Book Review – New Year’s Resolution: Romance!

05 Thursday Feb 2015

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Book Review, Christie Ridgway, Just a Fling, Leslie Kelly, New Year’s Resolution: Romance!, No More Bad Girls, Say Yes, Tanya Michaels

New Year’s Resolution: Romance!

Say Yes\No More Bad Girls\Just a Fling

Christie Ridgway, Leslie Kelly, Tanya Michaels

Midnight, January 1: time for a big change. Time to make a New Year’s resolution to find romance or else!

Say Yes by Christie Ridgway

Cautious florist Ashley Walker is excited to embark on her “Year of Yes” no matter what happens. But accepting a surprise job offer leads to an awkward discovery: she’s hot for her millionaire boss, Chase Bradley!

No More Bad Girls by Leslie Kelly

Scorched by a string of nightmare ex-girlfriends, Lex Rollins resolves to date only nice women then is lured by siren Lia before midnight! But Lia is really Amelia, a good girl playing naughty for a night. Can a blind date as their real selves uncover their true desires?

Just a Fling by Tanya Michaels

Shy, insecure Erin Cross makes two bold resolutions: (A) get on a plane, and (B) have a fling. In pursuit of Option A, she’s mistaken for a key witness in a mob trial and whisked away by a sexy FBI agent! Which just leaves Option B…

All three of these talented ladies are staples in the Harlequin world – with extensive booklists and expressive writing styles, they are some of the best at what they do. And this New Year’s Resolution anthology just highlights why they are so loved. Each has her niche but they will all capture your attention and take you on an adventure.

Ridgway is a delight at penning contemporary romances with both humor and heart. Her characters are detailed and complicated, with realistic troubles and foibles. Ashley has been hiding from life but she’s decided it is time to start living again. Unfortunately she isn’t prepared for the affect that Chase has on her. Chase is a good man, kind and caring. It’s easy to see why he attracts Ashley but is she willing to take a chance on him? Even novella in length, Say Yes is a complete and emotional story.

Like Ridgway, Kelly writes delightfully addictive stories, with complex characters and fun storylines. Both Lex and Amelia are fun and their cute-meet is absolutely adorable – I love the back-and-forth of the mistaken identity plot. Kelly writes an amusing and likeable couple that you root for from page 1.

Michaels writes some of the most fun action adventure romances that I’ve read, complete with danger and characters with great chemistry. Even though she doesn’t have a lot of pages, with Just a Fling she still manages to deliver great suspense and a believable love story. Erin and Foster are just too much fun together.

The Love Shack

26 Friday Apr 2013

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Beach House No. 9, Book Review, Christie Ridgway, The Love Shack

Christie Ridgway delivers more sun, sea and sexiness with The Love Shack, the final installment of her yummy beach-themed series.

Gage, like his brother Griffin from Beach House No 9, is a media correspondent in the Middle East. But where Griffin writes about his war experiences, Gage takes amazingly evocative pictures of some of the harsher realities of life. He’s in Crescent Cove to decompress from a bad experience and to spend time with Skye, whose letters got him through so much.

Skye, who has been a bit player in all of the stories, finally gets her own book and we find out exactly what has happened to make her so tense. Having Gage around does a lot to help her feel more secure, but it will also break her heart when he leaves. They rely on each other, both knowing it is temporary, but not counting on wanting so much more.

As with the other books, there is a secondary love story between Teague (who also appeared in Beach House No 9) and his best friend, Polly. Being the B plot, it is a little bit shorter, but it is no less emotional. I don’t think we got a good read on Teague when he first appeared, but Ridgway does a fantastic job of providing a heart-warming resolution to his romantic woes.

The Love Shack gives us complex, damaged characters who have to deal with a lot. They are compelling – pulling on your heart strings and making you sigh with both happiness and sorrow (and maybe wanting to thump them on the head a time or two).

With this series, it is such a treat to have so many related characters who have their own issues but mesh so well together. They make for an engaging and captivating group, who end up feeling like old friends. Which means that readers of the previous books will love the updates on all the characters – almost everyone makes an appearance in this story and those who don’t are mentioned. (I think that is my favorite part of a romance series, getting that update of everyone’s HEA life.)

I really enjoy Ridgway’s books – full of scrumptious men and sassy women, with intriguing problems to overcome. If you haven’t already, go pick up Beach House Beginnings, Beach House No 9, and Bungalow Nights. This series is the perfect excuse for relaxing in the shade and reading all day, so pull up a chair and enjoy.

Bungalow Nights

21 Sunday Apr 2013

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Beach House No. 9, Book Review, Bungalow Nights, Christie Ridgway

Christie Ridgway always puts me in the romance mood. Her stories have just that perfect blend of emotion and sizzle, heart and heat, that make you feel good. Army Medic Vance Smith made a promise to a dying officer – he would spend a month with the man’s young daughter and do all the things the man hoped to do with her when he returned. Only the young daughter turns out to be a very sexy woman. There are all sorts of reasons the two should not get involved, but will their hearts listen?

Vance views himself as the screw-up in his family. He’s the one that was a little more wild and a little more daring than the rest of them. But the army turned him into a fantastic medic, someone who is caring, compassionate, and cool under pressure. He’s changed since his wilder days but he still has a lot to discover about himself, and some stubbornness to get rid of, before he can feel like he can be a part of his family again.

Layla has always been the “good little soldier.” The stoic kid who had to share her dad with the U.S. Army. Having her mom leave her when she was young and then living the army brat lifestyle with its constant moving, she learned early that to not get too attached to anything or anyone. She also learned to live with the idea that her dad my not come home one day. Now that idea is a reality and she has to accept that fact. And decide whether she can let go of those past lessons and give her heart to someone with the idea that they may actually stick around.

One of my favorite parts of Ridgway’s series is the secondary romance. In this one Vance’s cousin had a one night stand six years ago with a family friend, only to leave town the next day for college. With Addy also at Beach House No. 9, this is his perfect opportunity to make amends. But she doesn’t make things easy for him. Even if Baxter didn’t have his life all mapped out and it isn’t time yet, now or then, for a serious relationship, Addy doesn’t believe that a guy like him could ever be with a guy like her. I love the way these two take a second look at each other and themselves, evaluating their lives to decide if they might need to make changes to be happy.

For Layla and Vance, Addy and Baxter, their month at Beach House No. 9 is a time of love and learning, of forgiveness and letting go, trust and faith. If you are looking for that perfect book (series actually) to kick off your summer, run out and get Bungalow Nights (and its predecessors – Beach House Beginnings and Beach House No 9). You’ll quickly be drawn into a world of sun, sea, surf and love.

Beach House No. 9

18 Monday Feb 2013

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Beach House No. 9, Book Review, Christie Ridgway, Crescent Cove

Jane Pearson has come to Crescent Cover to help Griffin Lowell get back on track – he’s writing a memoir about the year he spent embedded with a troop in Afghanistan. She needs this assignment to go well, after her last one ended with her reputation tarnished. When she’s told he’s cut off all communication with friends and family, Jane expects to find a hermit, alone and holed up in his beach cabin. Instead she finds a very loud and lively party. Griffin uses any and all distractions to help him forget his time at war and the last thing he needs is for Jane to push him to write about it. But when Jane starts infiltrating other parts of Griffin’s life too, she may prove too difficult to ignore.

Beach House No. 9 officially kicks off Christie Ridgway’s new Crescent Beach series (although there was a prequel novella called Beach House Beginnings that is fantastic) and it is a sexy, emotional roller coaster. Jane is smart, quirky and dedicated. Being a book doctor, she needs to be part English major and part psychologist, but she has a few issues of her own. The year in the Middle East left some very obvious scars on Griffin, but, as with many difficult things, it is easier to ignore them than to face them. His adjustment to life after his return stateside is realistic of many who have spent time in a war zone. Ridgway also gives readers tidbits about the future stories and there’s an extra treat – a side story about Griffin’s sister, Tessa, and the possible demise of her marriage that is just as engaging as the main plot.

As always, Ridgway does a fantastic job of bringing to life complex, conflicted characters – full of deep emotions, heartache and joy. Seeing them work through their issues and come out the other side was very satisfying, and I’m eagerly looking forward to the rest of the series: Bungalow Nights due 2/26 and The Love Shack due 3/26.