Naughty & Nice

13 Tuesday Nov 2012

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All I want for Christmas Is You, Book Review, Molly O'Keefe, Naughty & Nice, One Perfect Christmas, Room at the Inn, Ruthie Knox, Stefanie Sloane

Naughty & Nice is a steamy kick-off to the holiday season, with three romantic – and spicy – holiday novellas.

**In Room at the Inn, Ruthie Knox gives readers a story about lovers getting a second chance. Carson Vance left his small hometown of Potter Falls as soon as he could. He’s back now to help his dad and finds himself facing those he left behind. Julie Long discovered the home she was looking for when she came for a visit with Carson while in college. She now owns an inn and is an active member of the community. After years of Carson dropping in and quickly leaving, Julie has decided that she’s done waiting for him to decide that he loves her enough to stay. Will the holidays show Carson that there is more for him at home than he can find travelling the world?

**All I Want for Christmas is You is a prequel to Molly O’Keefe’s novel Crazy Thing Called Love, coming in Januray. Maddy Baumgarten and Billy Wilkins are planning to get married on her eighteenth birthday, the day after Christmas. Will they still go through with it in the face of her family’s disapproval?

**Stephanie Sloane’s historical romance, One Perfect Christmas, finds Jane Merriweather in need of a husband. Her family’s financial trouble led her to London and a broken engagement to a man who ran off to Gretna Greene with another woman. Afterward, in a moment of upset, she told her childhood friend, Lucas Cavanaugh, her true feelings for him … sending him running. Now he’s back for the holiday season, only to find Jane looking to another man for marriage. Can Lucas convince Jane that he’s the man for her after all?

This anthology is a delightful start to the holiday reading season, with enough sizzle to melt your frostbitten toes. If you are looking for a little something to heat up your winter days, this is it. All of the stories feature compelling characters with intriguing troubles to hold your attention. They are short which makes for the perfect break between your seasonal activities.

Wedding Dress for Sale

10 Saturday Nov 2012

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Book Review, Natale Stenzel, Second-Story Brides, Wedding Dress for Sale

After a violent incident at work, divorce attorney Sydney Garfield has an emotional crisis and finds herself selling wedding dresses in a small-town boutique. She’s left her job, her apartment and her fiancé behind. Real estate hot shot, and ex-fiancé, Jack Kaiser follows Sydney to Smizer Mill hoping to discover exactly what happened to cause her to run. Both find themselves drawn to the town’s charm … but is it enough to bring Sydney & Jack back together again?

I loved Jack – he’s funny, gorgeous, thoughtful, rich, caring …. well, just down right perfect. He’s patient and sweet in his pursuit of Sydney and makes you wish you were in her shoes. Stenzel does a great job of giving Sydney believable issues while still making her an appealing character. She doesn’t get too overwhelmed or mired in her problems, keeping it fun and interesting. Readers are provided plenty of background so that her troubles are understandable. The resolution is satisfying; although as with many romance stories there is that moment where you just want the characters to tell each other how they feel. It’s fleeting though and fits well with the rest of the book.

The supporting cast is great and, as this is the first in the Second-Story Brides series, I have high hopes for a long and fruitful run. There are plenty of appealing characters for Stenzel to choose from and an opportunity to create more as the stories progress.

Wedding Dress for Sale is such a sweet story, with just enough humor and sass thrown in to keep it entertaining.

The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume

09 Friday Nov 2012

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Book Review, Lisa Rumsey Harris, The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume

I was intrigued when I saw this description for The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume: “With her love of sweaters, goofy hair, and awkward manners—not to mention her family curse—Treasure Blume knows love is not in her future. That is, until she matches wits with Dennis Cameron, a divorced chef with a six-year-old daughter. Full of mischief, mayhem, and laugh-out-loud humor, this is an unlikely love story you’ll want to read over and over again!”

And I agree with it 100%. I absolutely loved this story and didn’t want it to end. She’s awkward, not very stylish or put together, and a little clumsy, but she has a huge heart, a generous nature and a positive attitude. Her “gift” is that pretty much everyone between the ages of 13 and 65 hates her on sight. But she knows that those with a good heart get over that initial reaction once they get to know her, which means that the people she becomes close to are valuable to have in her life.

Dennis has his own problems with a terminally ill mother, a young daughter and a chef career that has taken a severe left turn into the school cafeteria. He works hard, making sacrifices and giving of himself for his family and those he cares about. Including Treasure once he gets over his initial dislike. I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship change and blossom.

And I can’t forget the supporting cast. Treasure’s grandmother is a hoot and a half, as are the other members of Ruby’s Red Hot Chili Steppers (an over-65 performance dance team). The rest of her family has their own moments and the school kids are such a treat.

The Unlikely Gift of Treasure Blume is amazingly sweet, funny, quirky and fun. It is a must read for anyone that wants their funny bone tickled and their heartstrings plucked.

His Larkville Cinderella

08 Thursday Nov 2012

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Book Review, His Larkville Cinderella, Melissa McClone, The Larkville Legacy

Megan Calhoun takes an internship as a costume designer in Hollywood. It’s a very different world from the one she knew in her small Texas hometown. She’s never felt like she fit in anywhere but she starts to see herself in a different light thanks to a budding friendship with hunky A-List actor Adam Noble. But, disillusioned with love, is Adam willing to risk more than just a friendship with Megan?

Megan is awkward, nervous and out of place in Hollywood but she never felt comfortable at home either. It was enjoyable to see her come into her own with the help of Adam and her other friends on set. Adam has issues with his mother’s continual search for love and doesn’t believe that it is worth the risk. He fights himself, and his better nature, through most of the book.

I enjoyed this story – I found both characters to be appealing and the plot was interesting – but I did feel like the resolution came on suddenly. I think that maybe a bit more time could have been spent on Adam dealing with his past, perhaps through a more in depth conversation with his mother. It was still a pleasure to read – a wonderful, romantic story about two people discovering themselves.

**This is a book in The Larkville Legacy series, and though other family members were mentioned in the book, this book can stand alone.**

Playing the Royal Game

07 Wednesday Nov 2012

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Book Review, Carol Marinelli, Playing the Royal Game, The Santina Crown

**Playing the Royal Game is the final story in the eight book The Santina Crown series and should be read after the rest of the series. All the other characters, and their activities, play a role in how this book progresses. I still enjoyed it without reading the others, but it was a little more difficult to keep up with all the details.**

Allegra Jackson and Prince Alessandro Santina have come to an agreement. She will pretend to be his fiance and, with her scandalous family, it won’t be long before his public demands that he break it off, leaving him some time to run his business before he has to give it up to go home and be an active member of the ruling family. After walking out of her job thanks to her creepy boss, Allegra needs to get her feet under her and decide what her future will be. It seems the perfect solution . . . until things get out of their control.

Alessandro is your typical Prince – smart, high-handed, arrogant and publicity-conscious. When he lets himself relax, though, he’s also caring, funny and sexy. It is this side, the side that Allegra first meets in London, that draws her to him. Allegra is the good one in her outrageous family – always doing the right thing and keeping herself out of trouble. She’s also normal, friendly and warm – too much so to easily become a member of the royal family.

This is a love story about what could be, hampered by expectations and being forced into a specific role. I enjoyed the conflict between letting Allegra be herself and grooming her to rule, between the man Alessandro is away from the palace and the person that will one day rule. However, I felt that there needed a bit more to the resolution moment. The ending was fulfilling but it seemed to come on too suddenly. Not having read the other stories I don’t know how much, if any, these two play in them but maybe with more background it would have seemed to flow better. It was still satisfying. And for those who read the other books in the series, there are short updates from the characters at the end that provide further tidbits on their lives.

Some Like It Wicked

06 Tuesday Nov 2012

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Book Review, Carole Mortimer, Daring Duchesses, Some Like It Wicked

Pandora Maybury, Duchess of Wyndwood, finds herself the talk of the Ton when her husband is killed while fighting a duel, along with the other man involved. Scandal has it that the men were both her lovers and fighting over Pandora. Since she has come out of her year of mourning, she finds herself not accepted by most people, and propositioned by less than noble men. Saved one night from such a man by Rupert Stirling, Duke of Stratton (nicknamed Devil), Pandora isn’t sure that his intentions are that much better.

Rupert is your typical duke – arrogant, commanding, impatient, and assured. He steps in and takes over almost every situation. But he’s also kind, caring and generous to those he takes under his wing. Pandora also has a big heart, taking care of those around her, but she also has an underlying streak of daring. She doesn’t stand Rupert’s high-handedness for long, which makes for fiery interactions between the two. Together, they are entertaining, sweet and, of course, spicy.

Pandora is hiding a few secrets and there is a mystery around break-ins at her house that lends a touch of intrigue, but it is the developing relationship between the two that makes the book great. This is a fun historical romance with compelling characters and and engaging story.

**Some Like It Wicked is the second book in the Daring Duchesses series. The heroines of this series are three friends so the others make an appearance in this story, however I didn’t feel like it was necessary to read the first book to enjoy this one.**

Baby Under the Christmas Tree

05 Monday Nov 2012

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Baby Under the Christmas Tree, Book Review, Teresa Carpenter

Elle Austin is the deputy PR director for a major league hockey team and one of her main duties is helping the players when they get into trouble. When their enforcer, Max “The Beast” Beasley, finds himself wanting permanent custody of his son, it is up to Elle to help him work through it. Spending so much time together, though, may prove too much for her as she’s spent the last year trying to limit her contact with Max and ignore her desire for him.

Baby Under the Christmas Tree is a nice treat for the holidays. Elle has hangups about sports stars, and Max in particular, but she’s tough, courageous, and smart. Qualities she’ll need in spades when dealing with Max. Max has issues with his self-worth, although most people wouldn’t know it from his hockey persona. He grew up in foster care and spent time on the streets, which causes him to feel separated from the life he now lives as a successful pro-athlete. He also has issues with commitment and emotional involvement due to his childhood. Suddenly finding himself with his son full-time creates a lot of changes in his life, most of them for the better.

This is your typical story-line of a commitment-phobic man meeting his match, but Teresa Carpenter does a great job with it. The characters are compelling and fun, their issues are interesting and believable, and their journey is sweet. Max is strong, giving and thoughtful. He hides a lot between his swagger, but that just makes getting to know him all the more enjoyable.

A Gift For All Seasons

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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A Gift For All Seasons, Book Review, Holiday Romance, Karen Templeton

In A Gift For All Seasons, Patrick Shaughnessy returned from military service in the Middle East with many scars, both physical and mental. He managed to push through medical procedures and therapy to get back on his feet for his family. When his wife decides that she cannot handle it any more, he concentrates all of his energy on his business and his daughter. A landscape job for April Ross’s Inn reminds him that there could be more to his life than what he’s currently living.

This is an amazingly sweet story. Patrick has had life deal him a serious blow but he’s persevered, although not thrived. He’s reserved, emotionally withdrawn, and has self-confidence problems. He tries so hard to make a normal life for himself and his daughter, but he’s afraid. He struggles every day and believes he can’t handle more than what he already has on his plate. April is a giver and has made a lot of sacrifices for her family and for her deceased husband. She is instantly drawn to Patrick, and his adorable daughter, and wants very much to make them happy again. Even though that isn’t something you can do for someone else, April makes a huge difference in their lives and their story is very heartwarming. This one will pull at your heartstrings as Templeton does a fantastic job giving readers a touching story with detailed characters dealing with life, love, doubt and faith.

**This is book 2 in Karen Templeton’s Summer Sisters series. You can pick up that this is part of a series based on the information dropped concerning April’s cousins, however it has little to no impact on this story.**

Coming Soon

01 Thursday Nov 2012

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J. Kenner, Molly O'Keefe, Naughty & Nice, Release Me, Ruthie Knox, Samantha Kane, Sneak Peek, Stefanie Sloane, The Devil's Thief

Naughty & Nice is releasing on 11/5/12 and is an anthology with three original holiday-themed novellas by Ruthie Knox, Molly O’Keefe & Stefanie Sloane.

Buy your copy at Random House.

The Devil’s Thief is also releasing in November (11/12/12).

There’s a booktrailer up on YouTube.

You can also get a preview at Scribd.

For those that loved Fifty Shades of Grey, meet Damien in Release Me coming 1/1/13

Excerpt can be found at Scribd and you can purchase the book at Random House.

A Snowglobe Christmas

31 Wednesday Oct 2012

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A Family's Christmas Wish, A Snowglobe Christmas, Book Review, Linda Goodnight, Lissa Manley, Yuletide Homecoming

A Snowglobe Christmas brings readers two sweet holiday stories about people learning to trust in God’s plan. Amy Caldwell is returning to Snowglobe, Montana to take over her mother’s store. She left five years ago when her fiancé, Rafe Westfield, chose the Marines over her. Now she’s back, but so is Rafe. Sara Kincaid has a bad history with men – her father left when Sara was twelve and her own husband left when she was 9 months pregnant. Time spent with widower Owen Larsen and his daughter Janey shows her what a good, solid man is like. The only problem is that he is moving in a couple of weeks. Can these couples open themselves up to God and see the path He has in mind for them?

In Yuletide Homecoming, Linda Goodnight creates two characters battling with their pasts. Amy’s father left her when she was a child and Rafe’s choosing his military career over her just emphasized her abandonment issues. She wants to protect herself from being hurt by Rafe again, but God has other ideas and throws the two together. Rafe thought he was doing the best for both of them when he joined the military but haunted by what he saw in war he has his own burdens and spending time with Amy again makes him question if he made the right decision before. Their struggles will touch your heart and their journey back to each other is a perfect complement to the holiday season.

Lissa Manley’s A Family’s Christmas Wish is also touching and emotion-packed. Sara and Owen have had their own troubles – Sara’s horrible luck with men and the death Owen’s wife have lead the two to believe they are better off on their own. However, a friendship that blossoms between their adorable daughters means the two spend a lot of time together and they realize that there may be more to life than what they have. Sara is sweet and sensitive; she’s a great mother and good friend. Owen is caring and giving. He tries very hard to be a good father, especially now that his daughter has lost her mother. Both are afraid of getting hurt and Manley does a wonderful job showing their deepening feelings, their conflict with themselves and their choices for the future.