that grew up in the same town but had no connection until their paths crossed later on in life.

Emma is a single mother struggling her way through life. She has a crumby job, doesn't have many people she trusts and lives solely to take care of her daughter. Linc is a former baseball player with a passion to help kids in the community have a place that is safe and allows them to follow their passions. Their paths cross and they find themselves in a fake relationship. Slowly, they realize that maybe they can have more than a fake relationship as long had their own insecurities don't get in the way.

This was a short and sweet story that I truly enjoyed. It started off slow but once I got into the characters connection I couldn't put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for allowing me to review an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Entangled Publishing to let me read this book in advance through Netgalley in exchance for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

At first, I wasn't sure. It's going to fast at a point. You don't see it coming and then they are in a fake relationship. But the more I read, the more I find this story cute and fun. I can see myself reading this on a holiday to chill and relax.
The character are likable and Emma would do everything for her daughter. She is truly what comes first in every decision she makes and I love that.
There was some interactions who felt cringy a little bit, like it was not natural, that's why I give it 2.5 stars.
This book feel like a Hallmarks movie on Christmas. You have to be in the mood to watch that. You know you're gonna wince, feel embarassed for the character, but you also love it. I don't know if it makes senses, but it's the way I felt about it.