Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review – Unstoppable

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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cover35020-mediumMelanie O’Bryan knows life is too short to be afraid of taking chances. And former Air Force sergeant Bennett Hart is certainly worth taking a chance on. He’s agreed to help her students with a school project, but she’s hoping the handsome handyman will offer her a whole lot more. Yet despite his heated glances and teasing touches, Mel senses there’s something holding him back . . .

Bennett Hart is grateful to be alive and back home in Mirabelle, Florida. Peaceful and uncomplicated-that’s all he’s looking for. Until a spunky, sexy-as-hell teacher turns his life upside down. After one smoldering kiss, Bennett feels like he’s falling without a parachute. But with memories of his past threatening to resurface, he’ll have to decide whether to keep playing it safe, or take the biggest risk of all.

Mel and Bennett have been dancing around a possible relationship, claiming to just be friends but everyone knows their feelings go deeper than that. The romance between the two is slow and sweet, the perfect friends to lovers transition. I think that is one of my favorite plotlines, because the couple has such a strong bond before they decide to get involved deeper. Together they are sassy and touching, and it is a realistic transition into something more.

Once they get that out of the way, though, they still have problems to overcome. Bennett has emotional scars from his time as a soldier and he’s not comfortable opening himself up to Mel and his feelings for her. He has to decide if he can give their relationship everything he has … and like a typical Alpha, he’s going to fumble along for a while before he gets it right.

I loved Shannon Richard’s Undeniable, the story of Grace and Jax, and I impatiently waited for the next story. Well-paced and poignant, Unstoppable brings to life a heart-warming friends-to-lovers story that will have readers smiling and sighing and cheering for everything to work out in the end … and impatiently waiting for more.  With the “Country Roads” series, Richard has given readers a fantastic group of friends and I can’t wait to see each of them get their happy ending.

(If you’ve not read either Undone (Book 1) or Undeniable (Book 2), you’ll be fine. You might miss some of the smaller details but Unstoppable can definitely stand alone. You’ll probably just add some more books to your To Be Read file.)

Book Review – Lantern Lake

29 Wednesday Jan 2014

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cover38508-mediumThey’re gorgeous, they’re rich, they’re single, and they’re determined to stay that way..until they take a trip to Sanctuary Island. Don’t miss this unforgettable new novella trilogy about three billionaire bachelors who are about to discover that sometimes you have to let go of the life you planned in order to embrace the life of your dreams.

In the third novella, Lantern Lake, Cooper Haynes can’t believe how easily all his friends succumbed to romance. Luckily, he knows he’s safe, since the only woman he’s ever loved is lost to him forever. But when he gets a look at the wedding program and sees her name on the list of bridesmaids, Cooper knows he’s in trouble. But Sanctuary Island has a way of reminding people of what really matters, and teaching them to fall in love all over again.

Years ago, Vivian broke Cooper’s heart and now he’s got his chance to get his revenge … or will he learn that there is more to life when you forgive?  These novellas may be small, but they pack a pretty big emotional punch.  Even though he’s managed to make a success of himself and see the world, Cooper still has a lot of growing up to do.  Vivian is just the opposite – she’s fallen hard but she’s learned some life lessons. The two together are raw, compelling and their hurts and troubles are genuine and sympathetic.  I was intrigued already after reading The Fireside Inn and Bonfire Beach, but once I got into Cooper’s story I couldn’t put it down.  Luckily it is a short read because I started it right before bed – the characters grabbed hold of me and just wouldn’t let go. 

With engaging characters and riveting stories, Everett has delivered a superb series with “The Billionaire Bachelors”.  And in the finale, Lantern Lake, readers are given an uplifting story about learning to let go and moving forward to something better. 

Book Review – Love at Stake

28 Tuesday Jan 2014

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08ea5-love-at-stake-500Abbey is the lone human working for Fated Match, a company that pairs members of the supernatural community with their eternal mates.

To snag a young vampire socialite as their next client, Abbey journeys to the home of Lucian Redgrave, the oldest vampire on the East Coast. But he’s not willing to allow his vampire daughter to use the agency… unless Abbey can first find his perfect match in a month.

As Abbey coaches Lucian through his dates, she can’t deny the chemistry between them. But humans are toys for vampires, and risking her heart isn’t a part of the plan.

Sometimes you have a paranormal story with romantic themes and sometimes you have a romance with paranormal twist – I think that Love at Stake definitely falls into this second category.  I think it is an important distinction because some people aren’t big fans of paranormal books but they’d be OK with just a touch of it in their love story.  Here, we have a couple who have what could be an everyday issue (she doesn’t fit into his world), but one of them just happens to be a vampire.  This could very easily be in a different setting and the theme would be the same. 

Not to say that the woo woo factor doesn’t make it fun.  It’s always interesting to see what take on the supernatural world a particular author will take and Davies brings all sorts of creatures together, which is always fun.  And even better, she has them dating … thru a matchmaking service!  It’s not a comedic story, but there are definitely flashes of humor, and there are quite a few people in Abbey circle that I’m anxious to see get their open Happy Ever After so I’m hoping to have more in this world. 

As for Lucien and Abbey, their path to a happy ending is definitely rocky but oh-so-addictive.  Lucien, being an old and powerful vampire, has some very set views (as you can imagine) and these clash quite a bit with Abbey’s young and human ones.  But when they get together they are charming and funny and very very hot.  While Lucien has had a lot of time to perfect his charm and swagger, he’s also gotten a bit jaded.  Abbey still has an exuberance and earthiness that only a mortal can have and, while this difference is part of their attraction, it is also part of their problems.  Full of power and passion, the back and forth between the two can be intense but totally riveting.  I had trouble putting it down until it was over … and then I wanted more. 

In Love at Stake, Davies gives her readers strong leads, with great chemistry and a lot of drama, who steam up the sheets but also tug at your heart.  You know that things are going to work out for them in the end but it is an emotional rollercoaster getting them there. 

Book Review – Miss George’s Second Chance

27 Monday Jan 2014

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Book review time!

*****

cover39001-mediumWhen desperately private writer Imogen offered to marry Peter Watson, it wasn’t just to save a friend but to secure her own future. With her eyesight failing and no other prospects for marital bliss on the horizon, surely it wouldn’t be too horrible to marry without the benefits of love. But then Peter gains a title a week before they’re set to wed and all of Imogen’s expectations change.

Peter once believed that marriage to Imogen would solve his financial problems. He didn’t mind marrying for convenience and a large fortune when affection was within reach. Yet when he gains a title, an estate, and a fortune of his own, the secretive writer releases him from their engagement so he might marry for love. Now he’s returned, unwed and unaware of changes in her life, should he do what is expected or listen to his heart instead?

Miss George’s Second Chance is a follow-up novella to the first “Miss Mayhem” book, Miss Watson’s First Scandal and it looks like the circumstances that set up Imogen’s offer to marry Peter are revealed in the first book. If you haven’t read Miss Watson you can easily pick up on the fact that Peter is bankrupt and facing debtors’ prison, it is just the details that might be a little hazy. But other than that, I don’t think the fact that this is part of a series really caused any issues.

It’s a short book, just around 100 pages, but Boyd manages to nicely create a tender love story about two people whose feelings for each other go deeper than they let on. And by hiding, they manage to make the other believe that they don’t care. So when Imogen makes her sacrifice by giving Peter his freedom to go find someone he can love, neither let on to how much they actually want to be together and just continue to hide those feelings from others.

As misunderstandings in romances go, this one is a classic and I think it is handled very well. Once the two are back in the same sphere it, with a little help from their friends, they quickly figure things out and the path to their Happy Ever After is heartfelt and sweet. Peter proves himself to be one of the best heroes a heroine could ever ask for.

As a bonus, there are more friends in Peter and Imogen’s circle … and I’m looking forward to each of them falling in love.

Book Review – Love on Mimosa Lane

22 Wednesday Jan 2014

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cover38793-mediumLaw Beaumont and Kristen Hemmings have watched each other from a distance for years. But Law, a bartender with a bad-boy past, and Kristen, an assistant principal devoted to helping her community, couldn’t seem more different. When they unite to mentor a young foster child and to help Law’s troubled daughter through the aftermath of her parents’ ugly divorce, their attraction deepens. They face the undeniable connection between them, and a whirlwind of challenges they can only conquer together.

A stirring love story and a candid look at the complexities of divorce, substance abuse, and our country’s foster care system, Love on Mimosa Lane is a love song to an entire community, and a novel about the power of family—the family you’ve been given, the one you’ve chosen, and the one that can lift you up, even when the world is tearing you down.

Love on Mimosa Lane is more than just a romance, which is there in the relationship between Kristen and Law, but it’s also so much more.  There is the relationship between Law and his daughter and his ex-wife, which has been strained due to a very difficult divorce.  We also meet Fin, a foster kid in his last chance home, who has been disappointed too many times to count.  Plus, there is a lot of soul searching to be done by Law and Kristen about themselves, their pasts and whether they are brave enough to get involved with each other.  I loved all of the characters and felt deeply for them as they worked their way through their troubles.  And althought those troubles could become difficult to handle at times, it’s worth it to read all the way to the end.

For those who love books by Robin Carr, Sheryl Woods and Susan Wiggs, Anna DeStefano may be a new addition to your go-to list.  Love on Mimosa Lane has an abundance of heart-tugging moments, wonderfully crafted characters and a tender look at what really makes up a family – a reminder about the importance of the entire community and giving yourself up to love.  It’s a complex story and one that will touch your heart, even as it makes you shed a tear or two.

(This is the first in the “Seasons of the Heart” novels that I’ve read and I really don’t think that it made any kind of impact.  So if it is your first one too, go for it.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.)

Book Review – To Please a Lady

21 Tuesday Jan 2014

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It’s review time again!

*****

9781477848333_p0_v2_s260x420With her stunning beauty and impeccable reputation, Lady Eleanor Beckett is a society darling to emulate, respected by everyone in the ton. But Eleanor’s seemingly perfect life is marred by a dark secret. Determined to know happiness and passion just once, she travels in disguise to a place she’s heard whispers about for years: the infamous Lavender Hills Estate, a brothel that caters to women. There, she meets the surprisingly kind, strikingly handsome, and completely inappropriate James McKinnon, a man who may be just what she needs to melt the ice surrounding her broken heart.

James McKinnon is content at Lavender Hills Estate. Affable and handsome, it’s not surprising that James is one of Lady Lavender’s most popular men. He found the path out of crippling poverty through Lavender Hills, and with the money he makes from his work, he is able to support his widowed mother and young sister. James is surprised to find he cares for Eleanor, the beauty with the sad eyes. After all, he’s never cared for a client before—caring interferes with business. Unfortunately, society would never accept a relationship between an escort and a lady.

Despite their stations, Eleanor and James can’t extinguish the passion they’ve ignited. Will they be able to break through the confines of London society, or will their forbidden love and complicated pasts destroy everything they care about—including each other?

To Please a Lady is actually the last in a series about three men who were blackmailed into prostitution by Lady Lavender and if you have an interest in reading the others, I’d recommend waiting on this one. The whys of their situation come out in this finale and it could possibly affect the way you read the series, but I don’t know that for sure. I haven’t read To Seduce an Earl or To Capture a Rake so I don’t know how much of the details that are shared in this book have already played out in the others. So, with that warning, let me tell you that I did enjoy this book although I think I might have liked it more if it hadn’t been the only one I’d read. There are a lot of statements made about the other men and I think I might have missed out on some of the nuances since I didn’t know their story. Apart from that though, James and Ellie’s story was very entertaining.

I’ve no issue with the idea of a male prostitute as a hero. Darius has to be one of my favorite books and there is always more to the man’s story than you think. It isn’t any different with James. He’s smart, caring but I think a little too soft-hearted about his situation. Somehow he came away from it with a completely different view than his friends but when he meets Ellie, everything changes.

In fact it was Ellie’s situation that I found very difficult to take. She lives with an abusive husband in a time when women had no power at all. They were basically property to their men, who could do with them what they wished. It is no wonder that she’s as closed off as she is … actually it is surprising how much spirit she’s managed to keep.

But James and Ellie are realizing that things might not have to be the way that they are now and that they could have something better if the world was a little different. Their’s is a dance that will force them to decide if they are brave enough to change things.

To Please a Lady is a complex, intriguing, and sometimes heartbreaking story of two people dealing with issues of abuse, self-image, love and forgiveness.

Book Review – Falling for her Soldier

17 Friday Jan 2014

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As promised yesterday, here is my review for Falling for her Soldier!

*****

FallingForHerSoldierShe fell for the nice guy, but will she fall for the real guy?

Ex-ballerina Ellie Bell has twenty-four days left until her self-imposed man-less year is up. No more falling for the wrong kind of guy—charming, sexy, bad. Why can’t she find someone sweet like Charlie Johansson, her soldier pen pal? His e-mails meant the world to her, and she can’t stop thinking about him…until she meets Hunter, whose muscles and cocky smile threaten to have her relapsing.

Before Charlie “Big Game Hunter” Johansson’s last tour of duty, he’d gone through women like crazy. But after connecting on a real, emotional level via letters with his best friend’s sister, Charlie’s ready for a relationship—with Ellie Bell. But then her brother introduces him as Hunter. Proving he’s no longer a player by becoming Ellie’s dance partner for an Army benefit seems like it could convince both siblings he’s changed, but the harder he falls for Ellie, the harder it is to come clean. Can he convince her to fall for the real him before it’s too late?

I’m not usually a fan of deception romances, even if it was an accident on Charlie’s part, but this one worked for me. There wasn’t really a good way for him to come clean any earlier than he does because I don’t know that Ellie would have believed he had changed until she got to know him.

Charlie and Ellie are so much fun together – snarky, funny, entertaining, sexy and sweet. London does a fantastic job of slowly building their relationship – if you can call 5 days a slow build, but it makes sense in context. I remember reading Tessa’s story (Charlie’s sister) in Playing at Love and really enjoying it. But I think that London may have even gotten better with time – the characters have depth and emotion, their interactions are charming and touching, and their issues are realistic and enthralling.

Charlie finds himself in a bind that isn’t quite his fault and he does the best he can to minimize the damage to his relationship with both Sam and Ellie. His last mission causes him to rethink the way he’s living his life and he’s trying hard to be a better man. I cracked up when he uses his Hunter charm on Ellie and rooted for him as he tries to figure out how to fix his mess. I definitely think he’s going to have to go on my fake boyfriend list.

Ellie also had me laughing as she deals with Charlie and his flirting. She’s had a bad history with men but is hoping that she can change that. Her reaction is totally understandable when she finds out the truth about who Hunter is and London does a great job of having her behave in a realistic and relatable way. I could totally see where she is coming from and things resolve themselves quickly but gratifyingly.

With Falling for her Soldier, London once again delivers a romantic treat full of heart and humor that left me feeling satisfied at the end. I think that at this point I’d pick up any story that had her name on the cover without even reading the blurb.

(This is the third book in the “Perfect Kiss” series, but even though I had read the first book I don’t think it made any difference. I haven’t read the second one and didn’t really feel like I missed anything. Like most series, there are appearances by the characters from the other books, but their stories don’t really play a part here. So if this is the first book for you, go ahead and take a chance. I think you’ll find yourself very happy you did.)

Book Review – Resisting the Hero

15 Wednesday Jan 2014

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ResistingtheHeroResisting her brother’s best friend is futile…

Faith Fitzpatrick isn’t looking for a hero. Burned one too many times in the past, she’s now sworn them off completely. And when her brother’s best friend, Connor, convinces him to join the dangerous SWAT team, Faith has never been more anti-hero. What’s wrong with having a safe job? There’s nothing safe about Connor. Confident, sexy, and sporting a six-pack that should be illegal, he’s everything she doesn’t want.

When his best friend’s sister moves to town, local cop Connor Maguire knows he’s in trouble. Faith is feisty, funny, and talks trash like nobody’s business. She’s also his partner’s sister—and so totally off limits. Working on the Fall Festival together, they agree to a truce and become friends. But the more time Connor spends with Faith, the more he’s willing to risk the wrath of her brother. If he could only convince her to take a risk on him, too.

So you totally know where this one is going to go from the first chapter – Faith and Connor get together, she can’t take the stress of his job so she runs, he gets hurt on the job, she comes back to him having decided it is better to be with him than not … but that doesn’t mean that the journey isn’t a blast. Having read the first two books in the “Accidentally in Love” series (Falling for Her Fiance and Act Like You Love Me), I already knew that Madsen’s books are full of warmth and humor and fun.  And Resisting the Hero doesn’t disappoint.

Connor is your typical modern rake – he’s charming and smooth and quite the playboy. But of course he has his reasons. And he’s all sorts of hero material, with a noble streak a mile long. So, in true romance tradition, all it takes is the right woman to have him giving up his womanizing ways. Faith fights her attraction to Connor as hard as she can but the man is downright irresistible – sexy, funny and full of life. It doesn’t take long before she’s second-guessing herself on why she shouldn’t date a cop.

Full of sizzle, heart and humor, Madsen once again delivers a delightful and entertaining story. It’s got the sexy, the funny and the warmth … I don’t think you could ask for more.

Book Review – Bonfire Beach

14 Tuesday Jan 2014

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cover37735-mediumThey’re gorgeous, they’re rich, they’re single, and they’re determined to stay that way for life…until they take a trip to Sanctuary Island. Don’t miss this unforgettable new novella trilogy about three billionaire bachelors who are about to discover that sometimes you have to let go of the life you planned in order to embrace the life of your dreams.

In the second novella, Bonfire Beach, Zane Bishop has always been the life of the party. But when his friend asks for help planning his wedding reception, it pits Zane against uptight wedding planner Felicity Carlson. While Zane works overtime tempting Felicity into having fun, she discovers that there’s more to the party boy than meets the eye. But can a woman who makes her living planning other people’s perfect romances let her guard down long enough to find true love of her own?

I adored Leo in The Fireside Inn, and now we meet Zane.  He’s very appealing and I really liked how Everett brought him his happy ever after. Zane experienced a great tragedy in his childhood that has defined the way he lived his life ever since. He lives life to the fullest, dragging ever moment of fun he can out of it. Felicity also had a tragedy befall her family but the lesson she learned is completely different. She now keeps herself on the straight and narrow. When the two are brought together to plan the Harrison reception, the clash over their differing life views create sparks. And as they spend more time together, they start moving closer to a middle ground.

Once again Everett gives readers sympathetic characters and a strong story line. Even though she doesn’t have very many pages, she still managed to make me laugh and sigh and cheer. Both Zane and Felicity are intriguing, with heartrending pasts that had me tearing up a little, but are so charming and fun when they butt heads. Bonfire Beach is amusing and tender and realistic and warm and … well, let’s just say you gotta read it.

I am loving Everett’s “The Billionaire Bachelors” series and I can’t wait to see how it all wraps up with Lantern Lake, releasing next week.

Book Review – The Scandal Before Christmas

10 Friday Jan 2014

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cover36302-mediumLieutenant Ian Worth needs a wife by Christmas, and he can’t afford to be choosy. He has to find her, woo her, and wed her before he goes back to sea—all within a matter of days.

Anne Lesley is a shy spinster with no prospects, and nothing and no one to recommend her but her own self. She accepts the lieutenant’s hasty offer only for the comfort and security it will bring. But when a midwinter storm snows her and Ian in, they both find they got much more than they bargained for—laughter, light, and a Christmas filled with honest to goodness true love…

I find it refreshing to occasionally read a story that isn’t full of angst and Essex manages to bring readers an enthralling story that is simple, heartfelt and engaging but without a lot of issues, lies or misunderstandings.  And I’m guessing that the title might play into the rest of the series because there really isn’t anything that scandalous about it. Instead, it was a sweetly tender story about two strangers thrown together by odd circumstances, who get to know each other and fall in love.  We follow along with them on their journey as they discover all the good (and bad) things about one another and learn to look with the heart, not the eyes.

The Scandal Before Christmas is full of warmth, humor and romance, and I was quickly enamored by Ian and Anne.  They are both odd ducks in their families, but find that the family they could create together might just be the perfect place for them.  I haven’t read any of the other “Reckles Brides” books (or another Elizabeth Essex book that I know of) but I can definitely say I have been missing out.