Love? For Maja Storm? From a man? Laughable. One too many traumas disrupted my brain chemistry, turning me into something I never thought I would be. Once a bright star, I was now something akin to a burning sun. Anyone who dared to cross me was dealt with accordingly. Bumping into someone like Vonshae Gunner, whose easy eyes and thick charm are too much to resist, threatens everything I thought I knew about myself.
To her, I’m No One. No One Vonshae Gunner. I’d be whatever Maja wanted me to be. From the minute we collided, she belonged to me. Our collision was divine, and I refused to see it any other way. The emptiness in her eyes implored me to pour life into her. My duty was to protect and to serve. What type of man would I be if I neglected the call?
All I wanted was one night. One night where I wasn’t Heir Bell. Just Heir. It was supposed to be a simple birthday fix. One night with Kody McAroy was all I wanted. No strings. No connections. Nothing. Just a means to an end. Even the best plans sometimes come back to remind you of how stupid your original plan was.
Take me seriously. At all times. Translation. Don’t play with me. Ever. I either care, or I don’t. Which was exactly what I told Heir. Although she was forbidden fruit, nothing ever put fear in Kody McAroy. Especially not someone wearing the Bell name.
This wasn’t a bad story, but I did find myself pretty disconnected from it overall. I love the Niceville world and was excited to be back, but this shift to a new set of characters felt a bit abrupt. I kept having moments of “wait…who is this again?” because none of them really stood out to me in earlier books, so it was hard to immediately feel invested.
There’s also ALOT going on( but not in a fun or interesting way) With multiple storylines and three couples all sharing the spotlight, it started to feel a bit overwhelming. Instead of getting deeply immersed in one or two arcs, everything felt a little spread thin, and I think the story would have benefited from more focused development.
The pacing toward the end also didn’t quite work for me. Some major, high-stakes drama is introduced very late in the book and then wrapped up almost immediately, which made it feel rushed compared to the earlier buildup.
I’ve really enjoyed this author’s work before especially the romance and her MMCs so I know what she’s capable of. This one just didn’t hit the same for me. That said, if you enjoy fast-moving stories with multiple perspectives and interconnected plots, you may still have a great time with it.
The pacing of the love stories comes off as Insta love. Also there wasn’t a consistent flow with the characters and their story line it just was bouncing around every character… I still enjoy it and I understood what the author was trying to do with the characters. I will say that the men in the story fall first, hard and fast. The women are more cautious which was interesting to read and had trust issues because of their past but to me there’s also a sense of naiveness. But the women aren’t green. If that makes sense. The ending was just random chaos out of nowhere.
While M. Monique usually can do no wrong for me, this was just an okay read for me. Both romances were just lukewarm for me, and I honestly cared more about Maya's extracurricular activities than what was going on romance-wise.
Welcome to Niceville Shores a city with a city in Pensacola!! Where the heat isn't the only thing that's hot!!
Let's set it off with the good Dr. Bell who set's off the family with that controlled protective crazy all wrapped up in a sexy educated package and didn't play about his pretty all while keeping her brother & everyone he loved safe!
Then let's get into Poppa & Maddie who protected played his part and slide in and loved Maddie with everything she was missing and showed his daughter everything a man should be while loving Maddie like she never bern loved before.
Then we slide into Antonios and Bianca who fought against falling in love all to discover it was all she needed to be everything she dreamed of! Sometimes we so busy fighting imaginary pain we lose sight of who has us! Protect and love & provide wrapped in sexxy lol were we meet Shy who sees that what she knows isn't what is.
Then we slide into Kwa & Adrian who finds out that putting yourself in a messed up postion can turn into the love of a lifetime if you only open yourself to love!! That Bell energy a beast and turn you everywhich way but loose lol
Which leads us back to Dr. Bell and WidowMayker
Where three young women are building from betrayal's from people who were supposed to love and protect but instead cut so deep and so hard they burird any hint of softness.
1. Heir we meet her first and what her Father & Brother do is something you don't think you will ever recover from because if the one who helped create you can discard you what is a Man going to do? Until Kody who knows about a deep dishonesty that changes everything.
2. May all she knows is pain loosing her Mother and gaining a scar from the man who was supposed to protect & serve but be a Father first changed her entire outlook but Vonn walked in and wasn't letting go and protecting her even from her is his only goal.
3. Shy we meet her through her big brother Antonios after almost being sold by her own parents!! She doesn't trust anyone who isn't kin but Lewis wasn't having it and quietly and with conviction persued her showing that love is to be celebrated.
I loved every part of this story!! From May & Von to Heir & Kody to Shy & Lewis a time was had! This was about finding love that lets you be everything you are!! And got to see my Bae Adir lol
All romances were insta-love, and all male leads were delusional. However, I will continue because I had a fun time! I do believe some of the couples' stories could've gotten their own book, but this series has a theme that doesn't allow for more time with them. But the plots are still good; it will just leave you wanting more. I recommend it if InstaLove is definitely your thing.
The Niceville Shores series have been very hit or miss for me. The Widow MAYker had great potential but unfortunately it was just ok. The story features multiple couples which divided our time between these instalove connections, then the action is packed in at the last minute and quickly resolved. Better pacing and less POVs could have done the storylines well.
Yesssss! I have been waiting on this one and baby… it did NOT disappoint.
Maja has spent years doing whatever she needed to do to keep her demons under control. And one thing she was sure about? A man in a cop uniform would NEVER have a place in her life, not after everything she went through with her father.
But then comes Vonshae Gunner.
And baby… that man was determined. Once he set his sights on Maja, he was willing to do whatever it took to earn her trust and slowly break down those walls she built sky high. And I loved that for her, because she really tried. She worked to separate the man from the badge and see him for who he truly was.
And little by little? He chipped away at that ice block around her heart 😮💨
But just when things start to feel like she’s stepping into her own love story… that past she tried so hard to bury? Yeah, it starts knocking LOUD.
And when it’s time to handle business, Maja shows that everything she learned, shoutout to Adir and Coolyes 👀 was NOT for nothing. My girl stepped into exactly who she was meant to be.
What I also loved is how we got to see other characters from the Niceville Shores universe. So while you’re locked into Maja’s story, you’re also getting little glimpses into others and how their lives are unfolding too.
Listen… do NOT sleep on this one. It gave everything it was supposed to give and then some 😌📚🔥
In true M. Monique fashion that story had a lot of moving parts to it with the focus being on 3 main couples and can be a lot unless you’re familiar with her writing style. I liked getting to see Maja, Heir, and Shyah get their happily ever after and learn to love and trust men who weren’t family especially after all the hell they went through. I liked the men for each of them and they were exactly what they each needed. Maja needed a man like Von to see that not all men who wear a badge abused it and Heir needed someone like Kody who understood her trust issues and would have patience with her while navigating through her lack of trust and learning to trust himself as well. Shyah deserved someone like Lewis who would honor her boundaries and still love her fiercely and allow her to remain soft. I would have liked a separate story for each couple to get a little more details, but I enjoyed this nonetheless and understood the stories being entwined because of all the overlap. I’m looking forward to more stories from the Bell family and Niceville Shores.
Ok, so I really enjoyed this read. I ohh'd, aww'd and "I knew it"! all up and through the book.
Picks up after Dr. Bell: Niceville Shores Chronicles. Then there is a time jump.
They suggest you read the "Love me" series. I think you really only need to read: Baltimore & Madeline and Antonias & Bianca, and Dr. Bell, of course, to get background and follow the plot 🤷🏾♀️.
This book follows the 3 girls' lives thrown together as sisters: Maja Storm, Heir Bell, and Shyah Suarez. In an odd twist, these women have grown up overprotected and sheltered, what reservations on men and love so they're all virgins in their thirties.
👎🏾The women are in thier 30's and are still treated like kids. Would have made sense if they were in their early 20s, but I digress. I suppose I had to be this way for love the rest of the series to work.
💁🏾♀️Vonshae is a detective. Quickly falls for Maja, who hates all things cops with passion.
💁🏾♀️Detective Lewis falls for Shyah.
💁🏾♀️Kody has admired Heir from a distance for years. Their families have a truce, and he would like to keep it that way. Until she proposed he take her virginity and activated the crazy in him.
The book gives a little bit of murder mystery. A little street lit. All in all made for a read if you've been following the series.
I was wondering if the book would end with me being upset with numerous questions. I was not sure the direction of Widow Mayker after I read Dr. Bell and then the Love me Now series. I was confused on the path when reading the Love me now series before the Widow Mayker. I felt that I could have read this book after the Dr. Bell book, it wasn’t essential for me to read the Love me now series to have an understanding of the Widow Mayker. However, I loved this book and I was eager to read about a love story for Heir. I wouldn’t never had predicted her love interest, but really enjoyed their story the most.
I LOVED HOW THE STORY FOCUSED ON MAY AND VON WHILE STILL GIVING US BACKGROUND ON HEIR AND KODY AND BITS OF LEWIS AND SHYAH. THE STORY HAD SUCH A GOOD FLOW THAT THE MULTIPLE POVS WERE EASY TO KEEP UP WITH AND DIDNT FEEL OVERWHELMING. I FELT LIKE I WAS ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE ENTIRE TIME READING THIS STORY BECAUSE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS NEXT. OH AND THE PLOT TWIST HAD ME LIKE 😳 . I LOVE M MONIQUE’S WRITING AND I CANT WAIT TO SEE WHATS NEXT FOR NICEVILLE SHORES.
First I highly encourage you to read the previous books first. I have read them all and it still took a moment to remember the connections. Nonetheless this book was so good! Im obsessed with these families. And although the book is primarily about maja - the stories of the other couples weaved in seamlessly and was done well. It was a lot to fit into 300 pages! I kept guessing how this would all unfold and there were still some surprises at the end. I want more from Lewis and Shy! And more from the family overall! Kim, Humble, Bragg, Peace —- everybodyyyy lol
Baby the way I kept starting and stopping so I wouldn’t speed read but great things must come to an end. The suspense of this book had me holding my breath and on the edge of my seat. I loved the multiple character lines in the story. Your head will definitely be on a swivel. With all that’s going on LOVE is everywhere in here. Hands down one of my favorites of 2026. M Monique never disappoints with her pen game.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️|🌶️🌶️🌶️.75 This book automatically grabs your attention in the beginning. The pace of the book was really good and it was well written. The MMC were definitely up for the chase to lock the FMC’s down. I truly enjoyed how this book came together and my favorite character is probably May.
I’m so excited to read the next set of characters in this series because I would definitely recommend this one! 💖
A M. Monique book never missed. She never forgets about characters from her previous book either. The interwoven stories are alway significant. The Bell family is that family and Widow Mayker highlights that so clearly. Maia and Detective Gunner, Kody & Heir, Lewis & Shyah all were great love stories and these men pulled out all the stops to show love and restore humanity, love and support for their women. A must read.
I didn’t know how I would feel with the time jump, but the “kids” are not disappointing lol. These men were not playing about these women, and I loved that for them! It’s something really wrong with Kody man lol.. Like we (readers) be talking about these unhinged MC, but baby Kody takes the Cake!!! The plot twist were like a domino effect; they were just one after another.. and I was here for it all! Humble me please!!!!
I came back to the wonderful town of Niceville. This is a follow-up from Dr. Bell and the novellas, my trauma sisters get their story in a combined plot that has Maja at the forefront. My girl was a beast and trained and loved by the best.
It is hard to tell write this review because I do not want to spoil anything. A time was had and you will not be disappointed. However, who can be next?
This book was everything and more. Maja, Heir and Shyah stumbled upon men who was not gonna play about them and they all fit right in line with the craziness of the men in their family. But the star of the show was definitely Kody. He was a whole lotta screws loose and that’s saying a lot because I didn’t think anyone could top Dr. Bell. I loved everything about this book and I can’t wait to see what else happens in Niceville Shores!
Maja was a force to be reckoned with! Fearless and traumatized, she was a tough cookie then enters Officer Von. I so enjoyed watching her walls come tumbling down; the same for Heir and Shyah was so sweet and a true hopeless romantic, so getting bits of all of their love journey was chefs kiss. The suspense the revelations and b*mbs dropped in this story made for a great read.
This book was a great addition to the Niceville shores series! This book deals with the young women of the family: Maia, Shayah and Heir. They are cousins and sisters who have the love of family who spoil and protect them! Love, heals, and grows into a beautiful life! A must read!
Wow wow wow wow! Giiiiiiirl! My mouth is still on the floor ! This book was so amazing idk where to begin . All 3 ladies surprised me! The way you made Heir & Kody connect did the first time was beyond special … the twist with Kodys mom omg I’m about to read again it was just THAT good!
This is a big family! They all have each other’s back. Even got other family looking out for them. I love how Maja changed her views and found love. Heir got what she wanted plus more. So did Shy! These guys came in and flipped these women lives upside down. Ready for the next part of this chronicle.
My girl didn’t play. And Von….a rider. I love that this wasn’t a work centered on struggle love and I feel as though M Monique has done that well. Now my girl Maia had her own set of issues and trauma but the usual FMC to MMC struggle love was not this! Please give it a try if you love a different style of love.
As with everything else M. Monique writes this is a 5 star read. If you haven’t read Dr. Bell first please start there, I loved how it not only focused on Maja but Heir and Shyah too. I hope there’s more stories coming out of niceville shores.
This book had a lot of up and downs. I appreciate the fact that the FMC was not to be played with. She wasn't a damsel in distress. She was knocking em off. Loved this book and series.
I tried to wait to read this because I knew I'd have to wait for my next M.Monique fix, but I couldn't hold out too long. Per the norm, this book was goodt! And that Carter Winters cameo😲 Impatiently,yet patiently, waiting for the next book.
This series is ahmazzing! Start from the beginning to understand each character’s place! This family don’t mess around! They are the real deal all the way! Excellent read!!