Monday, September 18, 2017

Help Wanted by Allison B Hanson


I’ll admit I was intrigued by the cover on this book. It looked like a sweet summer romance and I was definitely in the mood for a sexy HEA. Well, Hanson delivered with her great story. This book was funny, clever, empowering, had some great elements of friendship and was just an overall enjoyable read. I had never read anything else by Allison Hanson, but she is now on my list of authors to watch. I have not read a lot of virgin tropes and I wasn’t sure what to expect. By the time I was done reading the explanation, I was like, yes...this could happen :) It hooks you from the beginning because how does a virgin get fired for sleeping with her boss’s husband? (gotta read it to find out).

Kenley Carmichael and Zane Jackson can barely keep their hands off each other. But Zane is her boss and they both decide that it needs to stay professional. Kenley needs her job and Zane needs an assistant to run his business. Zane felt like he was a dork in high school and he still has some unresolved issues from back then. Should he be over them? Yes...but then there would be no drama. His sister works to set him straight and she is hilarious. I also liked that there was a secondary romance going on. Brady was an interesting character and while their back story was not the focus, I think it complemented the main story.

The story is not explicit. I tend to like a little more heat to my sex scenes...but the author did the couple justice. It’s a good weekend read when you are looking for a romantic book escape.

A Covert Affair by Susan Mann

I had been looking forward to this book ever since I read the first one. I love the premise of this series. It’s seriously like my own spy/librarian fantasies come true. Add to that a super hot spy boyfriend and I just can’t even stop reading this book! Just like the first book, this one is unique and you can totally tell the author’s ideas were heard and left in the book. To top it off, it was a bit of historical fiction woven into this romance/suspense genre. There really is nothing else to compare it to that I’ve read in contemporary romance.

The setting is uniquely set in India, tracking down historical clues (that will eventually lead to missing library books….my inner dork sings). I find that most HEA romance books will not take place in India, exploring a sensitive topic. This is Mann working her super-librarian skills into her writing.

This is truly a must read for every librarian (or anyone who just loves a good librarian story) out there looking for a reading adventure and a book boyfriend. While not explicit, the sex is hot and the chemistry between Quinn and James remains off the charts. *fans self* This series has been my guilty pleasure escape and I will recommend it to anyone who listens!

Protection Detail by Julie Miller

I have really been enjoying Harlequin Intrigue books lately and this one did not disappoint. This one could be a stand alone book because I really liked it and I did not know it was the last book in the series. This book was unique because both of the characters are a bit older. They have both lost a spouse and just have a little bit of that life experience that comes out in the details of the story. There is not a lot of over the top romance drama. The drama comes in the form of the mystery suspense woven into the plot.

If you are looking for a hot cop story, then you have found your book. Thomas, the main character, and his whole family are involved in law enforcement. Jane, our heroine, is a nurse who is in WITSEC and she is trying to protect herself and those around her. Clearly, she has experienced a tragedy or she would not be in WITSEC. It’s a sweet, flirty romance. Thomas and Jane want each other, but they are mature enough not to jump into anything and they both carry some baggage. Thomas is afraid that he is too old for Jane, but she does not even consider the age difference.

 I just think a hot romance is what most readers are looking for (I definitely am!) I like the setting. I don’t really know much about Kansas City, so I feel like the details in the setting made me a bit more familiar with areas that I have never been too. This book is a fast paced suspense story with a bit of romance.

Duke with Benefits by Manda Collins

I wish I would have read the first book! This 2nd one in the series was so much fun. Lady Daphne Forsyth is a pretty, but odd woman. Her social interactions are a bit awkward because she has spent her life studying mathematics. She is a brilliant mathematician and we are introduced to her quirkiness as she has just inherited part of an estate and she has a cipher to solve. For the first time in her life, she is getting to know other women. These women also have just inherited a piece of the estate that they find themselves at. Each woman has a particular skill that is needed to solve the cipher.

 The Duke of Maitland, Dalton, also finds himself at the manor home and he is intrigued by Daphne. They really do have some funny conversations and find themselves in awkward situations. The dialogue makes for a fun read. The main premise of the book is the murder mystery that everyone is there to solve. Things get a little tense when the dead body is found in the house, but at that point, you will not be able to put the book down. I enjoyed the unique characters, the fun setting, the intrigue and the humor that was part of this happily ever after story. It’s not often that you find women deemed “bluestockings” as the main character of a historical romance. I think the pieces of the puzzle reveal themselves at the right points in the book to keep the action going. The chemistry and sex is definitely off the charts between these two characters.

 You can’t help but fall in love a little bit with the Duke of Maitland. This was my first Manda Collins and it won’t be my last. I love the author’s style of writing and I feel like she is one of my people ;) #librariansunite