Banter and Blushes: Splash of Romance: A Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Sunshine, sass, and sweet summer sparks…

Dip your toes into Banter and Blushes: Splash of Romance, a clean romcom anthology brimming with breezy banter, unexpected meet-cutes, and love stories that shimmer like sunlight on the water.

From spontaneous beach trips to lakeside mishaps, these nine delightful tales—penned by beloved romcom authors C. L. Rain, Dineen Miller, Jess Hansen, P Harlowe, Kerry Evelyn, Leah Busboom, Tia Marlee, Kaci Lane, and Christine Sterling—celebrate the charm of summer and the joy of falling in love when you least expect it.

Whether it’s a clumsy paddleboard lesson or a flirty sandcastle contest, one thing’s for sure: you’ll be laughing, swooning, and maybe even blushing.

Perfect for fans of clean romance with a splash of humor and heart.

Book Review

If you're looking for the ideal kisses only beach reads, this collection has you covered! Banter and Blushes: Splash of Romance is an anthology featuring nine fantastic summer romances by nine authors. These books are each packed full of summer sun and swoon worthy romance, with a little something for everyone from friends to love, movie stars, country singers, hockey, reverse age gap, later in life romance... and everything in between. While all have those beach vibes, they are unrelated to one another and as such can be read in any order or enjoyed as standalones. Many are connected to the authors' other series, but I found I was able to enjoy them all, regardless of familiarity with the authors' previous books. While there were several authors whom I already enjoyed, there were a few newer to me authors included as well, and this was a great introduction into their writing that had me curious to read more. These books are all fairly quick reads, making them perfect for the busy summer months. 

Up first in the collection, we have Cupid's Beachside Blunder by Leah Busboom-- a super fun story about matchmaking gone wrong! When Cade needs to find a wife, he enlists the help of matchmaker Luna-- but the chemistry between these two? Undeniable. They balanced each other out really nicely, and I found myself enjoying every moment with them. Next up, we head into the kitchen for Flavors of Forever by P. Harlowe where we meet Rebecca, who loves spreadsheets and order, and Luca, a chef who is not only much younger, but her opposite in many other ways as well. I loved their fun chemistry and the best friends that added some laughter to this one too. (And those rain kisses! Yes, please!) Then comes Guitars and Sandbars by Kaci Lane, taking us to the Gulf Shores for that signature Alabama charm and humor that I always love in her books! Colt and Tiffany had a brief high school romance, parting ways after graduation. The last thing she expected when agreeing to a cater a country music video shoot in her food truck was for it to be HIS music video. Those old sparks were flying immediately for these two and I loved seeing them get their second chance at love. A hockey romance with all the summer vibes? Hat Trick for Her Heart by Dineen Miller was the perfect combination of both. This one definitely had some instalove vibes (as do several others), but it was done really well. Their first meeting was so much fun-- but getting to that first date? It wasn't easy! This one definitely had me smiling from start to finish! Small Town Schemes and Summer Kisses by Christine Sterling is up next up bringing in some Gilmore Girl-like vibes, in the best way possible. If you love meddling small towns, be prepared to fall in love with Bluebell Bay-- this town has meddling down to a science, complete with bingo cards and I was here for it. Next, we come to Sun, Sea and Blueberry Tea by Kerry Evelyn where we catch up with Zaki and Arwyn as they prepare for their (surprise) beachside wedding. This is the couple that was first introduced in Sew Matcha in Love (from the Coffee Loft collection), so if you want to see them fall in love, definitely check out that one first... but this one could still be enjoyed as a standalone as well! This one was packed full of summer camp nostalgia and plenty of pranks to keep me smiling. I loved that we also got to see a few moments from Zaki's daughters' POV, making the story that much sweeter. Sunkissed By My Best Friend by Tia Marlee adds a little friends to love to the mix with another story that had me smiling from start to finish. Reid and Brielle were just the sweetest together, and I couldn't help but enjoy their mutual pining. When they find themselves together on a romantic Hawaiin vacation, those feelings can't be held back any longer. This one definitely felt like stepping into paradise! Next, we add a later-in-life romance in Sunsets and Second Chances by Jes Hanson. Once again, the smalltown charm was in full force with this sweet story. Mitch and Elva weren't looking for love, but as they spent time together while he was working on a new fire station in her town, the sparks fly-- and the whole town is talking about it. The Almost Movie Star by C.L. Rain finishes out the collection with a fun celebrity romance. I adored Keigan and Becky--- from their sweet meet cute right through to the end. They were great characters that I could not help but root for. 

All the stories in the anthology are closed-door romance with kisses only. While most have no language, there are two (Flavors of Forever and Hat Trick for Her Heart) that did have minimal minor language. 


You can purchase your copy here (available during Summer 2025 only): https://amzn.to/3HylPFu