Book Review – Melt My Heart, Cowboy

16 Sunday Oct 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

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Book Review, CJ Carmichael, Love at the Chocolate Shop series, Melt My Heart Cowboy

Melt my Heart, Cowboy

Love at the Chocolate Shop, Book 1

by CJ Carmichael

Who is the handsome cowboy who comes into small town Marietta’s chocolate shop every week to buy a box of chocolates? More importantly…who is he buying the chocolates for? These are the questions sales clerk Rosie Linn asks herself as she waits for her sadly neglected childhood home to sell so she can pursue an exciting new career in L.A.

Rosie finds out the answers the day rugged ranch hand Brant Willingham introduces himself and asks for her help in managing the care of his younger sister. Brant’s mother has recently died, leaving him the sole guardian of eighteen-year-old Sara Maria–who has been a puzzle to Brant ever since she began exhibiting signs of autism at age two.

Rosie and Brant come up with a plan. She’ll help with his sister if he handles repairs and a new paint job for her old house. It seems the perfect solution, but a new dilemma is created when the couple start spending time together. Brant discovers he doesn’t want Rosie to sell and leave, and Rosie fears she will have to choose between love and her dreams.

I’m pretty sure the answer to these two’s issues are pretty plain for everyone to see but they’ve got to figure things out on their own 🙂 It’s still super sweet and a great read.

Brant has a lot to learn about his sister and how to make a life with her now that their mother is gone. With her as a buffer, he never really learned how to deal with Sara’s autism and tends to treat her like a not-very-bright child. It’s hard on both of them while he struggles with what to do, but with Rosie’s help he figures things out. And it is definitely awwww worthy.

Rosie is also finding herself at odds after her dad died. She’s ready to start living a life of her own and is anxious to move the LA to be with her brother. Meeting and falling in love with Brant (and his sister) isn’t quite in her plans. But that’s just the way things work out sometimes 🙂

There’s parts to make you giggle and parts to make you sigh, but best of all there are lots of parts to make you smile.

(While this can technically stand on its own, it looks like it is a spinoff from another series and there are definitely some things that overlap a bit.)

Book Review – Not A Hero

15 Saturday Oct 2016

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Book Review, Not A Hero, Sarah Robinson

Not A Hero

by Sarah Robinson

From the bestselling author of the Kavanagh Legends MMA series, Sarah Robinson’s Not A Hero is an emotional standalone military romance where love battles trauma, and there can only be one victor. Former Marine, Miles Kydd, is trying to readjust to civilian life after ending his career and returning to his small home town when he learned his father was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Once the town hero and star quarterback, Miles no longer feels like the man he was, or who he’s expected to be–possibly because his demons have followed him home from Afghanistan.

Meeting Zoe Brooke, his father’s live-in nurse, gives Miles the slightest glimmer of hope that he can still find happiness despite the dark secrets he holds inside. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and together they are explosive–in more ways than one.

A helper at her core, Zoe is more than willing to care for Miles’s heart, but not at the expense of her own, and she’s not afraid to tell him that. She knows what having a painful past is like, and she wants to help him with his, if he’ll let her.

Things get complicated fast when Miles realizes burying his secrets isn’t actually the same as healing from them and if he wants the girl, he’s going to have to tell her the truth–the one thing he can’t do.

This book is suggested for 18+ years of age, contains graphic content, sensitive subject matters, and sexually explicit material.

While there is a disclaimer on this book, I’ll be honest that I didn’t find it to be any more … well, just more, than any of the other more hard-hitting romances I’d read lately. Miles does come back with PTSD and has some issues coming to terms with it. And Zoe’s first marriage was horrible, but she seems to have come out of it a much stronger person. They are hot together, though, so you have to be OK with some steamy love scenes. Nothing unusual or especially kinky, just detailed … and delicious 🙂

I think that Robinson does a great job of showing Miles’s conflict at coming home and feeling like he doesn’t deserve the title of hero that everyone keeps throwing at him. His emotions are all over the place and you get that feeling of conflict. She also has him realize he needs help and that’s a nice moment of believability for me.

I did have a little issue with how easily Zoe forgives him for his hot and cold routine. It makes sense as we get to know him and she seems to have a special understanding of his troubles, but he does make things hard on her. She’s a strong, centered person and I would have expected her to be a little more hesitant … but maybe that strength and insight has her seeing things better than me.

My favorite part was the relationships that deepen between Miles, Zone and Miles’s dad. There’s so much love and acceptance and true liking amongst them that it just warms you from the inside.

Emotional, humorous, scorching and sweet, Not A Hero is great for those who love their heroes flawed and their women ready to take them on.

Book Review – Making the Play

06 Thursday Oct 2016

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

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Book Review, Hidden Falls series, Making the Play, T.J. Kline

Author T.J. Kline brings readers a new series … and it is going to have something for everyone. Cowboys, copy, firefighter, and, kicking it all off, a football player. Oh, man 🙂

*****

Making the Play

Hidden Falls #1

by T.J. Kline

Releasing September 27, 2016

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

T.J. Kline launches a brand new series with the charming story of an NFL player who finds love when he least expects it…

Grant McQuaid has dedicated his entire life to his football career. Now an injury threatens his place on the team and he’s forced to return home to rehabilitate. But when he meets his “biggest fan,” a precocious, blue-eyed, hearing impaired boy named James—and his beautiful mother, Bethany—Grant begins to question whether football is the future he still wants.

Bethany Mills has been doing just fine since her husband walked out on them… and she definitely doesn’t need another man to disappoint her—or her son. But when James runs into his hero at the park, Bethany admits there is a void in her son’s life that she just can’t fill. Her attraction to the handsome football star is undeniable, but a man in the limelight is the last thing she wants for herself, or James.

Grant doesn’t want to subject Bethany to the chaos of dating a professional athlete. But the more time he spends with her and James, the harder it is to resist making a play for her heart…

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30166230-making-the-play

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/181009-hidden-falls

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

*****

Excerpt:

Bethany watched from the doorway as Grant McQuaid, star running back, lay on her bathroom floor repairing the seal on her toilet. Thank goodness she’d cleaned the tile after the water had soaked it.

“That should do it,” he announced, standing up and handing James the wrench he’d purchased. “Go put that in a safe place so your mom has it when she needs it next time.”

His shirt had several wet spots on it from his less-than-stellar handyman skills, plastering it to him in several places and making it difficult for Bethany to keep from staring at the way the muscles of his upper body shifted, flexing with his every movement. Her fingers itched to run down the lines of his rib cage where the shirt clung to him like a second skin.

“Ice cream time,” James announced, running past her into the hallway.

“Put it into the drawer by the phone, baby,” she called after him.

Grant washed his hands at the sink and wiped them on the towel sitting on the counter before he turned toward her. “Ice cream time,” he repeated, his voice low and husky.

It didn’t sound like a fun outing when he said it. It sounded like a dark promise of sweet, sinfully dangerous things to come. He took a step toward her, eliminating any distance between them and looked down at her, his dampened chest only inches from her face. Her fingers twitched, desperate to reach out and touch his skin, to see if it was indeed as hot and hard as it looked.

“Are you ready?”

Bethany glanced up at him, the heat from his skin warming her without a touch, setting every nerve ending in her body on high alert. She felt his breath wash over the top of her head. “Are you sure you want to do this? You don’t have to.”

The smile that spread over his lips was warm. And slightly wicked. “Bethany, there is nothing I’d rather do right now.”

His eyes met hers and he lifted a finger under her chin. His hand was cool and still slightly damp from washing up but his gaze was hot. Bethany felt the sizzle of electricity from his touch as it stole her breath. She licked her lips, wondering what she could say, if she could even form words to speak.

His gaze fell to her lips and she felt her knees weaken, her breaths coming in shallow pants. “I take that back. I can think of a few other things I’d rather do with you.”

*****

Review:

Contemporary romance readers won’t be surprised at how this story flows, but they will appreciate the special things that make it a fun read.

Bethany is a wonderful mom (and her son is one of the highlights of the book), but she’s been hiding her heart away. Meeting super-sexy Grant, who shows real interest in her son as a person, shakes things up. She struggles a little with opening up and I have to say that once she does she shows more patience than me to put up with Grant’s shenanigans.

While he may be great with James, Grant does seem a little lacking in the relationship department. Which is to be expected since this is really his first true romance. He’s spent so much of his life focused on football that he never really got involved with a woman. His hot and cold attitude, stubbornness, minor fibs, and lack of communication definitely cause him a ton of troubles … but of course there’s gonna be problems. It’s a romance 🙂

While there there are familiar elements, Kline does a great job of giving us characters that pop and keep you drawn in to the end. Just because something has been used before doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyable if the book is done well. And this one definitely is.

Grant has a few siblings so I’m sure we’re going to get their stories too. And if they are anything like this I can’t wait!

*****

Author Info:

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She writes contemporary western romance for Avon Romance, including the Rodeo series and the Healing Harts series. She has published a nonfiction health book and two inspirational fiction titles under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her very limited spare time, T.J. can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California.

Author Links: Website | Facebook| Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Two Digital Copies of MAKING THE PLAY

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81132/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – Renegade Dragon

04 Tuesday Oct 2016

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

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Book Review, Dragon Heat series, Lolita Lopez, Renegade Dragon

I’ve actually managed to keep up with all of the books in this series … unusually for me I know 🙂 The latest one before this was Wicked Dark Dragon (if you want to check out what I thought of the series).

*****

Renegade Dragon

Dragon Heat Book #4

by Lolita Lopez

Release Date: October 4, 2016

Forever Yours eBook

Blurb:

NOTHING IS HOTTER THAN DRAGON’S FIRE

When her best friend disappears, bio-engineering student Eris Jones embarks on the quest of her life. Her search leads to a secluded estate where she experiences visions of a powerful, winged creature who’s transformed into a tall, dangerously sexy man at her touch. But the feel of his rock-hard abs and lean, sinewy arms tells Eris this is no dream . . . it’s real.

Niko Drakon is dangerous and he knows it. When the call to mate is too strong, he has no choice but to lock himself away in his basement saferoom. Otherwise, people get hurt. The moment Eris walks into his home, nothing can keep him from claiming her. However, she could also be the key to bringing down the dragons’ greatest enemy, which leaves Niko with a devastating choice: keep Eris for himself or lose her to the cause he’s served for most of his life . . .

Buy the Book:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2bmFpCO

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2bG1r1n

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2bpSQPu

iBooks: http://apple.co/2bMZBhf

Add Renegade Dragon to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2blYi5Z

*****

Excerpt:

My woman.

It was a primitive thought and one Nico should be ashamed for thinking…but he wasn’t. He didn’t even know her name, but he knew that she was his. After all the years of secretly hoping that someday his mate might cross his path, he didn’t dare believe his luck that she was so beautiful. If anything could tempt him to forsake his vows to the Brotherhood, it was this staggeringly pretty woman. The thought of having his own mate, of sharing the same happiness his friends had found, sent hope burning through him like wildfire.

Despite the rain soaking them from head to toe, he caught the sweet, earthen scent of female dragon blood mixed in with all that human.

She is my mate.

But she had stolen and eaten one of his family’s treasured apples, and that meant she had earned a swift death for her theft. Unless, of course, he argued that as his mate she was his family and therefore had every right to one of the apples that was under his—their—guard. He was the head of the Drakon tribe. It would be his decision that stood on this matter.

He carried his delicious-smelling mate down to the second cell he kept in his well-fortified basement. After destroying the first one, he might need the chains and the door of the second to keep his frightened little dragon hybrid in place. If she refused to touch him, he would quickly revert back to his beastly form and scare the hell out of her.

He barred the door behind them but remembered the way she had so easily picked the locks on his home. He placed his palm against the metal and silently whispered a warding spell before drawing the necessary symbols with his fingers. She wouldn’t be getting out of here without him.

Safely tucked away with his mate, he carried her to the back wall of the cell and grasped one of the long chains and cuffs. Carefully, he set her down and quickly wrapped the cuff around both of their wrists. She let loose a gasp and jerked hard enough that he actually lost his balance. She kicked out her leg, but he dodged at the last second. His hand shot out to protect her pretty head from slamming into the stone wall.

“Stop!” The word came out harsher than he had intended. Her eyes widened at his rough tone. He hated seeing fear on her face, but he loved that the light in the cell allowed him to see her real eye color. The greyish blue irises staring back at him were astonishingly beautiful against her rich brown skin. “Please,” she said with a little sob that tore at his heart.

Gently, he rubbed her arm. “You’ll only hurt yourself if you insist on jerking on these chains. We have to stay this way tonight.”

“I’m your prisoner?”

You’re my mate. But he didn’t say that. “Yes. Unless you want to see the winged version of me again, you had better keep your hand on me at all times, understand?”

She swallowed nervously and squirmed but didn’t try to tug away from him. “What are you?”

His eyebrow arched. “You know.”

She shook her head. “I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.” He touched her cheek and silently rejoiced when she didn’t flinch or pull away from him. The spicy scent of arousal drifting from her skin made his mouth water, but it wasn’t even close to the potency of a mating heat. If she had very diluted dragon blood, she might need him to make love to her before a full mating heat would take effect.

Wanting her to name him, he tapped her chin. “Say it. Tell me what I am.”

She lifted her anxious, disbelieving gaze to his face. A spark of determination brightened her unusual eyes. “Dragon. You’re a dragon.”

*****

Review:

I’m going to take a moment to remind everyone, just in case you can’t figure it out, that this IS a paranormal romance. There are some unnatural themes, insta-love, death-defying moments, magic, yadda yadda. And you have to be OK with that to enjoy it … I see a lot of people getting annoyed or making fun of these kinds of stories, but that just means they aren’t for you. Know what kind of book it is going in and enjoy the ride, darn it!

~Mini-rant over~

Like with Wicked Dark Dragon, you really need to have read the rest of the series to truly understand what is going on (but they run about $2 each if you are interested). Unlike WDD, though, this one scrimped a bit on the action. I think, like its hero, it is a more mental story – with Eris and Nico getting to know each other (very quickly, back to that insta-love thing, which only works because of the mystical connection they share) and then setting up some future plot lines. There is some fighting and danger at the end but it is a very quick read so it doesn’t cover a lot of pages. It’s more about the woo woo of their world, bringing Eris in, giving Nico a mate (finally) and working toward the future.

One of the things I appreciate is the free rein that fantasy authors have to create a world that works for them and their characters. Lopez does a good job of coming up with the fantastical but keeping it in check. It doesn’t get too outrageous or seem to come out of nowhere. She does a good job of explaining new things as they come up and how it all fits together.

To be truly enjoyed by a distinct audience, Renegade Dragon isn’t very long but does well at continuing what the previous books started and nicely sets up what comes next.

*****

Author Info:

While browsing bookstore shelves as a teenager, Lo discovered the erotic writings of Anaïs Nin and A.N. Roquelaure. Certain her mother would not approve, Lo smuggled the books home and squirreled them away in the most likely of places: under her bed. Late at night, she delved into the sensual worlds both writers created.

As a co-ed studying biochemistry and genetics at Texas A&M University, Lo dabbled in creating naughty tales to entertain her friends. Study for a midterm or pen a deliciously dirty story to delight her small band of fans? Not surprisingly, Lo is now on an extended sabbatical from college.

Luckily, Lo stumbled onto the world of erotic romance publishers. She realized there were other readers and writers who loved and craved breathtaking romance with the spiciest of love scenes. She took a chance and submitted her first novella. The rest is history.

Lo lives in Texas with her husband, daughter and big blubbering Great Dane with mommy issues.

Social Media Links:

www.lolitalopez.com

www.twitter.com/lowriter

www.facebook.com/writerlolitalopez

*****

Book Review – Holiday in Your Heart

29 Thursday Sep 2016

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Book Review, Caribou Crossing series, Holiday in Your Heart, Susan Fox

Holiday in Your Heart

A Caribou Crossing Romance

by Susan Fox

It’s Christmas in the cozy Western town of Caribou Crossing, the season for homecoming, forgiveness, and—just maybe—the gift of a fresh start…

As the holidays approach, the air is filled with the festive sounds of bells chiming and carolers singing. Maribeth Scott loves Christmas, but she’s pretty sure that after years of waiting, Santa isn’t finally going to gift her with Mr. Right. In fact, the only thing she truly wants for Christmas is a baby to love. At thirty-nine, she’s determined to become a mother and she will make it happen, even if she has to do it on her own.

When Mo Kincaid returns to the rustic town after almost twenty years away, he’s seeking redemption from his checkered past. The last thing on his mind is romance, and he’s certain he doesn’t deserve it. But now there’s irresistible Maribeth, showing him the true spirit of Christmas and winning his heart. For the first time in Mo’s life, the future looks bright. Only one thing stands between them: Maribeth’s deep desire for a child and Mo’s conviction that he’s too flawed to be a father. Is his world-weary heart ready to take the ultimate leap of faith?

So, this is my first Caribou Crossing book and I really enjoyed it. It’s got that perfect amount of drama, romance, humor and growth.

Not having read any of the other stories I didn’t have an opinion of Mo or Maribeth coming into this and I think that helped a bit. From the beginning Mo is honest about what a bad person he was in his youth. But he’s matured a lot and is now a stand-up guy, back in town to try to make amends to his ex and his son. Considering the both of them have had stories, returning readers might find it a little harder time letting him in, but I was drawn to him right away. His honesty about the man he used to be and the way he doesn’t expect anything positive drew me to him. I was rooting for him to finally find a place to call home, someone to love and accept him so that he could finish becoming that better man.

I’m not sure what role Maribeth has played before, other than that of a friend. She seems to be pretty comfortable with herself (maybe too comfortable sometimes 🙂 ) but her life hasn’t turned out quite like she expected. Alone and approaching her 40th birthday she’s at the point of taking matters into her own hands when pure luck puts her into Mo’s orbit. While she does a little growing of her own, more importantly she provides the acceptance that Mo needs and helps push him into stepping even further outside of his comfort zone and connecting to the people around him. Helps him dream of something more and find the family that he didn’t know he wanted. She doesn’t try to change him too much, accepting the person he is, but she pushes him to look into himself and want more than he ever thought he deserved.

Based on this I may have to go back and check out Fox’s backlist. She’s got a great talent for delivering delightful reads full of friends & family, a little steam and a whole lotta heart, great characters and straightforward, emotion driven stories.

Book Review – A Sister’s Wish

27 Tuesday Sep 2016

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

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A Sister's Wish, Book Review, Shelley Shepard Gray, The Charmed Amish Life series

We saw the first book in this series, A Son’s Vow, which was REALLY well liked (as is the whole series, going by the reviews). And if it is anything like this one I can definitely see why!

*****

A Sister’s Wish

The Charmed Amish Life #3

by Shelley Shepard Gray

Releasing September 27, 2016

Avon Inspire

Blurb:

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get… but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past…unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love… but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28448203-a-sister-s-wish

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/169928-the-charmed-amish-life

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

*****

Excerpt:

Prologue

Thirteen years ago

He had almost made it.

All he had to do was make it another two miles, then he’d be able to catch the bus to New Philly and eventually Mansfield. After that? Simon Hochstetler reckoned it didn’t really matter. He would be free and that was good enough.

But for now, all he had to do was ignore the pain in his side, make it over the next bend, then finally hike through the northern edge of the Kinsingers’ property. Once he did all that, the road would be flat. A whole lot easier to walk on.

He winced as he shifted his stuffed army-green backpack on his left shoulder, wishing that his right one wasn’t as bruised as it was. ’Course, if he was making wishes, he should probably start with wishing that he didn’t have a black eye or cut lip. From there he could wish his ribs weren’t hurting, either.

His father had been in fine form tonight.

He walked on, patting his pocket, feeling for the wad of money he’d been saving for the last year and kept hidden in an old coffee can near the woods. How long was it going to last? He had no idea how far eighty-eight dollars lasted in the city, but he was fairly sure it wouldn’t be far enough. He was going to need to figure out a way to make some cash, quick.

Feeling panicked, he stopped to readjust his backpack.

“Simon? Hey! I thought that was you,” Amelia Kinsinger called out, her voice ringing through the empty field like a bright, merry cowbell. “Whatcha doing?”

He froze. Then, attempting to gather himself, he turned to watch her trot closer. A bright smile was on her face. She looked really pleased to have spied him.

Though he knew better than to stay, he remained where he was. Even at only nine years old, little Amelia was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen. White-blond hair, crystal-blue eyes, and pale skin that never seemed to tan, she was everything delicate and perfect. She was also sheltered and his best friend’s baby sister—and the only person who seemed to think he was worth something. Both of her brothers had confided that Amelia had a terrible crush on him. They’d thought it was embarrassing. Levi had even apologized for her.

He hadn’t needed an apology, though. Simon had always thought Amelia’s infatuation made him something special. He’d never let on that he noticed the way she always looked at him. He never acted annoyed when she rushed over to tell him about her day. Instead of making fun of her, he’d been patient and often sat with her when her older siblings were too busy.

But that said, he’d always taken care for her not to see him like this. He wanted to look worthy in her eyes. Not beaten and bruised.

“Can’t talk right now, Amy,” he bit out as he started forward. He took care to keep his gaze fixated on the ground in front of him. Maybe then she wouldn’t catch sight of his eye.

But, as usual, she didn’t listen to his warning. Instead, she picked up her pace. “Did you know that the sun is almost set? Where you going? It’s going to be dark soon.”

“Ain’t none of your business.”

She stumbled, then caught herself before he reached out to steady her.

“Slow down, wouldja?” she said.

“Can’t.”

She sighed. “Why are ya being like this?” she asked, hurt in her tone. “All I asked is—”

“Simon! What happened to you?”

Unable to help himself, he drew to a stop. Then, because he probably was never going to see her again anyway, he allowed himself to lift his chin and let her look her fill. As he’d expected, she was staring at him in concern, her pale pink lips parted in wonder. And, he suspected, pity.

“Go on home, Amelia.”

“Did you . . . did your daed do that?” she whispered, letting him know that his secret had never actually been one. “Do you need something? Do ya need some help? ’Cause my daed’s home. If we went to him, I bet he’d help ya.”

That was why she meant so much to him. Here he was, bruised and battered, running away from home, and she thought he could still be saved. “Your daed can’t help.”

Tentatively, she held out a hand. Then, to his shock, she swiped at a patch of skin just to the side of his lip. When he flinched at her touch, she looked at him with sad eyes. “Sorry, but your lip is bleeding.” She held up her finger to show the stain.

Seeing his blood on her hand was one of the worst things he’d ever experienced. It symbolized everything that was his life . . . and everything he didn’t want it to be. Unable to help himself, he grabbed her hand and roughly swiped it on his shirt. “Wash your hands when you get home, hear me?”

“Oh. All right. But . . . but, Simon, won’t you come with me? You could wash up, too.”

“Nee. I’ve gotta go.”

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” she asked softly. “Just like your brother and sister did.”

He couldn’t lie to her. “Jah. I’m leaving. Just like Jeremy and Tess did.”

“Please, don’t.”

As much as he would have liked to do anything she asked, he couldn’t do that. “Listen, do me a favor, wouldja? Don’t tell nobody you saw me.”

Her bottom lip trembled. “But—”

“They’ll find out soon enough. Just . . . just let me go, okay?” Then he did what he’d sworn he’d never do. He looked at her directly in the eyes and let her see his pain. “I have to do this, Amy.”

Around a ragged sigh, looking so very sad, she nodded.

“Okay.”

“Bye, Amelia. You take care of yourself.”

He started walking before she could reply. Before he did something stupid and followed her to her house. Before he thought about staying just a little longer so he could see her again.

He started walking because no matter how difficult and scary it was to leave, he knew for certain it was always going to be a whole lot worse at home.

*****

Review:

Looking at the reviews for the other two books in this series, everyone thinks this author is amazingly talented. I only have this book to go by but I’ve got to say I wholeheartedly agree!

A Sister’s Wish is just packed with emotions of all sorts. There is a sweetness for how much Simon cares for Amelia and how much she believes in him. The heartbreak when it looks like they can’t be together and the pain when he finds out what his friend thinks of him. And the tentative hope when things start looking up for Simon, both romantically and with his estranged family & friends.

He’s had such a horrible time of it, but he’s a strong, good man and he’s working to turn that around. Unfortunately little communities have big memories, so it isn’t always that easy. It hurts so to see him have to deal with small minds, but there’s more to his story than just his love for Amelia. Just when things look bleak for him, fate hands him a chance encounter with the sister he hasn’t seen in years and the opportunity to try to forge a new relationship together. It’s a lot of ups and downs as he deals with the disappointment from his friend’s judgement and the pain of giving up his pursuit of Amelia, but if he can figure out who to make everything work it will definitely be worth it in the end. He just has to trust in himself. And let Amelia in so she can love & support him the way he needs.

I love Amelia. She might have let herself give a lot of herself to her family, but she’s got a lot of spirit and when she gets herself worked up she’s amazing. She’s got spunk and she turns that on her siblings & Simon when they need it 🙂 While a lot of the story focuses on Simon and him coming to terms with his past, there’s a good bit about Amelia figuring out that it is time for her to start living her life on her terms.

While there is a little bit mentioned about how everyone knew about the abuse Simon and his siblings experienced but no action was taken, I kinda wish that more had been said about it. There is some set up for the next book(s) so I’m hoping that this will be addressed at a future point. And for that to be my only complaint, I think that’s pretty darn impressive!

Shelley Shepard Gray delivers an emotion-packed story, at times both heartwarming and heartbreaking. There’s a lot going on here, but she handles it with amazing skill and style, leaving readers with a lot to think about.

(This is part of a series but can definitely stand on its own.)

*****

Author Info:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Hold Medallion winner.

She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

*****

Giveaway:

Three (3) sets of the previous books in series, A SON’S VOW and A DAUGHTER’S DREAM

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81128/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

Book Review – Just a Kiss

23 Friday Sep 2016

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Book Review, Denise Hunter, Just a Kiss, Summer Harbor series

Just a Kiss

A Summer Harbor Novel

by Denise Hunter

For fans of JoJo Moyes’ Me Before You and Nicholas Sparks’ The Choice comes a breathtaking story of second chances, friendship, and true love in all its forms by bestselling novelist, Denise Hunter. Watch the Author Interview! http://blog.netgalley.com/author-chat-with-denise-hunter/

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are ruined when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life falling for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances he’s adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. He has nightmares and mood swings, and his unwavering independence keeps him from accepting help from anyone, including her. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on with the two in such close proximity, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into unchartered territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his corded arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

When you see that a book is part of a series that you’ve not been reading, you’re always taking a chance that the book isn’t a true stand alone. I almost always take the chance unless there is a clear indication otherwise – sometimes it works out really well, sometimes not out all, and sometimes I’m mostly OK. This is definitely that last one. Technically I think you could say that this one is a stand lone, but it seems like you would have a better understanding of Paige, Riley and their relationship if you’d read the other stories.

They’ve been friends for a long time and I get the feeling that this story was one in the making for a while. Paige loves Riley but doesn’t see him in a romantic light. Riley on the other hand has had deeper feelings for years and being around Paige while she’s dating his brother is more than he can handle. So he enlists in the Marines, only to come home injured in body and spirit.

He has a lot of issues trying to acclimate to his new situation, dealing with his feelings over what happened to him overseas, and spending a large amount of time with Paige. It’s hard to see him struggle so – you know that he needs to get professional help but he’s not in a mind to do it.

Paige is trying her best to be understanding but it’s hard as the time spent with her friend has her looking at him with new eyes. You get a good feel for her conflict – not just with the new romantic feelings but also with trying to help someone that doesn’t want it.

I really think that Hunter does a fantastic job with the resolution of Paige and Riley’s feelings, his issues and their futures. It’s not an easy road for them but they have friends, family and their faith to see them through it.

Book Review – My Song for You

22 Thursday Sep 2016

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Book Review, My Song For You, Pushing Limits series, Stina Lindenblatt

My Song for You

A Pushing Limits Novel

by Stina Lindenblatt

In a poignant romance from the author of This One Moment (“Hot, intense, and filled with emotion.”—Rachel Harris), the rock stars of Pushing Limits have hit the big time. But fame gets tough when love presents a fork in the road.

At twenty-one, Jared Leigh had been prepared to give up the life of a touring musician to be a father after getting his girlfriend pregnant. When she told him that she’d gotten an abortion, Jared was devastated. Now at least he has the groupies to keep him company—until a blast from the past rocks his world.

Callie Talbert hasn’t seen her sister’s ex since high school. But after Callie bumps into Jared while she’s grocery shopping with four-year-old Logan, there’s a spark that wasn’t there before. Jared quickly realizes that her deaf “son” is the same age his own child would have been. When Jared demands to know more about Logan, Callie panics. There are things she just can’t tell him. Besides, Jared’s a bad-boy rocker, not a dependable father figure. He’ll move on to his next gig soon enough . . . right?

Trouble is, Jared refuses to be pushed away, and the more quality time he spends with Logan, the more he’s captivated by the woman Callie has become. When the truth is revealed, Jared only hopes that the three of them have what it takes to become a real family.

I usually don’t like these stories that start with a lie, but Lindenblatt handles it really well. I totally understand where both parities are coming from and feel for them being such a horrible situation.

Callie is doing the best she can in a difficult situation and she’s doing it like a trooper.. She obviously loves Logan and works hard to give both of them a good life. For having lost almost everything, she’s got great spirit and that shines through. Very appealing for both us … and Jared.

Jared has a pretty good head on his shoulders for an up and coming rock star, with groupies and fans. He’s got a supportive group of friends and a loving family, which helps explain a lot. Running into his old friend and her son has him looking for a chance to reconnect. Only he has no idea what that sets into motion.

The first part of the story involves Callie and Jared meeting again after losing touch for a few years and Callie trying to keep her secret. But of course it doesn’t stay hidden long and that’s where everything really takes off. There’s a lot of conflicting emotion early on but nothing like the quagmire they find themselves in afterward. They are all over the place and for some seriously good reasons.

Emotion packed, with a mix of humor and sizzle, My Song For You will grab you by the heart and not let go until you hit the very last page.

Book Review – More Than You Know

21 Wednesday Sep 2016

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April Bennett, Book Review, More Than You Know, Second Chances series

More Than You Know

Second Chances Book 2

by April Bennett

Blurb:

Reeling from a painful divorce, Miranda has returned to her hometown after a fifteen-year absence. When her brother offers her a job with the family company she takes it, not realizing she’ll be working with the man who was once the object of her teen fantasies.

When lifelong bachelor Robert decides to reform his rakish ways, he moves from Chicago to the little town of Alandale. Away from the bustling pace of city living, he settles into a new work partnership with his best friend.

His new assistant Miranda is a mystery to him, and Robert is a thorn in her side. Chemistry sizzles between them, but they have both been burned once. Will they let past heartaches, fear of disrupting the status quo, and a disapproving older brother ruin their future?

It’s always amazing to me how you can pick up one book and just fly through it. But another requires more time, like you are having to savor it. This is definitely the second type. It wasn’t dull or lengthy or over written – it was like taking a very pleasant stroll with Robert and Miranda as they get to know each other again and find themselves falling in love. (I keep reading that and it sounds kinda bad but it TOTALLY isn’t. This was a great book that I absorbed instead of let flash by.)

I really like Robert and feel for him, with his decision to start over in a new town and moving into a new stage in his life. He struggles a little, which makes him relatable, especially once he starts having feelings for his best friend’s sister 🙂 Miranda is working through a lot with the end of her marriage and all the problems that brought her back home. It takes her a while to wallow and work through her emotions. Falling for Robert definitely wasn’t something she expected and she doesn’t handle it very well. I get where she’s coming from and why she feels the way she does, and Robert has a lot of patience and understanding to not give up on her, leading to a great ending.

With realistic characters, real-world issues, moments of sweetness and shots of humor, Bennett delivers a beautiful story of second chances and finding yourself again.

(This is the second in a series but definitely reads as a stand alone.)

Book Review – Playing It Cool

19 Monday Sep 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Amy Andrews, Book Review, Playing It Cool, Sydney Smoke Rugby series

Oh, do I have something great today …. a fantastic heroine and her sexy (but clueless) sports star. I enjoyed their relationship SO much! (Even those clueless times 🙂 )

*****

Playing It Cool

A Sydney Smoke Rugby Novel

by Amy Andrews

Blurb:

Harper Nugent might have a little extra junk in her trunk, but her stepbrother calling her out on it is the last straw… When rugby hottie, Dexter Blake, witnesses the insult, he surprises Harper by asking her out. In front of her dumbass brother. Score! Of course, she knows it’s not for reals, but Dex won’t take no for an answer.

Dexter Blake’s life revolves around rugby with one hard and fast rule: no women. Sure, his left hand is getting a workout, but he’s focused on his career for now. Then he overhears an asshat reporter belittle the curvy chick he’d been secretly ogling. What’s a guy to do but ask her out? It’s just a little revenge against a poser, and then he’ll get his head back in the game.

But the date is better than either expected. So is the next one. And the next. And the heat between them…sizzles their clothes right off.

Suddenly, this fake relationship is feeling all too real…

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189#nav-subnav

IBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/playing-it-cool/id1146455978?mt=11&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/playing-it-cool-3

Amazon.UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189

Amazon.CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Playing-Cool-Sydney-Smoke-Rugby-ebook/dp/B01KTHYB76?tag=entangpublis-20&link_code=ur2&creative=9325&camp=211189

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/playing-it-cool-amy-andrews/1124435667?ean=9781633757509

*****

Review:

I really enjoyed this story. Actually I’m surprised a little at how much I enjoyed it 🙂 I liked the idea of a normal sized heroine, which was why this story ended up in my TBR pile, but the interactions between Dex and Harper kept me glued to the pages. They are just so darned cute together and I was hooked on how well they fit together as friends and lovers.

Harper does have a little bit of a hangup when it comes to her size, but it doesn’t take long for Dex’s obvious attraction to her to get her over that. And it really isn’t a huge part of the conflict in the story. It does come back up at a critical moment, as you’d expect, but it isn’t over used in the story. Instead she’s a funny, caring, a little geeky and a lot of fun. She thinks she’s going into her relationship with Dex with her eyes open and her heart closed, but you can guess how well that goes. They have a lot in common and they quickly form a friendship that just works for both of them – it’s hard to stay detached when they click so well.

Plus, Dex is awfully hard to resist. He’s sexy, strong, fun and good for her ego. He’s not shy about how attractive he finds her. Not just her body but her mind and spirit as well and you love him just for how much he likes her. But of course he’s got a few troubles of his own. He grew up in the poorest part of town and has pretty much dedicated all his energy in never going back there again. For him, rugby is the answer. I’m not sure why he thinks that he’s not successful enough already to never go back or that he’s got nothing going for him after his career is over. But those scars from his childhood are pretty deep and cause him a few moments of trouble with Harper.

You can see from a mile away that Dex’s single mindedness when it comes to his sport is going to cause him some trouble. Luckily, though, it isn’t over-played and thanks to some help from his friends he quickly figures things out. He’s adorable in his cluelessness and his eventual aha moment … and, just like with the rest of his life, once he’s on a course of action he goes full tilt. Nothing is stopping him from winning his woman back and is fantastic to see.

(I didn’t read the first book in this series, but it didn’t really seem to matter much. I might have gone into it with a better feel for the guys. Meeting them new here worked though and I had no problem keeping up. But I’m going to definitely keep my eye out to see what comes next because I have a feeling a certain bad boy may have just met his match with Harper’s friend and his downfall could be quite entertaining.)

*****

Author Info:

Amy is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling Aussie author who has written over fifty contemporary romances in both the traditional and digital markets. She has written for Harlequin Mills & Boon, Entangled, Harper Collins, Momentum, Tule and Escape. She’s sold over a million books and been translated into thirteen different languages including manga.

Amy spent six years on the national executive of Romance Writers of Australia including a two year term as president and after many years of unofficial mentoring of emerging writers, Amy and her fellow Harlequin author Anna Cleary have started their own manuscript assessment business, Word Witchery, which specializes in romantic fiction. With unique insight into what makes a story that sells, Amy and Anna aim to help every manuscript shine.

Amy loves good books, fab food, great wine and frequent travel – preferably all four together. She lives on acreage on the outskirts of Brisbane with a gorgeous mountain view but secretly wishes it was the hillsides of Tuscany.

Website: http://www.amyandrews.com.au

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmyAndrewsbooks

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

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1128457.Amy_Andrews

*****

Giveaway:

$10 Amazon Gift Card

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4cf78adb412/

*****