Category Archives: book reviews

Review ~ From The Moment We Met – Marina Adair

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

After years of designing her family’s grand wineries (and a few not-so-grand closets on the side), Abby DeLuca knows she has what it takes to be an award-winning interior designer. Newly single, Abby lands the career opportunity of a lifetime and refuses to let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. And that includes St. Helena’s most irresistible contractor, the man who makes her melt every time she sees him—even though he shattered her heart years ago.

A former NFL star, Jack “Hard Hammer” Tanner now spends his days doing contract work for the beautiful women of St. Helena—and his nights doing off-the-books projects in their bedrooms. Yet the more time the sexy tool-belt-for-hire spends with Abby, the more he longs to fix her broken heart. Soon, rekindled sparks fly. But when Jack’s dream job comes calling, he faces a tough choice: building in the big leagues, or building forever with his first love.

It feels like ages ago that I first fell in love with St. Helena Vineyard and the quirky cast of characters in this wine country town. For some reason this one made onto my Wishlist but never landed in my Kindle.

Until now. Continue reading Review ~ From The Moment We Met – Marina Adair

Review ~ A Sky Full of Stars – Samantha Chase

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

He’s always looked to the stars
Now she’s the brightest light in his universe.

Brilliant astrophysicist Dr. Owen Shaughnessy feels more connected to the cosmos than to people. He’s great with calculations, but when he leads a team of scientists to study a famous meteor shower, he doesn’t factor in his free-spirited artist assistant Brooke Matthews.

Polar opposites in personality, the friction between Owen and Brooke threatens to derail the project. But the beauty and mystery of the night sky draw them together—and she’s going to surprise him in ways the stars never could.

 

I have a small confession to make. I am addicted to this branch of the Shaughnessy family tree. Aidan and Zoe hooked me in but I read the books all out of order because after Quinn and Anna I couldn’t wait to read Owen’s story. I love a love story featuring a fellow nerd and getting to know Owen through the other stories I knew I’d love him.

Owen is…well calling him shy would be a massive understatement because he had a hard time opening up to the women his brothers fell in love with. For awhile, anyway. But in A Sky Full Of Stars we really get to know him and find that he’s not really all that shy. He’s reserved and wicked smart which makes communicating with normal people, kind of boring. Continue reading Review ~ A Sky Full of Stars – Samantha Chase

Review ~ Sweet Water – Laurie Lewis

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Love and money don’t mix when three college friends launch a fledgling business, and two impulsively elope. When Hudson Bauer hears the wedding news he leaves town, stealing the company’s first big contract and Olivia and Jeff’s dreams.

Olivia McAllister has spent eight years blaming Hudson for all her losses, including her anemic marriage to Jeff and a recent, tragic accident that leaves her body battered and her dreams of a family shattered.

Widowed, and in desperate straits, she is forced to accept Hudson’s offer to recuperate at his parents’ empty house on Oregon’s Cannon Beach, but her return to the place where the three friends once summered casts new light on her hasty marriage and on the enemy she once called friend.

When Hudson offers Olivia a job doing humanitarian work, something hopeful and familiar awakens in Olivia, giving rise to long-denied feelings for Hudson. Stuck between grief and the promise of new love, Olivia must make peace with her confusing past, and forgive the man she once hated, before Hudson walks away again, closing the door on their possibilities forever.

Sweet Water is an emotional second chance romance between former friends and business partners Olivia and Hudson. The story begins with a horrendous car accident that leaves Olivia a widow but not necessarily a grieving one. Her marriage to Jeff was not at all what it was cracked up to be and throughout the course of the novel we learn a lot about the dynamics between the trio when they were younger and getting their business off the ground. Hudson and Olivia had always had a thing for one another when they were younger but instead of simply going for it, SHE waited while HE planned. They couldn’t have known that outside forces were plotting against their burgeoning romance.

Today Hudson is a big deal. A really big deal. A billionaire and a philanthropist that would put Bono to shame, and Olivia is not. By playing the role of dutiful wife to a starry eyed dreamer of a husband she’d put her dreams on hold, and that is the beauty of Laurie Lewis’ storytelling.

My initial impressions of Olivia weren’t all that great and they were even worse of Jeff. As the story progressed I felt bad for her but I still hadn’t warmed up to her. But as Sweet Water drew closer its climax and ending and everything was laid out bare, holy hell did I feel for the woman. Sure she made her choices but her baggage made it very hard to make any choice other than the one she did.

In fact the most impressive skill Laurie Lewis showed throughout this novel is character development. Each member of the threesome, even the long gone Jeff, were redeemed at the end. Instead of holding onto grudges and what ifs everyone simply takes the past for what it was and vows to do better. That’s the story of our lives, learning from the past without letting it completely define our future, and that’s why Sweet Water had me smiling like a lovesick fool at times, crying and others and cursing the younger versions of Olivia and Hudson.

All in all this was a surprisingly good read and I’d love to read more of the Destination Billionaire series. There was no sex in this story and I don’t think it took away from the romance at all.

Review ~ Forever Mine- Erin Nicholas

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Maya Goodwin doesn’t believe in holding back. Ever. As a cop, she never hesitated to throw herself into harm’s way to save someone. Even after an injury on the job forces her to retire, she’s not afraid to keep risking it all to get the life she wants. With a new career teaching martial arts to kids already underway, she’s looking forward to the future – and taking a chance on the unbelievably hot Dr. Alex Nolan.

Maya – daring and spontaneous – is the exact opposite of what Alex always thought he wanted. But when a nine-year-old daughter he never knew existed shows up on his doorstep, Maya is the one who helps them hold it together. With love on the line, will the guy who’s always played it safe be willing to take the biggest risk of all?

 

 

What can I say? I LOVED Maya. She is a badass and a geek, and best of all she isn’t afraid to go after what she wants! A former—maybe—cop who was injured on the job, she turns her energy to helping kids unleash their inner superhero…how cool is that? I had a serious girl crush on her from the moment she appeared on the page. Continue reading Review ~ Forever Mine- Erin Nicholas

Review ~ Coming Home – Kimberley O’Malley

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Dr. Elizabeth Abbott Fitzgerald has spent the last ten years of her life running; from tragedy, from family, from love. But now her mother’s failing health calls her home to Windsor Falls, North Carolina; to the place where her past awaits. Sam Bishop can’t believe his eyes when the love of his life returns after ten long years. All he wants is to clear his conscience and get back the family he lost when Connor, his best friend and Elizabeth’s husband died tragically. Could it really be true that time heals all wounds?

Coming Home tells the story of ER doctor Elizabeth Fitzgerald and her journey back to the woman she used to be when called home to Windsor Falls. After back to back tragedies sent her running across the country a decade ago, her mother’s health scare brings her back where she belongs and face to face with her best friend Sam. All grown up and more withdrawn than she remembers, Sam Bishop has a few words to say to the best friend he lost weeks after he lost the other. Kimberley O’Malley has created a wonderful small town with lots of personality, but more importantly the story of Elizabeth and Sam is emotional and tender and real. I had my doubts that these two would get their act together but their journey was a pleasure to follow. Continue reading Review ~ Coming Home – Kimberley O’Malley

Review ~ Crazy In Love – Annabelle Costa

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

They call her Crazy Anna.

Anna Flint won’t shake your hand. She collects tin cans. She cleans her cubicle at work with Lysol several times a day. But Anna doesn’t care that they call her crazy. She’s absolutely satisfied with her life of perfect organization, cleanliness, and most of all, solitude.

Matt Harper likes Anna Flint. He likes that she’s the smartest person he knows and he likes her big blue eyes. He doesn’t even mind her can collection. In fact, he pretty much likes everything about Anna. As his body and his world are falling apart, she still manages to make him happy.

Matt is the only person Anna has ever wanted to be close to. But how can she go on a date with him if the thought of dinner at a restaurant fills her with terror? How can she ever kiss the man she loves if she can’t even touch him?

Maybe it’s time to stop being Crazy Anna. If only she could.

Crazy in Love is the story of Anna Flint and Matt Harper, two programmers who spend years sharing a cubicle wall and trying very hard not to crush on each other. Anna is a mess but she is also completely wonderful. She collects can, as in food cans, and she can’t stand for anyone to touch her. They call her ‘Crazy Anna’ and it only bothers her marginally. She likes being alone, at least until Matt. He is kind and nice and doesn’t seem to matter that she’s Crazy Anna. Annabelle Costa has done something pretty wonderful with this story, she takes us on a six year journey of crushes, friendship and ultimately, love. Continue reading Review ~ Crazy In Love – Annabelle Costa

Review ~ Closer – Aria Hawthorne

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Famous Dutch architect, Sven van der Meer, has just completed the greatest achievement of his professional life–the design and construction of The Spire, Chicago’s tallest, most controversial skyscraper. But a shameful secret threatens to destroy his prestigious career–he’s losing his eyesight. Now, he’s run out of time and the only woman qualified to help maintain his charade of invincibility is also the one woman who despises him and The Spire. And he’s fairly certain she’s hiding something as well. Will the fiery, but enchanting Miss Sanchez be the right woman to play the role of his pretend girlfriend? Or will the temptation of getting too close, too fast jeopardize their business arrangement and the future of his entire career?

When twenty-eight-year-old, woefully unemployed, Inez Sanchez, arrives to her interview with hotter-than-hell billionaire architect,Sven van der Meer–mastermind behind The Spire–she quickly realizes his job proposition isn’t what she was anticipating. He’s hiding a life-changing secret, one that could ruin his career as the most influential architect in the world, and he’s willing to pay her five thousand dollars a day–just to help him keep it. Will she accept his offer to become his “pretend girlfriend” for the next four days in order to ensure the success of the most important week of his life? Or will her sassy flair for independence and smartass sarcasm keep her from submitting to his stern authoritative commands, no matter how sexy his European accent might be? And what will happen when he discovers she’s hiding a secret, too–one that could threaten the stability of their arrangement and prevent her from getting too close to the one man in the world who might be capable of gaining her trust…


Closer isn’t the first Aria Hawthorne I’ve read but it was different from your typical billionaire alpha romance and I loved it for that very reason! Sven and Inez, despite all their differences share a common struggle an misery that sets them up perfectly for an unexpected romance.

I am a huge fan of the fake girlfriend/fiancé trope but the twist on this one helped endear Sven to me while I got to root for the strong and kind of badass Inez. Given what was happening to Sven, I applaud the author for not trying to make this a sugary sweet romance. Neither our hero or heroine have an easy road ahead, even though they both have their own struggles, so this was real grown up novel with grown up emotions and decisions.

The side drama in the story with his ex and his brother was perfect. It annoyed me and made me want to strangle them all but I never felt it was thrown in just for the sake of drama. Definitely worth a read, possibly even a re-read!

Review ~ Montana Maverick – Debra Salonen

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Be careful what you wish for-
Meg Zabrinski wants a child. She’s a successful scientist, a well-known environmental advocate, and a tenured professor. She doesn’t need a man in her life to make this happen. But having a baby alone is a weighty decision, so she retreats to her isolated mountain cabin to write and think. When Henry Firestone–an old foe from her distant past–drops out of the sky on Christmas Eve with three young children and a baby, Meg tells herself she’d be crazy not to consider all her options–especially when she’s always nursed a secret crush on the handsome rancher. Although the sparks between them ignite a mutual passion, Henry makes it clear he’s done having children. Falling in love with Henry Firestone and his beautiful family would require Meg to give up her dream. Can the Lone Wolf assimilate into a new pack, or was this Big Sky Maverick meant to be alone?

They say timing is everything-
Henry Firestone doesn’t recognize the “angel in snowshoes” who comes to his rescue in the middle of a blizzard, immediately, but Meg Z. knows him. Twenty years earlier, the media paired them as rivals to the death. Meg championed the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone, while Henry argued just as passionately that wolves would put ranchers on the Endangered Species List. She’s still beautiful, independent and headstrong, and Henry’s now free to admit that he always had a thing for her. Unfortunately, he’s fighting for sole custody of his late daughter’s four children. They are his biggest priority. He’d do anything to keep his family together–even sleep with the enemy in hopes that she might join his cause.

I have been looking forward to reading Meg’s story since I started reading the Big Sky Maverick’s series. She was the strong one, the older one. The one who was a little bit gruffer than her siblings so I knew when she fell it would be spectacular.

Meg and Henry Firestone have a long history of disagreeing on a matter that impacted both of their respective careers. She spent her career fighting to re-introduce wolves into the wild which of course meant that animals on surrounding ranches and farms were in greater danger of being eaten by those wolves. So when his helicopter full of children crashes near her cabin I was ready for sparks to fly. Continue reading Review ~ Montana Maverick – Debra Salonen

Review ~The Baby Bombshell – Victoria James

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Lily Cookson has a few rules for the New Year, the most important being don’t fall for Jack Bailey. The gorgeous, rugged man returned with a new look and a determination to win her back, catching her off guard. After a forbidden night in his arms, she vows never to let it happen again. But when morning sickness kicks in a few weeks later, Lily realizes staying away from Jack just got a whole lot harder.

Jack Bailey left Shadow Creek behind five years ago when his world imploded around him, knowing it would be best for everyone if he was gone…including Lily. It took him a long time to get his life back on track and grow into the kind of man she needs him to be. Now he’s determined to prove to Lily that he’s back for good and ready to commit, but the secrets she’s holding onto are nothing compared to the bombshell he drops…

I only recently discovered Victoria James but I like her writing style and the small town stories she weaves so I decided to give The Baby Bombshell a try. Plus this story contains two of my favorite tropes! Continue reading Review ~The Baby Bombshell – Victoria James

Review ~ Mann Cakes – Mysti Parker

Get your copy HERE!!!

ABOUT:

Love makes men do desperate things, if desperate things means opening a rival cupcake shop to drive your ex-girlfriend crazy.


Twin brothers and Air Force vets, Tanner and Garrett Mann, return from deployment to find their thriving business burned to the ground. Time for Plan B: Move back to their hometown of Beach Pointe to start over.

But that means running into Paige and Morgan Baxter –gorgeous, curvy, and owners of Two Sisters Cupcakes.

There’s an old diner for sale across town, Garrett’s a great cook, and Tanner has an idea. They’ll make savory cupcakes that men would like. We’re talking bacon and Cheez Whiz. Even better? They’ll call it Mann Cakes. Problem is, they end up attracting an unexpected crowd.

Paige is furious. Every man in her life has left her behind, including Tanner. She’s sacrificed everything for her shop. She won’t lose it over some egotistical ex-boyfriend, even if he does have an Air Force-chiseled body. Her younger sister, Morgan, isn’t helping matters. She’s been gaga over Garrett since high school.

To hell with that. If it’s a fight Tanner wants, it’s a fight he’ll get. But how much is Paige willing to risk to win a cupcake war?

Mann Cakes tells the story of two brothers, Tanner and Garrett and two sisters, Paige and Morgan. Tanner and Garrett had a PC business in the big city but during their final deployment it burned to the ground with a good friend inside. So they return to their hometown of Beach Pointe and right back on the radars of the two women they can’t seem to forget. But when the boys open up Mann Cakes to compete with, what else, Two Sisters bakery the heat is on! Mysti Parker has created a wonderfully interesting romance between two sets of siblings with two very different pasts.

Morgan and Garrett were just friends back in high school, both nursing unrequited crushes on the other that they never acted on. But now they’re older and Morgan isn’t quite as shy as she used to be so one coffee date kicks off their sort of second chance romance. I loved watching these two because Garrett who may or may not be a genius, still has that quiet geeky thing going on that makes him stumble over his words or get lost staring at her lips. He was so adorably shy but sweet and kind of bossy at times that he quickly won me over.

Now Paige and Tanner were a different matter altogether. It took me awhile to warm up to them both because he’s kind of a cocky playboy with no problem taking off his shirt to sell a few cupcakes (not that I mind a little six-pack action, I in fact encourage it!) and Paige sometimes acted like a wounded bird or an angry teenager. While I understood where Paige was coming from to an extent, they both took their little rivalry too far in my opinion.

Once they cleared the air, which admittedly did take awhile, I was eager to see if this was a romance that could be rekindled.

I liked that Mann Cakes was kind of a two-in-one romance and Mysti Parker did a great job of giving us all four perspectives without being confusing or pulling the readers out of the story. It also was a great way to keep the story moving forward without adding a lot of unnecessary content. This is a straight up romance with a dash of mystery, not a crash course in owning or operating a bakery which this reader totally appreciated!

This book is definitely a 4.5 cocktail read. So good you’ll get tipsy on it!

*Just $0.99 at time of this review!