Queen of Hearts

Elm Hollow Holidays #3

by Valentina Iania

Sloane Heart doesn’t miss.

With a flawless 100% matchmaking record and the reputation of being Cupid in heels, she’s built her entire career on turning chaotic love lives into heart-eyed success stories.

Cohen Becker doesn’t date.

The broody, spotlight-magnet pro soccer player would rather take a red card than pretend to be boyfriend material. But when a scandal tanks his image — and his team’s sponsorship deal — he’s forced to find a stable relationship and join a Valentine’s Day reality show to redeem his reputation and secure a major sponsor.

The problem?

The insufferably cocky athlete gets assigned to the Cupid’s Agency… and sitting on the other side of the desk is the woman he spent one unforgettable night with.

652 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 17, 2026

About the author

Valentina Iania writes steamy contemporary romance and rom-coms rooted in small-town worlds, where heart, heat, and emotional intensity collide. Her stories feature found family, seasonal vibes, and sizzling chemistry, blending cozy settings with unapologetically spicy romance.
She also writes scorching cowboy romances, known for strong heroines, stubborn heroes, and high-heat, emotionally charged love stories.
When she’s not writing, she’s out at the ranch—riding horses and dreaming up her next obsession-worthy cowboy.
You can find her on social media @valentinaianiaauthor. Saddle up, it’s gonna get hot.

Reviews

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. This is the 3rd book in Elm Hollow Holiday Series that follows Sloane and Cohen. I love how all the books flow together!! This book drew me in starting at Chapter 1!! Cohen is your typical bad boy soccer player he is always in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons!! After a situation on a night out Cohen wants to clean up his image and was sent to Sloane who is the CEO of a match making business who has a great success rate. Tension builds up between them as they realize they have met somewhere before. This book is filled with spice and tension that keeps you wanting more!! Ready to see whats in stored for the other characters. If you like small town enemies to lovers you will love this book hands down!!

“Sloane Heart doesn’t miss.

With a flawless 100% matchmaking record and the reputation of being Cupid in heels, she’s built her entire career on turning chaotic love lives into heart-eyed success stories.

Cohen Becker doesn’t date.

The broody, spotlight-magnet pro soccer player would rather take a red card than pretend to be boyfriend material. But when a scandal tanks his image — and his team’s sponsorship deal — he’s forced to find a stable relationship and join a Valentine’s Day reality show to redeem his reputation and secure a major sponsor.

The problem?

The insufferably cocky athlete gets assigned to the Cupid’s Agency… and sitting on the other side of the desk is the woman he spent one unforgettable night with.”

[Abbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75🌟-If you’re looking for a small town, enemies to lovers read that will have you hooked, you need to read Queen of Hearts! You’ll be invested in this Cupid and Lucifier duo from the first chapter!💘

Queen of Hearts is book 3 in the Elm Hollow Series and follows characters Sloane and Cohen.

Meet Cohen, a professional soccer player who can’t be handled and is an athlete who is always in the press for the wrong reasons. Cohen heads on a night out, unapproved by the soccer coaches, and ends up in a public situation regarding his one night stand! In the hopes to clean up his image, Cohen is sent to Sloane, CEO of a match making business in Elm Hollow that has a 100% successful match rate. Upon meeting, they soon realise, they’ve met before. Tensions are overflowing but can Sloane help Cohen clean up his image or will the pair of them end up to be another statistic for Sloanes business?

This book is overflowing with spicy scenes, drawn out tension and is an enemies to lovers book that I just could not put down! This book is longer than the previous two books in the series but hands down was my favourite! I loved these characters, I loved the spice and it had me laughing out loud so many times!

If you’re looking for a small town romance book that is filled with sexual tension, a valentines theme and lots of spice then look no further than Queen of Hearts💕

I was lucky enough to be an ARC reader for this book and I honestly cannot recommend it enough! My favourite book in the Elm Hollow series so far! Thank you to Valentina for trusting me to be an ARC reader and I’m already excited for book 4!✨

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review:

An easy 5/5⭐

Queen of Hearts pulled me in from page one with giving all the spice and never loosened its grip!💕🥹

Cohen was total eye candy🤤 with all the smirks and quiet confidence, watching him fall first and harder was deeply satisfying. But Sloane truly stole the show for me. It was so devastatingly HOTTT🔥 to see her step fully into her bold, sexy energy and never shying away when it came to making love or owning her desire. She knew what she wanted and Cohen? Completely undone — willingly at her mercy, heart and all🙈

The chaos of Elm Hollow town was at its absolute peak as always — gossip flying, pictures circulating around town and everyone having an opinion. That familiar small-town madness added so much fun and made everything feel unmistakably Elm Hollow😂❤️

Running into familiar faces from the previous Elm Hollow books added so much warmth and chaos to the story, making the world feel lived-in and comforting. At the same time, I’m genuinely excited to see the stories of the new characters who made their entry in this book (if we get them!😉) because Elm Hollow has a way of making every appearance count!!!

The Lakewood Locker Room chats were laugh-out-loud entertaining and the 'Love Goals' contest was absolute perfection. Watching our CAPTAINS win felt so deserved and so satisfying.

And the epilogue… beautiful, comforting and impossible to get over. I truly can’t get over the Elm Hollow holiday series — it keeps stealing my heart every single time💘🥹

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cohen and Sloan meet at a club in costume for one night. Flash forward they are shoved back in each other’s atmosphere so that Sloan (a skilled matchmaker) can find a girlfriend for Cohen (professional soccer player, and the reputation of a bad boy). And did we mention her dad’s the coach? Will they be able to work together or is there more than chemistry between them?

Some of my favorite parts
❤️ “Cupid never takes a day off”
🩷Elm Hollow beefcake brigade
🤍Love the girl chats/gossip
❤️ when she’s yells “COHEN!” & their back and forth banter
🩷Loved the Unmasked reference
🤍The town hall meetings

“Welcome to Elm Hollow, the town, where everyone knows everything except how to mind their own business.”

✨hopefully we will get for details on Dominic Vos, the mysterious tech guru 🤞🏻
✨ I can’t wait for Lena and Sebastian’s book!!

I love how all the books overlap- timeline wise it’s really fun to see their inner monologues during peak times

[Charlotte Foreman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valentina is so good at getting that balance of sweet and spicy in her books, and this one is no different!
I've been so excited to get the story of Sloame and Cohen after seeing the occasional interaction in the previous 2 books, and it did not disappoint. I loved the growth of the relationship between these two so much, Cohen's absolute adoration and Sloane's denial make for such a cute, funny read. This book is especially great for lovers of tension, there are so many heated moments and longing looks.
People have been waiting for our Cupid of Elm Hollow to get her own love story and Valentina has absolutely nailed it. Coming out on January 17th, this could be a perfect read for Valentine's Day ❤️

*arc review*

[Rendi Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book so much. Sloane is a matchmaker whose love life was a disaster to say the least. A one night stand with Cohen Becker changes everything.
It's a story full of humor, pain, tears, and finding a love that you never knew you needed.
I love Cohen and Sloane together. Their banter back and forth is hilarious. There are a lot of surprises in this book. You are going to love it all. I highly recommend this book. Everything Valentina Iania writes is so amazing. Definitely a must read.

[Jade_Reads2019 · Rating 4 out of 5]

2025 was the first time I’d ever read a valentina Lania book. Now I’m a fan. This is the second book I’ve read by her and this didn’t disappoint. It was so fun, yet heartbreaking and in the end steamy and everything I could have asked for. Thank you to the author for providing me with a ARC!

[Chloë · Rating 5 out of 5]

5✨✨✨✨✨

[I promised myself that my 2026 reviews would be shorter & more concise but Queen of Hearts & Valentina’s talent deserves a huge amount of recognition & praise. Every aspect is a gift to the readers & no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t stop writing…🥹]

⭑ Publication date: 17th January 2026
⭑ Genre: Romance - Spicy, Comedy
⭑ Tropes: Enemies to lovers, One night stand, Small town, Soccer player X Professional matchmaker, Valentine’s inspired, Reality show
⭑ Series: Book 3 in the Elm Hollow Holidays series - a standalone but does contain spoilers for the Sunrise Ranch/Elm Hollow Holidays series. [All books are available to read on Kindleunlimited]

PRE-ORDER >
https://mybook.to/QueenofHeartsValentina

✅ If you love love, this book will have your heart. If you enjoy comedy, banter, wit & sarcasm - you’ve arrived at your destination. And if hot & spicy is your flavour, then tuck right in.

~

✧ S U M M A R Y ✧

Queen of Hearts is a hilarious & heartwarming Romantic Comedy set in the small, cozy town of Elm Hollow. It has characters who will steal your heart, laugh out loud moments & spice that will leave you needing a BIG drink of cold water. (When I say this story starts with a bang… I really do mean it…) It’s an entertaining, emotional journey & I cannot recommend it enough ☑️

Just like the previous 2 books in the Elm Hollow Holidays series, this book has my heart & dare I say it… has shot to the top of the pyramid. It’s hands down my favourite & I’ll be thinking about it for a LONG time💘
I honestly couldn’t put it down.
The prologue was amazing, spectacular, HOT & gripping. The tension, arrgggh - undeniable & tantalising. Our main characters, beautifully chaotic, misunderstood, loveable & memorable. Side characters, an absolutely hilarious addition & the Valentines reality show was the cherry on top of an already fantastic love story. (If you loved Pumpkin Spice… Lessons, you’ll love this book too)

✧ C H A R A C T E R S ✧

⚽️Cohen Becker… Sweet as sugar and hot as spice, I loved everything about him. In the words of Shrek, this guy was an onion, he had layers. Behind the Greek God-like body, tough exterior & arrogant bravado he had such a pure, kind, selfless heart & his protective nature towards both Sloane & Grace was evvvvverything. The way Valentina painted such a vivid image of this man to the point where I felt like Aunt Tina & the rest of Elm Hollow salivating over him… magical, chefs kiss, an infinite amount of stars/10.

💘Sloane Heart, what a woman! The kind of person who could take on the world & still be up for yoga at 6am the next day. A total badass & a force to be reckoned with but on the flip side, someone who puts everyone else’s feelings ahead of her own & has trouble letting people in. She was a beautifully refined but somewhat chaotic character who I’m now totally obsessed with. You can’t beat a strong, sassy, confident FMC & Valentina delivered all of that & then some.

✧ F I N A L • T H O U G H T S ✧

Valentina has outdone herself with this artfully chaotic, emotional, heartwarming but heart racing story. A story filled with love & a whole host relationships - friends who become family, teammates who become brothers & strangers who become each others everything. I laughed, I cried, I cheered & commiserated but overall I was left with the warmest, fullest heart & an even bigger appreciation for Elm Hollow & the people who call it home.

❣️A HUGE thank you to the wonderful Valentina Iania for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. This is my honest opinion & I’m sharing it voluntarily.

[Laced In Lit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Val for the ARC and having me as part of her content team 💕
Book 3 of the Elm Hollow series 👌
🥰 Sloane and Cohen 🥰
🩷 Initial one night stand
🩷 Professional matchmaker x soccer star
🩷 Reality show/games
🩷 One bed
🩷 Coach's daughter
Can I just say the prologue is 🔥 what a way to set your heart racing from the get go!
After a sizzling one night stand, the pair think they will never see eachother again... wrong! Sloane and Cohen are about to be forced to spend a lot of time together as her professional matchmaking services and required to clean up Cohens f-boy image in order to save his soccer career.
There is sexy hookups, one bed deliciousness and a fun valentines game show pushing the pair together wrapped in a cute small town bow 🎀
I loved how confident Sloane was in the bedroom and I really loved reading as Cohen fell head over heels for her!
I love the side characters, cant wait to hear more from Gracie, Nate and Dominic hopefully in the future... 👀
I was a little worried about the length of this book being over 600 pages for a romance novel, it is the longest book i have read in 2025! But having finished the book i can safely say I had no problem binge reading this one until it was finished! Highly recommend this series 👌
What can I say, having read all of Vals books to date they just keep getting better and better 🔥 her writing style and confidence, character development, plot and spice have all come such a long way and im so proud to be joining her on this journey.

[Books and Blooms NH · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book/ ARC/ review of the year!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let's start with spice- this book has it and frequently. Literally starting in the prologue. The chemistry is evident straight from the beginning. Even when they resist each other, the thoughts and banter are still there. 🥵

Speaking of banter... I loved it! Banter is my favorite troupe. These characters had me laughing and fanning myself. And it wasnt just the main characters. The soccer team, the friends, the small town- all great at banter!

It's sort of a sport romance, but only because the MMC is a soccer player, Really, the story is enimies to lovers, small town, 'Love Goals'. (Hilarious and wild challenges for a couple to win a reality love show.) While the main characters start off as two people that can't keep their hands to themselves, by the end realizing they are worthy of love. ❤️

This is my 2nd book from Valentina Iania and the 3rd book of the Elm Hollow series. ( I will eventually read the first one!) Each book can be read as a stand alone, but characters do cross over.

The cross over part was my least favorite part. The beginning of this book was a little redundant after reading book 2, but it was from these characters' point of view. The detail and back story was needed to develop the characters, so I know why it was written this way.

If you're looking for a funny, spicey, and witty Valentine read, this is a good one to add to your TBR! This book will be available as of January 17th.

Thank you @valentinaianiaauthor for the gifted eARC!

[Taneesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

If you haven’t read The Elm Hollow series, do yourself a favor and put it on your 2026 TBR.

She matches people for a living.
He’s the one match she never saw coming.

A scandal forces pro soccer bad boy Cohen Becker onto a Valentine’s Day dating show to be paired with the elite matchmaking agency run by the woman he spent one unforgettable night with. Fake romance was never part of the plan… but neither was falling for the one person who knows all his red flags.

Queen of Hearts is 🌶️ starting at the prologue…and it doesn’t stop there. This book is full of it.

Each book can be read a standalone, but they’re better together. Valentina’s overlap is seamless from one story to the next, and she gives the book details you didn’t know you needed. This makes the book a little lengthy, but it’s worth it!

I love how Valentina sets up the book and hooks you from the start. You really get to know the characters in the first part of the book, then comes the fun dating show part in the second part. The his book is just so entertaining! I’m thinking that Sloane and Cohen are my favorite Elm Hollow couple!

[Tiffany Velasquez · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start this was a really good book. It was very detailed and you got to really know the characters. But I didn’t realize it was so long! I’m not big on long books but l powered through.

Cohen seemed like a typical sports player who was going through girls and having a tough image. But turns out that was the not really the case. He didn’t ask to sleep with Sloan the way he did but there was an electric connection. She was acting too perfect and she was too good for anyone. And then her dad made her be the matchmaker service for cohen to keep him out of trouble.

But as the story went you can tell they were falling madly in love. Even when they were on the reality show. I don’t remember reading a book about being on a reality show or show in general but I honestly felt like I was watching it on TV.

This book was a great read and definitely recommend it, just know it is long at over 600 pages.

[Crista Sedlacek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like there's a lot too this book and it felt a little long almost but at the same time I understand why its long. You have the whole meeting at the start and then the second half is the reality show.

I would love nothing more than this book to be turned into an audiobook. The reality show bit would be so incredibly done with a full cast audio, just sayin'.

This book had a ton of emotion built behind Sloane and Cohen. Both of them really made me feel their tension, connection and love. When Joe enters the picture, that's when I fell in love with Cohen even more!

I really liked getting to hear more about the gift exchange and meet the characters from the previous books as well. I love a connected book! I remembered reading about the gift exchange before then seeing it from this perspective was so fun for me!

[little_cowgirll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beta Reader.

I’ll just say this: Queen of Hearts has 12 spicy chapters, and you’re going to love both the main characters and the supporting cast.

Full review coming after release.

[Susan]

Small town | soccer player x professional match maker | one night stand | Valentine Reality Show | Enemies to Lovers | Valentine Holiday