A grumpy x sunshine, dual POV, interracial romance that sees an ex pro Basketball player rescuing a single plus size Black woman in the middle of a snow storm only to have them sharing one bed in a small inn while they wait for the storm to pass. This one was a bit cheesy for my tastes but still an entertaining read and okay on audio. Not my favorite by this author but worth a read nonetheless. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

In the year of sports-related rom-coms, this one stands out in the crowded field. A fast=paced and easy read perfect for those afternoons where your significant other is watching the game and you want to look at sports through a slightly different lens!

I have been a fan of Aliyah Burke since I read her Megalodon Team series. I had no idea that I have missed so many of her books. Now that I have read several of her newer books, I am back in stride again. I have read all three books in the “Rock Falls Series.” Aliyah Burke has done an awesome job with this series. I love the characters, drama, humor, camaraderie, with a plot that held me captive. Mitchell is a former NBA baller. Mitchell and Flykra met when he rescues her when her car slides off the road in a snowstorm. Mitchell is instantly attracted to Flykra. The two have awesome chemistry which made the book flow so easily. As usual there is always drama but Mitchell and Flykra prevailed. Flykra is dealing with the death of her father, and she is grieving. The couple had their ups and downs with insecurities. When Mitchell and Flykra find themselves in forced proximity due to the snowstorm the two learn a lot about each other. I was a little bit disappointed with Mitchell for the hurtful things he said but he got it together. Glad that plus-sized female characters are making their way into more books. All in all, this was a really good book. I recommend it for your reading enjoyment.

I received an ARC via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC and I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This is the third book of the Rock Falls series but my first by this author. This was a sweet and cute story with a forced proximity trope where the characters instantly fell for each other. It explored the anxieties and insecurities of falling in love after experiencing fame and letting yourself be vulnerable enough to give yourself emotionally to another person. Mitchell is a former NBA player and has experienced fame and has had to learn to deal with his celebrity status. When he meets Hope after saving her life in a snowstorm, he is instantly attracted to her. Hope is dealing with the grief of losing her father. As they are forced to spend d time together, they both become a source of healing and emotional support for each other. The story had some really sweet and emotional moments, but there were also times of fun. The characters were interesting and likable and I enjoyed seeing them grow throughout the story.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

In "Cool Down For Love," Mitchell, a former NBA player, has grappled with the consequences of his fame and crosses paths with Hope, a scientific journalist coping with the recent loss of her father figure. Their paths converge at an inn, where the foundations of their love story are laid. Mitchell's character exhibits various imperfections, primarily rooted in his preconceived notions about people, while Hope's own faults encompass her proclivity for keeping her emotions guarded. As their narrative unfolds, both characters undergo significant growth, evolving into more resilient and self-aware individuals. Their love story, marked by its chaotic yet therapeutic nature, is driven by their mutual determination to better themselves. "Cool Down For Love" presents an enticing concept, incorporating many of the romance tropes I typically cherish, such as the one-bed scenario, forced proximity, and a celebrity romance.

The cover is kinda misleading since this is more of a winter romance! Not sure that I'm a fan of the trope that a "bigger" girl falls for a guy that would be considered "out of her league" by society's standards and is very insecure/can't even fathom that he'd be interested in her. The main character was also pushy and a bit of an asshole so not my cup of tea.

This was a book that I genuinely struggled getting into. From the beginning when we're first introduced to Mitchell and the dynamic he has with his friend group, the dialogue comes across as stagnant and nondescriptive, making it hard to truly connect with the characters. This is a feeling that remains throughout the book.

I loved the premise, especially the representation delivered through both the cover and the diversity of the characters, but the mark was missed in delivering a story that would make readers fall in love with Mitchell and Hope.

the found family was fun but I feel like there wasn't enough communication. the blowup from the male lead was weird. This book wasn't my favorite even though I enjoyed the first one

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

The third book in the Rock Falls series where an expert science journalist and an ex-NBA player get it on when they're snowed in at a bed and breakfast in VT. However, I will note that you do not have to read this in order. I have not read the first two and do not feel like that took anything away from the experience. If anything, it made me want to read about how the other couples got together that we met in this book. Read on to see what I thought about Hope and Mitchell.

Tropes

Insta-love, forced proximity, snowed in, one bed, miscommunication, grumpy/sunshine.

Content warnings

Fat-phobia, racial discrimination, car accident, infidelity (historical; discussed, but off page), toxic relationship, eating disorder (discussed).

What worked for me

The sexual tension was so well done and what kept me reading to see how these two ended up together. Since the hallmark of a romance is the happily ever after (HEA) or happily for now (HFN), I knew that was going to be inevitable and the journey was worth the pay off. The glances, knowing the other person was present, genuine caring was the best part of the entire story for me. There are certain things that I didn't love as much, but all of those pieces aside, the sexual tension was well done for my tastes.

I did feel that Hope had more growth than Mitchell did throughout the course of this novel. She started as someone who underplayed her accomplishments and really didn't have many people she could count on. I would give this a found family feel from Hope's perspective. Watching her grow to rely on other people and find a home, so to speak, with the people from the bed and breakfast and then around Mitchell's life was another highlight.

Mitchell was kind of an ass at many points throughout the book. In my opinion, his grand gesture wasn't enough for Hope to forgive him. That aside, he knew instantly that he messed up and I appreciated the journey he want on, emotionally and mentally, to win her back and show growth. So, despite my opinion on the grandness of the gesture, it still ended up working for me because of what comes after the gesture.

Last item I'll mention on what worked well for me was the way in which the miscommunication trope was done. This is trope that's usually low on my list of preferred tropes, but I do think Burke inserted this in the best way. It didn't felt like it was thrown in for the hell of it. The trope propelled the story forward and was a key component of the external conflict that caused the third act break up (yes, spoiler, there is a third act break up). I don't want to say too much on how the trope is used because it could be a spoiler. Know, though, that it worked for me.

What didn't work for me

Third person point of view (POV) is not something that typically works for me. It took me awhile to get in to the flow of the writing, but I do think this book would've been more successful for me if the chapters were in first person alternating perspective. In addition to this, I think the third person POV allowed for the writing to be more telling than showing. Once I got used to the writing style, I found myself wanting to continue reading, but it did take some time to get acquainted with the style.

Generally speaking, it did feel like there were some unresolved plot items by the end of the store. For example, Hope receives a letter from her mentor as part of his will. All she ends up doing is putting it in her pocket to read later. It's never revisited and resolved at all. It's almost as if it was forgotten when writing the end of the book. That honestly bothered me a fair bit.

There were also a couple of phrases used that stood out to me and made me pause when I was reading. I've discussed in prior reviews the use of the phrase "clean" to discuss not having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and the stigma that it portrays with individuals. Where the view of "unclean" because someone has an STI is considered "bad" instead of an important discussion that individuals having sex should have before they sleep together.

The other phrase that stopped me in my tracks early was "not fat big, just strong big" when Hope was describing Mitchell. I'm talking 8% of the way in to the story. While that was a bread crumb to the fat-phobia, this phrasing seemed unnecessary and could've been described better without the fat-phobia.

Lastly, though this is not factored in to any rating, I don't think the cover makes sense for the story we're reading. Mitchell is an ex-NBA player, but nothing about what we're reading has to do with basketball or sports. The cover is a bit misleading, but that's neither here nor there.

Spice rating

I'm giving this a 3 flame/spice rating. It is open door with on page descriptions. However, nothing outside of some aggression that would lead to a higher rating.

Final thoughts

Overall, this book accomplished what it intended. It was an enjoyable experience while reading, but I won't be revisiting or screaming from the rooftops my thoughts. This is what lands me at the 3.25 or so rating. 'm super intrigued, like I mentioned earlier, on the other couples and will revisit Aliyah Burke's work in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the third book of this series I have read. Parts if them I really enjoy, but parts of them miss the mark.
In this book I enjoyed the characters and I loved the snowed in element to it, this is a personal favorite trope of mine. I found the meeting in a car didn't really work for me, but I was going with it.
I liked the Hope. I found her interesting. However, it was stated that she was confident in her body and happy with herself, and she did carry herself that way. I love that. But I got so sick of the whole 'a guy like you could never be into a girl like me.' I mean how many times does he have to straight up tell her he finds her attractive for her to believe him. That didn't really mesh with the idea of her being confident to me.
I also found myself having to reread some of the scenes with the singles group trying to remember who was who and what was going on.
Over all, I found this book enjoyable, but I wanted more. I was often confused and frustrated with the characters, but I did keep reading and cheering for them.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. this was fantastic, just what i have come to expect from this author and look forward to carrying in my book store.

I loved the storyline and how the characters grew throughout the book. This was the first book I read from this author, but I will be keeping up with the future publications from this author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. A great Romantic -comedy. I finished it in a few hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of this book in return for my honest opinions.

The book really didn't seem to go anywhere. I did not become invested in the characters or their story.

Found myself very bored. Had to keep putting it down and coming back.

Just was not anything I would typically read.

Sorry. Can not recommend. One star for me.

DNF at 61%. This book's tone really did not match the cover. I was expecting spicy sports romance not snowed in at an Inn. And the book was primarily snowed in at an Inn. I'm stopping at 61% because I'm satisfied with the instant love, Inn Romance and lost interest in continuing. I think this would make a great Novella with just that component because the characters were fun but it just couldn't propel me forward and I had a really hard time getting over how misaligned the cover & contents of the book were. Add that to reading this in the summer, and this was just a challenging combination for me. This was my first Aliyah Burke novel though, and if a plot interested me again in the future I would definitely pick it up.

"No Cooldown for Love" by Aliyah Burke is a passionate and compelling romance that swept me away with its intensity and emotional depth. This novel is a captivating blend of desire, connection, and the journey toward finding love in unexpected places.

Burke's writing style is emotive and evocative, immersing readers in a world of intense emotions and sizzling chemistry. The characters in the novel are complex and deeply layered, each dealing with their own pasts and vulnerabilities that contribute to the richness of the story.

At the heart of the narrative is a passionate exploration of love, vulnerability, and the power of opening oneself up to intimacy. The author skillfully navigates the challenges and joys that come with forming a connection that transcends physical attraction.

"No Cooldown for Love" successfully balances the intensity of the romance with moments of genuine emotion, resulting in a narrative that is both sensual and heartwarming. The themes of trust, healing, and the transformative nature of love add depth to the story.

In conclusion, "No Cooldown for Love" is a captivating and beautifully written romance that captures the essence of passion and vulnerability. If you're looking for a book that delivers an intense and emotional love story, this novel offers a passionate and engaging narrative that will leave you breathless and moved.

I had to DNF this unfortunately.
The MMC just annoyed me and I tried several times but I couldn't power through.
The forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine trope intrigued me but unfortunately it wasn't enough.

3.5
please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
POV: 3rd person, dual POV
HEA: yes
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: manipulation, death of a family member, death of a friend, car accident, slight OM drama, body shaming, mild racism (1 scene), cheating (not MCs)
standalone: book 3 in the Rock Falls series but can be read as a standalone. Other couples make an appearance but are not central to the story and you don’t miss anything by not having read the other books
final thoughts: I enjoyed the first 2/3 of this book so much. The found family of the MMC and his friends was so cute, the brooding and pining for the FMC was adorable, the forced proximity was awesome, the side characters were great…. I was just completely lost at the whole storyline of the ex-wife and mother…. It completely took away from the book and made for an unnecessary 3rd act breakup

read this book if you love

😬 angst
🤐 miscommunication
🤫 hidden truth/keeping secrets
💞 friends-to-lovers
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🏝️ forced proximity (snowed in, one bed)
🔀 opposites attract
💓 slowburn
🥰 nicknames
🤩 curvy FMC