Love, Again by L.P. Dover

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: April 9th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Love, Again: Barnes and Noble | Amazon | BookBub

Sometimes all you need is a second chance.

“L. P. Dover knows how to create the men who make us swoon, the book boyfriends we all want.”—New York Times bestselling author Heidi McLaughlin

Aubrey Reynolds is a small-town girl who’s made it big. A successful Hollywood director, Aubrey doesn’t have time to linger on what could have been. But when a routine blood test comes back with a false positive, she decides to take some time off to do the things she’s always wanted to do: taste the famous chocolate chip cookies at the Minnesota State Fair, hike the Grand Teton National Park, scuba dive in the Caribbean. But after Aubrey admits to herself what she’s really missing, she heads back home to Dusty Valley, Oklahoma . . . and the man she left behind.

Cole Haywood is a small-town fireman and that’s just fine with him. Sure, when the love of his life left their hometown to chase her dreams he was heartbroken and—he’ll admit—damn mad. But Cole would have never forgiven himself if he had held Aubrey back from success. So the last thing he expects after all these years is to walk into his favorite bar one night and find the girl he’s always loved—there—looking for him. Maybe now’s the time to make his dreams come true.

Love, Again is about how a love lost can be revived. Aubrey left Cole behind when she moved to Hollywood to pursue her dream of being a successful director. Ten years, go by and Aubrey has never forgotten Cole. Then a misdiagnosis puts everything into focus. Aubrey puts her career on hold to follow her bucket list. The list includes going back to Oklahoma and making amends with Cole. Can Cole forgive Aubrey? Will they make amends? Will they revive their relationship?

I so needed to read Love, Again. I needed to read a book with a simple plot. The last few books I have read have had plots that were all over the place. So, reading a book that was focused only on one thing was terrific. It was a balm for my brain.

I liked that Love, Again was a second chance romance. Out of all the genres/troupes, second chance romances is in my top 5. I love reading about characters who get back together after being separated for years. I like seeing those characters reconnect. Audrey and Cole was no exception.

I liked Aubrey. I did think that she was too chill about certain things (like her misdiagnosis). I loved her bucket list. There were a few things on there that I want to do. She didn’t come across as a typical Hollywood person. She seemed genuine to the people that she met. I didn’t understand how she could leave Cole a month before the wedding. That was the only time I thought she was selfish. But, when it was revealed why she left and who was behind it, then I understood. My feelings about her being selfish went away, and I pitied her. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I did like Cole, but I didn’t get as good as a connection to him. His chapters were introduced rather late in the book. Don’t get me wrong; he was excellent for Aubrey. I felt that something was missing on my end. I wish I could explain it. But I can’t.

Love, Again was a perfect fit into the romance category. Being a second chance romance, I didn’t have an issue with Cole and Aubrey falling in love . Usually, I would be screaming “Instalove,” but in this case, it wasn’t. Aubrey and Cole had a history. They knew they were soulmates. So, yeah, I had no issue with them saying the “L” word as soon as they did in the book.

Aubrey and Cole’s romance was relatable to me. They were soul mates that separated. It did take them ten years, but once they got back together, it was almost like they were never apart. Their love for each other came off the pages.

The sexual tension and chemistry between Aubrey and Cole were steaming hot. From the minute they saw each other, I could see the zings. The author did have them have sex shortly after they saw each other. Again, something that would bother me, but in this case, it didn’t. The sex was red hot. The author was able to keep the sexual tension going, which made every single sex scene amazing.

I did have a small complaint. If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, then you know how I feel about the characters having unprotected sex. I know that Aubrey and Cole were soulmates but to go bareback after ten years? Yeah, no thank you.

I did have the ending figured out. I had it figured out when Aubrey and Cole went to Turk and Caicos. Of course, I liked how the book ended up. It was the ultimate HEA. But I thought that Aubrey took an unnecessary risk cliff jumping. The epilogue was my favorite part of the book. I was hoping for an Emilia/Bennet book, but from what I read, that isn’t happening.

The author did a fantastic job at wrapping up all the plotlines in Love, Again. There was no lag in the plot. All the storylines were wrapped up, which meant that there were no dropped storylines or characters. I liked that the author took events that happened at the beginning of the book and tied it in to the end. For some reason, that made me happy.

I would give Love, Again an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Love, Again. I would recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Love, Again.

All opinions stated in this review of Love, Again are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read Love, Again?

What are your feelings on it?

Second chance romances?

Love them or hate them?

Let me know!!

Prince of Persuasion (The Novi Navarro Chronicles: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

Prince of Persuasion (The Novi Navarro Chronicles Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

4.5 Stars

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: March 5th, 2019

Series: The Novi Navarro Chronicles

Prince of Persuasion—Book 1

Crown of Contempt—Book 2 (expected publication date: June 3rd, 2019)

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Where you can find Prince of Persuasion: Amazon | BookBub

Book Synopsis:

A dying king…
A dynasty in danger…
A prince with one duty: secure the succession!

Created when they intermingled with demons, the dark elves of Sinaryos have come to rely on humans to keep their race alive. The royal family is no exception, with a king on the verge of death, a court riddled with spies, and a broken line of succession. Despite everything working against him, Prince Fallon Blackwood has met all the demands of the crown for nearly a hundred years… except for one!

After avoiding this obligation for too long, the time has come for him to take a harem and prove that he’s capable of continuing his family’s bloodline and ensuring their control of the throne. But underneath his cool and calm exterior, Fallon secretly yearns for a much different life than the one he was born into…

Novi Navarro is a working-class barmaid who’s used to running her tavern and running her mouth. When she gets assigned to Prince Fallon’s harem by mistake, she thinks it’s a complete joke. She makes a deal with Fallon for them to both get what they want from this administrative oversight. But when members of the Blackwood Court discover her true identity, she quickly learns that she must beat them at their game… or die…

Can I tell you all how excited I was to read this book. I love fantasy. I love romance. When there is a book that brings the two genres’ together, I almost always pick it up to read. When I was approached to review Prince of Persuasion, I accepted immediately. I am glad I did because this book was fantastic.

I loved Novi in this book. She took nothing from anyone. Well, except her boss/landlord and that was because she had to. She did try to fix the administrative mistake, but no one would listen to her. Novi had a bit of snark to her as well. I was dying when she made eye contact with Fallon while thinking about him. She didn’t know that he could read her mind, which made the dance that happened right afterward even more amusing. I also died laughing when she thought that Fallon and Cedric were “together.” Let’s not forget her helping Fallon by spreading the rumor that he finished fast. I. Was. Dying. At that point, she became one of my favorite heroines.

I felt terrible for Fallon. He had to deal with a scheming mother, a brother who was plotting against him, and a father who was dying. On top of that, he had his duties as Crown Prince. One of which was to produce an heir. So, when Fallon is introduced in the book, he is not happy about being forced to procreate and take a harem. At first, I thought Fallon was a jerk. But he became less jerklike as the book went on. By the end of the book, I loved him.

The sex scenes were hot. I did laugh, though, when Novi first saw Fallon’s member. Her reaction would be one of any woman seeing something that big. I liked that the author built up Novi and Fallon’s sexual relationship too. So when they did have sex, it was hot. The author was able to keep that going through the rest of the book.

It took me a while to figure out that Prince of Persuasion was set in the same universe as the Anika Brisby series. I am not giving anything away, but I made the connection to a particular character in The Darkest of Dreams (not Talvi!!).

I could not stand Queen Laena. For a race who depended on humans to keep their race going, she didn’t like humans. There was mention of her past, and that made me wonder what she was hiding.

Tristan was also on my list. I couldn’t decide if he was going along with Queen Laena because he wanted her approval or if he was concerned for Fallon. Still, after what he did to Callie and what happened at the end of the book, he ended up on my list.

The end of the book frustrated me. I can’t stand cliffhangers. But it did its job. I need to read the next book.

I would give Prince of Persuasion an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Prince of Persuasion. I would recommend this book to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Prince of Persuasion.

The Promise by Teresa Driscoll

4 Stars

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of publication: February 7th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find The Promise: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Book synopsis:

The chilling new psychological thriller from the #1 bestselling author of I Am Watching You.

It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.

Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.

But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol – before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.

Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.

But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise

My Review:

Beth, Sally, and Carol became best friends when they met in boarding school. Their friendship was tested one fateful night when something horrible happened. Something that they vowed never to speak of again.

Thirty years later, the boarding school is being demolished. Terrified that their secret will be exposed, Beth and Sally try to contact Carol. Instead, Beth is warned to leave it alone. She is finally ready to face the past. But someone doesn’t want the past brought up. Someone is prepared to kill to keep the secret. But who is it? And what lengths will they go to ensure Sally and Beth stay quiet?

The plotline of The Promise did take some time getting going. Like I said in my WWW Wednesday post, I wasn’t a fan of the book at first. There was so much going on that I had an issue keeping storylines/characters straight. The author merged everything down to two main storylines. What happened to the girls at boarding school in the past and what was happening to them in the present. She was able to merge the two at the end of the book.

My dislike of Beth didn’t turn to like immediately. But, she acknowledged that she needed help. She also knew that telling people about the secret would be a weight lifted off her shoulders. I didn’t like how she handled what Carol told her. I thought that she could have handled it better. But when push came to shove, she was there for Carol.

Carol sideswiped me. I was with the majority of people in the book. I thought that Carol was being a snot. Talk about something that came out of left field. I also was taken aback by her confession to Beth in the hotel room. Again, out of left field.

I liked Sally. The secret she had to keep affected her more than she let on. Her home life when she was younger was awful. The tidbits that she told Matthew and what I read in Beth’s flashback, she didn’t have it good. I did have a good cry about her news at the end of the book. All I have to say about that is that she deserved it.

The Promise fit right in with the mystery/thriller/suspense genre. The author was a master at throwing out red herrings and false leads. I would have never of guessed at who was sending the messages to Beth and who ran Adam off the road. Never would have guessed at all. And what happened at the end of the book. That all came out of the blue for me.

The end of The Promise was one of the more intense ones that I have read to date. The author had a couple of huge plot twists thrown in there that made me go “WTH.” Like I mentioned above, I didn’t see them coming. I also liked that the author was able to wrap up all the storylines. Everyone got what they deserved and then some. Loved it!!

I would give The Promise an Adult rating. There is language. There is violence. There are mentions of sexual acts but no graphic sex.

I would reread The Promise. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Promise.

All opinions stated in this review of The Promise are mine.

Have you read The Promise?

What were your thoughts on it?

What are your thoughts on huge twists in stories?

Let me know?

The Girl He Used To Know by Tracey Garvis Graves

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: April 2nd, 2019

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Where you can find The Girl He Used To Know: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Annika (rhymes with Monica) Rose is an English major at the University of Illinois. Anxious in social situations where she finds most people’s behavior confusing, she’d rather be surrounded by the order and discipline of books or the quiet solitude of playing chess.

Jonathan Hoffman joined the chess club and lost his first game–and his heart–to the shy and awkward, yet brilliant and beautiful Annika. He admires her ability to be true to herself, quirks and all, and accepts the challenges involved in pursuing a relationship with her. Jonathan and Annika bring out the best in each other, finding the confidence and courage within themselves to plan a future together. What follows is a tumultuous yet tender love affair that withstands everything except the unforeseen tragedy that forces them apart, shattering their connection and leaving them to navigate their lives alone.

Now, a decade later, fate reunites Annika and Jonathan in Chicago. She’s living the life she wanted as a librarian. He’s a Wall Street whiz, recovering from a divorce and seeking a fresh start. The attraction and strong feelings they once shared are instantly rekindled, but until they confront the fears and anxieties that drove them apart, their second chance will end before it truly begins.

My review:

Annika was not expecting to fall in love when she met Jonathan. Shy and anxious in new situations, Annika keeps to herself. Annika has issues with personal relationships. She finds most people challenging to be around. But not Jonathan. He loves her for her quirks. Their relationship is perfect until a tragedy forces Annika and Jonathan apart.

Ten years later and ten years wiser, Jonathan reunites with Annika in Chicago. Jonathan realizes that his feelings for Annika never went away. Annika comes to the same realization, and they restart their relationship. Will their relationship be as strong as the first time? Or will another tragedy stop it before it can begin?

When I started reading The Girl He Used To Know, I didn’t know what to think about it. The book is told from two different 1st person perspectives. It is also told in two different time periods. In my experience, those two things do not go well together. I usually have issues following these types of storylines. I didn’t have those issues with The Girl He Used To Know.

I loved the storyline that revolved around Annika. I did guess that she had autism early in the story. I have a nephew who is non-verbal autistic, and he shares many of the earmarks that Annika did. What I also enjoyed was seeing how far Annika came from college. There was a point in the book where I thought she would give up.

I liked Jonathan. I did have my doubts about what his intentions were when he first started hanging out with Annika. But as their love story deepened, I could see that he cared about her. He never pushed her past her limits. By the end of their college romance, I was in tears. I didn’t want them to break up.

I do want to give some attention to Annika’s friendship with Janice. It was even more amazing that Janice chose to become Annika’s protector on campus. That scene where she saved Annika from a potential gang rape was short of amazing. Janice became my hero.

I thought that Annika and Jonathan’s romance was one of the sweetest romances that I have read. I couldn’t wait to see what the next step would bring. I was devastated when they broke up (and why they broke up too). When they reunited in Chicago, I did have my doubts if they would rekindle their relationship. And I was happy when they did.

The end of The Girl He Used to Know gave me chills. I am not going to get into what happened, but it was tragic. What Annika did and her determination to find Jonathan made me cry. I was a little confused by the last line of the book. It was the only thing that made zero sense to me. While I knew what it was referring to, I didn’t understand why it was at the end of the book.

I gave The Girl He Used to Know a 4-star rating. This was a well-written book that had me in tears. The characters were relatable. The plot-lines were well written. The only complaint I had about the book was the end. It made no sense to me.

I would give The Girl He Used to Know an Adult rating. There is sex (but not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be bullying, attempted rape and drug use. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Girl He Used to Know. I would also reccomend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Girl He Used to Know.

All opinion stated in this review of The Girl He Used to Know are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Have you read The Girl I Used to Know?

Love it?

Hate it?

Meh about it?

Let me know!!!

Breaking His Rules By Aliza Mann

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: April 2nd, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Breaking His Rules: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

An international playboy finds true love in a sexy new standalone contemporary romance from Aliza Mann.

Ashton Lyle is a man in control. His rules are simple:
Discipline.
Hard work.
No deviation.
And lucky for him no one is able to resist his mega-watt smile, dazzling wit, sexy British accent, and ability to manipulate any situation in business . . . and in bed.
That is, until he meets a woman with rules of her own.

Terra Ellis is a self-made woman who knows what she wants.
A successful entrepreneur, she has worked hard to cultivate an impeccable image.
A tumultuous relationship with her ex-husband has reinforced her drive but it has also made her question serious relationships.
After all, a busy woman has no time for romance.
That is, until Terra meets a man who sees through her façade.

Ashton and Terra are about to discover that some rules were made to be broken. . . .

My Review:

When I started reading Breaking His Rules, I was a little put off by Ashton’s rules. I will give everyone a breakdown of his rules to dating. I thought that they were ridiculous. I also want to remind everyone that I am taking the rules from an ARC. The wording might change.

1. Never pick the prettiest woman. They’re usually merely a pretty face, have no real power, and are high maintenance or looking for more than what one has to give. No, the pretty girls will ruin your chances at playing the field. The less attractive friends always want attention and will be far more appreciative in the long run.
2. Don’t think of her as a one-night stand. Think of her as a new friend you can call at 3 a.m. asking to come round her place.
3. No discussing family history.
4. No deep conversations that linger into the wee hours. Keep things light. Airy. Like fresh laundry on a clothesline in the spring.
5. Never treat a woman poorly. Be distant instead. Not too distant, though. It’s a fine line after all.
6. Whatever you do, don’t hang out until the next morning. It gives the wrong impression. No need to contradict the aloof vibe you’ve perfected.
7. No actual dates of Friday or Saturday, as these are universally known as couples nights.
8. No consecutive days of seeing one another, either.
9. No sharing of clothing items.
10. No taking personal items to one another’s homes.
Ashton Lyle’s Playbook

Can you see why I thought they were ridiculous? But, at the same time, I did see the humor and truth in them. I dated (and remained friends) with a few guys who had different versions of Ashton’s Playbook.

I did like Ashton. I loved seeing his character evolved throughout the book. He went from being an emotionless lady killer to someone who broke all his own rules to be with Terra. What I liked, even more, was that he was able to move past his horrible childhood and make peace with it.

I loved Terra. Like Ashton, I liked seeing her character’s growth in the book. I did understand why she stayed to herself, why she was afraid to let people get to her. Baggage like she had can do that to people.

I loved that Breaking His Rules was an interracial cougar romance. I have read interracial romances (one of my favorite subgenres to read). I have read a couple of cougar romances. But them together, nope. This book was my first one, and I want more!!

The author did a fantastic job of building up the sexual tension between Terra and Ashton. She kept stroking the flames so when they had sex, it was terrific. But, what impressed me even more, was that she kept sexual tension up the entire book. What I also liked is that she had Terra be sexually adventurous. Light bondage and public sex were a theme in Breaking His Rules.

The only thing that I didn’t like about Breaking His Rules was Marcus. He made my skin crawl. I know the author kept true to what happens in the real world. It still didn’t lessen my shock and horror about what he did. I wished he hadn’t been in the story. But I do understand why the author chose to have him there. She wanted to show us what Terra was up against and what she came from.

I had the same feelings about Ashton and his father. I did think that Terra overstepped her bounds. But, if something like that happened to one of my kids, I would want to know. Her doing that did open a line of communication between Ashton and his father.

The end of Breaking His Rules was perfect. The author did a great job of wrapping up all the storylines. I loved the HEA!!! It made me happy to read that.

I would give Breaking His Rules an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Breaking His Rules. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Breaking His Rules.

All opinions stated in this review of Breaking His Rules are mine.

Have you read Breaking His Rules?

What are your thoughts?

Did you/do you have rules like Ashton when you are dating?

Let me know.

Trusting the Billionaire: A Marriage of Convenience Romance (The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride: Book 3) by Cynthia Savage

Trusting The Billionaire: A Marriage Of Convenience Romance (The Billionaire's Reluctant Bride Book 3) by [Savage, Cynthia]

4 Stars

Publisher: C.J. Anaya Publishing LLC

Date of publication: March 26th, 2019

Genre: romance

Series: The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride

Crushing on the Billionaire—Book 2

Trusting the Billionaire—Book 3

Where to find Trusting the Billionaire: Amazon

Book synopsis:

A jaded divorcee and a lovelorn billionaire get a second chance at romance.

Audrey Wilson is convinced love is a pipe dream, and she has the divorce decree to prove it. Not to mention a failing non-profit facility full of battered and abused women. When her best friend gets her heart broken by a guy who claims a dating coach taught him how to play women, Audrey is ready to confront this coach and make him pay.

And she has a hunch he’s none other than brainy billionaire Asher Weston.

Asher has a bad case of unrequited love that goes all the way back to his high school days. When one of his clients blackmails him, forcing him to find a wife on a deadline, he’s ready to give up on living happily ever after with the woman of his dreams.

Until she unexpectedly waltzes into his office.

A marriage of convenience gets him the wife he needs—and the woman he’s always loved. For Audrey, this platonic arrangement affords her non-profit some financial security while she secretly sets out to prove Asher is the mastermind behind her bestie’s heartache.

Can Asher and Audrey overcome a jealous secretary, a dangerous ex, and their own insecurities to build a future together?

My review

I have been in a rut when it has come to reading romance novels. I was getting bored with the same old plotlines used over and over again. It was getting to the point where I was avoiding read any romance novel I had in my waiting to be reviewed pile. Which meant Trusting the Billionaire got pushed to the back of my list. I kept doing that until I missed the publication date.

I feel bad now that I have read the book. Trusting the Billionaire was not what I thought it was going to be. I was expecting a book that was heavy on the sex and light on the plot. Instead, the book I read was the complete opposite. No sex (yes, you read that right) and a fantastic plotline!!

I liked how the author chose to portray domestic violence. She didn’t sugarcoat it. She didn’t make it disappear. What Audrey went through with her ex-husband, unfortunately, is something that millions of women go through each year. Even the escalation of Duke’s stalking after six years was true to life.

I liked Audrey’s strength and her passion for her non-profit. She did annoy me. Her jealousy of Heifer was ridiculous. I did think she went overboard when her best friend got her heart broken. But, as I said at the beginning of the paragraph, I liked her.

I liked Asher too. But I got frustrated when he kept putting off telling Audrey who she was. There was a point in the book where I got mad and had to put the book down. I was ready to jump into the Kindle and shake him. But, I understood where he was coming from. He still suffered from confidence issues that began in high school.

I was a little “eh” with the storyline about The Love Coach. It didn’t do anything for me. I couldn’t understand how Audrey didn’t put two and two together with all the evidence that she saw. Like the tattoo matching the logo. Dead giveaway.

I also didn’t get how Audrey didn’t know that Lawrence and Asher were the same people. I understand that people change. But Asher knew things about her that only Lawrence would have. Like the dream wedding. That would have clued me in fast.

As I mentioned above, there is zero sex in this book. That made it such a refreshing read for me. There was plenty of chemistry and tension, but the author left it at that. I was able to use my imagination based on the steamy kisses that Asher and Audrey shared.

The end of Trusting the Billionaire was great. I liked how everything worked out for them. The three months later chapter was one of the best I have read. I got chills and teary-eyed reading it.

I would give Trusting the Billionaire an Adult rating. There is no sex. There is violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Trusting the Billionaire. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review Trusting the Billionaire.

All opinions stated in this review of Trusting the Billionaire are mine.

Have you read Trusting the Billionaire?

Did you like it?

Would you be able to date/marry someone who lied by omission about who he was?

Let me know.

The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton

3 Stars

Publisher: Harlequin-Graydon House Books (U.S. & Canada), Graydon House

Date of publication: March 26th, 2019

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find The Perfect Girlfriend: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

Juliette loves Nate. She will follow him anywhere. She’s even become a flight attendant for his airline, so she can keep a closer eye on him.

They are meant to be.

The fact that Nate broke up with her six months ago means nothing. Because Juliette has a plan to win him back. She is the perfect girlfriend. And she’ll make sure no one stops her from getting exactly what she wants.

True love hurts, but Juliette knows it’s worth all the pain…

My review

Juliette is in love with Nate. Does it matter that they had broken up six months earlier and Nate wants nothing to do with her? No. Because Juliette has a plan to win over Nate. And she will do anything to stick to the project and get Nate. Anything.

When I started reading The Perfect Girlfriend, I wasn’t expecting the main character to be crazy. I mean it, she was mad. I loved it!! This is the first book I have read that is told from the protagonist’s side. Again, loved it!! Juliette was the perfect antihero.

I will admit, I did feel bad for her. Juliette didn’t have the best life growing up. She was responsible for her 4-year-old brother at ten years old. When he fell into the pond and drowned, she was blamed. She became an outcast at school, with kids teasing her or ignoring her. Boarding school was no better. Bella and her friends bullied Juliette. Then, she was used by a mystery boy at the one party she went too. All those incidents helped shape her into a stalker. I thought to myself, at different points in the book, what if she got help when she was younger. What if she didn’t go to boarding school. Would she have turned out differently?

Nate bothered me. I couldn’t see what Juliette saw in Nate. There was zero personality. I didn’t see the appeal. He didn’t even treat her nice when they were dating. At the risk of repeating myself, what on earth did she see in him? Of course, it was revealed at the end of the book exactly what the appeal was.

Same goes with Bella. I didn’t understand why Juliette was stalking both Nate and Bella. Then it was mentioned that they were brother and sister. I then had a “Gotcha moment.” I still didn’t get the whole obsession with Bella until the end of the book. Then I was like “OOOOOO, makes sense now.“

stop ignoring me the magicians GIF by SYFY

I loved watching Juliette’s stalking escalate. She started small, breaking into Nate’s apartment/logging into his Facebook/getting a job where he worked. She went bigger, putting a spyware app on his phone and computer/showing up at events where Bella would be/bringing friends over to Nate’s apartment. When she went huge, she went huge. I’m not going to say what, but I was amazed that she was able to pull off what she did.

I was not thrilled with the end of the book. The book was excellent up to the last few chapters. Then it seemed like everything was rushed. I wasn’t expecting it to end the way it did. Saying that I was underwhelmed was an understatement. It was the ending that lowered my review from 4 stars to 3 stars.

I would give The Perfect Girlfriend an Adult rating. There are sex and mentions of sexual situations (nothing graphic). There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be bullying, stalking, the death of a sibling, and the death of a parent. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Perfect Girlfriend. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Perfect Girlfriend.

All opinions stated in this review of The Perfect Girlfriend are mine.

This review contains Amazon Associates links. If you click and buy, I receive a small commission.

The Secrets of Scroton Hall by Kate Carteret

The Secrets of Scorton Hall: An Historical Regency Romance Mystery by [Carteret, Kate]

4 Stars

Publisher: Dashing Dandies Publishing

Date of publication: March 21st, 2019

Genre: Romance, Mystery, Romance

Where you can find The Secret of Scroton Hall: Amazon

Synopsis:

A smart mystery with a slow-burning romance at its heart

When Lady Felicia Markham is jilted by the man she thought she would marry, Buckinghamshire is the last place she wants to be. A visit to her irreverent great-aunt, The Dowager Countess of Barton, is just what Lady Felicia needs to restore her old spirit.

Oxfordshire is just the ticket, despite her bossy aunt’s determination to match-make, and a surprise invitation to Scorton Hall, home of the Duke of Scorton, is a welcome treat.

With her aunt shamelessly trying to throw her onto the path of the dark and handsome Earl of Beaumont, Felicia is certain that love and romance are no longer for her; not even the sparkling blue eyes of the handsome Earl can tempt her.

But when the two are the first to discover the lifeless body of a murdered maid, they are thrown together in their attempt to unravel the Secrets of Scorton Hall.

Their determination to discover the truth of the murder of poor Daisy Marlow will take them on an adventure through Hertfordshire, the theatre world of Regency London, and finally, Scotland.

Can the Earl find love despite all that is revealed, and can Lady Felicia escape the pain of the past and let herself love again?

And when they finally uncover the secret, will it draw them together or drive them apart?

My Review:

Lady Felicia and her aunt Lady Barton have been invited to the wedding of the Duke of Scroton. Felicia wasn’t expecting to stumble upon a murder the day of the wedding. Horrified, Felicia makes it her mission to find out who the killer is. With help, Felicia chases leads throughout the English and Scottish countryside. Her helper? The Duke’s best friend, Jonathan Forbes. Can she find the killer? Will she lose her heart to Jonathan?

If you have been following this blog for any length time, then you know my love for historical romance. I like it all, but I have a love for romances taking place from Tudor to Victorian England. I also have been reading more mystery lately. Not psychological thrillers but plain mysteries. So when I was approached to review The Secret of Scroton Hall, I accepted. I am glad that I did!!

I enjoyed the mystery angle of the book. It was well written. The author did a great job of keeping both who the victim and the murderer was. I did have 1/3 of the murderer figured out. There was a twist with who the murderer was. As for the victim, I was stunned when that was revealed. The author did a fantastic job of keeping that under wraps too. I figured it out the same time Felicia did. We were both in the same amount of shock.

As for the romance angle of the book, I didn’t see anything until almost the end of the book. The author played down the romance until almost the end of the book. I was glad that the romance was understated. It would have taken away from the mystery angle of the book.

This was also a clean romance. Nothing explicit. There were a couple of kisses and that’s it. Again, I liked it. I have nothing against explicit romances. 90% of my reviews consist of explicit romance. But, ever no and again, I need a change of pace. It was refreshing to read The Secret of Scroton Hall and not have bodice ripping sex every other chapter.

I liked the main characters of The Secret of Scroton Hall. Felicia was a riot. Once she got her teeth into finding out who killed Daisy, she didn’t let go. The only thing that bothered me about her is that she came across as condescending towards the help. Calling everyone “dear” and acting surprised when the butler didn’t seem to care for her. I liked Jonathan also. He came across as a sweetheart.

The end of The Secret of Scroton Hall was excellent. Like I mentioned above, there were several twists in the plotline that took me by surprise. The epilogue was fantastic. I love HEA’s!!

I would give The Secret of Scroton Hall an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There are two kissing scenes that are tame. There is no language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would reread The Secret of Scroton Hall. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Secret of Scroton Hall.

All opinions stated in this review of The Secret of Scroton Hall are mine.

Have you read The Secret of Scroton Hall?

What were your thoughts on it?

Do you like to read mysteries?

Let me know!!

Play to Win (Wynn Hockey: Book 1) by Kelly Jamieson

Play to Win: A Wynn Hockey Novel by [Jamieson, Kelly]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: March 19th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Sports

Series: Wynn Hockey

Play to Win—Book 1

In It To Win It—Book 2 (expected publication date: July 23rd, 2019

Where you can find Play to Win: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

Meet the Wynns—a hockey dynasty built on family, money, and drama. From USA Today bestselling author Kelly Jamieson, the first novel in a new series is a total win-win.

“Kelly Jamieson is an auto-buy for me.”—Carly Phillips

After an injury forced Théo Wynn to give up professional hockey, he turned to his second love: numbers. Now, as the general manager of his grandfather’s NHL team, the Los Angeles Condors, Théo is dying to prove to the rest of his family—especially the brother who betrayed him—that he’s just as successful as the rest of them. If only Théo had a gorgeous woman on his arm to complete the picture. . . .

Lacey Olson needs to get out of Las Vegas right now, thanks to her no-good, crooked brother. When a handsome stranger who’s out partying with friends comes to her rescue in the cocktail lounge where she works, they strike up a conversation that leads to a crazy plan: her leaving with Théo for L.A. tomorrow. A few drinks later, the idea gets even crazier: a quickie marriage that works for both of them.

But back in California, Lacey immediately turns Théo’s precise, well-ordered life into one big beach party. And before long, she’s tempting him with her smart mouth, sexy body, and sunny charm. The last thing Théo needs is a real relationship to distract him. Because he only plays to win. . . .

My Review:

When I saw that Kelly Jamieson had a new series out, I was pumped. I was disappointed when the Aces Hockey series ended. I was also wondering when the next series was going to start. So, when I saw the book up for review on NetGalley, I pounced on it. I am glad that I did. Play to Win is an excellent start to what I hope is going to be an excellent series.

Theo Wynn was forced to give up professional hockey after an eye injury. Not to be deterred, he became the GM of an expansion hockey team based out of Las Vegas. Theo’s grandfather approached Theo with a job offer. Become the GM for his hockey team, the California Condors. Theo accepted the offer but was aware of the backlash that it would cause. When he meets Lacey and hears her story, Theo has a proposition for her. Become his “fake” wife to show his family that he made it. But can Theo keep Lacey at arms length? Or will he fall for her?

Lacey Olson is between a rock and a hard place. Her brother has stolen all the money in her checking account and disappeared. He also tries to pimp her out to his bookie to pay off his debt. She wasn’t expecting her brother’s bookie to show up at her job in a cocktail lounge. She wasn’t expecting the cute customer she was serving to step in and comfort her when she gets fired. She also wasn’t expecting to accept Theo’s crazy proposition. Or have a quickie Vegas wedding. Can Lacey go through with the charade? Or will she fall hard for Theo?

I liked Theo even if I thought he was too uptight. I understood why he didn’t want to jump in the pool with his clothes on. But I didn’t understand why he was so anal about suitcase packing. His horror in watching Lacey pack was amusing. I did enjoy watching his character grow in this book. He went from an uptight, grudge holding guy to a more laid back version of himself. Lacey was good for him.

I loved Lacey. She was one of the most easy going, go with the flow characters that I have read. Not that she didn’t have issues. Because she did. It was the way that she chose to deal with her issues that endeared her to me. She chose to look at the sunny side of things. Even her relationship with her brother (who I didn’t like). But, she wasn’t a pushover. She ruled when she met Theo’s ex. I did a “You go girl“.

Theo’s family wasn’t perfect. They were dysfunctional. Of course, not every family has a suggested gold-digger. Or sons’ suing their father. Or brother’s stealing girlfriends. But that’s what made this book fun to read.

Unfortunately Lacey’s family was all too realistic. Having an addict in your life is draining, emotionally and financially. The author was able to capture it perfectly.

I liked that Play to Win is a romance that didn’t have Instalove. Sure, Theo and Lacey got married the night they met. But the author chose to make up for that by having them build their relationship. Loved it!!

The sex scenes were steamy, once they had sex. I did roll my eyes when Theo and Lacey made the “no sex” pact. That screamed that they were going to have sex, but not right away. When they finally did bump uglies, it was explosive. I also liked how the author had Theo be on the receiving end of something kinky. That sex scene was through the roof!!

I loved the ending of Play to Win. Handsdown, it was one of the better endings that I have read. The talk that JP gave Theo was epic. What Lacey was knitting was epic. Actually, I was laughing my fool head off at that. Then I went to google it. Note to self: Never google that again. Images are forever seared into my brain. But it was the epilogue that made the book. Loved it. I also loved how it set up Book 2. Which I can’t wait to read.

I would give Play to Win an Adult rating. There is sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Play to Win. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Play to Win.

All opinions stated in this review of Play to Win are mine.

Have you read Play to Win?

What are your thoughts on it?

Do you like reading about dysfunctional families?

Let me know!!

Inspection by Josh Malerman

3 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Ray

Date of publication: March 19th, 2019

Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Where you can find Inspection: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

J is a student at a school deep in a forest far away from the rest of the world.

J is one of only twenty-six students, all of whom think of the school’s enigmatic founder as their father. J’s peers are the only family he has ever had. The students are being trained to be prodigies of art, science, and athletics, and their life at the school is all they know—and all they are allowed to know.

But J suspects that there is something out there, beyond the pines, that the founder does not want him to see, and he’s beginning to ask questions. What is the real purpose of this place? Why can the students never leave? And what secrets is their father hiding from them?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, in a school very much like J’s, a girl named K is asking the same questions. J has never seen a girl, and K has never seen a boy. As K and J work to investigate the secrets of their two strange schools, they come to discover something even more mysterious: each other.

My review:

I was super excited to read Inspection. I had read the blurb and thought to myself “This seems like it is going to be a good book.” Then I started reading it. All I can say is that the book was a huge disappointment.

The plot of Inspection was interesting at first. I thought that the whole premise of the book was interesting. Then it became stale. It faltered about halfway through the book, when K’s storyline was introduced. K’s storyline was the same as J’s. The only difference was the timeline. K’s storyline started off earlier than J’s. Which meant she knew things before J. It was meh to me. Not bad, not good. Just meh.

I did like the kids. J’s confusion over what he read in the book was realistic. As was his anger and disappointment when he realized that D.A.D. wasn’t who he thought he was. K’s determination to find the other tower was great to read also. What she did once she was there set the stage for the rest of the book. The other kids (the rest of the Alphabet Boys and Letter Girls) were well written also.

D.A.D. was an egotistical maniac. His mood swings dominated J’s storyline. The deeper into the book I got, the more the experiment unravel, the more unhinged he became. I didn’t like it. It didn’t sit well with. As for M.O.M., I wasn’t impressed with her either. The main reason was her before scenes. When she met D.A.D. and hatched the plan for the school. She was condescending and it drove me nuts. The other adults made me angry. They saw what was going on. They knew what being sent to the Corner meant. And they still did nothing. Oh, they were sad. There were several passages where people looked at the kids with sadness in their eyes. But they didn’t act. Drove me nuts reading that.

I didn’t get the need for the inspections at first. I couldn’t understand why the boys and girls had to be inspected every morning. But, as the book went on, I started to understand. I won’t say why because it would be a major spoiler.

I thought that the way kept the kids in line was awful. They told the kids that the outside world had diseases. Made up diseases. Diseases that sounded like Harry Potter spells. They also threatened to put them in the Corner. The kids were terrified of the Corner. Why? Because the 2 boys and 1 girl put in the Corner never came back. And they were reminded of that daily.

The end of Inspection underwhelmed me. What ended up happening, I expected. I was interested in the letter that was at the very end of the book. But other than that, I was meh about it. There were certain things that were left up in the air. Things that should have been explained.

I would give Inspection an Older Teen rating. There is no sex. There is swearing. There is language. I would suggest that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I am on the fence if I would reread Inspection. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Inspection.

All opinions stated in this review of Inspection are mine.

Have you read Inspection?

What were your thoughts on it?

Social experiments? What are your thoughts?

Let me know!!

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A smart mystery with a slow-burning romance at its heart

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