Tag: romance

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 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!!

The Hemlock Girl by C.L. Heckman

The Hemlock Girl by [Heckman, C. L.]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: January 29th, 2019

Genre: Young Adult, Romance

Where you can find The Hemlock Girl: Amazon | BookBub

Book synopsis:

Junior year was supposed to be calm. I was going to lay low and stay out of the limelight, exactly where I liked to be. My plans were right on track. I was getting straight A’s, helping with the school play, and getting home way before curfew. Well, I was … until I met Jasper. 

I swear the earth stopped spinning that first time we made eye contact. His sky blues paralyzed my brain, and I had zero control left over the rest of my body. What was I doing? Jasper was too young, too immature, and too freaking beautiful. My biggest mistake was allowing him to get in the car with me after practice that night. It was too easy to lean in and smell his cologne, and way too easy to get swept up in the whole idea of us. 

Trying to protect myself from him, I put up walls – walls that he knocked down every single chance he got. He was getting to me and whether I liked it or not, he was going to eventually win. Finally giving in to temptation, I allowed myself to get swept off my feet and became part of his world. I never realized that to be part of it, I had to be part of them. At a bonfire on a beach the summer after my junior year my life changed forever… I became a Hemlock girl. 

I wasn’t expecting to like The Hemlock Girl as much as I did. To be honest, I thought that there was going to be no plot and the drama was going to be flying everywhere. I was right on the drama part. As for the plot, I was surprised. There was depth to the plot.

The plot of The Hemlock Girl is about Karissa and Jasper. Karissa is a junior in high school. Her plans for her junior year was to stay under the radar and keep doing what she was doing. Then she meets Jaspar and gets to know him. Falling for him, Karissa keeps Jasper in the friendzone. Until the day where she couldn’t and their relationship went beyond friendship. When a tragedy happens that affects everyone, what will happen to their relationship? Can it withstand what happens?

Let’s talk about the characters at first. I will admit that I found Karissa, Missy, Dakota, Paul, Jasper to be immature and annoying. But, they were supposed to be. They were teenagers. It was refreshing that a young adult book actually portrayed teenagers as teenagers.

I liked how the author took her time getting around to Karissa and Jasper’s relationship. I like how Karissa had to overcome her issues to agree to go out with Jasper. I didn’t like how she see-sawed for the majority of the book. In a way, she was messing with Jasper’s head. But, he was doing the same thing. I mean, he was dating Missy. Who I couldn’t stand.

I thought that the author handled Jasper’s attempted suicide with tact. She showed the effect that it had on the people around him and how they reacted to it. I was a little surprised that Karissa took so long to visit him when he was in recovery. I was also surprised at how angry Jasper’s mother was with her. But if my kid was in a fragile mental state and his on again/off again girlfriend showed up, I would have acted the same way. What I wasn’t prepared for was what happened at that visit. It broke my heart into little pieces.

The end of the book didn’t surprise me. I figured it would happen. I expected it sooner than later. The author did a great job at explaining what had happened in that gap. She also did a fantastic job of wrapping up the storylines. There were none left hanging, which is a huge pet peeve of mine when reading a book

I would give The Hemlock Girl an Young Adult rating. There are sexual situations. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 16 read this book.

I would read The Hemlock Girl. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Hemlock Girl.

All opinions stated in this review of The Hemlock Girl are mine.

Have you read The Hemlock Girl?

What were your thoughts?

Young Adult books? Like them or not?

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!!

The Betrayer (Crossing Realms Series: Book 3) by Rebecca E. Neely

The Betrayer (Crossing Realms Series Book 3) by [Neely, Rebecca E.]

4 Stars

Publisher: Soul Mate Publishing

Date of publication: March 13th, 2019

Genre: Paranormal, Romance

Series: Crossing Realms

The Keeper—Book 1 (review here)

The Watcher—Book 2 (review here)

The Betrayer—Book 3

Where you can find The Betrayer: Amazon | BookBub

Synopsis:

With the Second Rebellion raging in the city, Curtis Geary, the Keepers’ tech guru, receives a Compulsion for Jordan, a Betrayer ousted by her brood and left for dead. His orders? Obtain information from her that can save his clan—before it’s too late. Plunged into a war zone, cut off from his clan, Curtis quickly discovers this woman is no ordinary Betrayer. Not only does his Vitality energy inexplicably save her life, she may be the missing link in the Keepers’ quest to restore Similitude—the Betrayers’ manufactured weapon deadly to Keepers.

Despised by her own brood, Jordan’s mysterious ability and a wicked set of street smarts have kept her alive—along with the havoc she’s been forced to wreak on humans as a means of creating dark energy. Against his better judgement, Curtis is helplessly drawn to this enigma of a woman, who defies the logic of his trusty computers. Too, despite a lifetime of mistrust and her soldier’s survival instincts, Jordan can’t help falling for this at times awkward but genuine man who offers her what she’s always yearned for—love and an opportunity for a better life.

But in a race against time and a brood master hell-bent on destruction, love and loyalty will come under fire—within the brood and the clan. Can Jordan find the courage to embrace her future and find love? Or will she betray the clan and herself as the Keepers wage what may be their final battle to save the human race?

My review:

Curtis was expecting a Compulsion. With the Second Rebellion raging on around him, it was a given. It was who the Compulsion for that surprised him. It was for the beautiful Betrayer who was cast out of her Brood and left for dead. What happens when Curtis uses his Vitality to save her life was earth shattering. Jordan is key to ending the Second Rebellion. But how? And will she help?

I like to read paranormal romances. But I had become burnt on them. Too much of a good thing. But when I saw that The Betrayer was going to be available, I decided to jump on it. I had reviewed the other books in the series. I am glad that I did because this book was a perfect addition to the Crossing Realms series!!

I liked the romance angle of The Betrayer. The whole opposites attract theory worked well in this book. Curtis and Jordan couldn’t have been further apart. I liked how the author took those differences and made them work.

There were a couple of sex scenes. To be honest, I didn’t think that Jordan and Curtis would actually have sex. There was so much going on. But they did. It was hot.

The paranormal angle of The Betrayer was interesting. I liked that there was more insight into the working of the Brood. Also, Magpie and Jordan’s relationship was explored. As was Jordan, Abel, and her father’s relationship. I did enjoy seeing how Curtis’s Vitality changed Jordan. And Jordan’s secret. Oh wow. I wasn’t expecting that.

The end of The Betrayer was great. I liked how everything was resolved. But, it did make me ask more questions. Like is Zane going to be like Dev? And what about Jordan’s mother? I am also interested to see if there will be another book in the series.

I would give The Betrayer 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 The Betrayer. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read and review The Betrayer.

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

Have you read The Betrayer?

What were your thoughts on it?

Do you believe that someone can change (like Jordan did)?

Why or why not?

Let me know!!

Moonlight & Whiskey by Tricia Lynne

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: March 12th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where to find Moonlight & Whiskey: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

When life gives you curves, you gotta learn how to rock them.

Successful businesswoman Avery Barrows likes her dips and curves, but she’s sick of the haters telling her that she should be ashamed of her body instead of embracing it. Determined to send them a big f*** you, Avery resolves to cut loose during a girls’ trip, hightailing her quick-mouthed, plus-sized self to New Orleans. So, what’s a smart woman with a little extra gotta do to get laid in this town?

Not much if you ask Declan McGinn, the lead singer of BlackSmith. Tall, dark, and tattooed, with a body made for sin, Declan prefers his women as curvy as his guitars. Avery’s sharp tongue and keen mind makes him want her even more.

As they burn up the sheets, Avery and Declan realize this is no one-night (or even one-week) stand. But for all of her bluster, Avery isn’t sure she can handle any more rejection. Besides, Declan has demons of his own. Now Avery has a choice to make: play it safe, or place her trust in the hands of a man who’s as tempting as the devil himself.

My review

Moonlight & Whiskey is Avery and Declan’s story. Avery is a plus size engineer who is sick of the body shaming that she has been put through. Heading to New Orleans with her bestie, Avery is determined to give the middle finger to all the haters by having the time of her life. Then she meets Declan. Declan hits all Avery’s must-haves: tall, dark, handsome and brooding. With her vacation ending, Avery has some tough choices to make. Will she make the right ones? Or will she lose Declan and her chance for happiness?

It is very rare when a book knocks me off my feet. It is even rarer when that book keeps me off balance for the entire book. Moonlight & Whiskey did that to me. I loved it!!

I loved Avery. I knew I was going to like her when she was getting a Brazillian. My loving her was cemented by the fact that she was relatable. She did have her issues, though. She was afraid of being hurt and kept walls up. Her past with men was horrible. Some of the situations that she had been through made me tear up. Even in the present, she was treated horribly because she was plus size. Miss Piggy and chubs were two of the more awful ones that were in there. How she dealt with the people who put her down was epic.

Declan was sex on a stick. He had me from the minute he walked into Avery. My mental image of him was well kinda like Jason Momoa. No one else existed for him except Avery. I loved that. I also liked that he, too, was relatable. He did awful things in the past. Things that he was still atoning for. He wasn’t perfect. That made him more real to me.

There is a lot of sex in Moonlight & Whiskey. A lot of sex. A lot of different types of sex. Anal. Vanilla. Sex in public (twice). Sex in the shower. Blowjob in front of friends. The author did not hold back and I loved it. Normally I don’t like it when half of the book takes place in bed. But in this case, I was OK with it. It didn’t take away from the book. Mainly because Avery and Declan were getting to know each other on a personal level while going at it like rabbits.

I loved the secondary characters also. Jamie, Matt, Shaun, Kat. They were as fleshed out and relatable as Avery and Declan. I will admit that I was confused with the whole Matt, Declan, Avery pseudo-triangle until it was spelled out at the end of the book. At that point, I went, “Oh okay, now everything makes sense.” But up until that point, I was oh so confused.

I want to get into the end of the book. Oh man, I have so many opinions about what happened between Declan and Avery. But, I can’t because I’d be giving away some major spoilers. I will say that I would have thought the same thing as Avery. I also would have done the same thing also.

You will need tissues for the last few chapters of the book too. There will be happy tears. There will be surprised tears. There will be mad tears. Let’s cut to the chase, you will be a blubbering mess. I know I was. The author did a fantastic job of wrapping up the Avery and Declan’s storylines. But I do hope that she goes on to write Jamie/Kat’s story and Matt’s story. They need to be told.

I would give Moonlight & Whiskey an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is explicit language. There is moderate violence. There are triggers. They would be body shaming, self-esteem issues, the death of a parent, and alienation of a parent. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Moonlight & Whiskey. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Moonlight & Whiskey.

All opinions stated in this review of Moonlight & Whiskey are mine.

Springtime at Hope Cottage (Sweetwater Springs: Book 2) by Annie Rains

Springtime at Hope Cottage: Includes a bonus short story (Sweetwater Springs Book 2) by [Rains, Annie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)

Date of publication: March 5th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Series: Sweetwater Springs

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane—book 1 (review here)

Springtime at Hope Cottage—book 2

A Wedding on Lavender Hill—book 2.5

Meet Me at Sweetwater Springs—book 2.75 (expected publication date August 6th, 2019

Snowfall on Cedar Trail—book 3 (expected publication date October 8th, 2019)

Where you can find Springtime at Hope Cottage: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | BookBub

Synopsis:

Fans of RaeAnne Thayne and Debbie Mason will want to cozy up with this small-town series from USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains.

When opposites attract…

As an editor at a major New York City magazine, Josie Kellum is always on the go…until an injury sidelines her in the small town of Sweetwater Springs. Luckily, her new physical therapist is easy going and easy on the eyes. When their sessions start to heat up, in more ways than one, Josie is intrigued. But she has a city and career she loves waiting for her. So why does the thought of leaving him suddenly feel a lot like leaving home? 

Tucker Locklear is just starting to move on after his wife’s death. While he can’t deny his attraction to the gorgeous, vivacious Josie, he won’t risk the pain of losing someone again. The sooner he gets Josie back on her feet and back to her real life, the safer he’ll be. But in Sweetwater Springs, love has a way of mending even the most damaged heart.

Includes the bonus short story “Last Chance Bride” from Hope Ramsay.

My review:

Josie needed a vacation. Sweetwater Springs is the obvious choice. Since her best friend runs a successful B&B. Josie meets Tucker when he picks her up at the airport. Her relationship with him continues after she falls and injures her knee. Tucker, a physical therapist, offers his services. The Josie receives a call. Her apartment was involved in a fire. Which means she can’t go home. Stuck, she agrees to live in an apartment above Tucker’s garage. What could go wrong?

Tucker has decided to move on after his wife’s death, 2 years ago. While he was attracted to Josie, he knows that having a relationship with her wouldn’t happen. But, the more they get thrown together, the more Tucker realizes that he needs Josie in his life. Can he convince her to stay in Sweetwater Springs?

Josie: I liked Josie’s character. I liked that she was real and that she was easy to relate to. She was a spitfire. She didn’t hold back her opinions on things. But she also had a soft side. She didn’t throw temper tantrums when her love interest had different views than her. Instead, she talked about it with him. I loved it.

Tucker: I liked him. He was the perfect foil for Josie’s character. Where she was always on the go, he was more laid back. I did like that he was a physical therapist. It was interesting to read about the different ways that he helped people heal. As for his relationship with Josie, he eased into it. There was no Instalove. No jumping into bed the first hour they met. Instead, he formed a relationship with her. It was refreshing to read.

Springtime at Hope Cottage was a great romance to read. The plot was easy to follow. The romance between Tucker and Josie was realistic and believable.

The plotlines of Springtime at Hope Cottage were well written. There was zero unnecessary drama in the book. Y’all know what I mean. A character comes out of nowhere to throw a wrench in the relationship of the main characters. Not here. The only surprise wasn’t a surprise. I figured it out early in the book. But, I still liked how that storyline played out

My only complaint with Springtime at Hope Cottage was that I didn’t get a feel for Tucker and Josie sexually. There was sexual tension but those scenes were far between. By the time they did have sex, I couldn’t get into it.

The end of Springtime at Hope Cottage was sweet. The author did a fantastic job of wrapping up all the storylines. Nothing was left hanging. There were no sudden twists in the plot. It was a sweet ending to a sweet story.

I would give Springtime at Hope Cottage 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 Springtime at Hope Cottage. 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 Springtime at Hope Cottage.

All opinions stated in this review of Springtime at Hope Cottage are mine.

Have you read Springtime at Hope Cottage?

What are your thoughts on it?

Do opposites really attract?

Let me know!!

Ice Hot (New York Nighthawks: Book 1) by Tracy Goodwin

Ice Hot (New York Nighthawks, #1)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept, Loveswept

Date of publication: March 5th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Sports

Series: New York Nighthawks

Ice Hot—Book 1

Where to find Ice Hot: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

The Nighthawks are hockey’s new expansion team. They’re ice hot. And they’re all about the chase.

Christian: They call me a hockey god because I’m a beast on the ice . . . and off. Men want to be me and women just want me. But now that the New York Nighthawks expect me to lead their team to victory, it’s all work and no play. My eyes are on the prize. Until I meet Serena Ellis, a sexy, curvalicious blonde who doesn’t know me from jack. And just like that, I’m hooked.

Serena: I don’t do one-night stands—especially with celebrity jocks who date models. Lots of models. But the god of hockey is a temptation that’s hard for mere mortals to resist. And after the best kiss of my life, I’m ready to throw my one-night stand rule out the window. Except Christian Chase won’t let me. He doesn’t want a one-night stand. He wants it all.

My review:

I noticed lately that I have had a lot of hockey-themed romances in my TBR pile. Which is funny because I haven’t followed hockey in years. All these hockey themed romances are telling me something. They are telling me that I need to turn on the games again.

When I read the blurb for Ice Hot, I was kind of “meh” about it. No lying. I got burned out on alpha males. I also got burned out on women who think that they can handle the alphas but end up becoming submissive.

I surprised when Christian and Serena blew those misconceptions out of the water. While the book did start off with a typical alpha male situation, it turned into anything but. Christian was still very much an alpha male on the ice. But off the ice, when he was alone with Serena, he showed a different side. A side that I wasn’t expecting to see in a book like this. I loved it!!

I thought Serena was awesome!! The whole situation with the Slurpee had me cracking up in bed. But what I liked the most about her was that she was one of the most genuinely written characters I have read to date. I read a lot, so that says something. By the end of the book, she morphed into almost hero status in my eyes.


To the young women out there who are watching this, I have a wish. That you embrace the concept that no one defines who you are but you. No man defines you. Neither does social media. Be yourself. Be fearless. Forge your own path. That’s what I am doing with this video**


The author chose to detail cyberbullying in this review. As well as slut/fat shaming. Serena was at the end of that. She had been at the end of the fat shaming her entire life. Her parents did nothing about it. In fact, her father hired the guy who humiliated her. I thought she was strong and my admiration grew as the book went on.

I was heartbroken when Serena and Christian broke up. Now, I wouldn’t normally be mentioning that but it was huge in the book. I am not going to say why they broke up but I will say that I understood why Christian did it. He wanted to protect Serena and in his mind, this was how he could do it.

The only thing that I found fault with was how the team and management handled Mighty. I know that a hockey team needs to be a cohesive unit. Which is why I didn’t understand why nothing was done about Mighty until the end of the book. He caused so much harm, it wasn’t even funny. I was very surprised that Christian held off as long as he did.

The sex scenes were as emotional and intimate as the book was. The author kept up the sexual tension throughout the book. It didn’t go away at all. Actually, it intensified the deeper Christian fell for Serena. It was amazing to read.

You will need tissues for the end of the book. Thankfully, I had a bunch next to me (I am battling a cold). I started bawling the minute Serena met up with her mother and didn’t start until the end of the book. I loved the epilogue and thought the Slurpee was great!!!

I gave Ice Hot an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. There are triggers. They would be online bullying, face to face bullying, fat shaming, slut shaming and bigotry. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Ice Hot. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

**This quote was taken from an unedited ARC.

I would like to thank the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Ice Hot.

All opinions stated in this review of Ice Hot are mine.

Only Ever You by Siobhan Davis

Only Ever You by [Davis, Siobhan]

5 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: February 28th, 2019

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Only Ever You: Amazon | Bookbub

Synopsis:

He’s the hot-as-sin rocker hiding a secret that would devastate his fans. She’s the only girl he’s ever loved, but keeping her safe means he had to walk away… 

RYDER

My entire life is a lie, propelled by one wrong decision that altered my fate.

If fans knew the truth, they’d run away screaming. But all they see is Ryder Stone, moody guitarist and lead singer of Torment, and a potential notch on their bedpost.

Only two people know who I really am. My manager has a vested interest in keeping my secret, and the girl I was forced to leave behind doesn’t even know the true extent of my shame.

Losing Zeta is both my biggest regret and my proudest moment. But she was the glue keeping me together, and I’m struggling to survive without her. Especially when demons from my past continue to haunt me and the threat of disclosure is ever present.

When she reappears in my life, this time, I’m too weak to push her away.

Her love has the power to save me. 

Mine has the power to destroy her.

ZETA

I’ve worked hard to forget my past. To rise above my messed-up childhood and make something of myself; however, there’s no forgetting him.

Ryder’s gorgeous face and drool-worthy body are plastered over tabloids and TV screens, reminding me I’m still in love with the boy who captured my heart in juvie.

When he failed me, I thought I’d never again experience such heart-crushing pain. But watching him fall out of clubs with a succession of different girls renews the agony, resurrecting countless unanswered questions.

Now my boss has sent me to interview him. It’s a massive scoop for the magazine, and turning it down would kill my career. So, I delude myself into thinking I can handle this.

Perhaps this is the closure I need to finally move on.

Except I’m terrified nothing has changed and one look into those soulful eyes will suck me in again.

Ryder almost destroyed me last time. This time, he could ruin me forever.

My review:

This book shattered me. I knew going into it that this was going to be a tough book for me to read. But I didn’t know how tough it was. I also wasn’t prepared for the range of emotions that I had while reading it. My emotions went from extreme anger to horror to happiness. It is very rare that a book can do that to me.

Only Ever You was able to grab me from the beginning and keep me reading. I actually finished the book in 1 day, that is how much I got into it. Ryder and Zeta’s story was one of the most compelling and heartbreaking stories that I have read to date.

I liked how the author split the story into 2 sections with an author’s note and prologue. I will admit, the prologue broke my heart. I was sobbing as I finished it. The prologue was needed. It set the entire tone for the whole book. The events in the first half of the book were needed also. It is where the author showed how damaged Ryder and Zeta were. How hellacious their upbringings were. How those upbringings shaped them.

The second half of the book showed the fallout from the events in the first half and the prologue. I am not going to go much into this part of the book. If I did, I would be giving away some major spoilers. I will say that Ryder was one of the most damaged heroes that I have read…ever. The raw emotion that he expressed touched me in a way that few characters do.

The love story between Zeta and Ryder was heartbreaking and hopeful. I know that is a weird combination to say but it is. I loved seeing Zeta and Ryder together. They were made for each other. But, there was a long stretch where I had doubts if they were going to even get back together. Even towards the end, I had my doubts.

I will say that I liked that the author didn’t have them have sex right away. She kept building up it up. The sexual tension drove me nuts. I kept thinking to myself “How on Earth is she not jumping on him and screaming “Do me now?“

I do want to mention that I thought Gar and Micah were idiots. Gar gave me the heebie-jeebies. That whole scene at Ryder’s Hampton house disgusted me. But it was a fantastic look at how rock stars partied. Excess to the max.

The end of Only Ever You prompted another crying jag. I was wrung out. But, at the same time, I was so happy. I couldn’t have been more happy with how the book ended. And the epilogue. I loved it!!!

I would give Only Ever You an Adult rating. There are explicit sexual scenes. There is language. There is explicit violence. I will include a trigger warning with this also. They would be child abuse, child neglect, child death, attempted rape, drug abuse. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Only Ever You. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review Only Ever You.

All opinions stated in this review of Only Ever You are mine.

Have you read Only Ever You?

What are your thoughts?

Do you enjoy books that are on the darker side?

Let me know

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

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

The Last Letter

4 Stars

Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC and Entangled: Amara

Date of publication: February 26th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction

Where to find The Last Letter: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Goodreads synopsis:

Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan

My review:

When I read the blurb of The Last Letter, I knew that it was going to be a good book. A blurb in the form of a last letter? That alone made me go “I need to read this book“. I am so glad that I did because The Last Letter exceeded what I thought about it.

I will warn everyone, you will need tissues while reading The Last Letter. I was ugly crying from the scene where Ella found out that Maisie had cancer to the end of the book. I would invest in a few boxes. You will need them.

I thought that Ella was one of the strongest people I have read in a book to date. Life kept dropping bombshells on her and she didn’t even flinch. She took no flak from people. She also had a softer side. It wasn’t showcased in the book that much but it was there. When it did peek through, I loved it.

I did get annoyed with Ella at several points in the book. Put it this way, she was stubborn and afraid to let someone get close to her. When she did let Beckett in, she did begrudgingly. I did want to smack her upside the head when Beckett had a solution for Maisie’s cancer treatments. If I was in that situation, I would have jumped all over it. I got why she acted that way. Still. I am glad that Ada and Hailey talked some sense into her.

I liked Beckett. He arrived when Ella needed him the most. He stayed through Ella freaking out on him about who he was to Ryan. He was the one who came up with the solution about Maisie’s cancer and insurance. He fell heads over heels for Ella when they were writing letters to each other. He was a nice guy. When he opened up about his past, my heart broke for him.

Like Ella, I did get annoyed with him at points in the book. Like the whole Chaos storyline. How hard would it have been to tell her that he was Chaos? I didn’t understand how that didn’t come up. Ella did point blank ask him how he knew Ryan. That was the perfect time to say “Well, I’m Chaos“. But no, it comes out later in the book. I would have been pissed at him too.

I thought the romance that Beckett and Ella had was a sweet one. Of course, it was bumpy and there was a point where I thought it was over. But it was sweet.

I thought that the storyline with Maisie and her aggressive form of cancer was very well written. The author didn’t paint a rosy picture for us. Instead, she showed the stark realities of having a child with cancer. It was a realistic and heartbreaking look into childhood cancer.

I will say that the storyline with Ella, her ex and his parents made me throw up in my mouth a little bit. How can someone be so heartless? Not once but twice.

I also liked that military dogs are featured in this book. What I liked is that the military let Beckett keep Havoc. Mainly because she only listened to him. I liked how Ella described Havoc and her adjusting to not working. She was being domesticated and learning how to act like a dog.

There was a twist at the end of the book that broke my heart. It was surprised that came out of nowhere. I am not going to give anything away but I will stay that Beckett and Havoc’s training were well used. This is a tissue warning. You will be ugly crying until the end of the book.

The epilogue at the end had me ugly crying. I loved the insight that it gave into Beckett and Ella’s life 4 years later.

I gave The Last Letter an Adult rating. There is sex (not graphic). There is language. There is mild violence. There are triggers. They would be childhood cancer, the death of a sibling, the death of a friend, death of a parent and parental abandonment. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

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

I would like to thank the publishers, the author, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Last Letter.

All opinions stated in this review of The Last Letter are mine.