Tag Archives: contemporary romance book reviews

book reviews, Romance

Review ~ Cowboy SEAL Homecoming by Nicole Helm

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Three former Navy SEALs
Injured in the line of duty
Desperate for a new beginning…
Searching for a place to call their own.

Alex Maguire never thought he’d go home again. The perfect soldier, the perfect leader, he’s spent his whole life running away from Blue Valley, Montana—but when a tragic accident bounces him and two of his men out of the SEALs, there’s nowhere left to turn but the ranch he used to call his own…and the confusing, innocently beguiling woman who now lives there.

Becca Denton’s like nothing he could have imagined. She’s far too tempting for her own good, but when she offers to help turn the ranch into a haven for injured veterans, he can’t exactly say no. He’ll just need to keep his distance. But something in her big green eyes makes Alex want to set aside the mantle of the perfect soldier and discover the man he could have been…safe and whole within the shelter of her arms.

Nicole Helm’s story of an inexperienced woman at the troubled SEAL who steals her heart was incredible. Becca was a great character, I would say the perfect romance heroine because she is bright-eyed and naïve but she’s perfectly aware of it and unafraid to start going after what she wants. And what Becca wants is Alex.

Alex spent his adult life as a Navy SEAL and now that his life of service has ended, he’s at loose ends and suffering from PTSD. He insists he’s fine but Becca is tenacious and quickly falling for him, which means she wants her man whole. This is the part of the story I really enjoyed, watching Becca realize just how strong she was, which allowed us to see that Alex was the one truly suffering and in need of help.

Jack and Gabe perfectly rounded out Cowboy SEAL Homecoming, adding both comic relief, back story and a glimpse of the strong bond forged against the backdrop of war. I loved the guys and the way they razzed each other, and quickly opened their arms and hearts to Becca.

Nicole helm penned a perfect small town romance with a hero and heroine that make it easy to root for their happy ending.

book reviews, New Releases, Romance

New Release & Review ~ Crash Into Us by Shana Vanterpool

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Title: Crash Into Us
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Genre: Contemporary/2nd Chance Romance
Release Date: December 18, 2017
They met when they were kids.
They were friends, lovers, and then husband and wife.
They were supposed to be together forever.
He was her Superman.
She was his happiness.

And then he went pro.
And she doubted something that was supposed to be forever.
Mistakes were made in exchange for dreams, and hearts were shattered.
Their forever crumbled right before their eyes.

He went on to play for the Washington Warriors. He ate, breathed, and slept professional hockey. All he had left after her was the ice. He was in magazines, he won a Stanley Cup, and he had a crowd of people screaming his name. He had everything. Didn’t he?

It’s hard to move on from an addiction, and she was addicted. Drunk on love too early on, she never truly moved on from her first love. She faded in and out of life, trying to ignore her need. But bad habits have a way of coming back when you least expect them too.

For years they went separate ways, until her Superman falls from the sky.

He was on a helicopter after a big win when the engine cut out. He knows he’s not making it out alive. Even with the screams of his teammates shouting in the background as they crash toward earth, all he can think of is her. He’ll never get to see her again…

Love is unforgiving dragging her back to heartache. She only wants to help him get better from the accident and move on with her life. She never planned on falling back in love with him. She never planned on falling so hard a second time.

Lovesick and broken, they crash right back into each other.

I finished this book pretty quickly and now…I don’t know where to begin.

So, I’ll start where I always do with books written in first person. My preference. Yes, we all know that they aren’t my favorite books to read which probably says more about me as a reader and a person than about the author. But I received an email asking if I wanted to review Crash Into Us and after reading the synopsis I was ALL IN.

…then I received the ARC. First person.

Still, I pushed on and, crap on a cracker, I really liked it. A lot.

I liked Jasmeen almost as much as I had problems with her, but she was stronger than she thought and that’s a characteristic I always enjoy reading. My first impression of her was that she was very sad woman who needed to go out and figure out what fueled her. Oh, and that her mom was a big ol’ ass. But slowly I came to see her strength in her actions, because most people wouldn’t have done what she did to help Gavin.

Who, in my opinion absolutely did not deserve it. Or so I thought.

And this is where my only real problem with the Crash Into Us came into play. The whole reason for their divorce became so murky and muddled after a while that I honestly just stopped caring. I mean, if she’s going to forgive him then the details don’t really matter, right? At least that was my perspective until this part of the story was actually resolved.

I also didn’t love the flashbacks because I don’t think they added to the story. It gave depth, but who they were at ten years old wasn’t all the relevant in the face of accusations of infidelity.

As I neared the 45% mark I had been contemplating calling it quits, and not because Shana Vanterpool is a bad author, she’s not, but because I felt that Jasmeen gave in too easily. Gavin needed to work harder to earn her love back, but he didn’t have to so…

I gave this story 4.5 cocktails because it was good. Really good. The love between Jasmeen and Gavin was intense, for most of us that would be scary as hell, overwhelming, but it was right for them. Crash Into Us was packed with emotion and angst, so if those aren’t your jam you’re not going to like this story, but damn the emotion was so good. It was like crying over Dawson’s Creek or Party of Five or even the early seasons of Grey’s Anatomy, that kind of angst.

It fed my 90’s grunge girl at heart need for good, solid angst. This wasn’t drama for the sake of drama, this was grown folk’s problems drama and damn, I read it in 2 days when I should have been finishing final edits on my own book.

I’ve never read Shana Vanterpool but this book gave me the FEELZ.

Romance author, coffee drinker, and bad boy aficionado. Every second not spent breathing is an opportunity to write and read. I live in Northern California with my family and actress dog, Halle Bella. (Just Bella when she decides to cut the crap.) Escaping with a good book is something I live for and I write so others can do the same.

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book reviews, Holiday, Romance, Sales

REVIEW ~ Oklahoma Starshine by Maggie Shayne

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 A deeply moving, emotional story of a mother’s anguish, a father’s love, a family’s hope, this novel will renew your faith and restore your belief in miracles.

Veterinarian and single mom Emily Hawkins’ world is turned upside down when her precious little girl is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Only a bone marrow transplant can save 3-year-old Matilda Louise. Emily isn’t a match, but she’s determined to find someone who is, and that means tracking down Tilda’s biological father and his filthy rich family, a family she believes would’ve preferred her little girl had never been born.

But when she arrives in Big Falls, Oklahoma, nothing is the way she expected. Joey McIntyre, the billionaire’s son who’d been her sweet teenage summer fling, is as handsome and smooth as ever, but he seems to fall hard for Tilda-Lou at first sight, and he’s furious that Emily has kept his child from him. Which makes no sense at all. Soon Emily begins to suspect that the version history she’s believed all these years, might not be the real one. And if that’s true, she’s done a terrible, unforgivable thing.

But none of that matters as dire symptoms set in. The doctor advises Emily and Joe to give their girl the best Christmas ever. Fortunately, Christmas is what the Brand-McIntyre clan does best.

Emily and Joey put their feelings aside, coming together in a desperate search for a way to save their little girl against all odds.

But the truth is that little Matilda Louise is the one who’s saving them.

If you enjoyed Maggie Shayne’s Award Winning Texas Brands Series and Oklahoma Brands, you are going to LOVE the McIntyre Men.

I’ll tell you up front that I am a fan of Maggie Shayne and specifically her Oklahoma-centric series’. I love the feisty Brand women which means I’ll pretty much give every new series at least one book. When I came across Oklahoma Starshine, which combined the Brand women with the hot McIntyre men, I was all in. Throw in a secret baby and the possibility of a second chance romance and I’m a sucker for it!

I won’t rehash the synopsis but let me just tell you that I was totally prepared to have a real good hate-on for Joe…and Bobby Jo. And for a long time, I did. Even longer than Emily probably.

One of the things that often defines Maggie Shayne novels is the big family dynamic and I love it. Almost always. Sometimes though, like in the case of Emily, I think it can come across as bullying. Skepticism is perfectly understandable but seriously, NO ONE considered that just maybe Joe had done something to screw things up between him.

I loved watching Matilda and Joe fall in love as father and daughter, it just enhanced the whole holiday feel of things. To me Emily and Joe were secondary in this story, which was okay.

I loved that all the Brands show up and use all of their quite considerable otherworldly beliefs to help guide Tilda to good health.

Oklahoma Starshine was a lot of fun, magic, holiday spirit with just the right amount of romance to make this a quick, enjoyable read.

***At the time of this review Oklahoma Starshine is just #99cents!***

Holiday, New Releases, Novellas

The Homespun Holiday by Sarah O’Rourke…99 cents!!!

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Dr. Mackenzie Daniels was a loner. He had the divorce, a far-away family, and well-known cranky persona to prove it. And if he had his way, he would continue on his loner way, in spite of the attempts of the townspeople to infiltrate his life with their irritating, so-called charming ways. That was…until he met the beautiful Nurse Millicent Robbins.

Millie Robbins had done the love and marriage thing, and all she could say was that she got a beautiful daughter out of the entire debacle. Love was not in her long-term plans when she graduated from nursing school, thank you very much….until she found herself falling head over heels for the grouchiest but most gorgeous doctor she’d ever met.

Can Mack and Millie find their way to love in spite of their histories? Can happiness actually exist for two star-crossed lovers?

Join the entire town of Paradise for a Christmas celebration of lasting love!

Just #99cents on Amazon US & UK! ENDS December 10th!

book reviews, Holiday, Romance

Review ~ Oklahoma Christmas Blues by Maggie Shayne

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Darryl is on a quest for peace. His chance at fatherhood was taken from him long ago, and an IED in Iraq ensured he’d never get another. In Big Falls, the McIntyre brothers hire him to keep an eye on their beautiful cousin Sophie in case her criminal ex shows up. He doesn’t expect to fall head over heels.

Sophie McIntyre’s life was blown apart by a drug dealing ex who cost her her job and nearly her medical license. She comes to Big Falls because she has nowhere else to go. And the minute she gets there, things start to get better.

Is it because of that letter to Santa her Aunt Vidalia convinced her to write?

Within days she meets a beautiful man with a deeply wounded soul. And oddly, she finds herself giving him the same advice the town Santa gave to her—try believing again, and if it’s too much to believe, then just try hoping.

Love, magic, and miracles ensue.

Because this is Big Falls, Oklahoma. Miracles are an everyday occurrence around here. Especially at Christmastime.

If you know me at all, then you know that Maggie Shayne is one of my one-click authors and that is especially true with the ever expanding Oklahoma branch of the family! This is a heaping serving of Christmas magic mixed in with a little bit of love and romance.

Sophie was in Oklahoma visiting her uncle and aunt-in-law (Vidalia of the Oklahoma Brands), but really it’s because her ex cost her a fancy job at well respected hospital and he nearly cost her career. So she’s lying low and trying to figure out what happens next and going back to her roots as a bartender.

Darryl was hired on the down low by her overprotective cousins, the titular McIntyre Men, to keep her safe in case her ex comes after her. But Sophie thinks Darryl is the bouncer who likes to flirt with her, until a misunderstanding forces the truth out quickly. I really appreciated this in Oklahoma Christmas Blues because sometimes we really don’t need to have it drawn out over the length of the story. It was handled and we all moved forward.

The cutest part of this story was the letters to Santa and how slowly they came true. Of course there’s a lesson to be learned here because neither Sophie or Darryl asked for material things. They wanted help getting their lives back on track while they sorted it out for themselves.

Again Maggie Shayne has done a fantastic job with this fun holiday tale to kickoff the newest series. Oklahoma Christmas Blues was a quick read but my cheeks hurt from smiling so much. I can’t wait to watch each of the McIntyre men fall, and I have Oklahoma Moonshine already!

Side note: I missed Vidalia’s story and I’m adding it to my TBR list! You can do the same here!

book reviews, Holiday, Romance

Review ~ Homecoming in Christmas Falls by Ciara Knight

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Eight years after fleeing Christmas Falls because of a high school prank gone wrong, Ashley Brooks receives a mysterious letter from her mentor asking her to come home. She arrives to face all she left behind—her family, her friends, and the rich boy she’d loved who would never date the girl from the wrong side of town.

Brent Donnelly, high school jock, brainiac, and dutiful son did everything right until the day Ashley returns to Christmas Falls. With one look at the girl who got away he questions all his life choices, including following in his father’s footsteps in the family business.

Faced with a potentially devastating decline of tourism in their hometown, Brent and Ashley must work together to save the magic of their town, but when Ashley discovers he still has feelings for her best friend she must finally face the real reason she left Christmas Falls—to try to heal her broken heart.

Seven fabulous authors bring you this holiday romance series about a group of special friends returning to their hometown at the request of their high school mentor. Each book is a standalone, but read them all to fully enjoy the journey of these remarkable women and their emotional reunion with their mentor, an incredible woman who changes their lives and helps save a small town community forever.

When I first cracked open Homecoming in Christmas Falls and saw that it was written in first person, I nearly closed it right away. It’s just a personal preference of mine, but I have a hard time enjoying stories written this way, but I was SO curious about the story that I pushed past the first chapter and then the second, and soon I was wondering who’s story would be next.

Ashley was a bit of a wild child back in the day, not reckless or even destructive, just energetic for a small town girl who never fit in with her family. Though this is a love story, I really enjoyed watching Ash reconnect with her parents, who she’d always viewed through the eyes of a hurt teenage girl. But nearly a decade apart can change things. Change people and their perspectives. This part of the storyline really enhanced the overall Christmas-y feel of the whole story.

Now Ash and Brent. Ash, despite her gregariousness as a kid, had some self-esteem issues and thought she would never be good enough for the town golden boy, Brent. She thought he’d be better suited—and was already interested in—one of her besties, Piper. So after THE EVENT, she packed up and left town never to return.

Until this year when her teacher, mentor and surrogate mother calls the girls home, setting the stage for the whole Christmas Falls series.

Now that she’s a successful business woman with a clear vision of the past, Ash wants to help the town get back the magic it used to have. She’ll put her business sense to good use, along with Brent, to make the place truly fantastic again.

But this is a romance and Homecoming in Christmas Falls wouldn’t be complete without talking about these two. From the moment they appear on the page together, sparks fly. Brent is gorgeous and sweet, an irresistible combination that Ash succumbs to pretty quickly. Instead of being scared as she’d always been, Ash dives in and lets him know how she feels and her plans for the future.

Then it’s Brent’s turn to chicken out and go running. I was upset with him, but Ciara Knight created really beautiful drama with this part of the story. You could feel Ash’s pain and wanted to do serious bodily harm to a guy that seemed pretty damn perfect…until this moment. But I loved that it allowed Ash to see how strong she really is.

This was a really good read. It was cheesy and sweet and fun and filled with over the top Christmas, and none of that took away my enjoyment of this story.

book reviews, Holiday, Romance

Review ~ Christmas Nights – J.H. Croix

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Sometimes it takes more courage to love than to be alone.

When Janie Stevens gets fished out of the icy ocean after a boating accident, she doesn’t expect to fall for the man who saves her. Travis Wilkes, the man in question, is all kinds of man—firefighter, emergency responder and pure, rugged masculinity. She’s completely unprepared for the burning, yearning craving he kindles.

Travis is the quintessential sexy outdoorsman and much too busy for love. He’s been honed by a life on the edge in Alaska and not much rattles him. When he yanks Janie out of the freezing waters of picturesque Kachemak Bay, he takes one look into her eyes and can’t stop thinking about her. A man who doesn’t blink in the face of danger finds himself nearly brought to his knees by a woman.

Janie has her reasons for being committed to a life that doesn’t include romance. To say she has trust issues is a bit of an understatement. With the sparks flying between Janie and Travis burning too hot for them to ignore, they discover there may be much more than passion binding them together. Steamy nights, snowy days and Christmas just might convince Travis and Janie that love is possible.

This wasn’t my first Diamond Creek, Alaska novel and I doubt it’ll be my last even though they are sometimes hit or miss. Christmas Nights though was pure, romantic fun. Janie gets pulled from ice cold water by resident bachelor, town hero and rugged outdoorsman, Travis and from there, things get interesting. Janie and Travis kind of dance around each other at first, which was fun to watch because they both had their own reasons—though totally lame ones—for not pursuing romance.

Once they started spending time together, I was hooked. First of all, you have to love any guy who saves your life and then stops to check on you in the hospital. And throw in that sizzling chemistry that was there in the hospital room with them and you knew this was going to be a fun read. Travis is hot and all man, but he’s also sweet and kind, so yeah I have a bit of a crush on him.

One of the best things about Christmas Nights is that it was a mostly angst-free read. There was drama, particularly where Janie’s reasons for being wary of relationships was concerned and that was more than enough drama, and not in a bad way. There were no scheming exes or crazy stalkers either. Just one precocious teenager and two adults trying to find love in Alaska. Oh! That’s the other thing J.H. Croix does really well with these novels. I feel like I’ve been to Alaska (I haven’t…yet) but the author really pulls you into the rugged chaos of the terrain, the beauty and serenity of the area.

Over the past year and a half I have become a solid J.X. Croix fan because of the Diamond Creek, Alaska series and this one was the perfect holiday read. Steamy, sweet and just enough Christmas to make you feel warm and fuzzy.

book reviews, New Releases, Romance

Review ~ An Ex For Christmas – Lauren Layne

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When a psychic tells spunky, superstitious Kelly Byrne that she’s already met her true love, she becomes obsessed with the idea of tracking him down before Christmas. Kelly immediately writes up an “Ex List” and starts contacting old boyfriends to figure out which one is the one. When her college sweetheart rolls into town, Kelly convinces herself that they’re meant to be. The trouble is, sparks are flying with someone she’s never given a chance: her best friend, Mark.

Mark Blakely has watched the guys on Kelly’s list break her heart, and he’s not looking forward to watching them do it all over again. Mark’s always been there for her, but the timing’s never worked out for their relationship to be something more. Now, just as Mark is ready to move on, the sexual tension between them is suddenly off the charts. With Christmas morning around the corner, he just hopes Kelly will wake up and realize that everything she wants has been right in front of her all along.

I really wanted to LOVE this story but it turns out that I only liked it. An Ex For Christmas is a good story but there were times that I wanted to strangle Kelly. Not that I have any problems people believing in or using magic 8 balls, horoscopes, tarot cards and any of that. But letting it rule your life? It grew a bit tiresome way before we got to Christmas Eve and Christmas.

This story was…odd. More than half the story is Kelly tracking down other guys with no mention of having feelings for or even an attraction to her best friend. At fifty percent I had to go back and read the synopsis because I thought maybe I’d misread it. But no, I hadn’t. Then finally something happened but by then I was really just ready to get to the HEA.

As a writer I understand drama and storytelling so I have to give Lauren Layne credit because my reaction to Kelly, at times, was visceral. I screamed “Oh. My. God.” At least ten times from sixty percent to the end. Don’t get me wrong, Mark was no angel either. I mean it was clear he had feelings for her, but not to her.

Did you hear me? Not. To. Her.

I loved parts of this story, the history of their friendship and how close they were, even sharing a dog. I just wished that two people who had such a great relationship, could have communicated a little better. I mean, seriously!

All that being said, Kelly and Mark were adorable together. It was clear they could be a great match if she’d let go of her complete reliance on the supernatural or mystical to guide her life. As someone who used to spend her high school years poring over every horoscope printing in the Sun Times and Tribune, I understand where she’s coming from. Except…I was in high school, not looking for The One.

An Ex For Christmas is good read, probably a great read if you don’t let Kelly annoy you too bad! That’s why I gave it almost 4 stars, let’s call it 3.75 stars.

book reviews, Romance

Review ~ Worth The Wait – Jamie Beck

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Thirteen years ago, Vivi LeBrun was sketching a rooster and eating Oreos when she first met—and fell for—her friend’s brother, David St. James. Since then, her love for David has only intensified thanks to years of friendship with his family, who rescued her from a lonely, tumultuous childhood. As she travels to Block Island to vacation with the St. James siblings, Vivi daydreams about reuniting with David, hoping he’ll finally see her as his soul mate.

After his mother’s death, David distanced himself from his siblings, determined to hide a devastating family secret. Now, he’s brought a new girlfriend along to his homecoming—one who’s pushing for a serious commitment. The last thing he needs on his growing list of problems is his budding attraction to Vivi.

With tensions running high, David’s behavior triggers a series of events that might cost him the love he’s always taken for granted and Vivi the only real family she’s ever known.

The tone of Worth The Wait was somewhat…unexpected. As a romance involving the best friend’s older brother, one would expect fluff and heat and some substance. But this doesn’t read like your typical romance even though all the elements are there; a big beach house on an island, an unexpected but well known guest, a new girlfriend and heaps of tension. But despite all that, the whole time I read this story I had a major case of the feels.

Vivi has loved David since about five seconds after she met him, and years later not much has changed. Except everything else has, including David. Watching Vivi contend with the new, uncertain nature of their relationship along with the addition of the girlfriend who followed him halfway around the world, was heartbreaking. She put on a brave face, even when her best friend did her best to make it know how she would feel about a relationship between her best friend and her brother.

I don’t know, I thought Cat was a very selfish person aside from the drama with her boyfriend. She was probably my least favorite character, which doesn’t exactly bode well for me and the next book in the series, though I have doubts the other siblings’ stories could possibly rival Worth The Wait.

I’ve probably made this story sound like a big downer, but it isn’t. At all. The tone is different and I think that’s a good thing. Love isn’t always just chocolates and flowers and hot sex. Sometimes the journey is dramatic and painful and hellish, but you go through it to get to the prize at the other end…or you don’t.

I loved Vivi, I thought she was strong as hell despite all the crap life had heaped on her, and I think David did not deserve her love. He eventually earned it, in my opinion, but I still have doubts on whether or not he deserved it because she was great and there were plenty of times—over the years—he took advantage of that fact without acknowledging that she loved him.

I think Jamie Beck did a fantastic job with this story. I always love her stories and sometimes I dislike the heroine, but I always have a good time. If you love best friend’s older brother love stories, this one is just for you.

New Releases, Romance

Emerald Creek Just #99cents!!!

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Guess what’s just $0.99 TODAY? That’s right, you can read all about Dre, Erick, Shayna and the crew for less than a buck, a euro….a whatever.

The weather is cooling down so why not warm up with a sweet and sexy second chance summer love story? 

💚💫💚💫💚💫#EmeraldCreekSummer💚💫💚💫💚💫

My name is Andrea Larson but everyone calls me Dre.
After college I was supposed to return to my hometown of Emerald Creek and set up an online travel business with my high school sweetheart.
Then he knocked up someone else and those plans went to sh*t.
I moved on, sold my website for a ton of money and moved to California.
My life, my business is a success by any measure of the word.
Then I got the call. My best friend needed me.
In Emerald Creek.
I haven’t seen Erick in a decade, maybe more.
Now we’re in the same town where we fell in love and avoiding him isn’t possible.

My name is Erick but everyone knows me by my restaurant name, Maverick
Divorce and a single dad, I don’t date much.
My life is my baby girl and Maverick’s.
And then Dre comes back to town.
Summer in Emerald Creek would be the perfect chance to make her love me again.

If I can get her to talk to me.

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