Not Guilty of Books

  THE BANKER AND THE BLUE COLLAR MAN Snowcreek Ranch - Book Six by Jackie North Release Date: August 12, 2026 Review An incredible story. Absolutely touching and heartfelt. Jake, ah, that boy. His life that led him to the ranch, losing the man who showed him fatherly care and stability, and still sticking by the ranch and the new owner, even though it threw him off-kilter. He’s just an incredibly loyal and trustworthy guy. And I loved Dalton with him.  I also loved Jake for Dalton. Dalton is a city boy, with a corporate job, and a soul sucking family.  But he still believes he’s happy (happyish) with his life.  Until his friend cajoles him to come to the Ranch for a few days. Then a few more days, and a few more… There was just so much thoughtful care and understanding from both of them that really made me melt. Add to your TBR List GOODREADS LINK Synopsis Love can be found in unexpected places As a ranch hand on a sprawling ranch in Colorado, Jake finds comfort in r...

  BOY BLUE Boxcar Boys - Book Two by Jackie North Release Date: July 31, 2026 Review I’m obsessed with boxcar boys.  This is the second series I’ve read recently that is focused on them, and it’s such a fantastic setting. The reasons for riding the rails are diverse, as are the people who do it, so the possibilities are endless. Jackie has managed to combine rail riding with small-town goodness, and I’m here for it. Blue can’t seem to catch a break in life, and yet he still holds a gentleness that he didn’t have to keep. First he gets separated from one of the people he was travelling with, feeling guilty about it, then he finds himself nearly dying on a side road in a small town in a snowstorm. He needs stability, care, and love. Wolfe lives in isolation. He thinks it’s by choice, but really life and people have left him bruised and leary of letting people in. Having an unexpected visitor is a great way to remind him that there is value in connection. It’s a sweet story. Both...

  JACK BE NIMBLE Boxcar Boys - Book One by Jackie North Release Date: March 16, 2026 Review I love a unique story setting, and a series about boxcar boys is just that! Book One follows Jack, aka Nimble, as he gets stranded in a small rural community during a snowstorm. He’s warm and thoughtful, and enjoys the town and its people. Unlike Morgan, who is grumpy, closed off, and carrying an air of defeat. He reluctantly shares his tiny apartment above the Feed and Supply store as a winter storm nears. It’s a slow burn between them and getting to know one another isn’t smooth. They both carry baggage and struggle to figure out how to share space, let alone love each other. But they built a nice life together that is entirely satisfying and heartwarming. Add to your TBR List GOODREADS LINK Synopsis On the run. Riding the rails. Looking for love. Nimble doesn’t know anywhere else but the streets of his hometown, but when his father's alcoholism spirals out of control, Nimble decides he ca...

  THE COWBOY AND THE WHEELMAN Farthingdale Valley - Book Six by Jackie North Release Date: March 27, 2025 Review Another powerful story from Jackie’s series that highlights second chances and fresh starts. Their crimes, as they were, did not deserve the hell they found themselves in on a chain gang.  So their fresh start in Farthingdale is all the more satisfying, because wow, they deserve some kindness and love! Not that accepting their new reality is easy, trusting anything is an upheaval battle, but they have each other to help find their way through.  Hudson is grumpy, closed off, and wanting to hide away, but his tent mate, despite what they’ve been through, still holds hope and love. I love their combination. It’s a touching story. Add to your TBR List GOODREADS LINK Synopsis If you don’t believe in anything, believe in my heart, for it loves you. In the tree-swept beauty of Farthingdale Valley, two men emerge from the shadows of pain and hardship. Hudson, scarred b...

   THE CHRISTMAS KNIFE by Jackie North Release Date: December 21, 2018 Review This was a really neat Christmas story, one I could envision watching on TV.  A knife, a family heirloom, gets stolen, something that was supposed to bridge a gap of regret and a family break for Clayton. In the process, it brings him to Kyle, a sweet IT guy who was excited to be hosting his friends for Christmas.  Instead, a storm snows them in together for Christmas. The perfect host and the perfect guest. ;) They are pretty cute together, and their romance is full of Christmas magic. Add to your TBR List GOODREADS LINK Synopsis A stolen Christmas present brings together two strangers who long for hearth and home at the holidays. It’s mere days before Christmas when the gift Clayton intends to give to his nephew, an antique Bowie knife and hand-beaded sheath, is stolen. Clayton must track them down before Christmas morning. A lost & found ad is posted for the Christmas knife’s safe re...