Saturday, December 29, 2018

The Duke of Danby's Holiday Hijinx by Samantha Grace, Ava Stone and Claudia Dain

So, I’ve been in a bit of a historical romance funk lately. I haven’t been able to find books that I can really get into, but this novella collection really hit the mark. Now I need to read all of the authors books. I have not read any of the Duke of Danby series! This was a great introduction and a perfect holiday read. I have read books by all three authors and love them all! I actually didn’t read the cover or description very well and thought it was only one story. As it came to an end, I was disappointed BUT then I realized there were 2 more stories in this book. It was like a small gift :)

I think it is pretty unique that it is a Duke who is playing matchmaker in each of these stories. Although, it was never admitted… It was laugh out loud funny how some of the characters were dreading being invited to Danby Castle for anything because of the Duke’s matchmaking schemes. I love the “Holiday Hijinx” part of the title. It sounds right for the period since you don’t really hear people say “hijinx” in everyday conversation. In the book you follow Lilly & Amelia, Victoria and Judith on their journey to find their HEA. There was something bold in each of the women and it was fun to see it unfold. I love the friendships and connections and particularly how everyone tried to avoid their matchmaking turn with the Duke of Danby.

The settings are romantic in all of the stories and the suitors are all swoon worthy in their own ways. I think in real life I would probably fall for Affie. He is currently my book boyfriend. But I guess Daniel was my book boyfriend in the first novella and then Gavin *sigh*.... This was a really good choice to read during the holidays. Fun, sexy, romantic...I loved the book!

Christmas Catch by Mary Shotwell book reivew

I really thought I would read a lot more Christmas romance novels this season, but the whole time thing got in the way. I did get to read Christmas Catch and I am glad I did because it was a perfect Christmas romance. Both of the main characters have stopped celebrating Christmas. Charlee stopped because she is busy with her podcast and granting other peoples Christmas wishes. Jack stopped because he lost his fiancée during Christmas and just blames the whole holiday for his loss. The whole town stopped celebrating Christmas in support of Jack because they cared about him and he brought in a lot of business. Cheery Charlie (her podcast persona) is determined to bring Christmas back to Sunset Cove and to Jack. She has a lot of work ahead of her and some unexpected feelings toward Jack.

I feel like I learned some things about the East Coast fishing industry by reading this book :) I think if you feel like you need a bit of Christmas spirit, this would definitely be a good read. It was sweet, fun and cheerful. I like all the characters and their portrayal in a small town setting. The dialogue was funny and I really like the premise of Charlee being a podcaster who was making a living doing it. It’s kind of a cutting edge job right now, so I love that the author picked this career for the main character. Don’t want the Christmas feelings to leave just yet? Read this book! The cover is super cute too.

Flare Up by Shannon Stacey book review

I’ve really enjoyed this series and this book wraps everything up nicely. I do not recommend this book as a standalone because there is so much backstory, I think readers would miss a lot if this was the only book read in the series. This book is about Grant and Wren. We were introduced to them in a previous book, but then Wren suddenly disappeared on Grant right when he was about to propose. Grant has been pretty depressed about his situation and I like that as an alpha male, he showed vulnerability. His friends have been trying to help him, but he’s had a hard time moving on. One day, during work, Grant pulls Wren out of a fire in her apartment. He never thought she was still in the same city and was not expecting to run into her. So it really threw him for a loop. Since her apartment had burned down, Wren had no place to stay so Cait invited her to stay with them. Since Cait’s significant other is Gavin, one of Grant’s fireman’s family, it was inevitable that they would need to talk.

Readers will find out all about Wren’s backstory and why she ran. I was kind of mad at her for not telling Grant what sort of trouble she was in because, hello, he has like 100 fireman & police officer friends who could help!!! While they were both cautious about jumping into a relationship again, you could tell they never got over each other. They just lost 5 months together. I thought the author really showed the power of friendship and family, but the way all of Grant’s friends and family tried to support him and how they reacted to Wren coming back. Being involved with Grant means getting a huge family who has your back in tough times.  Grant is so nice, thoughtful and romantic.  OMG.  Just perfect husband material. I loved being in the Boston Fire family in this series. It was a good story and a perfect read for these cold winter nights. I highly recommend it.

Best Friends, Secret Lovers by Jessica Lemmon book review

Flynn and Sabrina have been best friends since college, along with Gage and Reid. Sabrina and Flynn grew apart when Flynn got married and his wife did not want him hanging out with Sabrina. Now that Flynn is going through a disastrous divorce, they are picking up where they left off. They are all older now (in their 30s) and all the guys are in a “no marriage” pact, Flynn’s father passed away and Flynn now has to run the corporation called Monarch consulting. The whole group works for Flynn, which makes for some interesting dynamics in the story.

Flynn has gotten grouchy at work and Gage and Reid have told him to take some time off. Sabrina is just the person to spend time with Flynn to get him back to normal. It just so happens that Sabrina’s plumbing is broken and she needs a temporary place to stay. So, Flynn takes advantage of the situation and invites her to stay at his place for a while. This is the perfect opportunity to spend time with each other and what could be if they just take a leap of faith with each other. This is a friends to lovers story, with witty dialogue and characters that are fun to spend time with. I like the corporate setting and the focus on friendship. This was the second book by Jessica Lemmon that I read and I really enjoyed it. Hopefully Gage and Reid will get their own stories and I will be waiting on release day for them.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster book review

Mary Daniels and Brodie Crews is the couple that Lori Foster writes a story about in Driven to Distraction. I’ll have to start by saying that I have never read a story about collectors portrayed they way there were in Foster’s story. I had no idea that such a thing existed. I also like the idea of Therman, hiring Mary when she was looking for a fresh start. That fact that he paid her well was a nice touch in the story. It would be so great if this happened in real life because so many people could benefit from well-paying jobs when they are trying to rebuild their lives. So, I loved that little bit of hope that the author wrote in there.

The cover and the description of Brodie in the story is super hot. A total necessity in a romance story for me ;) Brodie and Mary start their relationship off a bit rocky. Mary does not want to work with Brodie, but for some reason, Therman thinks they will work well together. In fact, he was right. Not only do they work well together on the job...they work together in other ways as well. Brodie’s dog Howler was hilarious and added a nice touch to the story. I thought sparks started to fly right away. It just took Mary a while to realize it.

Brodie and Mary are a perfect match. Their personalities work great together and Mary really needed someone like Brodie to help her deal with her past. I like the bit of suspense in this book. The anticipation of figuring out what is going on keeps the reader reading until the end. Such a good, fun story. I’m glad that I picked it up.

Healer’s Need by Rhenna Morgan book review

I’ll admit, I picked up this book because I love Rhenna Morgan and not because I was in the mood for a paranormal shifter romance. But I have already reread the Haven series and I needed something new ;) I’ll also admit that I read book 2 first *gasp* and then I had to quickly buy book 1. It was that good. I was ready to be a shifter by the time I finished these two books.

Healer's Need picks up right where Guardian's Bond ended. A lot of the world building happens in the first book and you feel like you're missing vital information if you read it backward like I did. At the end of the Guardian’s Bond, we were left with Priest's evil brother escaping the clan's effort to neutralize him and Tate meeting his mate. The chemistry was off the charts with Elise and Tate, and the fact that Tate knew he had to be careful with Elise was such a turn on. *fans self*

Elise seemed so innocent and as the story progressed her inner strength really became a focal point of the plot. I loved it! Morgan did not disappoint with the usual protective and possessive behavior we expect from her alpha men. Yummy.

I love the characters, the setting and all the descriptive details that make this such an engaging story. Rhenna is a master at writing some of the best sex scenes. If you have not read any of her books, you need to! You may even find yourself re-reading them. *not making eye contact with anyone*.

Highland Dom by Marie Tuhart Book Review

Kristen Caldwell, owner of Cozy Corners Café, and Professor Cameron McMillian kick of this new series by Marie Tuhart. This was the first book that I read by this author and it was definitely an enjoyable ready. I would say that while there are elements of BDSM in this story, it really is pretty light. Kirsten has been reluctant to enter a new relationship and has sort of had her eye on Cameron. She got a several year reprieve from having to act on her attraction to Cameron while he was teaching in Scotland. Before he left, Kristen whispered some of her fantasies to Cameron and they have both been thinking about them.

Ohhhhhhhhhh…..as you can imagine, this was an exciting lead-up to their reunion. Because of some past mistakes, Kristen holds back on letting herself fully into a relationship with Cameron and then she doesn’t really want word to get out. She is very worried that her business will be affected by her dating the eldest, somewhat kinky, so of the McMillan family. Cameron is straightforward in what he wants and is not looking to play games. He is also confident in himself and what he wants...now to just rub some of that confidence off on Kristen. This was a good read. Sweet, fun and swoon-worthy at times.

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Under Control by Shannon Stacey book review

Shannon Stacey is back with more Hot Firefighters. *sigh* I read this book from start to finish in one sitting. It will totally keep your attention and the attraction between Derek and Olivia is really hot. *fans self*

This is the 2nd book in the series that I read and I read it out of order. The book can be a stand alone but it was nice to see some of the past characters appearing in this story. Derek is a single dad and has put his time into work and his kids. He has a good relationship with his ex, so his time is not spent fighting with her. They have both moved on from their marriage. Olivia is well off and can do things and travel as she likes. However, she is very wary of divorced couples because her parents got divorced when she was young and she is still dealing with their nonsense as an adult. There is no way she is ever putting herself in the middle of another divorced couple.

However, not everything goes according to plan when there is some major attraction going on. Will Olivia and Derek give into the sizzling chemistry going on between them? (my answer is always YES!!!) They characters in this book are responsible, motivated and driven people. But they have to be able to take a chance on each other. I would totally recommend this as a fun weekend read. If you love romance, you will love this book.

A Snowbound Scandal by Jessica Lemmon book review

This is a book in the Harlequin Desire imprint and I would definitely recommend it for the coming winter months! This was the first book that I read by Jessica Lemmon and I jumped into this book, which I figured had some preceding books, but it was fine as a standalone book.

The book focused on Chase Ferguson, who is a Texas oil billionaire and mayor of Dallas, and Miriam (Mimi) Andrix, who lives in Montana and used to date Chase 10 years ago. Both of them seemed to move on, but neither one of them was in a marriage or long-term relationship. So, this is definitely a second chance story. Chase travelled to Montana to get away from the stress of his job for the Thanksgiving holiday. He just wanted a quiet place to relax and did not really anticipate running into Miriam. After they ran into each other, Miriam felt bad that he was alone for Thanksgiving and decided to bring him some dinner. The snowstorm hits….and they are stuck together in his house during a blizzard. The chemistry from 10 years ago is still there and one touch will set them off, so they try to avoid each other for as long as possible. Miriam is not out to get hurt again. Chase does not want to have her affected by any scandals that stem from paparazzi like “reporters” because of his political involvement. It’s romantic that he is looking out for her, but not all women will appreciate that approach ;)

Their life choices have them going in different directions and it does not seem like their differences will allow them to continue their relationship. Chase has a prominent role in his family and his city, but Miriam has built her own successful life in Montana. If I had to be stuck somewhere with a hot man, a mansion in Montana is a good spot to be. The rest of the characters added some depth to this story. The setting makes this a perfect book to reading during a winter snow storm, curled up on the couch, in front of a fire with a glass of wine.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Unleashed by Caitlin Crews

I feel like I was just ghosted by summer, so it must have been the perfect evening for a book set in Iceland. Bring on the large, dominant, Viking men to get me through winter! I downloaded this book and read it in one night. It was good fun. I'm ready for a trip to Hotel Viking in Reykjavik. Thor Ragnarsson is our sexy hotel owner, but he is elusive in the first scene. Dr. Margot Cavendish has been trying to get a hold of him for a while, for some research, but Thor has been ignoring her requests. Margot decides to drive to the hotel and just drop by. Fortunately, she has been working in Iceland, so it was not a stretch that she would end up there.

I love that Margot's academic side came out in her dialogue. While Thor might not have been the academic that Margot was, he gave as good as he got. I think it's super sexy when both characters value some brains behind all the steamy hot passion. I think that Thor's backstory is important. Especially to establish the fact that he did not set out to own a "sex hotel." I don't know that I have ever considered the cultural norms towards sex, but there really was a valid argument in this story. 

This book is a great addition to the Harlequin Dare line. It's perfect for winter, especially during a snowstorm. Grab a glass of wine and don't expect to go to bed until this book is finished. I loved it! Oh, and I really am loving these covers. This one really captures the couple in the book.

Close To The Edge by Zara Cox

Are you looking for another Harlequin Dare book?  If so, you should get this book.  Lily Gracen is a genius computer coder who is being stalked.  She needs protection and she tracks down Caleb Steele to be her bodyguard.  He has a rule that he never gets involved with his clients.  Weelllllllll.....  Readers might start to guess what direction this will go in.

I love that Lily is making it in a male-dominated industry and she is really good at what she does.  Caleb is definitely an alpha male, but readers will be exposed to his vulnerable side. Eventually, Lily and Caleb will not be able to keep their hands off of each other.  The sex scenes are really hot as readers of this line should expect.  This is a bit of a suspense story and we get to know what the characters pasts were and how those experiences shape who they are today.

Props to the cover designer.  If I ever need a bodyguard, that is what I will be expecting.  Fun, action-packed book that you will quickly devour.

Sunday, July 1, 2018

It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday book review

This is book #2 of the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series and it's a perfect romantic comedy.  After reading the first book, I was ready to see who the next couple would be.  The settings are fun because weddings can be crazy and the author can do a lot of things with the characters that you can't do in an everyday contemporary romance novel.  In this book Jane is getting married to Cameron.  Jane is all about a low-key wedding because the last wedding they all planned was anything but low key.  However, when the bachelor and bachelorette party turns into a competition, it is anything but low key.  In fact, the running joke is that the bride is trying to be "low-key".  Jane's best friend, Wendy Liu is in charge of planning the party.  She is competing against Jane's brother, Noah Denning. 

They are both high powered attorneys.  Noah practices law in New York and Jane practices law in Toronto.  They used to be close and they grew up together, with Noah always protecting Jane and Wendy.  However, when Noah stood Wendy up at prom, he shattered her heart and she has never really gotten over that hurt.  From that point on, Wendy has made it her mission to see Noah as little as possible.  That becomes a bit difficult during the wedding festivities.  The reader can clearly see that the arguing and witty comebacks between Wendy and Noah are filled with sexual tension.  Wendy is all about one night stands, but Noah is more of a serial monogamist. Noah also has a thing against sleeping with his sister's best friend. Wedding shenanigans force the two together and they have to deal with the new direction their relationship is going.  A funny, steamy, sexy wedding romance is a perfect pick for this summer's wedding season!

Burn by Dawn Altieri book review

Looking for a firefighter romance?  You just may have found your next read!  This book is part romance, part suspense and part mystery.  A perfect combination for your next summer book.

Chloe moved across the country for a man who promised her a relationship and a job that would be perfect for her.  She took the risk and moved, but quickly found out that her boss is a total cheater, but a good investor.  Chloe thought she could make it work if she kept working for her ex.  She had proven herself time and time again in making shrewd business decisions for a company that was trying to revitalize run down parts of the city.  However, the day that Chloe was supposedly alone in one of the properties, the place caught on fire and prompted a arson investigation.

Ryan is a firefighter who is trying to work his way up to become an arson investigator.  His current boss believes in him and he is pretty good at assisting in some of the current arson investigations.  He just cannot believe that Chloe could be the arsonist, even when there are possible clues that point to her involvement.  Of course, they both know that they should not be getting close to one another.  To Ryan, Chloe could be a possible arsonist and Chloe could think that Ryan is trying to get close to her to investigate the arson.  Both of which would not be good starting points for a relationship.  As the mystery unravels, the sparks fly between Chloe and Ryan.  I had not read anything from this author before, but I am glad I did.  It was a fun and engaging read.  I wanted to finish it to figure out who set the fires!  It's worth your time if you are looking for a romantic suspense book.


Make Me Crave by Katee Robert

Make Me Crave is totally a sexy, summer romance read!  Perfect to take with you on vacation.  This is part of Harlequin's Dare line and it is probably my favorite line!  If you are looking for hot, "daring", edgy  sex scenes, you should pick up this book.

As soon as I read the name Roman Bassani, I knew I had met him somewhere before.  I quickly realized that this is book two and that Roman was introduced in Make Me Want.  Roman is a cutthroat, ruthless business investor.  He has made a name for himself acquiring businesses and will stop at almost nothing to get things to go his way.  When Allie doesn't even want to meet with him, he needs to figure out a way to talk to her.  Allie won't meet with Roman when he shows up at her gym and she keeps hanging up on him when he tries to call.  Allie does know that the shelter she runs is sucking up all the profits from the gym and her personal account.  But she will do whatever it takes to keep the women safe and employed.  Thus, she can never sell her gym. 

Becca convinces Allie that she needs to take a vacation and picks a ultra secluded vacation resort so that all their worries can just melt away.  It has literally been years since Allie has relaxed and tried to let go of the stress that goes with her business.  What she is not expecting is for Roman to show up on this island.  If the man can ruin a vacation, he might just have done that to Allie.  However, there is a bit of a mix up and it is also possible that Roman is not as ruthless as he appears.  As the mysteries of their stories unravel, so does their passion for each other.  You will want to read this book if you want to find out if love can overcome a business transaction ;)

The Risk of Rogues by Sabrina Jeffries

This author is one of my favorite authors and it's like a surprise to me when I read a novella and didn't realize it was supposed to be a novella..  I was all settled in to read for the evening, when I found that I finished the book way faster than I expected.  That is my own fault for not reading the description.

This is book 5.5 in The Sinful Suitors.  This is the story of Anne and Hartley.  They fell in love in when they were really young and their families did not approve of their marriage plan.  Hartley got shipped off to the military and when he came back, Anne was no longer there.  However, as Anne later pointed out, he did not try very hard to locate her. This novella is sort of a second chance for the two star crossed lovers.  Anne wasn't really interested at first because she felt so betrayed...but then she did want a chance at a happy marriage.  The novella is fun and passionate.  If you are looking for a Victorian HEA, this is a good choice.

Stand & Deliver by Rhenna Morgan book review

I LOVE the Men Of Haven!!!  It's so hard to wait for these books to come out.  This book is the story of Beckett Tate and Gia Sinclair.  Readers are familiar with Beckett and he's done his fair share of making fun of his brothers who have settled down.  We've also met Gia before when Knox hired her for some security jobs.  Readers will finally get to know Beckett and his story.  Beckett is tough, possessive and totally alpha.  He doesn't really seem like he is the settling down kind of man.  He is all about justice and being fair, which Gia has learned when she secretly watches him.  Gia is tough and never lets her security colleagues see what she is really like.  She has had to work twice as hard as anyone else to get to where she is at.  She has also been fighting against her parents disapproval with her choice of career.  Gia let a little too much information slip one night after a few too many tequila shots. Now that Beckett knows where he stands with Gia, he will work to win her over.

Gia has gotten a really big job, but she has to call in some of the Men of Haven for reinforcements.  She thought she could handle things and she has handled big jobs in the past, but someone is trying to sabotage her and it is getting dangerous.  Beckett shows her nothing but professionalism when working.  He trusts Gia, but Gia has to learn how to trust Beckett.  They both have some issues, but that's what makes the story interesting ;)  In the bedroom, the sex is off the charts.  I would expect no less from the author.  She does this couple justice with some mind blowing sex scenes. *fans self*  If you have read the other books in this series, then you have to continue with this book.  It could be a stand alone book, but it sure is a lot more fun to meet the other Men.  Totally recommend this for a weekend pleasure read.

Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis book review

Soooo....I was super excited to get a signed ARC of this book!  It's not often you get to say "hi" to one of your favorite contemporary romance writers.  Thanks for being at ALA!

This particular book is part of the Heartbreaker Bay series.  I've been buying each book in the series on the day they are released (well, actually, I pre-order them...so I have them on the day they are released.)  Yes, they are that good.  This one did not disappoint!  It's like visiting old friends in Cow Hollow because by the 6th book you feel like you know the characters really well.  This book focuses on Lucas and Molly.  Lucas works for Archer (who we got to know in Accidentally on Purpose) and Molly is Joe's (About that Kiss) younger sister. Lucas has a thing about not falling for Molly for two reasons: he works with her AND her brother is part of his team.  Molly doesn't really date because of her injuries and because of her back story, has a hard time trusting people.  However, the reader knows that because of their sizzling attraction for each other, something is bound to happen ;)

Lucas is hot and has to be in good shape because of his job (too bad the book is not illustrated) so of course, he turns heads. He's been assigned to look after Molly by Archer and Joe.  He doesn't really want to lie to her, but he also wants her safe.  What alpha male can resist protecting the woman he's attracted to?  Molly wants a bit more out of life than just being a receptionist and knows she can learn how to be a good investigator.  She does not have a military background or a college education, so the odds are stacked against her.  She is ready to prove to Archer and the team that she can do it.  She is going to take on what appears to be an easy case, but she has a feeling that there is something more nefarious going on.  This book will be out September 25, 2018 so put it on your list for a good holiday romance.  You would be able to put it down until you finish.



Thursday, May 3, 2018

A Devil of a Duke by Madeline Hunter book review

You may have already met the Duke of Langford in the other Decadent Dukes Society series and Madeline Hunter gifts us with a enthralling story and a beautiful book cover...delivered like a present with a fancy bow ;)

The Duke of Langford is known as a scandalous rogue, who women find irresistable. *fans self*. He ends up at a ball because he is looking for a blackmailer and who just wants to hang out with his friends. He misses his other friend who recently got married, so this is a chance to spend some time together. Even though he wasn’t really looking for a woman, he meets a beautiful masked woman (Amanda Waverly), who does not reveal herself, but does let the Duke kiss her. Of course, they can’t stop thinking about each other. Since Amanda works as a secretary with a secret past, she does not harbor any fantasies of marrying the Duke. Amanda is not looking for romance because she has more pressing matters to tend to. Her mother has been kidnapped and Amanda feels that she must save her. Amanda has been running away from her past, but has found herself right back in it.

Amanda is a strong female character who has made her own way in Victorian England. I love all the female characters in this series because they are not afraid of being looked down upon by high society, they value reading and writing and have found creative ways to find their own paths in life. The detailed encounters between Amanda and Langford will have you rooting for them long before they realize a possible future for themselves.

The character and setting details are so thorough that you will feel like you are in Victorian England watching the romance unfold. There are elements of mystery, action and romance in this book. The dialogue flows between the characters in both poignant and humorous conversations.

Hunter is one of my favorite authors and I always look forward to new releases. If you love historical romance, you will not be disappointed by this book. It should come with a warning label because you won’t stop reading until you are done. Oh, and a glass of wine will help you settle right in to this decadent story.

The Work Wife by Allison B. Hanson

The Work Wife is the third book in Allison B. Hanson’s “An on the Job” series and I have enjoyed them all so far. They can be read as stand alone books, but my personal preference is to read series book in order. It’s the librarian in me.

This friends -to- lovers story slowly builds from a solid friendship to some sizzling romantic chemistry. Because they worked together for five years, they did not let any romantic feelings enter their relationship. When Jamie proposes a marriage “arrangement”, Wes is agreeable. The figured they spend all their time together at work, why not capitalize on that relationship. After they got married they realized just how close their friendship had made them. They knew more about each other than some couples who were in long term marriages. Jamie and Weston both have a few secrets they hadn’t really shared with each other. This story takes you on that journey to uncover an even deeper love.

Once I got into this book, I had a hard time putting it down. If you pick it up during a week night, you might have a book hangover the next morning. This is a sweet, fun, contemporary romance with a satisfying ending. A perfect summer read.

Bad Bachelor by Stefanie London book review

Sizzling, sexy and so much fun! I am a sucker for a good librarian romance story and Bad Bachelor delivers.

Darcy is the hip librarian, working hard in her library that needs more funding and swearing off men for a while. She is cool, smart and witty. I loved her right away. She is a little prickly with me, but with good reason. Her friends are fun and I could totally relate to her. We’d be good friends in real life. Reed McMahon kind of starts as the man you love to hate. He is in PR, which is the total opposite of librarianship, and can spin stories with the best of them. It’s his job to make people look good and he is perfect at playing the part. However, the reader and Darcy find out at the same time that there really is a lot more to him.

There is a bit of mystery as to who is behind the Bad Bachelors app that is making Reed look really bad and is actually threatening his job. He hires a PI to try to get to the bottom of all the bad publicity he is getting through poor reviews. Reed and Darcy are opposites, but man, is the chemistry between them HOT! Their witty banter will have you cracking up throughout the book. As both their secrets are revealed, you will be rooting for them to make their relationship work. The story is set in New York City and it makes you want to go explore Darcy’s public library. You won’t be able to put this book down once you start it. Highly recommended….especially if you are a librarian.

Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Baking Lessons by Katie Allen book review

Why, yes...thank you. I am all about a hot Army vet that is a bit grumpy, but totally alpha. Yummy. A delicious, hot and sexy read. Bust out the fans, this has some steamy scenes!

Hamilton (called Ham by Leah) is the landlord of the building where Leah has her bakery. Hamilton is super hot, but a bit socially awkward. He doesn’t do well around women and because of his weirdness...is a virgin! Honestly, that was a new one for me and I applaud the author. I don’t think you have to guess that he won’t be a virgin by the end of this story. Leah can’t figure out why Hamilton seems to be so stand-offish with her, so she does everything she can to push his buttons. Until she realizes that she looks forward to pushing his buttons and realizes that she might be in lust with him.

It’s just such a fun story in a great setting. I’m a big fan of the authors other books, so I figured I would enjoy this one - I totally did! Buy it. You won’t be sorry.

Hot Response by Shannon Stacey book review

Ohhhhhhhh…..hello…..Mr. Hot Firefighter. *sigh* I read this book from start to finish and was super tired the next morning at work. I keep doing that to myself….but this book was worth it!

I didn’t realize that it was the 4th book in the series, so it can be read as a standalone because I still really enjoyed it. Now I have to buy the first three. Our couple includes firefighter, Gavin Boudreau and EMT Cait Tasker. Something happened in a work related incident that made the two get off on the wrong foot. So, they didn’t really go out of each way to work together again. But of course, you can’t help but run into each other.

Cait was not really looking for a relationship because she has too much going on in her life. Gavin is the youngest on his crew and figures he has a while before he has to settle down. But of course, once they get to know each other, things progress rather quickly. The attraction is hot and the chemistry is off the charts (I love it!). I would totally recommend this as a fun weekend read. If you love romance, you will love this book.

One and Only by Jenny Holiday book review

One and Only is a satisfying iteration of the contemporary bridezilla subgenre." -The New York Times Book Review 

Ok, that tagline made me crack up. I didn’t know there was a contemporary bridezilla subgenre??? 

This is the beginning of a series titled Bridesmaids Behaving Badly. This is definitely a wedding story. Elise is the bride and she is into a DIY wedding. Jane, the main character, has always been responsible and not very flashy. She loves her friend, but is getting desperate to get out of the DIY projects for the wedding. She ends up being tasked to babysit Cameron, the brother of the groom. Cameron is a returning soldier who is suffering a bit from PTSD. They are afraid he will do something wild and reckless that will impact the wedding. Jane has to keep him entertained.

They go from spending the day together, to visiting local tourist attractions, to more. The steamy sex scenes are a plus! The writing is funny, the dialogue flows, the setting is believable and the characters are likable. Even Elise, who many readers will sympathize with the fact that she is stressed from her wedding planning. The story is complex because of all the character development. You really begin to understand why the characters do the things they do.

The author was new to me, so I am glad that I chose to read this book. It was engrossing and I didn’t put it down until I finished. Which really meant that I stayed up way too late to finish this book. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

An Uncommon Honeymoon by Susan Mann book review

OMG!!!! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I have read each book at least twice. They are just so fun and are a perfect escape. It’s mystery, suspense, action and a little bit of romance. It really is a series for any reader. Clearly, I am in love with the main character because I want to be a librarian spy who goes on adventures around the world (who wouldn’t want that?). If you have read the first two books, you have to read this one. I think it could be read as a standalone book, I just haven’t done that. I think it’s fun to see how the characters and their relationship grows.

In this book, Quinn and James finally get married! I love weddings. It’s fun and full of love. However, they don’t have a lot of time to relax on their honeymoon as their spy services are needed. Quinn and James hatch a plan to rescue children from the Russian Mafia (in Russia) and everything has to go according to plan. The plot has child slave trafficking, drug trafficking and a Russian crime lord. The child slave trafficking is handled seriously and will probably tug on your emotions. Be prepared! The author must have spent a lot of time researching all these different topics because it seems very real.

The dialogue between the characters does not disappoint. The banter between Quinn and James is funny, witty and flirty. Their relationship will just make you want to swoon. James will become your book boyfriend for a while. I can’t say enough about this series and I recommend it to all my librarian and non-librarian friends who are looking for a can’t-put-it-down suspense book. I think you will learn some new things and also appreciate how smart librarians can be ;) Highly recommended.

Smooth-Talking Cowboy by Maisey Yates book review

Ok...this was a pretty good book.  I usually don’t read a lot of contemporary cowboy romance because it is so far removed from my life.  I just can’t really relate.  But it’s a good romance and a well written book.  It is my first Maisey Yates book and I’m glad I took a chance on it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book falls into the fake relationship trope, and the author really does make it super fun!  The characters really evolve throughout the book.  The main character, Olivia Logan, has just broken up with her boyfriend Bennett Dodge, who everyone in town thought they were going to marry.  He kept putting off proposing, so Olivia broke up with him.  She sort of broke up with him thinking it would force his hand a little, but it didn’t.  Olivia tried to make him jealous with going out with Luke Hollister, who has always rubbed her the wrong way.  It’s like they can never really have a civil conversation.  Of course, their plan to make Bennett jealous goes awry.

What seems like kind of a lighter read, really contains a lot of character development, detailed settings and a satisfying ending.  The dialogue is smooth and well thought out.  There are some laugh aloud moments, along with some scorching hot attraction.  I’m a new fan of Maisey Yates.

Monday, January 29, 2018

The Secret of Flirting by Sabrina Jeffries


I've really been enjoying this whole series.  This 5th book did not disappoint.  I think it could probably be read as a stand alone, but I really like my series in order.  It's the librarian in me.

This story revolves around Baron Gregory Fulham, who is a spy, and happens to be recruiting another agent in France.  Fulham goes to see a play, where he sees Monique Servais perform and is quite taken by her.  They go backstage to meet her, but she is not impressed.  She feels that in her position as an actress, men treat her like a prostitute and she is not.  Fulham leaves France and does not think he will ever run into Monique again.
However, Fulham runs in royal circles because of his position as spymaster.  Conspiracies are underfoot and Fulham is determined to figure out what is going on.  He does run into Monique again, but he can't figure out how it is that she has filled a role of a princess who is a candidate to rule Belgium.  Of course sparks fly and their attraction and feelings grow for each other.  Fulham might not know the entire truth, but he will try to make sure that she is safe.
Part mystery, part adventure, and lots of romance, this book will keep you up until the wee hours so you can just get to the end!  A perfect HEA with a sexy cover to stare at.  I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of Sabrina Jeffries or any other Regency romance.