Ruthless Love

Azure Ridge #1

by selena sanders

My soon-to-be ex-husband tangled his fist in my hair and asked me if I’d like to be taken care of one more time…

I said yes, because I’d never seen that kind of passion in Cain Miller’s eyes before. Not in the previous six years we’ve been married – that’s for sure.

It’s why we’d decided on the trial separation, that’s now turned into legal documents that we’re scheduled to sign in two weeks.

Before that encounter, I was content running my bookstore, Enchanted Chapters, and minding my own business. Since then, I can’t stop watching for his Willow County Sheriff’s SUV to come rolling by when he’s on-shift.

Life after Cain was carefully laid out. I had plans, and they did not involve the man with the badge. Little did we know that one encounter would change our lives.

Is the relationship we thought was over just now getting started?

Ruthless Love is the first book in The Azure Ridge a series of interconnected standalones featuring a family in small-town Montana.

Genres: Romance, Small Town Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance

232 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 3, 2025

Reviews

[CriSsStina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. 1 10/10 recommend. I cannot wait for the second book

Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Belle (on hiatus)]

DNF @ 37%

SAFE marriage in trouble books are my favourite (I repeat, SAFE - if anyone has any recs btw pls send my way 😝) but this one just wasn’t it, it felt too immature and just couldn’t see myself finishing it even if it was a novella

[Jd · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the story of Marissa and Cain. High school sweethearts that fall in love and marry.
What follows is Marissa getting deep into dark romance and wanting to live it. She decides that she wants to be treated like a F@#% toy in bed rather than a queen. Instead of telling him exactly what she wants, she gives subtle hints and leaves him when he can't figure it out. She doesn't even do this directly.....she leaves a note on the refridgerator.
Marissa goes on to open a book story and fashions herself to be an amateur sex therapist. For me, she was not a likable character. One moment she is judging Cain and then excusing him and then judging him again. It is like she is never wrong. Throughout the story, it is like the reader is listening in on a marriage counseling session with the 'you used to..' and 'you would have said' comments.
For me, the OD scenes did not save this book. In fact, I started skimming them.
The incident with Alex and Wade felt like a last minute add on to peak drama.
I guess this is supposed to be about open communication and the fact that young married couples need to grow, and hope they grow together not apart.

I received a free copy of this book for my honest review. Thank you to the author for the opportunity.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is apparently a pen name and the first book for it. I have not read any of her other books.

The premise is a good one and I like that it’s not one you see very often. I do like both the mmc and fmc.

My problem is the way the same things are explained three different times in the same paragraph in three different ways. It’s very annoying. Every conversation is weird like that too. I’m not sure if I will be reading this author again. I will say that it could just be the present tense writing. I am not a fan of that style.

I received an ARC of this book.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I grabbed this off a recommendation by Zoe York and I was eager to try because I love Zoe's books and am always looking for comps. This didn't really work for me--there was some weight loss stuff that made me uncomfortable though of course people/characters are always allowed to feel the way they do in their bodies.

[Geri Stoikova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selena Sanders is a pen name of Laramie Briscoe and Ruthless Love is the first book in the Azure Ridge series. Cain and Marissa got married right after high school, grow up together and somewhat grow apart. They are a couple repeating the family patterns they saw but it doesn't work for them anymore. Marissa is working a job she doesn't like and wants to follow her dream to open and run a book store. At the same time Cain is a law enforcement and don't want a change in his life and is not listening to what Marissa wants. All that miscommunication and routine leads to Marissa leaving him and wanting a divorce. Following her dream and doing what she always dreamed of and loving it forces Cain to look deeper into the reasons leading to Marissa leaving him. Slowly he's also changing and working on his own mistakes. Of the two of them Cain was the one who initially was working his dream job and even leveled up by joining the SWAT team and Marissa just settled with a job she didn't like and that changed her . When she left she followed her dream and worked on herself and this new Marissa is intriguing Cain. He was genuinely impressed by her and what she's doing with her book store. Even though they follow each other online they refuse to talk. One break in into the book store and they are talking and trying to fix their marriage starting with little confessions and adventures in the bedroom. One fantasy at a time they are getting to know their new versions and rediscovering the love they have for each other. There are still some misunderstandings between them but they learned to work them out and to talk and listen to each other. They got their second chance and their second happily ever after and that epilogues were sweet. What bothers me is that I think the last few chapters were a little bit rushed and what happened to some of the side male characters was out of the blue and that arranged marriage that Katie was stepping into was such a must for her family and the Millers. Still can't see where that urgency came from and there wasn't enough context for it . Anyway the Azure Ridge series is promising to be a good one and I hope the next book will be even better.

Thanks to the author for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore a second chance, and when it’s for a pair that so desperately need to get out of their own way and get right as these two, it’s even sweeter. The disintegration of Cain and Marissa’s relationship was just all kinds of tragic, mostly because they both knew what they should have been doing but weren’t. I loved watching them reconnect and discover that their love wasn’t as gone as they’d feared. After learning about all the things that were happening around Cain and Marissa, I can’t wait to see what the next book will bring.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book from the author.

[Megan Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 months after leaving her husband Marissa and Cain find themselves back together again.
Initially I hated that they had broken up but as the story evolved it very evident that they had not communicated effectively which lead to this situation.
I loved this story from my favorite author and would highly recommend. A couple of sudden shocks in the storyline at the end of the book (not changing the HEA) which will leave you wanting more and can’t wait for the next.
ARC Review.

[Rachel Pickle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoa... seriously what happened to Lindsay? What happened to Ward? Such a cliff hanger at the end of this book!
I am not sure how this author could read my mind, but I LOVED this book about Marissa and Cain who have been together as a couple since high school and on the verge of a divorce. This was such a great second chance, spark your marriage story! Well done and bring on book 2!

[Claudia |✨Cushin Violeta's Bookish Realm✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝕊𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕕 ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕒𝕥 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 & 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖

🆆🅷🅰🆃 🆃🅾 🅻🅾🅾🅺 🅵🅾🆁🆆🅰🆁🅳 🆃🅾:

💍 Small Town Romance
💍 Marriage in Trouble
💍 He's a Cop
💍 She Owns a Book Store
💍 Spicy🔥

🅼🆈 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:

Oohhh... The start of the book had me so excited as we see two people still madly in love with each other, about to part ways, that I wanted to know why they weren't even speaking now.

Cain and Marissa have been the It couple and also the forever ones. From being High School Sweethearts to the Town's favourite, they were perfect until Marissa all of a sudden left Cain.

Cain and Marissa have been separated now for about six months and even though there are still strong feelings and wants, these two stubborn people would rather remain silent then let them have an honest discussion.

Oohh... The online stalking from both sides and the sneaking glances and all that secretively keeping tabs on the other was so freaking cute. 🥹

I loved the main theme of this book that takes us through this beautiful journey of finding and falling in love once again with the same person.
But also most importantly, it helps explore how to accept certain changes and also how to reinvent, in order to see that change.

Ahh.. I absolutely loved the chemistry between them and the fact that the way these two were going at it like teenagers and couldn't stay away, had my heart.

We have so much of steaminess and spicy times as Cain and Marissa explore new fantasies that they were too scared to before. Especially Marissa wanting Cain to do things to her that her favourite book boyfriends did, had me giggling. 😻

The side characters that we meet had me equally invested, so when a certain twist comes and then another one giving us a shocking revelation, I was like 😳😱.
Marriage Contract is next and let me tell you the shocking twist didn't have me ready for it but I'm definitely both scared and also wanting so badly to read the next one.
Also, I really hope Ms. Sanders would give us Alex's book too because what happened there also was so freaking shocking that I didn't see it coming at all.

Beautifully Poignant but also a fire that is special because it has been lit into a roaring one, through the burning Passion of two people who are also adamant to never give up on their love. Loved this one.♥️

❣️ 🅵🅰🆅🅾🆄🆁🅸🆃🅴 🆂🅲🅴🅽🅴❣️

"𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒂 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅. 𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖'𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒇 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆." "𝑨 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅?" 𝑰 𝒂𝒔𝒌, 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒅. 𝑾𝒆'𝒗𝒆 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒕. 𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚, 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔. "𝒀𝒆𝒂𝒉." 𝑯𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔. "𝑨 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅. 𝑰'𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒘, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰'𝒎 𝒈𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅. 𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒂𝒈, 𝑰'𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏, 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆."

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book one in The Azure Ridge series and it is Marissa and Cain’s story and it is a must read. Marissa and Cain have history because they met in school, fell in love, got married but now on the brink of a divorce and then decided to have one last time together not knowing that it will completely change their lives. When Marissa leaves Cain she decided to run her own bookstore called Enchanted Chapters which is something that she always wanted to do and loves being able to make customers happy and now she wants her own book boyfriend with a passion and even though she is still in love with Cain and had been with him since she was sixteen she realised that she needed more than a vanilla life and that is why she asked for a divorce. Cain was so in love with Marissa and that would never change and the biggest shock was when he returned home from work and found that she had not only left but also wanted a divorce and Cain is now determined to some how win her back because he can’t imagine his life without her so now he had to find a way to make it happen. Marissa and Cain are still so in love with each other and there chemistry and connection is just as strong now as it had always been and even now there love had stood the test of time but there biggest problem is how to communicate and say what they want which had left them in the situation that they are in now but neither one is making the first move especially as over the time that they have been apart from each other they are different people and have changed so much. Melissa and Cain are so perfect together and for each other and you find yourself hoping that they can somehow move forward and have that second chance that they both want and deserve especially after everything that they have both been through. I really enjoyed this book and the story pulled you in and kept you turning the pages and also kept your attention throughout and I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. Selena Sanders is a new author and writer and I think for her first book she definitely wrote a really interesting and great story and I definitely recommend you read this book.

[Rebmay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marissa and Cain are high school sweethearts who married right out of high school. Unfortunately, they are now headed toward divorce. While they still love each other, communicating with each other seems to be impossible and they have grown apart. Marissa is finally pursuing her dream of owning a book store, something Cain, who is resistant to change, didn’t want to discuss. His job has changed too as he has become part of SWAT, which fulfils a dream of his own. They have been living apart for months, but both can’t get the other out of their heads or hearts.

Both have changed in their time apart. Marissa has become much more independent and confident in her abilities. Cain has never realized how staid and stagnant his life, their lives, had become until Marissa had had enough of being unhappy and left him. Without Marissa, he has had to adapt and is now more open to change then he has been in the past. Pride or stubbornness keeps them from approaching each other and having a much needed conversation. Then a break-in at her book store brings them face to face for the first time in months. Marissa and Cain finally talk about one glaring issue between them that leads to a very passionate interlude. It gives them hope that they can get through this rough period and find a way forward, together. Their path forward is a bit bumpier than they might have hoped with a few setbacks, some needing more self-reflection and others needing more communication and understanding. They do finally get their second happily ever after, but not without facing losing it all.

It was easy to like both Marissa and Cain, to empathize with the hurt, confusion and tumultuous emotions they are dealing with as they try to repair and improve their relationship. I like that they are both willing to fight for each other and their marriage, even if their pride and stubbornness gets in the way sometimes. While the conclusion falls a little flat and is a bit confusing, I enjoyed reading Marissa and Cain’s story.

I would be happy to recommend this insightful and engaging book.

[Mona · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it and now I’m invested and curious about the next books in this series.

This book was full of valuable lessons.

I’m new to this author but was instantly curious about this book because marriage in trouble is my number one favorite trope, so I just had to read it. It didn’t disappoint and I was hooked from chapter one.

The protagonists pine for one another so much but are afraid to open up and communicate. You kinda wanna smack them over the head a bit for being so stubborn at the beginning but you quickly realize they are quite young even though they have been married for 6 years (they married very young and been high school sweethearts). So I must really praise the author on how she managed to capture this, and relay their age and inexperience with adult relationships. When I stopped to think I quickly realized I have been there myself once upon a time.

Marissa and Cain go to this beautifully captured journey to salvage their marriage. They are figuring out that they need to make a conscious effort to grow together rather than apart. They’re just learning to communicate like adults rather than teenagers.

The time they spend apart serves them well to discover who they are on their own but also to realize that must choose one another and decide to put in the work to stay together.

I also loved the level of spice in this book, the whole sensual empowerment vibe of it and the emphasis on communication.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marissa 6 months ago she walked away from her marriage to Cain a sheriff's Deputy in there Montany town of Azure Ridge she's now the owner of her very own bookstore and finding out what it's like to be on your own it's hard Cain was everything but they were young and there marriage started to crumble. Cain what happened his wife his Highschool sweetheart just left if they don't talk how can he fix things then his wife's shop is broke into. Marissa or Ris wants all those things she reads about in her romance books but can Cain give her that or will she sign her divorce papers and when it looks like she could lose Cain for good will she let everything go and believe in there marriage again.

Okay this is a first time read for me by this author under this pen name. I have read some of her other books under her original name though so I'm interested to see were this new series goes from here there is allot going on in this small town possibly murder death and a marriage proposal that some might say is antiquated so this is the start of something interesting. The heat level is a 3 for me and at times I would say a 4 the reasons for the separation may have been overstated at times but I still found this to be a fast read with interesting side characters. I was allowed to read and advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Tiffany Readz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars-Cute, Sexy Romance

In Ruthless Love, we meet Marissa and Cain, a couple who believed they had fallen out of love, only to discover they might still have feelings for each other. Once high school sweethearts, they now find themselves in very different places twelve years later.

Marissa is now a small business owner, waiting for her soon to be ex-husband to sign the divorce papers. Cain, a small-town cop, is dragging his feet as this divorce was a surprise to him. Sure, things were ho-hum in the marriage, but he didn’t think it was that bad.
I liked Cain more than Marissa for sure. He was a go with the flow type of guy, while she felt harpy, constantly wanting to change him. To make him a book boyfriend. It felt too forced on her end.

“It’s possible that while I was changing, he was too, and together we didn’t keep up.”

That in a nutshell is what the book is about. While the writing is solid, the constant focus on change began to feel repetitive. The narrative kept emphasizing how they had to change and how much they appreciated those changes, which, by the end, felt a bit overstated. I admit I found myself skimming toward the end, hoping for something unexpected. That said, Ruthless Love can be enjoyed as a standalone novel and serves as an introduction to the Azure Ridge series.

Review for Renee Entress’s Blog

[Chloe Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being together since 18 their relationship wasn’t going the way either of them imagined it would go. Marissa decided it was time to call it quits and left Cain asking for a divorce but what she really wanted was for her husband to understand her and her needs better. They were both raised in completely different but similar households where they didn’t have great role models for how marriage should be. 6 months after calling it quits they finally talk and are open with each other about their wants and needs which revolve around their vanilla sex life. Marissa is a book store owner who just wants what all her favourite book couples are getting in the bedroom, she doesn’t want missionary, she wants to be railed and her hair pulled. With the safe word ‘pages’ Cain decides he wants to listen to what she wants and what he’s always wanted was to be dominate in the bedroom but neither knew how to express this. Both of them decide that they want to be open and honest about what they want and try harder to see if they can give their marriage another shot. There was so much personal growth throughout the book which I loved. These two were meant to be together and you could just feel the love between them throughout the whole book. Such a quick and heartfelt read.
Arc Review

[The Sewist's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐
2 🌶️
Tropes/themes: Second chance, rekindled love, it’s always been you, marriage in trouble
Dual POV 1st person

So I think this story has good bones, but it needs a few more rounds of polishing/editing. I understand the point the author was trying to make but the plot points felt underdeveloped and didn’t convince me.

There is a lot of repetition in the phrases used and with the main storyline- I got tired of reading about how they needed and wanted to change to save their marriage. Along with that there was a disconnect (to me) in the kind of sexy times Marissa wanted to have with her husband, and how it was actually written. I expected it to be more exciting? Exciting isn’t the right word. I just….when they finally reconnect after she tells him she wants it like her spicy books I remember thinking “that’s it?”.

And then finally at the end there were a couple of plot points thrown in that seemingly came out of nowhere, like at the last minute it was thrown in to boost the drama. It sorta gave me whiplash. I think that they were good ideas but the author should flesh these out more.

[Cheryl O'Harney · Rating 5 out of 5]

High school sweethearts Cain and Marissa have been married for twelve years. From the outside, it would appear that they have it all, they’re in love, they’re financially secure with good stable jobs, and they have a lovely home with a great group of friends but what they lack is communication. Struggling with the listlessness in their marriage Marrissa decided to leave Cain, it wasn’t an easy decision for her, but one she felt was necessary. 

The reality of living without being part of one another's lives sees Cain and Marissa undergo their own journeys of self-discovery, learning some truths about themselves and the goings-on within their marriage. But one clear thing stands out to them both, they’re each still very much in love with the other.

In Ruthless Love follow Cain and Marissa as they go through the journey of rediscovering themselves and their marriage, as they learn the importance of honesty and communication in marriage, but also in the bedroom.

This was the first book of a new series by Selena Sanders. I highly recommend it, and look forward to seeing what this author’s got in-store for us readers next.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜𝕤 & 𝔹𝕖𝕪𝕠𝕟𝕕 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕘 📚

[S Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW… what a great first book by Selena!

Cain and Marissa have been together since HS and married at 20 years old. They were each other’s firsts and with that came inexperience and the ability to feel confident to express their wants and desires. As they get older and their relationship matures after 10 years, they lose the ability to communicate and listen to one another and all the missed opportunities and miscommunication takes a toll on their marriage. Marissa walks away and files for divorce even though she still loves Cain. The separation gives them the needed time apart to fully appreciate the other and feel that their marriage is worth fighting for.

This was a very realistic and messy story that I am sure many can relate to. I was rooting for this couple and loved the friends that didn’t pull punches with them when talking about their marriage. Cain and Marissa journey back to one another felt real, raw and spicy. This book is worth digging into, and with it being the first in the series, I am looking forward to the suspense that is going on with friends and family members and can’t wait to read their stories.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't miss what you had until it's gone.

Cain and Marissa have been together since high school but they aren't happy as they once were. Neither one really communicates with the other on what they really want and Marissa is forced to take matters into her own hands and files for divorce.

They never stopped loving each other but neither one has taken the chance to reach out until fate steps in one fateful night.

I really enjoyed these characters and their path to finding their HEA.

The characters are well written and you want to continue to know more about them. It was refreshing to see how strong Marissa is and the changes she's made not only for herself but other women in the community.

I gave this 4 out of 5 stars due to the inconsistencies and the rush at the end of things happening to other characters that are just dropped in without any real context.

Remember, all it takes is continually choosing each other, communication, and truly listening to what the other is saying.

[Vedece Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marissa has asked her husband for a divorce. It's not that she doesn't love him, he's hot, sexy and is the love of her life.He's just unable to give her what she needs. He doesn't know what she needs because she didn't know how to ask for it.
Cain is still in love with his wife and everyone knows it including him. The only time he gets to see her is on her podcast. Weil, that and walking by when he's on duty making his rounds as a sheriff. He hates to admit that he had a part in their relationship issues but knows he did as much as her.
So, the question is, how do they get back together without feeling like the one who's weak and gave in first?
Communication and trust.
They experience an awakening that takes them to new heights and makes their relationship feel brand new.
But until they discuss all of the past issues, the problem can't be solved.
They were so young when they met and have grown up and apart. Can they come together or is it really over?
I like how they both knew they had work to do on themselves as well as with each other.

[Judie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book in the new Azure Ridge series. The trope is marriage in trouble. Marissa and Cain were high school sweethearts that got married young and then grew apart. She asks him for a divorce and decides to reinvent herself into the person that she wanted to be all along, and Cain is intrigued by this and proud of her. Both of these characters were too stubborn to talk to each other.

Once they do, they start to work on communication and rediscover who they were meant to be and who they could be together moving forward. In my opinion, this book had a lot of holes in it and the side characters were never developed enough for me to understand why they were even mentioned in the book. The epilogues were sweet and I am glad the author included them. However, it felt repetitive at times and seemed like they were talking about the same thing in different ways and I never understood the other characters' roles in relation to the MMF or FMC. The book was OK for me.

[Bailey Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Miscommunications led Marissa and Cain to a trial separation. Misunderstandings keep them there until one night it changed. Someone has to take the first step and both have to have the courage to see where it goes.

Second chance romance at its very finest!! Cain is perfect in his transparency and his determination to win her back by showing her that he’s capable of giving her what she wants. That he’s listening to her and actually hearing her. Marissa is brilliant in her growth process and finding her true self. By getting in touch with herself and who she really wants to be as a woman and what she won’t settle for, she is one hundred percent authentic. I love the messiness of this story and the way each character embraces it as opposed to covering it up and hiding it. The secondary characters are just as like able and hopefully get their own stories. I’m looking forward to what’s next for an author who’s already on the bestseller lists and going on a new adventure under a new pen name. There’s no question she will be amazingly successful on this new path as well!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the second chance romance trope, like *love love love* it. This book was so realistic and relatable–two people who've been together since high school and it all just got stale. They stopped trying with each other, they stopped fighting for their relationship and they just kind of gave up. One didn't communicate and the other didn't listen.

I loved that Marissa made a life for herself outside her marriage and went for her dreams. She was also good at taking accountability for her role in the breakdown. Cain was so *man* about everything going wrong. He wanted to go after her when it first happened....but what if she said no? Obviously end of the world. Typical.

My only issue with this book was the plot dump at the end! It didn't feel like a resolution because of al the information setting up the next book (books?) It was too much, and I wish the author had stayed focus on Marissa and Cain's story. If their story is well-written, you don't need to set up the next book like that. A little subtle foreshadowing is all you need.

[Dawnmarie Burke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in the Azure Ridge series featuring Cain and Marissa's steamy emotional law enforcement, marriage on the rocks, small-town romance. Cain and Marissa were HS sweethearts who married right out of HS and they had no examples of how a marriage is supposed to work. Now with their marriage at a crisis point Marissa leaves Cain since she felt that he never listened when she told him that she wasn't happy and she needed more. Cain comes home from work as a deputy Sheriff one day to find his wife gone and he's devastated. Now 6mos later they're staring at divorce papers because they're both too stubborn to talk to each other something they need to do as their friends keep telling them.
Marissa finally got the courage to open her bookstore and leave her job at the bank that she hated and it's Enchanted Pages that gets her and Cain to speak to each other. When there's a break-in and Marissa calls 911 Cain is the responding officer and after making sure that no one is there he stays and they talk. Can two people who have known each other for a long time learn how to listen to each other and give each other what they need? Can they learn how to make their marriage succeed with who they are now and not who they were or will they get divorced? You really need to read this beautifully written steamy emotional law enforcement, marriage on the rocks,small-town romance to see what happens. I would definitely recommend reading this book.
I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Bookbakeneko · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

𝗥𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲
𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: 𝗔𝘇𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 #𝟭
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗧𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲
#𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗻
#𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲

This is the 1st book in a new series- Azure Ridge by Laramie Briscoe (writing as Selena Sanders).

Marissa & Cain at the end of their twelve year marriage.
With them being married right out of high school - they've grown apart and neither party is able to communicate their needs until one night - My soon-to-be ex-husband tangled his fist in my hair and asked me if I’d like to be taken care of one more time…

Cain sets about making all Marissa's fantasies come true, hoping to convince her to take another chance on their marriage & finding their way back to each other.

I liked how both characters learned how to communicate their needs & feelings- strengthening their love and marriage and ending in a HEA.

Interested to see where this series leads with #2 The Marriage Contract
https://geni.us/AzureRidge2

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a ARC review with my honest, humble opinion….. Wow! Must read book! This just kicked off 2025 in the most fantastic way! I admit that I have read almost everything this author has written under Laramie Briscoe. I was a tiny bit unsure how I would feel about a story about married high school sweethearts separated, contemplating divorce would it even be my cup of tea? But this is now a Top 10 favorite! Homerun and/or touchdown, whatever you call impressive, this is all of that and more! Reading this gave me a new perspective on my own 25 year marriage. I cannot say enough good things about the journey Cain and Marissa took me on, I just don’t want to spoil anything for others by saying too much! Let me tell you that this gives Honest talks between partners that we sometimes don’t bother to have or never had, laughter, with hot & spicy loving and its own bit of suspense thrown in? Heck, yes I’m all in, anxiously awaiting the 2nd book in this series!!

[Lilian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in a new series, The Azure Ridge series, and the premise is an interesting one, with the focus being after the couple is already married. Cain and Marissa are in the midst of getting a divorce after twelve years of marriage. During their six months of separation, Marissa has opened a bookstore, Enchanted Chapters, and explored new experiences which she never did previously.

Despite the lingering feelings, Cain is hesitant to reach out till an incident brings them together. It finally gives them the opportunity to understand why and how their marriage broke down. Sadly, the truth is close to the reality of why most marriages fail.

Thank God for good friends like Hollie who doesn’t tell Marissa what she wants to hear, but rather tells her what she needs to hear. Marissa and Cain needed the break to become “ruthless” and honest in their communication with one another, and the resolution was a sweet and spicy one.

Ps. I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Linda Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable and believable read about a married couple who separate when the wife leaves as they are stuck in a rut. The husband, Cain, who is a cop, was both hurt and surprised when his wife left. They are at the stage of filing for divorce when they decide to give it a chance and finally communicate openly. This is a story that is so believable. Marriage easily becomes routine with familiarity. Written from both points of view, it allows the reader to understand how both the husband, Cain, and his wife, Marissa, feel. It does follow the typical trope that the husband gets injured in the line of duty and sets up not one, but two stories, to follow in the future. But it does have a HEA. I had hoped for a little more steaminess as the wife is a book store owner and refers to her hopes that her life with her husband would have more romance like in the books she reads.