Book Review – Win Me Over

24 Thursday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Hearts and Crafts series, Nicole Michaels, Win Me Over

Win Me Over

Hearts and Crafts series

by Nicole Michaels

WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING

Callie Daniels is a singular sensation. She owns and operates her own bakery, contributes to a popular lifestyle blog, and is the dance team coach at a local high school. She lives by her own design and is much too busy to consider dating. Mr. Right will have to fit into her life when the time is right…

UNLESS YOU’RE PLAYING FOR KEEPS

Football coach Bennett Clark always plays by the rules. He knows that his new colleague Callie is off limits but she’s so beautiful-and irritating!-that Bennett can’t get her off his mind. She wants him to participate in a charity dance contest, and won’t take no for an answer. Soon, what begins as a festive athletic endeavor turns into a heated flirtation on and off the dance floor. Could it be that the free-spirited Callie has finally found a way through Coach Clark’s line of defense?

Callie is wonderfully spunky and fun – sassy and a great match for Bennett. She helps him not take things too seriously and brings out a more playful side to the devoted coach. I really like how dedicated both are to their students and their friends. Their interactions are full of humor and heat – the time they spend together learning to dance is the perfect playful foreplay to taking their relationship further. I also love her friends and her parents – they are more bright spots in an already shining story.

And so, I adored this book … until about 4/5 of the way in. And then, while I still liked it, I was a little disappointed as well. There’s a tragedy that shakes Callie and Bennett’s world and while I think Michaels handles the fallout from their perspective very well, there were more people involved and that was glossed over. I think if maybe this event had happened a little earlier in the book, there’s great potential for additional character and relationship development. It isn’t enough of an issue for me to lower my ranking of the book, but it is enough to leave me a little dissatisfied.

Outside of that, though, I did enjoy the ending. I think that the way that Callie and Bennett face their troubles fits well with the people we’d grown to love. It left me a little bruised for them, which shows how much I’d begun to care, but then I gave a little cheer when they figured it all out and started moving forward together.

If you are like me and this is your first book by Michaels (of course), no worries because it can totally stand on its own. We do get more of Anne and Mike, who were the characters from the first book, but I totally wasn’t lost by not having the details from Start Me Up. Although I’m really looking forward to the next book, Draw Me Close, because what we were given a glimpse of here definitely has me curious about what is coming for Lindsey & Derek!

Buy Win Me Over on Amazon

Book Review – Garrett

21 Monday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Cold Fury Hockey series, Garrett, Sawyer Bennett

Garrett

A Cold Fury Hockey Novel

by Sawyer Bennett

USA Today bestselling author Sawyer Bennett hits the ice with the story of a playboy athlete whose winning ways lead him to a beautiful woman with a lot to lose.

Carolina Cold Fury star Garrett Samuelson never wants to miss out on a single minute of fun. Whether he’s playing hockey, hanging out with friends, or walking the red carpet with a new date on his arm, he lives every day to the fullest. When he meets Olivia Case, he sees someone who’s exactly his type—confident, sexy, smart . . . his next fling. But the more he pursues her, the more Garrett shares a side of himself that other women don’t normally get to see.

Olivia has been keeping a secret. While Garrett lives for the next thrill, Olivia’s not sure she’ll live to see the next day. She’s undergoing treatment for some serious medical issues, and she doesn’t have time for a relationship with no guarantees—especially one with a hot-as-sin womanizer who won’t take no for an answer. But as she gets to know the real Garrett, Olivia can’t help falling for him . . . hard. To reveal the truth would mean risking everything—but you can’t score without taking the tough shots.

I actually had a hard time getting into this one – I’d make it a few chapters and then put it down to try again. I did that a couple of times and then when I saw that Zack’s story was coming out, and I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to read it, I knew I had to try again. Apparently the third time’s the charm because not only did I finish it but I actually enjoyed it quite a lot. I think there were a couple of issues for me my first few times – I could see where their problems were going to be a mile away plus, I wasn’t all that big a fan of Garrett. I thought after Alex that I’d love him but he comes across not so much like a modern day rake (which I love) and more of just a manwhore. Once I got to know him a little better though I actually liked him a lot.

And even though I knew where things were going to go wrong I decided to try to just sit back and enjoy the ride. It’s a little bit of a secret (but not one that is hidden very long) – Olivia’s issue is that she has been fighting cancer and she’s about to fight it again. When she meets flirtatious and oh-so-sexy Garrett she decides to take the chance to enjoy some fun sex with the hottie hockey player. Only it turns into something a little more serious. So of course her health issues become the huge trouble spot for the two. Mixed in with how unappealing I found Garrett at the beginning and I just wasn’t sure I wanted to face that, but he quickly changed my mind and I loved the dedicated boyfriend he became.

Bennett is a great story teller and her characters are complex with deep issues, so once I got started I quickly found myself drawn into their story. The ending was a little difficult to read because both of them needed a good smack but it just made their HEA all the better.

Buy on Amazon

Book Review – Hold on Tight

18 Friday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Hold on Tight, Returning Home series, Serena Bell

Hold on Tight

A Returning Home Novel

by Serena Bell

In Serena Bell’s heartwarming novel, a young mother and a battle-scarred veteran must decide if they can rekindle the sparks they once shared.

Fighting for his country gave Jake Taylor’s life shape and meaning. Now as an injured war hero he struggles to find purpose, until he runs into the gorgeous woman he dated briefly—and disastrously—before being deployed eight years ago. Turns out Jake doesn’t just need to figure out how to be a civilian . . . he also needs to learn how to be a dad.

Eighteen, pregnant, and totally lost, Mira Shipley couldn’t track down the soldier who fathered her child, so she put college on hold and focused on making a good life for her son. Now she’s determined to be something more than Sam’s mom, her parents’ daughter, or Jake’s girl—as hot as she finds her old flame’s take-charge attitude in and out of bed. Soon Mira and Jake realize that their passion didn’t disappear when Sam was conceived—and that instead of running away, sometimes it’s better to hold on tight.

This has got to be one of my favorite second-chance romances – I love the idea that Mira and Jake were infatuated at such a young age but were separated. Now fate has brought them back together again at a time when they really need each other.

You feel so much for both of the characters. While Mira’s parents love her very much, her dad is also a bit controlling. Getting pregnant at 18 and without Jake, living with her parents, means that this is the first time that she’s had a chance to try to break free. She knows that everything was done with good intentions but it made it hard to be an adult. Unfortunately for her piece of mind just as she’s striking out she runs into Jake again and with him comes a ton of complications.

I really liked how strong Mira is. She’s fought for as much independence as she could while raising her son in her childhood home. She’s dedicated, smart and very understanding. And she’ll need all of that to deal with Jake.

Jake was dealt a very hard blow while serving as a Ranger. He’s lost not only his leg, but his best friend and his calling. He’s allowed everything he lost to bring him down, until he runs into Mira again and she shocks him with the news that he has a 7 year old son. Even though the changes that Jake starts making are caused by Mira and Sam, I really love the fact that Bell has him making those changes for himself. Realizing that he has a family is the kick he needed to get him out of his own head.

I also love that once he starts moving forward Bell doesn’t have him wallow too much in the setbacks that he experiences. He shows the attitude that he needed to make it in the military – he picks himself, brushes himself off and tries again. He’s vulnerable but strong in mind and body. Some of his most embarrassing moments happen in front of Mira but she’s so very good at helping him get past them and I think it helps to make their bond even better.

Of course things aren’t 100% easy for them. Jake is carrying around a lot of baggage, even some from his childhood which are only complicated by his accident. But it is wrapped up wonderfully and I was so invested in them that I found myself smiling at the end.

Hold on Tight is fantastically written – the perfect balance of emotions, with Jake learning to live again and Mira learning to stand on her own two feet. Plus both have to deal with the fact that they made a child together and now have to decide what that means for them going forward. But Bell does a great job of not letting things get too bogged down. Instead she manages to keep all of her characters steadily moving forward to something better and that HEA that we want so badly for them.

Available on Amazon – http://amzn.to/1KUmRr1

Book Review – The Comfort of Favorite Things

17 Thursday Sep 2015

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A Hope Springs Novel, Alison Kent, Book Review, The Comfort of Favorite Things

The Comfort of Favorite Things

A Hope Springs Novel

by Alison Kent

When Dakota and Thea reunite in Hope Springs after a decade apart, their love might pass the test of time…

No matter how many years Dakota Keller has spent trying, he can’t outrun his past, so when a private investigator tells him his sister needs him, he travels to the small Texas town of Hope Springs to start a new life with the support of his siblings. When he arrives to do a routine construction job at the town’s new espresso bar, he’s shocked to discover that the owner is Thea Clark—the girl he couldn’t resist in high school and whose memory kept him sane in prison.

Recovering from an abusive relationship, Thea decides that her past is off-limits for discussion, even with Dakota. After all, it feels like a lifetime since she last saw him. But when Dakota’s brother’s firm is tapped to renovate the women’s shelter Thea runs out of her home, old feelings quickly reignite. Could a casual affair from high school turn out to be the one connection neither of them can live without?

I haven’t read the other Hope Springs stories and while I think that this one could MOSTLY stand on its own, it might be easier to understand some of the issues if you’d read at least the two stories about Dakota’s siblings. I get the idea that a lot of the issues for Dakota were fleshed out in those earlier stories and here we pick up a year after the private investigator finds him & he comes to live with his siblings. We get the basics of what sent him to prison and why he’s been away for so long, but I definitely wonder how much more I would have understood with the background of those other stories.

Having said that, I really liked this story. It isn’t really so much a romance (although the connection between Dakota and Thea is so very sweet) but more of a women’s fiction piece because it is a lot about letting go of the past to embrace the future. Both Dakota and Thea, and Thea’s friends, have things they’ve done or have had done to them that they are carrying around. These things are influencing their actions now, causing them to not be able to really live and relate to the world around them. We get involved as they try to find out if they can let that go and really move on. It’s tragic and emotional and heartwarming and while you probably don’t have the same kind of past you might learn a thing or two yourself 🙂

Available on Amazon – http://amzn.to/1gvzIBR

Book Review – Enchanted Summer

13 Sunday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Enchanted Summer, Gloria Gay

Let’s end the weekend with something sweet.

*****

ENCHANTED SUMMER

by Gloria Gay

GENRE – Regency Romance

PUBLICATION DATE – May 14, 2015

LENGTH (Pages/# Words) – 329

PUBLISHER – Kindle Books/Gloria Gay

COVER ARTIST – Killion Group

Blurb:

When Celia Meade’s uncle impulsively offers Celia and her family a chance at a better life by inviting them to live at his estate near Bath, he is surprised by his daughter Caroline’s animosity against the Meades. Caroline’s hatred of Celia began when Celia attended her aunt’s funeral and Caroline noted the immediate attraction between Celia and Caroline’s choice for a husband, Lord Robert Merrick. Running into each other again in the woods that adjoin Lord Merrick’s property the attraction between Lord Merrick and Celia blossoms into love in the warm days of summer. Enraged that Lord Robert’s sister encourages her brother by planning trips and picnics with Celia, Caroline calls a meeting with her father and Celia, and extracts a promise from Celia to not see Lord Merrick again with the threat that she will force the Meades to leave her house. To ease the tension, Celia accepts a month-long stay at a friend’s home but while Celia is away Caroline plans the downfall of Celia’s family.

AMAZON KINDLE US – http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Summer-Regency-Gloria-Gay-ebook/dp/B00X2RBURK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430683116&sr=1-1&keywords=Enchanted+Summer

AMAZON KINDLE CA – http://www.amazon.ca/Enchanted-Summer-Regency-Gloria-Gay-ebook/dp/B00X2RBURK/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1431917189&sr=1-1&keywords=enchanted+summer%2C+gloria+gay

AMAZON KINDLE UK – http://www.amazon.co.uk/Enchanted-Summer-Regency-Gloria-Gay-ebook/dp/B00X2RBURK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430686838&sr=1-1&keywords=Enchanted+Summer%2C+gloria+gay

AMAZON PAPERBACK – http://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Summer-Regency-Gloria-Gay/dp/1512041793/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1430683

GOODREADS – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25537864-enchanted-summer

*****

Excerpt:

She sighed as she saw him busy filling the kettle with water from a keg and measuring tea leaves. He then took two blue and white mugs from a shelf, set them on the table and smiled at Celia. Celia smiled back. It was so easy to smile at Robert.

He seemed at home in the place and knew where everything was kept. Celia had never seen a man engaged in such domestic occupations and he seemed even more endearing to her, if such a thing were possible, as he went about in his preparations.

If there was such a thing as paradise, thought Celia, this was it in essence: a blissful, forbidden paradise. She would never again be as happy as she was at this moment, with the warmth that was beginning to give forth from the fire warming her to a delicious shiver, the scent of pinecones and fir in the air and the woodsy feel of the cabin.

All that was left now for Robert to do was to wait for the water to boil and he came and sat in the sofa near Celia. He seemed at a loss for words, and stood up quickly. He fetched spoons and napkins from a drawer in the table from a cupboard. Celia gazed at him as he did this and when their glances met Robert smiled again at her.

“Have you enjoyed your walk,” he asked and his voice was strained. When she nodded he said, “I hope you will walk here often and I hope…”

Celia waited for him to go on and realized he must have been embarrassed that he had said the word ‘hope’ several times, for a blush was stealing up his neck and cheek and he turned away.

Celia looked at his hands and noticed that they trembled. On impulse she placed her hand over his. The connection was instant. She felt rays of pleasure stealing up her arms clear up to her brain, stunning her with a swirl of pleasure she had never felt before.

Robert took one of her hands and kissed it, slowly and as slowly he pulled her up with him and they embraced. His lips on her neck gave her a floating feeling and as he pressed her closer to him an explosion of feeling coursed in skipping waves along her skin and nerves.

“I love you, Celia,” he whispered in her ear and Celia turned her face so that his lips found hers quickly and the kiss was unlike anything Celia had felt in her life. “I have loved you since the first day I saw you in that awful black gown,” he whispered in her ear, making her smile widely. It was as if she became part of him. He kissed her again and his tongue sent waves of erotic pleasure throughout her body. His hand softly on her breast made her gasp and quietly he led her up to a bed in the loft.

Like a sleepwalker led by a force she was unable to resist, Celia walked up the wooden stairs to the loft with Robert behind her, and when they reached the wide bed and Robert nodded toward it, she lay down on it. She noted vaguely that Robert was taking off her boots and then her bonnet. She floated in a soft cloud as she heard Robert take off his boots and coat, then his cravat.

She knew she would never be alone with Robert again. And she also knew she could not turn away from the swirl of almost unbearable tremors that shook her body with unfamiliar pleasure. He did not insist she take her clothes off as he lay beside her after having taken off his boots. He put his arm under her head and pressed her close to him and Celia felt that she would never in her life feel as sheltered and loved as she was at this moment as she looked deep into Robert’s eyes…

*****

Review:

I enjoyed this one, although it isn’t as tight as I usually like my stories. It was a little more embellished in the writing and there weren’t a lot of true interactions between the characters – more internal dialogue and observations. It kinda reminded me of what I remember Barbara Cartland books being like (and what I imagine Georgette Hayer’s books are like, although I’ve never read any). They are super sweet, with flowery dialogue, and a plot where love triumphs in the end – the good guys get what they deserve and so does the bad guy.

I did like the heroine, who is the character we follow for about 97% of the story – she’s got a very strong sense of familial responsibility and is willing to make sacrifices for them. And I think I could have really liked the hero if we’d had a chance to know him more. He also seems to have a strong family connection but there just wasn’t enough dealings with him to get a good read.

I think that authors like this definitely have an audience and if this is your kind of thing then Gay is definitely a good choice. The trials that these characters go thru on their way to a HEA make for a fun read and you’ll be happy when everything wraps up nicely at the end.

(There were some editing issues in the copy I had but I don’t know if those were cleaned up in the final copy. I saw somewhere that someone else complained about them but I’m not one of those that it bothers so much and they didn’t impact my reading in any way, but that is something else to keep in mind.)

*****

Author Info:

Writing and painting have been Gloria’s main obsessions ever since she can remember. She and her husband consider themselves very lucky to be living in a beautiful place like San Diego, California, but most of all to have their children and grandchildren living nearby.

Enchanted Summer is Gloria’s seventh Regency romance and she has recently published her first time travel romance, A Bridge Through Time. Her other Regencies include the recently published Lovely Little Liar and Scandal at Almack’s, both with Boroughs Publishing Group, as well as Love In A Dangerous Season and Kissed In The Dark which she self-published with Kindle Books.

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE – http://www.amazon.com/Gloria-Gay/e/B0065TEP9M/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1

WEBSITE / BLOG – http://gloriagay.com

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/gloria.gay.58?fref=ts

TWITTER – https://twitter.com/gloria_gay

*****

Giveaway:

5 ebooks

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9944253c177/

*****

Book Review – To Win Her Love

10 Thursday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Mackenzie Crowne, Players series, To Win Her Love

To Win Her Love

Players series

by Mackenzie Crowne

To win the game, they’ll have to risk losing their hearts…

When a bizarre child custody stipulation pits popular sports blogger Gracie Gable against football superstar Jake Malone, losing the battle for her twin nieces isn’t the only thing Gracie has to worry about. Forced to live for three months under the same roof as the sexy tight end, will she fall prey to his flirtatious pursuit? Or worse, will the skeletons in her closet destroy her chance for the love and family she so desperately wants?

Neglected by his parents as a boy, Jake doesn’t believe in happily ever after. Yet living with Gracie and the twins might be enough to change his mind—and his womanizing ways. But when the press unearths a scandal from Gracie’s past, will he lose the one woman he was ready to open his heart to?

There is so much going against Gracie and Jake – they battle online about one of his plays on-field, only to find out that they have a battle of a different kind. Forced to live together because of a custody stipulation they find out that their attraction to each other may be more than they can resist. Except that Gracie’s secret is a doozie and could affect a lot of people Jake knows.

Gracie doesn’t let Jake get away with anything, although sometimes that isn’t all that easy. There’s plenty of snark and humor, fun and flirtation, but when one of the sexiest men in football turns on the charm who wouldn’t go weak in the knees? While I really liked these two together, my favorite part has to be watching Jake fall for his sisters. He originally only agrees to being there because he knows it would be more bad press he doesn’t need, then it’s a chance to be closer to Gracie, but once he gets to know those two little girls things change … and it is so very sweet. Plus there are Jake’s teammates. I’m really hoping that Crowne has some big plans for these guys because a few of them definitely need to be brought down a peg or two and need a good woman to be the one to do it 🙂

With hilarious dialogue, outrageous situations, touching moments, and all of the sexy you could ask for, To Win Her Love is a definite romantic touchdown.

Buy it on Amazon

Book Review – Broken Play

09 Wednesday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

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Birmingham Rebels series, Book Review, Broken Play, Samantha Kane

I’ve got one today that may be a little more than some of you want to take on. But those who are brave and a little more daring in your reading, Samantha Kane’s Broken Play delivers a scoring drive.

*****

Broken Play

Birmingham Rebels # 1

by Samantha Kane

Releasing September 1, 2015

Loveswept

Blurb:

Perfect for fans of Shayla Black and Lexi Blake, the deeply sensual new Birmingham Rebels series introduces an unforgettable team of chiseled football gods—and the daring, provocative games they play behind closed doors.

Birmingham Rebels offensive linemen Beau Perez and Cass Zielinski are inseparable, on and off the field. Cass, the captain with the cowboy swagger, is a loose cannon. Beau, the veteran tight end, is cool under pressure. And ever since they were caught on tape in a steamy threesome, their exploits have fueled more than a few tabloid headlines—and naughty fantasies.

Marian Treadwell knows all about the video. And now that she’s the Rebels’ new assistant offensive coach, she can’t look at Beau and Cass without picturing their hard, naked bodies—with her pressed in between. Marian would like nothing more than to indulge those impulses, but she knows better than to get too close to her players, a bunch of adrenaline-fueled alpha males who don’t always follow the rules.

Just the thought of sharing the gorgeous yet guarded Marian drives Cass wild. At first, Beau isn’t sure she’s right for them . . . and lately, all he desires is a little alone time with Cass to explore their new intimacy. But it’s only a matter of time before Cass breaks through both of their defenses. Because when seduction is the game plan, he always plays to win.

Broken Play is intended for mature audiences.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23834711-broken-play?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/147783-birmingham-rebels

Buy Links: Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

*****

Excerpt:

“Hey, sugar, come here often?” Jo Jo Jones said to her as he came around from the showers wearing nothing but a towel, his dark-cocoa skin starkly contrasting with the white terry cloth. Jo Jo was a great linebacker, but he had a death wish. He couldn’t stop smoking weed, and he liked to tease Marian. One of those was going to get him thrown out of the NFL, and the other was going to get him dead.

“Really?” Marian said with exaggerated disappointment. “You had the whole day to think of a come-on line, and that’s the best you could come up with?”

The guys all laughed and Jo Jo got snapped with a few towels. He laughed, too, as if he’d really been joking, which was good. Cass crossed beating him up off his to-do list.

“Okay, gentlemen—and I use the term loosely,” she said, teasing them. “Today is press day. You get to be smart and funny and irresistible for the press corps. Make yourselves pretty before you join us back on the sidelines.”

There were groans from all over the room. “Oh, man,” Tyler Oakes, team quarterback, said. “You have to, too, right?”

Marian frowned. “Hello? I’m already pretty.”

Cass laughed out loud with the rest of the team. “You sure are,” he said, loud enough for her to hear him. Her gaze darted over to him, as if she’d been avoiding looking at him but couldn’t help herself now. He was sitting there in his shorts and nothing else, sweating. Beau was leaning on the locker in front of him, similarly undressed. Cass looked at him, hoping to lead Marian’s eyes that way, too. Beau was sure enough pretty when his copper skin was all sweaty, his tats gleaming black and slick.

Marian cleared her throat and Cass turned back to her. “Uh,” she said, blinking nervously as she backed up, holding the door with her hand. “Thanks. Hurry up. Down on the field. Press. Bye.” She turned and hurried off, letting the door swing closed.

“That girl got it bad,” Jo Jo said with a whistle. “You gonna put her out of her misery, or let me pick up the pieces of her broken heart?”

“Do you have a death wish?” Cass asked quietly, rearranging his to-do list again. He took a sip of his water as he stared at Jo Jo over the top of the bottle. Jo Jo backed up, his hands in the air.

“No, sir,” he said, shaking his head. “Not me. I didn’t say anything.”

Beau laughed. “Chicken.”

Jo Jo grinned. “You got that right, my man. Smart chicken.” He laughed as he sat down and started to get dressed. “See, I’m gonna be the first one down there with Miss Marian, while you pigs still got to wash the dirt off.” He laughed again as he danced out of the way of Cass’s reaching hand. “None of that,” he chided him. “Miss Marian would be very put out if I appeared all bloody for the press.”

“We’ll just make sure you don’t appear at all,” Beau said, which made Cass feel better. Beau may not have been actively pursuing Marian, but he was definitely interested in her, thank God. Cass didn’t want to be with a woman without Beau. He hadn’t been for . . . hell, three years. There was something between Marian and Beau. He just had to push it past the edge of whatever it was and into sex. No, more than sex. He wanted more than sex with Marian and Beau. It was time for more.

Before he could digest that mind-boggling thought, Beau slapped his shoulder. “Come on, man,” he said. “We’ve got to shower and get down there before they miss us.”

“Coming,” Cass said. He put aside his confusing thoughts and focused on the upcoming interviews. He really hated the press.

*****

Review:

Y’all need to take what the blurb says seriously because this book is not going to be for everyone. Usually your love story is girl meets boy, they fall in love, sometimes experience trouble of some sort, but figure things out so they can have their HEA. Here, girl meets boys, who already know each other quite well, everyone falls in love and addresses a few big problems so they can live HEA (although I’m sure it isn’t going to be easy considering the nature of their relationship). For those who don’t mind the explicit sex, including M/M and multiple partners, it is WELL worth the read because Kane does a great job of exploring some fascinating dynamics between these interesting and complex characters. In fact, there is so much going on here that I just couldn’t put it down and finished it in an afternoon.

I do have a couple of issues with it. Early on the flow isn’t as smooth as I’m used to, with paragraphs of weirdly stilted sentences, but I quickly am so wrapped up in their story that I stop noticing. If it continues, I have no idea because the rest of it is that engrossing.

And then there is the unprofessional relationship between Marian, Beau and Cass. She’s the assistant coach for their football team and a couple of times they have intimate moments in her office. I have no idea why it bothered me because there are a ton of books with office romances, including those with the boss, but this one seemed …. well, just more so. But then again, everything about their relationship is “more” so I guess it works 🙂

The characters hook you so completely though that it doesn’t take long to get past these things. The relationship between Beau and Cass is so very complicated and meeting Marian causes them to evaluate their feelings not only for her but for each other. I think my favorite thing about the whole book is how their this is addressed. It is so smooth because they had already started putting together the framework, they just hadn’t openly acknowledged it.

Marian, though, is more complicated and has some soul-searching to do. She had a traumatic incident in her past that has had far reaching effects, not just on her but on others. It’s shaken her trust and causes her to be afraid, in relationships and with football players – which is not good considering her job. Cass and Beau won’t let her ignore it because it is the make or break thing for their future. Their solution may be unorthodox but considering how unusual their lives are anyway it works.

Again, this book isn’t going to be for everyone. But it is full of a lot of heart and heat, which makes it perfect for those who are a little more adventurous in their reading.

*****

Author Info:

Samantha Kane lives in North Carolina with her husband and three children, two boys and one girl. With a master’s degree in American history, she spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full-time writer and mom.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Select Loveswept Ebook Bundle

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/235babe7251/

*****

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Book Review – Making a Play

06 Sunday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Hometown Players series, Making a Play, Victoria Denault

Making a Play

A Hometown Players Novel

by Victoria Denault

He’ll do whatever it takes to win–on and off the ice.

Luc Richard is the hottest player in the NHL–and it has nothing to do with hockey. His racy relationship with his supermodel ex set the tabloids on fire but nearly put his career on ice. To avoid being traded, Luc agrees to take a break from the spotlight–and from women–and spend the off-season at home in Silver Bay, Maine. It’s the perfect plan… until he reconnects with Rose.

Rose Caplan is tired of being shy, sweet, and safe. She’s ready for passion, romance–and Luc. Having loved him longer than she can remember, she’s finally ready to prove she’s not the same innocent little girl he once knew. Off the ice Luc doesn’t do games, but this new Rose makes him feel like playing a little dirty. If he’s really got a shot at her heart then he’s not just playing to win. He’s playing for keeps.

Is anyone going to be surprised when I tell you I haven’t read the first Hometown Players book? No? Didn’t think so. The nice thing is that it doesn’t make a difference because Denault does a good job of filling you in on any important details you might have missed.

Luc and Rose are fantastic together. The idea that she’s had this crush on him for years, and that he’s been denying the attraction for just as long, is sweet and a little heartbreaking. They have such a supportive and close relationship but it has to be horrible to have to hide (and repress) those feelings. But this summer things have changed and their control may not be enough to keep them apart.

Luc is your typical big bad athlete – strong, confident, sexy and a magnet for women. He had an alcoholic mom, giving him a few emotional scars and leaving him with the feeling that he’s not good relationship material. Especially not for someone he cares so much about and who is as sweet as Rose. Rose has had to watch Luc’s antics with his model girlfriend in the tabloids. Now that he’s single again, it is her last opportunity to get him to see her as something other than just a friend.

I love the friends to lovers story-line and this one is wonderfully done. Because they were friends for so long, the back and forth between these two (and the inevitable fallout when Luc screws up because you just know he’s going to) makes for a fantastic read. Denault does an amazing job of capturing the highs and lows of their changing relationship and you feel every rise and dip with them as they try to find their way to a HEA.

One More Shot was Denault’s debut novel and based on Making a Play I’m pretty sure that she’ll have a long career ahead of her. And I am SOOOO looking forward to The Final Move releasing this December – we got glimpses of what’s to come here and it looks like it is going to be great!

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Book Review – Two Family Home

05 Saturday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, Sarah Title, Southern Comfort Romance series, Two Family Home

Two Family Home

A Southern Comfort Romance

by Sarah Title

Lindsey Alford moved to Willow Springs, Kentucky, to prove to all doubters (mostly her parents) that she’s all grown up. Something her neighbor Walker Smith never questioned—those short shorts of hers!

Put a cute single girl with an overactive imagination next door to a reclusive hot guy, add in a decadent blue velvet sofa, a locked garage and a nursing home full of busybodies, and trouble is bound to pop up. Literally, in the form of an adorably naughty stray pup with a longing for two people to lick and a home all his own.

Love isn’t complex…it’s a duplex!

Once again we have a series that I joined after it started, but luckily it’s one of those times where it doesn’t matter. Two Family Home was a great chance to be introduced to this world and get to know the characters a little better. Lindsey is new to the area so that helps because she’s getting to know everyone just like us.

Walker is great – he’s moody and standoffish and all Heathcliffy. But he’s also a brilliant artist, a good friend to Myron, and has a soft heart under his gruff exterior. Lindsey is one of those people who sees the good in everyone and wants to help, which is why she makes a great nurse. With shared walls and an adorable puppy, it doesn’t take long for Lindsey’s happy attitude (and sexy legs) to get to Walker.

A lot of people comment on how much they like the fact that the dog’s point of view is included in the story, which is actually quite cute, but it was getting both Walker and Lindsey’s that I liked the most. I always enjoy seeing the romance bloom from both points of view and I think that it added a lot to this story. I definitely think we needed to see his changes from Walker’s POV and getting Lindsey’s voice added just so much pep to an already cute story.

Even though this is my first Southern Comfort story, it definitely won’t be my last. I can’t wait to meet everyone else and watch them fall in love.

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Book Review – Treasured by Thursday

04 Friday Sep 2015

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Book Review, Catherine Bybee, Treasured by Thursday, Weekday Brides Series

I’m so thrilled to be able to bring everyone the last story in Catherine Bybee’s Weekday Brides series. She gives us a humdinger of an ending to one of my favorite series and I can’t recommend it enough.

*****

Treasured by Thursday

Weekday Brides, Book 7

by Catherine Bybee

Contemporary Romance, Montlake

Release: August 18, 2015

Blurb:

The seventh and final tale in the dazzling, heartwarming, and pulse-racing Weekday Brides series.

Gabriella Masini: She’s a woman haunted by her past, with the scars to prove it. She believes that fairy tales are for other people. An elite matchmaker at Alliance, she’s great at crunching numbers, but something doesn’t add up with her latest prospective client: a billionaire bad boy with his own secrets. When Gabi refuses to be his temporary wife, Hunter forces her hand with an offer she can’t refuse. But marriage to a man like that could never last…or could it?

Hunter Blackwell: Only his bank account is bigger than his ruthless ability to obtain anything he wants. These days, he has a secret reason to settle down, at least for a while—and he thinks the sensual and sassy Gabi will fit the bill perfectly. But when their marriage of convenience becomes downright dangerous, Hunter must decide how far to take his vow to honor and protect Gabi forever.

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*****

Review:

Most of the time, I’ll tell you that you don’t need to have read the previous stories in a series to enjoy a book, but unfortunately this time I think it makes a difference. We met Gabi in Seduced by Sunday and a lot of her history from that story impacts this one and I’m afraid you might be missing out on a lot by not having that information. But really, these stories are so good that it shouldn’t be a hardship 🙂

Every time I read one of these I think that I’ve met the couple that I love the most …. then I read the next book. I already knew I’d love Gabi based on Sunday (and just by the fact that she is one of Bybee’s brides) but Hunter turned out to be great too. He does change his tune pretty quickly after meeting Gabi but I don’t think he’s had someone with quite as much sass in his life before. He’s also going thru a lot of other things, hence his need for a “bride”, which probably helped him want to take a good look at himself as well. I liked him right off, regardless of how big a jerk he could be, and watching him fall for Gabi was a lot of fun.

Gabi was dealt a HUGE hit in Sunday so it was great to see her finding a spark inside and be willing to stand up to Hunter. He needed someone to give him a little grief and she’s got it in her to be that person. I laughed and huffed and smiled and shook my head at the two of them as they dance around each other on their way to a relationship.

The suspense portion was fantastic. (I’m not sure how these people keep getting themselves into these situations …) But Gabi’s related back to Sunday and gave a nice book end to her story. Although you knew everything was going to turn out well for them in the end, there were a couple of moments that had me holding my breath.

The ending, both with the bad guy and Gabi & Hunter’s relationship, was perfect. She showed how far she’d come and he’s wonderful coming to the rescue. I have to say I fell even more for him in the last chapter but you’re just going to have to read it to find out why 🙂

Y’all have no idea how sad I am to see this series end, although I was thrilled to have all of my favorites show back up and give us updates on their lives. And a little good news, Bybee hints at a new series coming and I’m sure it is going to be great!

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating from high school, she moved to Southern California with hopes of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban emergency rooms. She now writes full-time and has penned the Not Quite series as well as the Weekday Brides series.