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.

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.