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Book Review – Evening Stars

25 Tuesday Feb 2014

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I’m always super excited when a new Susan Mallery book releases and this one is no different.  Check out my review below!

*****

cover38764-mediumSmall-town nurse Nina Wentworth has made a career out of being a caretaker. More “Mom” than their mother ever was, she sacrificed medical school—and her first love—so her sister could break free. Which is why she isn’t exactly thrilled to see Averil back on Blackberry Island, especially when Nina’s life has suddenly become…complicated.

Nina unexpectedly finds herself juggling two men—her high school sweetheart and a younger maverick pilot who also wants to claim her heart. But as fun as all this romance is, Nina has real life to deal with. Averil doesn’t seem to want the great guy she’s married to, and doesn’t seem to be making headway writing her first book; their mom is living life just as recklessly as she always has; and Nina’s starting to realize that the control she once had is slipping out of her fingers. Her hopes of getting off the island seem to be stretching further away…until her mother makes a discovery that could change everything forever.

But before Nina and Averil can reach for the stars, they have to decide what they want. Will Averil stay? Will Nina leave? And what about the men who claim to love them? Does love heal, or will finding their happy ending mean giving up all they’ve ever wanted?

If you are a fan of her “Fool’s Gold” stories, you know Susan Mallery is very adept at giving readers amusing interactions between charming characters – lots of sparkling, funny dialogue to go along with the depth and heart of her storylines.  In the three “Blackberry Island” books, we still get her trademark wit and an engaging romance, but there is also so much more.  Her characters are raw and emotional, dealing with life decisions and introspection. There is still that love story element but the books are more about the characters themselves.  It’s about their growth – their realizations about themselves and their relationships, and how they want to move forward.  Not that that isn’t also in her “Fool’s Gold” books, but for me it plays a bigger part in this series.

With the final book, Evening Stars, we’re given a beautifully compelling exploration of the family dynamic between Nina, her mother and her sister.  All of them are forced to take a look at themselves and how they deal with those around them – their past, their present and what they want for their future. It’s vivid, compelling, heartfelt and complex. Another beautifully crafted and genuine look at people’s faults and strengths, real in its difficulties but uplifting too.

(Mallery’s “Blackberry Island” series has a poignancy to it that isn’t as readily apparent in her “Fool’s Gold” books. I’d classify these as more Women’s Fiction than Romance, so you might keep that in mind.)

Book Review – What She Didn’t Know

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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cover40213-mediumCassie had been looking out for her sister Jessica what felt like her whole life. So when Jess starts dating a man whom Cassie believes poses a threat to her sister’s safety, she steps in, insisting on meeting him. The last thing she expected to happen was that she would fall for the man’s cousin–who just so happens to be Cassie’s boss! And she certainly wasn’t expecting him to reveal the deep, dark secrets he’d been hiding from her for years. Can their love survive, or will Cassie run away from the opportunity in front of her?

“What She Didn’t Know” is an erotic romance parody short story intended for mature audiences only.

What She Didn’t Know is definitely a scorcher … and a ton of fun. It’s a sassy little novella about secrets, desires and trust. It’s not very long, but that’s ok because it says quite a lot in a few pages. It’s not an amazingly deep story or anything but it is sexy and sweet and I ended it with a smile on my face.

The blurb calls it a parody but I’m not sure I would agree – that makes me think of a spoof, something making fun of the thing it is emulating. Instead, it pulls themes from a couple of different genres but manages to tell a complete and engaging story, full of interesting characters who have to figure out if their differences are insurmountable.  Maybe the author isn’t taking the genre that seriously but I found it to be a pretty decent little romance.

If you are looking for something that doesn’t take long to read but will steam up your glasses, What She Didn’t Know is the perfect choice – a little humor, a LOT of heat, and a decent amount of heart all mixed together to give you a fun, quick read between other, full-length romances.

Book Review – Bundle of Trouble

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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cover37284-mediumFalling for the brooding doc

Top-notch plastic surgeon Luke Stanley left Gold Coast City Hospital a proud family man and returned from his vacation a widowed single father. Now Nurse Chloe Kefes is the only one brave enough to get close to darkley brooding Luke.

Chloe has been through much in life herself, and knows falling for Luke and little Amber is asking for a bundle of trouble. But if she can help bring that laughing, easygoing man back, perhaps Chloe can bring the sparkle into all their lives again.

I’m starting to think it is me, because once again I’m not quite on the same page as the book’s blurb. For one thing, Luke didn’t go on vacation – he was on sabbatical in France, working at a hospital, when his wife died. It’s been over a year and now he’s back to work. And it makes Chloe sound like a do-gooder who set out to help drag the two out of their grief, when she fought her attraction to Luke every step of the way. She’s got her own issues and getting involved with the single dad is definitely not on her to do list. Thanks to their working relationship, though, a friendship of sorts does spring up and over time develops into something more. But will Luke’s guilt over moving on stand in their way?

Part of me wishes that Chloe could have been the do-gooder she was made out to be, because between the two of them they have enough emotional trauma to sink a boat. It was absolutely heartbreaking to have two people have so much happen to them and as ecstatic as I was to see them get their happy ending, the journey there was definitely a troubled one. If you are going to take this one on, be prepared for a lot of sadness and hurt before everything turns out right in the end. But if you can get through it, the ending will make it worth your time.

[This is a part of a series and although Luke and Chloe’s story is complete there are portions that work in plot points for a related story (Gold Coast Angels: How to Resist Temptation). It didn’t keep Bundle of Trouble from being enjoyable but it might leave you feeling a little incomplete and searching out the rest of the stories in the series.]

Book Reviews – Undertaking Love and Out of the Blue

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

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We’re going to start our day with a couple of short reviews and come back later because I’ll have some more.

*****

cover29925-mediumThe moment love-phobic Marla Jacobs discovers that the shop next to her Little White Wedding Chapel is to become a funeral parlour, she declares all-out war.

Marla’s chapel in the sleepy Shropshire countryside has become a nation-wide sensation, but the arrival of Funeral Director Gabriel Ryan threatens everything Marla has worked for. She can picture the scene: wedding limos fighting for space in the street with hearses; brides bumping into widows; bouquets being swapped for wreaths.

Marla’s not going down without a fight. She enlists a motley crew of weird and wonderful local supporters, and the battle lines are drawn. But, as soon as Marla meets her nemesis, she realises just how much trouble she’s really in. His gypsy curls and Irish lilt make her stomach fizz – how is she supposed to concentrate on destroying him, when half the time she’s struggling not to rip the shirt off his back?

Undertaking Love is the perfect choice for lovers of British women’s fiction.  It’s got a little bit of love, a little bit of friends and family, and a whole lot of humor.  I’ve read a few UK romances and I’ve noticed that they tend to be a little more rambling than what I’m used to, and Undertaking Love is no different.  Luckily it is amusing in its around and about journey so I’m not complaining – there are a ton of fun supporting cast members as well as some entertaining side stories, so you won’t mind that there are a lot of pages between boy meets girl and boy & girl live happily ever after.

*****

cover35976-mediumThe gorgeous Justin Pierce feels like nothing more than an object made to please women, whether he chooses to be or not. Five years as head escort at the elite, hands-off Club Blue escort agency–and a painful past–are slowly convincing him that’s all he’s good for.

Molly Harper prefers computers to people. She just doesn’t understand everyday interactions. If only emotions could be reduced to binary! But she needs a date for her high school reunion, and a friend recommends the best money can buy: Justin of Club Blue.

Trouble is, Justin and Molly were college best friends. He was always there for her until he disappeared without a word five years ago. When Molly discovers he’s the escort, her anger and heartbreak return. But Justin wasn’t escaping Molly. A dangerous figure from his former life was stalking him, and has found him again. This time, he wants a chance with Molly and he’s not running.

I’m not really sure how I feel about this one. It addresses some very serious issues – abuse, sexual harassment, sexual identity and masculinity. It definitely gave me a lot to think about but I’m not sure I felt that the issues were completely resolved.  I do think that it is worth reading, just to get its unique take on so many potentially volatile subjects. It’ll make you take a second look at some assumptions and maybe even reevaluate how you look at different situations.

It’s part of a series but I’m not sure how much influence the first book has on this story. I do get the feeling that Mellon doesn’t shy away from sensitive subjects and that there are some similar themes in both.

Book Review – The Hero

17 Monday Feb 2014

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cover32934-mediumIn a moment of desperation, Devon McAllister takes her daughter and flees a place where they should have been safe and secure. She has no idea what is around the next bend, but she is pretty certain it can’t be worse than what they’ve left behind. Her plan is to escape to somewhere she can be invisible. Instead, an unexpected offer of assistance leads her to Thunder Point, a tiny Oregon town with a willingness to help someone in need.

As the widowed father of a vulnerable young boy, Spencer Lawson knows something about needing friendship. But he’s not looking for anything else. Instead, he’s thrown his energy into his new role as Thunder Point’s high school football coach. Tough and demanding to his team, off the field he’s gentle and kind just the kind of man who could heal Devon’s wounded heart.

Devon thought she wanted to hide from the world. But in Thunder Point, you find bravery where you least expect it and sometimes, you find a hero.

Reading a book in one of Robyn Carr’s series is like coming home. I love how she gives you your main characters but you also get updates on everyone you’ve met before, as well as an introduction to future stories. It’s probably not the easiest for new readers but I think that she does a pretty decent job of giving you enough information you aren’t totally lost. It’s not as involved as a series that follows one character all through the books, but you do get to keep moving forward with the lives of characters that you’ve met and fell in love with before. It just gives me a warm, happy feeling when I see a new one of her stories on the shelf because I know I’ll be with friends again.

In The Hero, we get to continue with Spencer who we met in The Newcomer. For a man who has had quite a few blows over the recent months, he’s quite well-adjusted and handles the curveballs with maturity. Of course he’s going to have a few man moments, but he’s sweet, caring, and generous. He’s not perfect, but he’s pretty darn close.

We also meet Devon for the first time. On the run from a cult, she lucks into Thunder Point and is welcomed with open arms (as is expected for these people). She’s had a rough few years too but she’s ready to start fresh and the little town is the perfect place to be. And meeting Spencer might be the best thing for both of them. I loved these two together and their growing relationship kept me quickly turning pages.

Carr is an amazingly talented writer, bringing to life not only the people but the community of Thunder Point. I always feel like I’m transported there when I pick up one of her books. They are amazingly detailed (but not too heavy-handed) with believable interactions – full of humor, heart and the occasional touch of heat.

The “Thunder Point” series is full of memorable characters, emotional story-lines and an abundance of realistic moments. The Hero just showcases Carr’s ability to deftly provide readers a vivid look into the lifelike world of her characters with both warmth and humor. You’ll laugh, tear up, and sigh right along with characters who seem to be living almost everyday lives in an everyday place. A place that you will want to visit again and again.

Book Review – Starting From Scratch

14 Friday Feb 2014

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cover37451-mediumChristmas is the perfect time to start from scratch

Lieutenant Sully Jax saved his unit during an IED attack, but he couldn’t save his marriage. He can’t even remember it. Recovered from his injuries, he’s come home to the family and friends he knows—and an ex-wife who’s a stranger to him.

Lucy Crabtree was heartbroken last Christmas when Sully announced his plan to go on one last tour of duty, and devastated when he asked for a divorce after he awoke in the hospital with no memory of her. She’s finally moving on from her hurt and from losing the man she loved more than anything, and her cookie-baking business is taking off just in time for the holidays. But now Sully’s back, and she can’t deny she still loves him. But how can she trust her heart to someone who breaks it every time she sees him?

Sully might not remember Lucy, but something inside won’t let her go. With every bite of her cookies, he finds a new love for Lucy, and he soon realizes he wants to rebuild his life…with her by his side.

I’d forgotten how much I liked Gail’s writing until I started this book. Actually, I should say I realized how much I liked Gail’s writing as I got into Starting From Scratch only to find out when I was done that she’d also written Ugly Ducklings Finish First, which I adored. One of the problems with reading so many stories is that it is very hard to keep all of them straight. I can always tell you when I like a particular story, and usually why, but I’m occasionally surprised to realize that I’m not reading an author for the first time.

Starting From Scratch pulled me in immediately and I absolutely couldn’t put it down. Luckily it was a novella, so at less than 100 pages it didn’t take me long to read it, but since I wasn’t stopping until I was done that’s definitely a good thing. I felt for both Sully and Lucy, and it was so hard to watch them have to battle their feelings, their fears and their hurts, and figure out how to deal with each other. Each has such a unique and heartbreaking problem and it’s so hard to watch them have to battle themselves and one another as they try to find a way to live in the same town now that their life together is gone. It’s a devastating thing but one that Gail handles in a very intriguing way.

Lucy has to handle the struggle of figuring out how to deal with a man who doesn’t know her, while she remembers a relationship that can no longer be. Sully feels drawn to Lucy but there is so much anxiety mixed in with his attraction that he can’t grasp onto it all. We get both of their points of view, which makes it so easy to understand where each is coming from, but it’s so hard for each to understand the other while dealing with their own pain and confusion.

It’s an emotionally difficult book, one that made me both happy and weepy, but when it was over I definitely was glad I’d gone on the journey with them. Readers need to make sure they check out Gail’s website for the deleted scenes from the book, because they add a little extra to an already heartwarming book.

Book Review – A Midsummer Bride

13 Thursday Feb 2014

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cover36062-mediumLove is one experiment this scientist hasn’t tested

Miss Harriet Burton, a horrendously rich American heiress, laughs too loud, states her opinion directly, and even conducts science experiments. Her uncle is desperate to get her off his hands and is offering a king’s ransom to anyone able to arrange a suitable marriage that comes with a title. To avoid marriage, Harriet swears off all men, until she meets Duncan Maclachlan, Earl of Thornton. But when Thornton is falsely accused of being a traitor, Harriet must use her knowledge of chemistry to find the real culprit and spark true romance.

I really don’t know that the person who wrote the blurb read the same book I did … Harriet is a horrendously rich American heiress and she knows nothing about carrying herself in English society but that’s because she never expected to be there. She was sailing up the coast of America when her ship was attacked by a member of the British Navy and she was kidnapped, taken back to London to see the grandfather she never met. Years ago Harriet’s mother ran away with an American ship’s captain and, now that Harriet has been returned to her grandfather, he plans to marry her off to an English lord so that she’ll never leave again. Never mind that Harriet just wants to return to America. She’s giving him a month but after that she’s heading back to her parents. That’s all the time her grandfather needs and so he’s taking her to a house party in the hopes that he can find her a husband. She meets the awfully yummy Earl of Thornton, host of the party and business associate to her grandfather, but Duncan has sworn he’d never marry a heiress, regardless of how much in need he is of money. With his vow and Harriet’s determination to return to her parents, these two can never be more than friends … regardless of how much they want to be.

A Midsummer Bride is part of Forester’s “Marriage Mart” series and I think that there is definitely some benefit to be had in reading them in order. It wasn’t enough to keep me from enjoying this one but there were a lot of things that I didn’t quite understand. There is a running theme of Thornton’s friend, the Duke of Marchford, being a spy hunter, which apparently flows through all of the stories. The story and the spy stuff found here were complete but I think I’d have understood a little more of what was going on if this wasn’t my first book. Forester does have an effortless and addictive writing style, though, so the idea of having to read more stories has a lot of appeal. I’m definitely adding her stories to my To Be Read pile and I think she could quickly become a historical romance favorite of mine.

The characters, both main and supporting, are well developed and interesting. There is the typical Ton mean girls (and guys) but also a good group of people with honor and appeal. Harriet’s developing relationship, even though there was a lot of back and forth because of Thornton’s feeling about heiresses, was very engaging and I hung on every page waiting for them to get their happy ending. Both of them are different than those around them and it was wonderful for them to find a complimentary soul to make them happy.

There is also a decent mystery over who the spy is and I felt that the resolution was very satisfying, with just the right amount of political intrigue without the book becoming too immersed in it. For the most part I want to read a romance but I also like to have something different to add a bit of spice to my story and Forester does a great job of balancing it all. I’m looking forward to the next book when hopefully we see Penelope and Marchford get their own happy ending.

A well-balanced mix of love and intrigue, A Midsummer Bride is a perfect story about finding that special someone to complete you and daring to take a chance.

Book Review – The Rebel

13 Thursday Feb 2014

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cover37536-mediumCole’s heart is dark.

He’s a mystery, even to those closest to him in the Assassins Guild. All anyone really knows for sure is that he’s ruthless, grim, and cares little for his own life. So when he loses his memory during an attack and thinks himself a naive eighteen year-old again, no one can really believe the transformation. But as his memory returns, so do the nightmares and the dark reality of who he has become.

Lucy’s world is bright.

When gentle-natured Lucy falls in love with the damaged stranger, she thinks him a smiling, amiable gentleman. But rumors of a murder in the nearby village have her suspecting that her patient may be hiding a terrible secret. 

Can opposites really attract?

What will happen when Cole regains his memory and his past catches up to him?

The Rebel is the second novel in the Assassins Guild series. The books in this series do not need to be read in order, but it will enhance your reading experience if they are.

I did not read the first “Assassins Guild” book so I can agree that they don’t have to be read in order. I’m not sure what secrets or additional details were revealed in that story but, while The Rebel references characters and happenings from the first story, Archer does a great job of filling in the details so you don’t get lost.

I did feel like maybe their relationship was rushed a little, although this is a common historical romance theme. They do discuss how quick it is but that doesn’t make it any more believable. After her questionable past, I kinda felt she was a little too easy to fall in love. But as the two spend more time together and as Lucy supports Cole during all of his troubles, their relationship becomes more realistic. By the end I could easily see the two together.

Cole was by far my favorite of the two. It was heartbreaking to have all that he’d experienced revealed to him (and us) and for his darker past catch up with him. There was so much optimism and charm in the eighteen-year-old version that you know that life had to do something awful to turn him in to the more hardened man introduced at the beginning. Lucy on the other hand seemed a bit naïve about things and less accepting about the bad things that happen. The ending is handled very well and I felt very satisfied by the way Archer wrapped it all up. There were plenty of options that could have been taken but I felt this one was definitely one of the best.

And Cole’s history as an assassin, and the group of men that he worked with, makes for a very intriguing plot point. Although they do what they do for good, it cannot be an easy job to kill people for a living and it makes for a lot of intriguing story possibilities. I’m going to be keeping my eye out for more from these guys.

Book Review – He’s the Man

06 Thursday Feb 2014

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Sorry for the delay, folks!  But how about a review?

*****

cover34663-mediumMatt Simmons is over Army doctors poking him. But when his sister won’t stop nagging him to see their old babysitter, now a sought-after physical therapist, he gives in just to get some peace.

Penny is finally putting down roots after a lifetime of moving around. She’s got everything she wants, except the settled suburban life she longs for. All she needs is the perfect guy, which means NO military men.

When Matt realizes that his old babysitter is h-o-t, he’s suddenly seeing the benefits of therapy. But Penny still sees him as the bratty kid she used to babysit.

Suddenly he has a new mission in life…

I’ve never read any of Malone’s “Alexander” books so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but this one was definitely a charmer.  I really liked both Matt and Penny – Matt is a friend of the Alexanders and his sister was in the series prequel, Teasing Trent.  I get the feeling that Trent and Mara’s story actually weaves thru all of the books because they seem to have a little bit of trouble in this one and it isn’t really clear what is going on.  Otherwise, though, readers will mostly get just those follow up glimpses of the two Alexander brothers who were the heroes in the first two full-length books (one of my favorite things about reading a series) and a lead in to the Book 4 involving another Alexander brother and his future mate.  I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything not having read the previous books (even with the Mara and Trent moments) but there is that unresolved storyline involving Eli … which just means I have an excuse to go pick up the next story (and the earlier ones too – just in case, right?)

The main story about Penny and Matt, though, is definitely complete … and thoroughly captivating.  It centers around Matt going to Penny for treatment, their instant attraction, and her deciding whether she is willing to pursue a relationship with a military man.  Growing up in a military family, she craves stability and roots, but Matt’s career choice won’t allow for that.

These two are just adorable together.  Penny tries so hard to resist Matt but he’s charming and funny, full of humor and life.  The nice thing is that we get to watch him woo her and we fall in love with the two of them right along with them.  It’s moving, engaging and romantic.  It’s a real-life look at a couple’s courtship (between two outlandishly sexy, witty, gorgeous, although not perfect, people of course) and I found it quite refreshing. There wasn’t anything fabricated to make them struggle – just real-life issues for two characters that could be as real as you and me.

In He’s The Man, Malone gives her reader a story full of smart dialogue, compelling characters, and a strong story-line.  The Alexanders and their friends will draw you in and keep you coming back for more.

Book Review – Cursed by Cupid

05 Wednesday Feb 2014

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This one just released this week and it’s the perfect little pick me up to get you in the mood or Valentine’s Day.  Enjoy!

*****

dbb19-cover_cursedbycupid-wendysparrowDear Reader, this letter is to inform you of Cupid’s curse, which will fall upon you if you don’t pass this email on to three friends within three hours.

Tilly Morrow didn’t believe in the curse and now she hasn’t had a second date in three years…because all her first dates end in disaster. In fact, she just accidentally punched a guy in the face, leaving her without a date for Valentine’s Day!

Bryant Murphy isn’t sure if the curse is real or not, but if dating Tilly means occasionally getting assaulted with a chocolate shake or nearly electrocuted, it’s worth the risk. Armed with more lucky charms than a bowl of cereal, Bryant will have to battle flying swords, Russian mail-order brides, and shrimp linguini if he’s going to win the girl.

Cursed by Cupid had me laughing so hard I cried. If it can go wrong for Tilly it does and it’s hilarious every time it happens. It’s tiny, just about 50 pages, but it sparkles every one of those pages. You have to be in the mood for humor but you’ll get a warm and fuzzy to go along with it.

I loved Tilly. For having such horrible things happen to her, she still has a good outlook on the rest of her life … she’s just given up on romance. And Bryant is my new pretend boyfriend. He’s caring and funny and is willing to take on Tilly’s curse. I love that he has a sense of humor about it all without making Tilly feel like a fool for believing in the curse. Not that he believes in it, but he believes she believes in it and acts accordingly. It is super, super sweet.

A perfect choice for those looking for a quick read and a good laugh, Cursed by Cupid is going on my list of books to recommend to anyone and everyone.