Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review – Life Next Door

23 Thursday Apr 2015

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2940150355521_p0_v1_s260x420There is only one thing in life that professional pastry Chef Priscilla Westcott values more than baking and wine, and that’s honesty. A quality she soon learns that her marriage lacks when her husband runs off with their next door neighbor.

Divorced and alone, Priscilla is determined to make changes in her life. She decides to approach her new goals like one of her beloved recipes. Surely with a little time, a dash of patience, and measured planning she can whip herself—and her life—back into shape.

However, when a new—and utterly delicious—neighbor takes up residence in the house that ruined her marriage, Pricilla fears that her careful world will fold faster than a deflated soufflé.

Trent Walker knows what he wants and his sweet, sassy neighbor is at the top of the list. He’s certain that the chemistry between them would be explosive, but Priscilla fears that an affair with him, however hot, could be a recipe for disaster.

I’ll have to be honest, I wasn’t a fan of Priscilla in the beginning. Yes, her marriage ended badly and she has a right to be somewhat upset about it but she is horribly bitter. It makes her bitchy and unlikeable. Luckily I pushed thru and after a few interactions with Trent it got better. He sees past all the snark and finds something that keeps bringing him back. And after a while I saw it too.

Together the two of them are a ton of fun. She’s all kitten with her claws out and he just sits back & laughs before going all Alpha on her. It’s entertaining … and hot, for both CeCe and us J Of course, there have to be problems and they aren’t that much of a surprise, but Hollyfield handles it well. The issues & resolutions are believable, fitting in well with the story and the characters.

Once I got past the bitter CeCe parts, it was a very fast and fun read. Well written, with interesting characters and humorous moments, I ended up having trouble putting it down. If you are a little put off by the beginning like I was, make sure you keep reading because it doesn’t take long to get past that and the rest is totally worth it.

Book Review – Seduced by Sunday

22 Wednesday Apr 2015

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Y’all might remember Bybee’s Fiance by Friday or Single by Saturday … and if you have read any of the Weekday Brides Series then you know how great the new one is going to be.  And if you haven’t read any yet, what are you waiting for?

*****

Seduce by Sunday LSEDUCED BY SUNDAY

The Weekday Bride Series, Book Six

by Catherine Bybee

Montlake Romance, Contemporary

April 14, 2015, First Edition

Paperback & Kindle

Blurb:

Meg Rosenthal: Matchmaker by day, realist by night, Meg is not about to get swept away by a charming, darkly handsome businessman in a designer suit.

She’s come to a beautiful secluded resort to evaluate the private island’s potential for her agency, not to ogle its owner. But there’s something about the magnetic man that’s hard to resist, even for a woman who refuses to fall in love.

Valentino Masini: A successful and drop-dead sexy businessman, Valentino is used to having the finer things in life. Yet he’s never wanted someone the way he wants Meg, who’s stirring up a hurricane of trouble in his heart. But just as he decides to convince her to stay, someone else decides it might be time to get Meg off the island…permanently.

Praise for Catherine Bybee

“Suspense, survival, and chemistry mix in this scintillating read in the style of Julie Garwood and Suzanne Brockmann.” —Booklist on Fiancé by Friday

“This is a book nobody should miss, because the magic it contains is awesome.” —Booked Up Reviews on Married by Monday

“[A] wonderfully exciting plot, lots of desire, and some sassy attitude thrown in for good measure!” —Harlequin Junkie on Single by Saturday

BUY LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Seduced-Sunday-Weekday-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B00NWS4AIK/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426138407&sr=8-1&keywords=seduced+by+sunday

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seduced-by-sunday-catherine-bybee/1120641952?ean=9781477827772

BAM: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Seduced-Sunday/Catherine-Bybee/9781477827772?id=6165479539816

BOOK DEPOSITORY: http://www.bookdepository.com/Seduced-by-Sunday-Catherine-Bybee/9781477827772

*****

Excerpt:

Val brushed the side of her face with the back of his hand, moved closer.

Meg stopped playing, felt her pulse jump.

“Where’s Michael?” Val whispered.

“Michael?” The name didn’t register.

Val lifted his left eyebrow. “The man you’re here with.”

Right. “He’s a …” Damn, he smelled edible.

Val’s palm captured her neck and guided her to her feet. “He’s just a friend, isn’t he, Margaret?”

The way Val’s lips moved drew her closer. The need to taste them, feel them on hers was impossible to walk away from. “If I told you we were more than friends…”

Val’s eyes traveled from her lips to her eyes. “Then I’d have to let you go.” He loosened his fingers on her neck, but instead of moving away, Meg leaned in.

“Sounds like you might regret that decision.” She laid a hand on his firm chest. The man wasn’t soft under his stuffy suits.

“I don’t pursue another man’s woman.”

He wasn’t moving away.

“Good to hear, Masini.” She lifted her lips close to his, felt his breath mix with hers. “I don’t belong to anyone.”

Val hesitated for a nanosecond, and then took her lips. His closed-mouth kiss started off soft, like a hesitant man worried about rushing. Yet when Val wrapped his free hand around her waist, and his body fit against hers, Meg opened for him, encouraged him to taste.

When he did she lost it. He tasted of bourbon and sex. God help her, she wanted to crawl into his kiss and explore it for hours. The man kissed like he was on a mission. And maybe he was. Who knew if Val Masini made it a weekly occurrence to kiss a new woman? Somehow, she didn’t think so. He was too reserved most of the time.

Not now … not with his tongue exploring her and his strong hands pressing the small of her back closer. Every hard ridge of the man met with every soft curve of hers.

The kiss went on until she found her chest tightening with a familiar warning. Sexual excitement had to be paced or she might find herself in a full-blow asthma attack. A frustrating fact of her life in the last few years. One that kept her single most of the time, her encounters lukewarm at best.

Val was threatening the air in her lungs with just a kiss.

A heated knock her on her ass kiss, but a kiss nonetheless.

She eased away and Val chased her lips.

She tried to slow her breathing, couldn’t catch a deep breath. “Wait,” she managed, pulling away.

“Too much, cara?”

You have no idea.

*****

Review:

I’ve actually reviewed a couple of Bybee’s books already (I’m not sure how I missed Taken By Thursday but I’ll get that one up soon) and I have to say I’ve loved every one of them.  They are fantastic mix of suspense and romance. 

I haven’t met a person that I haven’t liked in this series (or at least not anyone I’m supposed to like) and this time isn’t any different.  Bybee gives little glimpses of her heroines in preceding stories so we’ve met Meg before and I wasn’t surprised that I liked her.  She’s strong and sassy, just like a weekday bride should be.  And of course, she deserves a hunky and suave hero, which she gets with Val.  He’s deliciously Italian – cool and sexy, but with a nice bit of fire inside. 

At the beginning we get a little flirtation between Val and Meg, but it doesn’t take long for Bybee to get the ball rolling on their troubles.  I have to say that it was quite obvious where the problems were coming from but she still manages to make you wonder.  It isn’t as much of a whodunit but more of a whydunit and what are our leads going to do about it.  Together Val and Meg, with their friends of course (hi everyone!), take serious insult to anyone threatening them and those they love so you know that they are going to take care of business … and they do.  It’s quite satisfying to see how they get to the bottom of everything and the way that it is all resolved. 

But I think my favorite part of this one is the fact that we continue to get Michael’s story.  Out of all of the characters he’s my favorite and I’m not sure why.  Maybe it is the adversity that he faces, the fact that he so very much wants to have a satisfactory life and a HEA, his lifestyle choice that is so much a hot point right now.  We know that we’ll get another story in the series since Gabi has to get her happy ending, so I’ve got my fingers crossed that Bybee shows us that things can work out for him.

Full of a great deal of humor and spark, love and friendship, romance and heat, Seduced by Sunday is a great addition to the Weekday Brides series.  If you haven’t read one before, that’s fine – Bybee does a great job of keeping each story self-contained but with enough character flow between them to keep returning readers happy. 

*****

Bybee Author PhotoAuthor Info:

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Catherine Bybee was raised in Washington State, but after graduating high school, she moved to Southern California in 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 Weekday Brides Series and the Not Quite Series. Bybee lives with her husband and two teenage sons in Southern California.

CONTACT LINKS:

Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2905789.Catherine_Bybee

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee

*****

Giveaway:

Tour-Graphic

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8a8544f623/

Spring Fling Blog Hop

21 Tuesday Apr 2015

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Retro watercolor tulips

So today’s Blog Hop is supposed to be about that book that you’d soon give up anything for – a date, sleep, chocolate, yadda yadda … I chose a book that was actually one of the very first ones I ever wrote a review for.  There have been A LOT of books I’ve read and loved since this one and many that came before it.  But when someone asks about a book that sticks with you, this is one I think of.  I just absolutely love Gracie and can’t wait to share her with everyone.

Here is my original review of Falling for Gracie … I hope she becomes one of your favorites as well.

*****

9780373775293_p0_v1_s260x420First comes love, then comes marriage…

At least, that was Gracie’s plan at the ripe old age of fourteen. She loved eighteen-year-old heartthrob Riley with a desperation that made her a town legend. Even now that she’s all grown up, the locals in sleepy Los Lobos won’t let her forget her youthful crush.

And how can she, when she’s face-to-face with Riley at every turn? The onetime bad boy has come back to town seeking respectability—but the sparks that fly between them are anything but respectable! Gracie’s determined to keep her distance, but when someone sets out to ruin both their reputations, the two discover that first love is sometimes better the second time around.

I should start this review by saying that I love Susan Mallery’s books. They have, for me, just the right combination of humor, romance and relationship issues. Falling For Gracie was the first of her books that I read and is still one of my favorites.

Fourteen years ago Gracie Landon had a crush on Riley Whitefield. Her antics to separate him from his girlfriends made her a legend in their town. It even caused the town paper to run “The Gracie Chronicles” detailing her creativity, like the time she locked a skunk in his car for a few hours or when she nailed the doors and windows shut so his date couldn’t leave her house. In truth she was really a teenage stalker that embarrassed her family. When 18 year old Riley was forced to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Gracie was sent to stay with relatives so she couldn’t ruin the wedding. With the gossip lingering, her mother decided she would be raised by an aunt and uncle instead of returning to Los Lobos.

Now Gracie is a renowned wedding cake baker and back in town for a few weeks for her younger sister’s wedding. It’s uncomfortable for her, not only because the town continues to remind her of her childhood humiliation, but her time away from her family has made them strangers. Since they had a long distance relationship with sporadic visits, they don’t know the kind life that she led and make assumptions based on her actions before she left. She doesn’t have enough knowledge of her family to be able to understand how to deal with them. It creates uncomfortable situations and hurt feelings.

To make matters worse, a divorced Riley is also in town due to his uncle’s will which states that he will inherit millions but only if he wins the mayoral election. Gracie’s sister thinks her husband, who works as Riley’s campaign manager, is cheating on her so she enlists Gracie to help her learn the truth. She convinces Gracie to go to Riley’s to confirm he is actually working on the campaign and of course Riley catches her sneaking around. Although she is able to convince him that she hasn’t reverted to being a stalker, the situation with her sister’s marriage pushes them together, allowing for the requisite romantic sparks. Their troubles continue to mount when you add in Riley’s ex-wife, the shady dealings of the current mayor, and someone trying to ruin both Gracie’s business and Riley’s campaign.

Although there is a lot going on, I felt that Mallery was able to comfortably handle the mysteries, romance and familial interactions. Riley’s issues with his father, uncle, and even his mother make his decisions understandable. It is also easy to see how Gracie’s broken relationship with her siblings and her mother contributes to their awkward interactions. The way Gracie and Riley developed a relationship was enjoyable and I felt that how Gracie came to an understanding with her mother, though quick, was well handled. Although I think that Riley’s eventual resolution about his uncle and Gracie’s dealings with her sisters could have been expanded, overall I found this to be a fantastic story.

Mallery’s stories are at times funny and other times touching, but they are always entertaining and Falling for Gracie no different.

*****

Giveaway:

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and some great reading material!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/558c5de817/

*****

Make sure you check out all of the wonderful sites participating on the Hop!

https://lauriestarkey.wordpress.com/blog/

http://wackymommareads.blogspot.com

http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com

https://gloriouspanic.wordpress.com/

http://sarasbooksandthings.blogspot.com/?m=1

http://www.mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/

http://soulcleverbooks.blogspot.com

http://bfdbookblog.net/

http://www.anovelkindofbliss.blogspot.com

https://bookandbastille.wordpress.com/

http://onceuponawish.weebly.com

https://blogtasticreviews.wordpress.com/

ttp://lovelyparanormalbooks.blogspot.co.nz

http://thebookish-life.blogspot.com

http://herbookthoughts.reads-it.com

http://mnonmklreviews.blogspot.com

http://athousandwordsamillionbooks.blogspot.in

https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com

http://theapbookclub.blogspot.com

http://themistresscase.blogspot.com/

https://bookandbastille.wordpress.com/

http://recklessindulgence.wordpress.com

http://thebookishowl.net

https://blogtasticreviews.wordpress.com/

http://www.naturalbri.com

http://aamzybookwonder.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mistralkdawn.blogspot.com/

http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwritings.blogspot.com

http://britishbookwormblog.com

http://lexicalcreations.weebly.com/jens-blog

http://www.naturalbri.com

http://aamzybookwonder.blogspot.co.uk/

http://mistralkdawn.blogspot.com/

http://archiestandwoodsreviewsandwritings.blogspot.com

http://britishbookwormblog.com

http://lexicalcreations.weebly.com/jens-blog

http://shadetreeblogging.blogspot.com

*****

I really hope you enjoyed the Spring Fling Blog Hop.  If so, please make sure you go visit our organizers Good Tales Book Tours at www.goodtalesbooktours.com

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Book Review – The Catching Kind

17 Friday Apr 2015

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cover58702-mediumHailey Tate thought she was worth more than a straight flush.

 Apparently not.

 When camera-shy author Hailey Tate’s agent loses a bet and brokers a deal, it leaves Hailey in the last place she wants to be: backed into the corner of Publicity and Paparazzi. Now, thanks to her girl-next-door image and role as pretend girlfriend to a womanizing shortstop, she’s getting the attention she always managed to avoid.

 Connor Ryan is not only America’s Sexiest Athlete, he’s also the current Bad Boy of Baseball. But when he goes a base too far, management wants to bench him…permanently. One thing he never counted on? Falling for his sweet, fake girlfriend. He’s the guy who can catch anything and now she’s next on his list.

This is the first of Quinn’s Brew Ha Ha books that I’ve read (are you surprised?) but once again it didn’t matter.  And once again I’ve decided I’m missing out on something great.  While Hailey & Connor’s story can stand on its own, this group of friends and their amazingly talented creator are sure to bring a great deal of awesomeness to all of the books

I found The Catching Kind to be as sweet as the muffins served at the coffee shop the series is centered around.  Hailey is that perfect mixture of cute girl-next-door awkwardness.  She’s smart, funny, and caring but a little unsure of herself.  Throw her into a world populated by the oh-so-confident Connor and lets the chaos reign. 

Quinn makes it obvious that you can’t trust everything that is seen about the famous (and infamous) but she doesn’t overdo it.  She lets it flow naturally as Hailey gets to know the real Connor.  They develop a very realistic relationship, one based on an unlikely friendship but a solid one nonetheless.  Although we don’t get Connor’s inner thoughts, it’s obvious that if she lets herself believe Hailey could have something great with the reformed playboy – he definitely protests a little too much 🙂

Fun and quirky, with a lovely enemies to friends to lovers plotline, The Catching Kind made me smile, especially the typically Connor ending!  I can’t wait to get my hands on more of Quinn’s work.

Book Review – Someone Like Her

16 Thursday Apr 2015

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cover56166-mediumKnown to the K2 Special Services team as Romeo, ex-Navy SEAL Jake Buchanan may spend his downtime living up to his nickname, but there’s one woman who sets his heart racing like no one else can: Maria Kincaid. Unfortunately, his boss—her brother—has made it crystal clear that she’s off-limits. Jake doesn’t do commitment, while Maria is the type of woman who deserves a promise of forever. Yet Maria finds herself drawn to Jake, the man who stares at her with a desire she wishes he’d act on.

Still haunted by her horrific childhood, Maria goes searching for the father she’s never met—and stumbles into a nightmarish experience. With her life in grave danger, she reaches out to Jake, her brother’s second-in-command. Jake figures he can help Maria without giving in to temptation. But some things are easier said than done.

Jake is your typical Alpha male.  He’s strong, daring and brave.  But he also has issues with commitment  and the whole lothario reputation isn’t winning him any favors with Maria’s brother.  He’s always been drawn to her though and forced into close contact together to keep her out of danger is more than he can take. 

I really like Maria.  She’s uncertain of herself and her appeal but she’s still strong.  She had a most unusual childhood but thanks to her brother she survived.  And kinda thrived, although it takes her romance with Jake to really change things.  But it is her relationship with her brother that really touched me – he was her rock for so long, but she’s good at taking him on when its necessary. 

The illicit romance with the sibling of your friend always appeals to me but when one of the two is a kick-butt military guy I just can’t resist.  There are so many complications that arise out of dating your friend’s sister, but when that friend knows 50 ways to kill you without leaving evidence – well, that makes it even more problematic 🙂

On top of the romance, we get a good deal of adventure and danger as well.  Owens does a fantastic job of weaving the two and making them working together to give her readers a complex story.

Someone Like Her delivers suspense and edge of your seat moments, mixed with humor and heart-warming emotions.  With bigger than life men and the women strong enough to love them, danger and laughter, steam and tears, and a good dose of HEA, The K2 Team series is a must read. 

Book Review – Cupcakes and Crushes

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

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cover59638-mediumSometimes there is enough sweet to make up for the bitter.

Years ago, a broken heart sent Annie Cookie running from home, and she’s never looked back—until now. Her grandpa’s broken wrist means the family bakery is at risk of losing two big orders. Reluctantly, Annie returns to Turtle Pine to help out, only to discover it’s not just seven hundred cupcakes she has to bake, but also a wedding cake for the half-sister who stole her high-school sweetheart. Annie left town to get away from her sister. No way is she getting mixed up with her again. Once the cupcakes are done, she’s outta there.

Back in high school, Cade Revlin hid his crush on his brother’s girl, but when his brother dumped Annie for another Cookie sister, Annie slipped through his fingers and out of town. Now that she’s back, he’s determined to give her a reason to stay. He’s got one week to change her mind. Or she’ll be gone in a cloud of powdered sugar.

Warning: Contains small-town meddling, family drama and all the necessary ingredients for a second chance at love—if they have the guts to turn up the heat.

With Cupcakes and Crushes, Ford cooks up a wonderful book about letting go of the past in order to embrace the future. Annie finds that it is easier to avoid issues than face them but being back in town and seeing it through adult eyes makes her re-evaluate things. Plus the handsome, smart and sweet Cade gives her extra reasons to make peace with her past.

The story is short but the perfect warm weather read. And although it seems like Annie and Cade fall in love quickly, Ford makes it totally believable. I love them both and I was pulling for them from page one. They make such a fun and cute couple and it is fantastic watching them give in to their feelings.

Book Review – In His Corner

15 Wednesday Apr 2015

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We actually took a look at In His Corner last week HERE but I thought it would be a good idea to do it again because the delightful Cindy Fazzi (aka Vina Arno) has an ABSOLUTELY fabulous giveaway going on to celebrate her book’s release.  Make sure you check it all out below!

In His Corner by Vina ArnoWork Out

No sex for almost a year could kill a guy, but when you’re the boxer known as the Juggernaut, it’s the price you pay for turning pro. Tommy’s fully dedicated to his craft, until he meets the incredibly gorgeous Dr. Siena Carr. Now he’s looking forward to taking on this prim and proper lady in a wet and wild work-out…

Knock Out

Siena has seen many patients come through the ER, but none as sexy as Tommy Raines. With a nasty cut over his eye, she knows he needs stitches, but after he takes off his shirt, she needs some air. With rock-hard abs and taut biceps, it’s clear this man takes care of his body. And all Siena can think about is letting him take care of hers…

There’s an interesting mix of things going on in In His Corner.  Siena is a little uptight and secure in her gilded life.  She volunteers to help the less fortunate, works in an ER (but at an upscale hospital) and gives to charity, but she doesn’t really know how the other half lives.  Then Tommy steps into her life … and gives it a good shake.

At the beginning, we see her fighting her attraction for him because of his more coarse nature – he’s nothing at all like she’s used to.  Then once they are together those differences continue to cause issues.  I think I’d like a glimpse of how they work things out longer term (because they are so different) but I really loved the ending and the realizations that they come to.

It is less a book about a fighter than it is about a high-class girl and a working-stiff, but the old plotline works for a reason. In the hands of a good author, like Arno, it makes for a fantastic read.

*****

Giveaway:

SienaKeepsakeBox-VinaArno

The grand prize includes this gorgeous wooden box of Siena (Italy), a $50 Amazon gift card, a copy of “In His Corner,” and Italian cookies and chocolates.

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/f229a489166/

Book Review – Worth the Wait

11 Saturday Apr 2015

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cover58660-mediumThirteen years ago, Vivi LeBrun was sketching a rooster and eating Oreos when she first met—and fell for—her friend’s brother, David St. James. Since then, her love for David has only intensified thanks to years of friendship with his family, who rescued her from a lonely, tumultuous childhood. As she travels to Block Island to vacation with the St. James siblings, Vivi daydreams about reuniting with David, hoping he’ll finally see her as his soul mate.

After his mother’s death, David distanced himself from his siblings, determined to hide a devastating family secret. Now, he’s brought a new girlfriend along to his homecoming—one who’s pushing for a serious commitment. The last thing he needs on his growing list of problems is his budding attraction to Vivi.

With tensions running high, David’s behavior triggers a series of events that might cost him the love he’s always taken for granted and Vivi the only real family she’s ever known.

I liked this group of people but there were definitely moments when I wanted to smack David.  He’s the quintessential clueless male – more than a few times actually.  He (and everyone else) is aware of how Vivi feels but he thinks that she’ll always be there, trailing after him.  He’s contemplating marriage to his girlfriend but seems surprised that she’s picking up on that vibe and thinking long-term with him as well.  He thinks that everything can go back to normal even after he momentarily gives in to his attraction to Vivi.  Get the idea?  He’s overall a good guy and he’s carrying a pretty big secret, so I can give him a pass on some things.  But that doesn’t mean it is any less frustrating when he has a stupid guy moment 🙂

Vivi has so much energy to her that it is hard not to like her and you have to admire her tenacity for holding on so tight to her feelings for David, putting herself out there so blatantly.  But my favorite part is how she finally learns to stand up for herself and consider her needs.  She’s got a couple of bad relationships in her life but once she gets her wakeup call she starts looking at what’s best for her.  It’s refreshing to see that kind of growth in a heroine.

David also has a brother and sister who come with their own set of problems.  I’m definitely looking forward to more from Beck so they can get a shot at their own HEA.  We get glimpses of their issues here so it’ll be interesting to get more details and see where they go from here.

Sometimes funny, sometimes raw, but always engaging, Worth the Wait is an emotional powerhouse and Beck is going on my list of authors to watch. 

Book Review – Still the One

09 Thursday Apr 2015

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cover58310-mediumLove is a dare in the sexy new romance by the award-winning New York Times bestselling author of the Animal Magnetism novels and the Lucky Harbor series…

Darcy Stone is game for anything except sexy Navy vet and physical therapist AJ Colten, the guy who’d rejected her when she’d needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately Darcy can’t refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.

AJ admits it Darcy is irresistible. But he’s already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he’s not making the same mistake twice until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they’d ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What’s the real thing? And where does it go from here?

Shalvis is a genius at writing contemporary romances – one of the most popular authors around, she’s produced tons of fantastic love stories and I’m happy to report that Still the One is one of her best.

I really loved Darcy and AJ. They’ve been fighting an attraction for a while, but both have hangups that make it a no-go. Plus, AJ is close friends with Darcy’s siblings and there is a code about that … one of my favorite storylines 🙂

Darcy has a lot of gumption. A horrible accident left her with physical impairments, but thanks to AJ’s treatment (and her own stubborn nature) she’s doing very well. Unfortunately, thanks to her childhood, she’s got scars on the inside that rival those on the outside. AJ is one of THOSE guys – he’s gorgeous and built and strong (both in body and spirit). He’s also loving, giving and generous, combining to be an all-around hot package. But, of course, he’s got some internal scars of his own.

Stuck together by forces out of their control, and forced to fake a relationship thanks to Darcy’s big mouth, nature kinda takes over. Of course it isn’t smooth sailing – they still have those hangups, plus quite a few misunderstandings crop up. But it all leads to a very satisfying HEA (and plenty of material for more delicious stories).

Book Review – An April Bride

05 Sunday Apr 2015

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cover39362-mediumA charming wedding novella set in the spring. What will happen when love and wedding plans come together this April?

War changes everything . . . even their love.

Bride-to-be Stella Carson can’t wait to marry her longtime sweetheart Marshall Henderson. But Marshall has been away serving his country and has suffered a head wound. After being diagnosed with post-traumatic disorder, he has distanced himself from Stella, asking her not to visit him in the Washington, D.C. hospital. Marshall returns to Louisiana just four weeks before the wedding, but as the big day draws near, Stella wonders if the man she’s loved for most of her life has become someone else.

Can true love conquer all for Stella and Marshall? Even the tragedy of war?

I don’t know how I would handle the situation Stella finds herself in, but I can guarantee I wouldn’t do half as good of a job as she does.  It’s a rough ride for both of them as Marsh and Stella learn to navigate a world where things aren’t the same as they were before he went to war.  He’s struggling to find his place in the world and she’s trying to figure out if that place includes her.  They have a lifetime of love behind them as well as their faith in God but it doesn’t make it easy. 

An April Bride definitely will tug on your emotions.  Both of them are strong and caring, trying so very hard to do the right thing, but just not knowing what that is.  I found myself being pulled between the two because I had a great understanding of the struggles both of them are going thru and hoping that somehow it all works out.  (Which you know it will because it is a love story but it’s touch and go until the end.)

I love these novellas – all of them I have read have been packed full of good things in just a handful of pages and I’ve been introduced to new authors, like Worth, who are definitely going on my list of go-to authors.  She’s got that perfect mixture of emotion, faith and love, with a little humor thrown in to keep it real.  I’ll definitely be looking at the rest of her booklist. 

If you are looking for something that makes your cry and laugh and root for a happy ending, An April Bride is the perfect choice.