Category: NetGalley

Always Be True: Tino (A Sergeant Joe’s Boys Novel: Book 2) by Alexis Morgan

Always Be True: Tino: A Sergeant Joe's Boys Novel by [Morgan, Alexis]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group- Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: October 4th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Sergeant Joe’s Boys

Always For You: Jack – Book 1

Always Be True: Tino – Book 2

Love, Always and Forever: Mikhail – Book 3 (expected publication date March 14th 2017)

Where to find this book:  Amazon

Book Synopsis:

When Sergeant Joe and his wife, Marlene, adopted Tino Gianelli as a teenager, the foster kid began to heal from his deep insecurities. Now, with a successful military career behind him and a good job as a contractor in the family construction business, Tino shouldn’t have any reason to doubt himself. He’s fallen hard for a beautiful heiress, and she seems to be crazy about him too. So why does he keep trying to hide his working-class roots?

Natalie Kennigan’s ideal guy is someone who will consider her an equal and his best friend, not merely a box to check on the road to success. Tino—with his down-to-earth personality, generous heart, and passionate embrace—might just be the one, at least until he finds out about Natalie’s family money and starts treating her like the typical rich girl who needs to be wined and dined. Natalie will have none of it. She won’t be happy until he accepts her for who she truly is—just as she wants to love the real Tino.

My review:

I liked this book. It is refreshing to read a book where the characters don’t sleep together after first meeting each other. The author chose to take it sweet and slow with them. There was Instalust but not Instalove. Instead, the author had them do a slow burn until the end. Like I said, refreshing.

I loved Tino. He was sweet and full of insecurities about his relationship with Natalie. Instead of being himself, he tried to be something he wasn’t, which drove me bonkers.

Natalie, I liked too. She was wealthy, and her parents/grandfather were super wealthy. She didn’t flaunt it though. She was down to earth and funny. I thought she was cute when she first met Tino.

There were some storylines that were dropped. The storyline about her obsessive ex, Benton was a main one. A big deal was made out of people wanting her and Benton getting back together. Nothing was mentioned after the ball. The storyline was dropped. I was waiting for him to do something stalkerish until the end of the book.

Natalie’s bad luck with power tools were mentioned once or twice and then dropped. I thought that the author would have made it a running joke.

Natalie and Tino made a great couple. The author had them go on 3-4 dates before they had sex. I felt that they had more of a connection. I did love the pom-pom reference before the first sex scene. It made me giggle.

This is book 2 in a series. I would suggest that you read book one if you want info on Jack and his family. This is not a standalone book.

The ending was cute, and I loved the epilogue.

How many stars will I give Always Be True: Tino? 2.5/3

Why? This would be great as a beach/pool book. The plot was solid, to a point, and the characters engaging. There was a problem with one of the sub-storylines just being let go in the middle of the book, which really threw me off for the rest of the book. Also, the plot lagged and almost lost my attention.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

Why? Language, sex scenes and a pretty descriptive mugging scene

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Highland Chieftain (Murray Family: Book 21) by Hannah Howell

Highland Chieftain (The Murrays Book 21) by [Howell, Hannah]

Publisher: Kensington Books, Zebra

Date of publication: September 27th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: The Murray Family, Book 21

Highland Destiny – Book 1

Highland Honor – Book 2

Highland Promise – Book 3

Highland Vow – Book 4

Highland Knight – Book 5

Highland Bride – Book 6 (Also Book 1 of the Macenroy series)

Highland Angel – Book 7

Highland Groom – Book 8 (Also Book 2 of the Macenroy series)

Highland Warrior – Book 9 (Also Book 3 of the Macenroy series)

Highland Conqueror – Book 10

Highland Champion – Book 11 (Also Book 2 of the Cameron series)

Highland Lover – Book 12 (Also Book 3 of the Cameron series)

Highland Barbarian – Book 13

Highland Savage – Book 14

Highland Wolf – Book 15

Highland Sinner – Book 16

Highland Protector – Book 17

Highland Avenger – Book 18

Highland Master – Book 19

Highland Guard – Book 20

Highland Chieftain – Book 21

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

The Murrays are back in this thrilling new tale from New York Times bestselling author Hannah Howell . . .
 
Responsible for protecting her younger siblings from their abusive father, Bethoc Matheson is in no position to rescue another soul in Scotland. Yet when she sees a bleeding man on the verge of drowning, that’s exactly what she does, securing him safely in a cave where she can return day after day to tend to his wounds.
 
Sir Callum MacMillan can scarcely believe such a slight lass as Bethoc could save him from the grasp of death. But he knows the telltale marks of an angry fist on her skin, and he knows she has the soul of a fighter within her feminine frame. Raised to be a protector of the weak by his Murray clansmen, Callum would prefer to be the one saving her—and save her, he will. If he can first survive the treacherous attack that led him into her irresistible arms . . .

My review:

Bethoc is a young woman who is a slave and punching bag to her father. Her mother died in childbirth and  Bethoc took her place. She was afraid that it was going to turn sexual because he was starting to look at her like a woman and not a daughter. She protected her six younger siblings from him, including Margaret, a precocious 2-year-old. Bethoc’s mother died giving birth to Margaret. She made her promise to take care of her and never let her out of her sight. Bethoc has followed her orders.

One day, she is walking the shores of the loch by her land, and she finds a man on the beach, half drowned and with a broken leg. After she makes sure he was safe, she helps him to a local cave and sets his leg. She leaves him, goes home, and finds out that her father acquired another child. Her father would bring home boys that were orphaned or living on the street. He would have them work in his fields in exchange for a roof over their heads and food. In total, there were six boys, with ages ranging from 6 to 16. The newest boy was very young, around 4.

Between stepping between her father and the boys and taking care of Margaret, Bethoc has no time for herself. She stretches herself even thinner when she decides that she is going to nurse the man she found back to health. While she is doing that, she finds out that he is looking for a little boy who had been kidnapped. Also that his name is Callum MacMillan of the Murray Clan. He seduces Bethoc on the one rare occasion that she left Margaret with the oldest of the boys.

Once Callum’s men find him, they are planning on taking him and the boy back to Murray land. Callum decides that he is going to take Bethoc, her sister and the boys back with him. When Bethoc went back to the house to gather up the boys, she witnesses the murder of her father. When she returns to bury him, she is arrested by the sheriff of the village for his murder.

I am not going to go into what happens after that but let’s say that things get hairy for Bethoc.

I felt horrible for her. She had so many things go wrong in such a short time that I thought while reading the book, why can’t things go right for her. But things did end up changing for her about halfway through the book, and that’s when I felt like cheering.

I do think that her “witchy powers” (i.e., her sixth sense) should have been mentioned in the first half of the book. Introducing it halfway through confused me. But in a way, it worked.

I liked Callum. The more I learned about him the more I liked him. He went through a lot when he was a boy and made tremendous strides to get over it. He was candid with Bethoc about what happened to him (if you want to know, read the book). That scene in the book made me cry.

Bethoc and Callum’s relationship was pretty much sex from the get-go. No Instalove on either side. The feelings were there. They grew to the point where Bethoc was in love with Callum, and well, he didn’t know what he was with her. For being back in the day, their relationship was pretty modern. He refused to call her his mistress. But he also declined to put a name on their relationship until he was called out on it.

The sex scenes in the book were perfect. Enough detail is given to keep your imagination going. But not so it crossed that boundary into erotica. The only complaint I had was when Callum deflowered Bethoc. There was no build up accept a couple of kisses and then, bam; he was on top of her telling her what he was going to do.

The ending was perfect, and I loved the epilogue!!!

*I do want to note also that this is 100% a standalone book, even if it is #21 in a series!!!

How many stars will I give Highland Chieftain? 3.5-4

Why? A wonderfully written Scottish romance. I did have a small issue with the dialogue (it was written how Scottish people actually talked back then). Other than that, an engrossing read.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex (not graphic), Violence, attempted drowning and attempted rape

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Girl Number One by Jane Holland

Girl Number One: A gripping page-turner with a twist by [Holland, Jane]

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Date of publication: September 27th, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

There’s a body in the woods. At least, there was. Eleanor Blackwood saw it on her morning run: a young woman, strangled to death.

But the police can find nothing—no body, no sign of a crime—and even Ellie has to wonder if it was a trick of her mind, a gruesome vision conjured up by grief. It’s eighteen years to the day since she witnessed her own mother’s murder on the same woodland spot. But what if she really did see what she thinks she saw? What if the body was left there for Ellie alone to find?

And there’s one detail Ellie can’t shake: a deliberate number three on the dead woman’s forehead. When she discovers a second body, this one bearing the number two, Ellie is convinced they are not messages but threats. The killer is on a countdown: but who is girl number one?

My review:

Eleanor was six years old when she saw her mother’s murder on a path in the woods by her farm. She was so traumatized that she couldn’t remember who the murderer was. Even though she looked him right in the face. She spent years in therapy trying to remember who the “shadow man” was.

Her childhood from that day on wasn’t that great. Her dad turned into an alcoholic mess. She struggled with the stigma of being the girl who couldn’t remember her mother’s murderer. She went to university with the plan to stay away. She ended up coming back and teaching physical education at one of the primary schools in the area.

Her life is going great, and she decides to take a run on the path in the woods where her mother was murdered. During her run, she sees that the main path is blocked off. The secondary path, the one her mother was killed on, is the only one available. Going down that path, she feels like someone or something is watching her. Then she stumbles upon a body of a naked woman with the number 3 on her forehead. Upset, she books it out of the woods and calls the police. Only to find the body has disappeared and people are looking at her like she has lost it. Even her father says as much before telling her to leave and never come back to see him again.

Not going to go into the rest of the book but it was great and kept me guessing who the killer was. I did think that I had him/her pegged at one point in the book. Boy, I was wrong.

I did feel bad for Ellie, but she was immature. Her temper seemed to get the best of her at times. Body slamming the student who was being rude to her and calling her a freak was a little much. I was shocked that she only got talked to and not fired.

The ending was fantastic. So much was revealed, though, that my head was spinning.

How many stars will I give Girl Number One? 3-3.5

Why? While it was a great psychological thriller, I was a little taken aback by Ellie’s immaturity and the fact that she acted like she was 19 (she is 24 in the book). It took away from the book, in my eyes.

Will I reread? yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, drinking, violence

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

A Line Too Far by B.C. Colman

A Line Too Far: Australia is invaded by [Colman, B. C.]

Publisher: The Liberty Publishing Company

Date of publication: September 26th, 2016

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Politics

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

It’s a line too far and they’ve crossed it

Chinese commandos in a lightning raid have seized the vast, under-populated, resource-rich lands of Northern Australia. Thousands of Australian soldiers are held hostage. International realpolitik has left Australia abandoned by its supposed allies and its brittle social fabric is rapidly unwinding as the people panic.

A Chinese ultimatum demands the annexation of the country’s top half in ten days, or face a full scale invasion. 

As other politicians clamour to sue for peace, Prime Minister, Gary Stone, in a desperate race against time and impossible military and political odds must commit to a risky and controversial plan to try and free the country …

My review:

I was undecided about this book when I was reading the email that featured it. I am not a huge fan of war/spy books but will read them. I read them because they makes me feel closer to my grandfather, who died in June of 2015. He was always reading, and he loved that genre. That is what  made me chose this book.

I was prepared not to like the book and trudge through it. I ended up liking it. The beginning was bumpy, but once it ironed out and the book picked up the pace, it was a delightful read. I read it one day.

I did read reviews where people were complaining that this scenario is unrealistic. Hello, it’s a fiction book. Fiction. Everyone is entitled to their opinions but jeez.

As I said above, I thought it was a good and quick read. I learned more about how the Australian government works than I ever wanted to know. I thought the author did a realistic job of showing how people will panic when an event like this happens.

I was impressed with PM Stone’s, well, stones, as did his wife and most of his Cabinet members.

The author also dealt with the aftermath of what happened realistically too. I liked the ending because of how true to life it is.

I do think that this book would have been one that my grandfather would have liked.

How many stars will I give A Line Too Far: 3 1/2-4

Why? An action filled fast paced book that was great to read.

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Violence and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Tanza (The Astor Chronicles: Book 2) by Amanda Greenslade

Tanza - epic fantasy novel (The Astor Chronicles Book 2) by [Greenslade, Amanda]

Publisher: Tigerace Books

Date of publication: September 2nd, 2016

Series: The Astor Chronicles – Book 2

Talon – Book 1 

Tanza – Book 2

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Sarlice and I came to Tanza to escape from the Zeikas, and we were not prepared for a country on the brink of war. Where should our loyalties lie—to our home towns, to Tanza or to each other? 

The Zeikas have their fire magic, dragons and demons, but they lack the Kriite ability to communicate across vast distances using the waves. I know one thing—the skyearls will not give up Tanza without a fight. 

Soon I will have a skyearl of my own, and the miracle of flight along with it. I was slow to come into my powers in Jaria, but I was wrong to think Krii had no purpose for my life. They have a new name for me here in Tanza: Astor Talon.

‘Tanza’ is the second in “The Astor Chronicles”, a series of epic fantasy adventure novels for a new adult audience.

My review:

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a fantasy with a lot of action put in it and  is an easy read. This is a book that cannot be read alone. You need to read Talon first.

I had trouble understanding what was going on in the first couple of chapters. It seemed like Tanza immediately picks up where Talon left off. I was left to puzzle over what wavelengths were. I was confused and I do not like reading a book where I am confused.

I was thrilled that there is a glossary at the very end of the book. I was able to reread those chapters with a better understanding of what is going on. Also, kudos to her, including the glossary. It also had how to pronounce some of the names. I am a weirdo who likes to know how the names are said. I know I’m not the only one.

This book is filled with action, which started after Talon bonded with his skyearl. The Zeikas is an extremist religious group who are determined to kill anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Tanza is next on their list. Tanza is protected by a barrier. It does take the Zeikas a while before they succeed in breaching the barrier.

The battles in this book were impressive, on both ends. From the demons/conjurers/dragons on the Zeika side to the Anzaii/Rada-kin/skyearls on the Tanza side, the battles were epic. I couldn’t get enough of them.

The religious undertones of the book were right. Krii is, and I am going to assume this, like Jesus and the Zeikas are like Satan. The battles are a battle between good and evil, but the lines are blurred behind the Tanza lines too. There are extremists on both ends, and the extremists can cause a lot of harm (and they did in this book).

The ending of the book was a bit anticlimactic., I understood why the author wrote it this way. In no way did she end the battle between Tanza and the Zeikas with Tanza winning. They won one battle and drove the Zeikas away, for now. Who’s to say in the next book that the Zeikas will come back and take over the land?

I wasn’t expecting certain things to happen at the ending and was thrown for a loop when it did. But, thinking about it, there were huge red flags thrown up in the last chapters of the book. I shouldn’t have been that surprised.

How many stars will I give Tanza? 4

Why? A great fantasy book with well-written characters. If you didn’t read book 1, like me, I suggest you go and read it. If you don’t, then make use of the glossary at the end of the book.

Will I reread? Yes but after I read book 1

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes but will also suggest reading book 1 first

Age range: Adult

Why: No sex (but there is mention of rape and the threat of rape in the book) and lots of violence.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Lured In (Fishing For Trouble: Book 2) by Laura Drewry

Lured In: A Fishing for Trouble Novel by [Drewry, Laura]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: September 27 2016

Series: Fishing for Trouble

Off the Hook – Book 1

Lured In – Book 2

Where can you find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

The O’Donnell brothers continue to cast their lines and find love in this alluring romance from the bestselling author of Off the Hook (“A must-read for fans of second-chance love stories.”—Lauren Layne).

Seasick. That’s how Jessie Todd feels when her best friend and boss, Finn O’Donnell, tells her that the Buoys will be featured on a popular fishing program—which just so happens to be hosted by a guy she used to date. She’s still friendly with her ex, but her new feelings for Finn are making things . . . complicated. His life is out on the sea, and though Jessie works at the resort, her paralyzing phobia of water keeps her on land, where she’s safe. To take a shot with Finn, she’ll need to face her fears—and her innermost desires—head-on.

Finn has been nursing a crush on Jess for a long time, so when she suddenly asks for swimming lessons, he dives right in. Holding her shaking hand as she steps into the ocean makes his heart swell—despite the sinking feeling that she’s just doing it to impress that smarmy TV host. Finn doesn’t trust anyone with his bruised and battered heart, but he’ll be forced to lay it all on the line to keep Jess from being the one that got away.

My review:

This book is more profound than what the synopsis says. The backstories (Finn and Jessie’s) were complicated and heartbreaking. Finn was the last one to see his mother before she took off. He overheard her soul breaking words “Finn was a mistake.” He was seven at the time. He took years of physical abuse from his alcoholic father. That did a number on his self-confidence and self-esteem. Jessie holds herself responsible for the drowning death of her older sister. She had to deal with parents who stopped being there for her. My heart hurt for both of them.

Jessie was awesome. She was a wonderful character to read. She faced her fear of water on top of running the Buoys. She had such positivity to her that it radiated off the page. I loved it!!

Finn was such a down to earth guy and such a great friend to Jessie. He would do anything for her. When they did make that leap into having a relationship, he waited almost a month before having sex with her. He was her friend first, lover second.

The romance between the two of them was believable. Finn and Jessie were friends who fell into love and did it in such a gradual way that it grew on me. The sex was hot but not too descriptive. The author did not feel the need to describe everything that they were doing. Which was great because I got to use my imagination.

This book is the 2nd book in the series, though, and it did read like one. There were certain sections where I was left scratching my head and going “Huh.” I believe that if I read the first book, I would understand the nuances in this book better. So not a standalone novel.

The ending was what I expected. The twist I could see coming from the middle of the book. It was an excellent lead-in for the 3rd (Ronan’s) book.

How many stars will I give Lured In? 3.5/4

Why? I would call this a beach book. The plot was good, the characters great (even though Olivia annoyed me…btw, I would love to see an LGBT romance with her) and the romance was satisfying.

Will I recommend? Yes

Will I reread? Yes

Age Range: Adult

Why? Sex and language

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Woman In the Mirror (An Alexandra Mallory Novel) by Cathryn Scott

The Woman In the Mirror: (A Psychological Suspense Novel) (Alexandra Mallory Book 1) by [Grant, Cathryn]

Publisher: D2C Productions

Date of publication: July 1st, 2016

Where can you find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

Alexandra loves martinis and men. 

But she hates misogynists.

Men want her. 

Women like her, but they don’t always know why.

She has an insatiable curiosity and sometimes takes risks she shouldn’t.

Trying to escape the consequences of her risky behavior, she rents a room in a clifftop bungalow, where she finds herself caught in a web of deception and jealousy.

When she untangles the lies, she’s compelled to right a terrible wrong, even at the risk of revealing secrets of her own.

A hypnotic sociopath you can’t help but love.

A gripping, page-turning journey, peeling back more and more layers through tantalizing revelations of the past.

My review:

I couldn’t get into this book. I liked the blurb when I read it, plus that it was a psychological thriller drew me in. But once I started reading it, I couldn’t get into it.

It was Jared and Alexandra’s characters.

I know the author wanted Alexandra to be a strong, mysterious female lead. And in some ways, she was. The author did a great job of releasing key facts about Alexandra at the right moment in the book. What I didn’t get was Alexandra having sex with every single guy she came into contact. Everyone, except for Tom. It made Alexandra look like a slut than this mysterious person.

Jared’s character had promise in the book. I liked him in the beginning. He came across as this guy who got stressed out at work and needed to take a break. He then got stalked by his landlady. Which was fine until he got obsessed with Alexandra. Every chapter that was from his perspective was all about her and how much he needed her. I guess it was supposed to show how she casts her spell over men, but it showed how pathetic Jared was.

The story was ok. It kept me on my toes with following the various subplots. One subplot went back to her college days, one to right after she left college and then the couple in her present. The more I read, the more I realized how Alexandra sticks up for people that she perceives are the underdog.

The ending of the book was a surprise. The author did a great job of ending all the substory lines in the preceding chapters. I was shocked at how things ended. Despite saying that I couldn’t get into the book, in the beginning, I would like to read the next book. The way this book ended left it open for another book.

How many stars will I give The Woman In the Mirror? 3

Why? A good book but it lacked with the thriller part. Plus, I didn’t like the main character at all and thought the male main character was a bit of a wuss.

Will I reread? Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age range? Adult

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Serene (A Dr. Rachel E. Color-Me-Mystery: Book 1) by Jim Musgrave

Publisher: Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Member’s Titles

Date of publication: July 17th, 2016

Part of a series: Yes

Which series: Dr. Rachel E. Color-Me-Mystery

Serene – Book 1

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

This is the mystery that establishes Dr. Rachel Edelstein as a sleuth with a super-power. Raised on an ashram in California, she is molested by Guru Bhagwan Sharma, but he pays for her college education after her parents are found dead inside a lab working on a secret experiment called “Serene.”

While working as a psychiatrist in the Israeli Army, she treats two IDF soldiers who had also been members of the Omshanti ashram back home. When they are murdered in a strangely anti-Semitic way, and no DNA evidence can be found, she decides to resign her commission and return to California to try to solve the murders.

After she teams up with another Jewish psychiatrist, Dr. Jacob Stein, who attends the same Kaballah study group, she is recruited by a scientist who worked with her parents on Serene. Dr. Joshua Lawrence implants the beta test device in her brain, but instead of allowing her to control her own libido, she is able to see the sex traumas of others.

This is the first mystery in a series that features illustrations that can be colored by the reader. Watch for more Dr. Rachel Edelstein and Dr. Jacob Stein Techno-Mysteries.

My review:

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. It is part adult coloring book and part mystery. I made the mistake of leaving my Kindle on with one of the pictures up, and my 11-year-old had a look. She had no clue what it was but still.

If I had the paperback (or even hardcover) of the book, I would have been coloring in those pictures. They looked fun to color and did go with the story.

The story, itself was also decent. In the beginning, it was all over the place, which is something I hate in a book. Once I got past Rachel’s backstory, the story progressed. The author did an excellent job keeping who the bad guy a mystery until the end.

Rachel had overcome a lot in this book. Her parents moved her to a commune when she was 10. She was chosen as a “bride of passion” and raped when she was 12. Then her parents died. That’s a lot for a kid, and Rachel has issues. She returns to the commune after two IDF soldiers are murdered in horrific ways. She agrees to become the beta tester for a project that her parents were working on when they died.

I won’t say much about the book after that point. I will say that it is full of androids, bizarre sexual practices, and one woman who is looking for answers.

I did like that the Kabbalah was mentioned here. Rachel was a student of it, and the author did get into some of what it is about, but not enough. I wished that he did because I find it fascinating.

The end of the book was a surprise. I wasn’t expecting the killer to be who it was. I am pretty good at figuring out mysteries, and this one I didn’t and it still chafes at me.

How many stars will I give Serene? 4

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes but with a warning about the coloring book pages.

Age range: Adult

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Clementine and Claudia by Piper Milton

Clementine and Claudia: A gripping historical romance novel of two sisters divided by love and war by [Milton, Piper]

Publisher: Silvertail Books

Date of publication: September 22nd, 2016

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis:

There are more than two sides to every love story…

The First World War is raging and sisters Clementine and Claudia are coping in very different ways. Clementine is a nurse on the front line, doing her best to save the lives of soldiers wounded while serving their country. Claudia, on the other hand, is living the good life in England, deliberately oblivious to the horrors her sister and so many others are living through. When they both meet their perfect man, their already fractured relationship is tested in ways they could never imagine.

The début novel from Piper Milton, Clementine and Claudia is a powerful and beautifully written story of romance and war for fans of Kristin Hannah’s The Nightingale, and a wonderful addition to the romantic traditions of Penny Vincenzi, Soraya Lane, Brief Encounter and Downton Abbey.

My review:

This book was so slow at the beginning that I almost DNF’d. Stress almost. Once I got past the first couple of chapters, the book started to pick up steam and move along.

I loved the historical aspect of this book. I loved that it took place during World War 1. The author did an excellent job world building. I could picture the bomb and air raid sirens going off. I could hear the battlefield in my ears along with hearing the moans and groans of injured patients.

I did have an issue with the romance part of the book. I want my romance from that period to be sweet and innocent. This one was twardy, and it was almost dirty.

I know people can’t help who they fall in love with. I wished that the author chose a different road for her characters. Cheating on your spouse isn’t cool, and I felt for Charles in that scene. And in the scene where he let his wife go to be with the one she wanted. I was so sad about that.

The ending was what I expected because I knew that the star-crossed lovers would be together.

How many stars will I give Clementine and Claudia: 3

Why: A wonderfully written, vivid historical piece that was written as a historical romance. For me, the romance fell flat and like I said in my review, was twardy and almost dirty.

Will I reread? Maybe

Will I recommend to family and friends? Maybe

Age Range: Teen

Why: Sexual situations (but never gotten into detail) and description of wartime violence (including an amputation of a leg).

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Anywhere You Are (Return to Briarwood: Book 3) by Elisabeth Barrett

Anywhere You Are: A Return to Briarwood Novel by [Barrett, Elisabeth]

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: September 20th 2016

Genre: Romance

Series: Return to Briarwood

Once and Again – Book 1

The Best of Me – Book 2

Anywhere You Are – Book 3

Where can you find this book: Amazon 

Book synopsis:

The author of Once and Again (“Engaging, sexy, and immensely touching.”—Marina Adair) invites readers back to the Briarwood with a novel about a single-minded businessman and the rock princess who melts his heart.

As the daughter of a music legend, Grace Davingham knows all too well what it’s like to be burned by the media’s glare. Now all she wants is to be left to do her painting and conservation work in peace, with no intention of returning to the spotlight. But after she sprains her ankle hiking and a handsome real-estate mogul comes to her rescue, Grace once again finds herself in the public eye.

Sexy, successful, and averse to any attachments, Marcus Colby thrives on rigid discipline in order to manage both his real-estate investment company and his personal life. Marc has no time for fun, and no patience for crazy. Which is why meeting Grace—and inheriting an enormous Great Dane who won’t listen to a word he says—has turned Marc’s carefully constructed world upside down.

Only when Grace and Marc square off over a local controversy do they realize how different they really are. But if opposites attract, their love is destined to bind them together—forever.

My review:

I was “Meh” about this book. It wasn’t because it was a 3rd  book in the series. Anywhere You Are can be read as a standalone book. It wasn’t because of Great Dane named Mr. Pipplepotts. It was because Marc and Grace weren’t believable as a couple. Something about their relationship struck me as forced. I don’t like it when a romance novel comes across that way.

Marc was rigid in his dealing with life and with Grace. I understood some of his rigidity but the way he acted with Grace was a little over the top sometimes. He blew hot and cold, and it drove me nuts.

Grace grew as a character in the book. She was a person who hid out all the time and let people take advantage of her. She became someone who stood up to her family, Marc and people who took advantage of her. I loved it. Plus her interactions with Mr. Pipplepotts was great.

Marc and Grace’s relationship seemed forced. I couldn’t put the finger on it, but his past issues were part of the relationship being the way it was. They also didn’t seem to connect with me as being a couple until the very end.

The ending was what I thought it was going to be and all issues throughout the book were resolved. What got me was that Marc, who is private, was OK with Grace doing guest spots on her family’s reality TV show. A total 180 from where he stood that the beginning of the book and that bugged me.

How many stars will I give Anywhere You Are? 3

Why? Like I said above, I was “meh” about the book. But, the plot was solid and the author did do a great job of making you like the main characters (yes, Marc grew on me after a while)

Will I reread? Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends? Yes

Age Range? Adult

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**