Tag Archives: romance book reviews

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.

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.

Review ~ Sweetly, Deeply, Absolutely – Kira Archer

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Hello, Mr. Right…for Now.

With a month off from culinary school, Jenny Boyd has some serious party plans. Especially when the hottest guy in the club literally lands in her lap. He’s 6’2” of cocky, sexy, man-candy, and just as commitment-phobic as she is.

She’s definitely off limits…

Graphic designer Jared Crew is shocked when his best friend’s sister-in-law doesn’t remember him right away. Luckily, she is more than willing to let him jog her memory, no complications required.

It’s all fun and games…until the condom breaks.

Yes, I liked this story. I love Kira Archer and more often than not, her books offer me a really good time for a few hours and Sweet, Deeply, Absolutely was no different.

Mostly.

It took me some time to warm up to Jenny. I mean, I love a hard partying chef in training as much as the next girl but…it seemed a little over the top especially considering we got to see NONE of that in the book. It was as though they were talking about someone different altogether. But other than that Jenny seemed like a cool and capable chick that I wouldn’t mind knocking back a few with. Again, mostly.

The buildup, watching Jenny and Jared dance around one another and fight the attraction was entertaining. Normally this is part of the story that turns me off because—hello, adults use their words—but here it worked well. Although I wondered if they both loved casual and she wouldn’t be around long, why not have a fun and sweaty fling? Then they came together and holy smokes! These two are hot as hell and burn up the pages even when all they do is kiss.

And when the sh*t hits the fan, I love that these two seemingly immature people are able to only mildly freak out and deal with life as it happens. Instead of going from the bedroom to a walk down the aisle, they actually got to know one another which made the read more realistic and a lot more enjoyable. A broken condom is no sane person’s ideal method of achieving a happy ending, and I loved that Jenny and Jared became friends first because hey, just in case.

Sweetly, Deeply, Absolutely was a fun read and I have no actual complaints about the story because I adored it. The only thing that really got to me wasn’t a ‘writing’ issue but another Jenny issue. She kept claiming that Jared was too immature and that he wasn’t ready for responsibility because of how he chose to live his life. From his job to his living arrangements, nothing was ever good enough. FOR A CHICK ON SUMMER BREAK!!! I just felt like she was the pot calling the kettle black when he had his life perfectly situated for his current circumstance. It got really annoying and there were some points where I just wished he would tell her off and remind her of her own sh*t.

This is an older read, about a year old, but it was sitting in my Kindle just waiting to be read which means I must now go back and see if books 1 & 2 are hiding from me!

RELEASE DAY Review ~ 69 Million Things I Hate About You – Kira Archer

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After personal assistant Kiersten Abbott wins sixty-nine million dollars in the lotto, she suddenly has more than enough money to quit her impossibly demanding job. But where’s the fun in that? She decides to stay and exact a little revenge on her insufferable ass of a boss.

Billionaire Cole Harrington quickly figures out something’s afoot with his usually agreeable personal assistant. When he finds out about the office pool betting on how long it’ll take him to fire her, he decides to spice things up and see how far he can push her until she quits.

The game is on, with everyone waiting to see who will crack first. But the bet sparks a new dynamic between them, and soon they realize they just might have crossed that fine line between hate and love.

What can I say? I loved this story!

I admit that after the first scene I was more than prepared to spread a little bit of hate around for Cole, I mean seriously! Though I did warm up to Cole pretty fast, he was infuriating, high handed, bossy and a completely unreasonable employer. No matter how well the job pays, and Kiersten agrees almost from the beginning, just as she agrees that he is the hottest thing walking around the whole damn city.

If only he wasn’t her boss. And a total pain in the ass. Continue reading RELEASE DAY Review ~ 69 Million Things I Hate About You – Kira Archer

RELEASE DAY Review ~ Catching The Player – Diane Alberts

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It all started with a bet…

Kassidy Thomas decided to stop hiding behind her past, and start living, but she didn’t quite bet on that start including her singing a horrible song in front of the handsomest bachelor in the NFL, Wyatt Hamilton. She also doesn’t think he’d then consequently ask her out on a date, but turns out when you’re actually living life…crazy things happen.

He needs to win…

Wyatt Hamilton is a player in every sense of the word. Married to the game, he has no interest in relationships, love, or even second nights with the same woman. But from the second the girl-next-door beauty Kassidy knocks on his door to deliver a singing telegram, nothing goes as planned. He can’t stop thinking about her, and keeps showing up on her doorstep for more. That is, until the unthinkable happens…

And all bets are off. Continue reading RELEASE DAY Review ~ Catching The Player – Diane Alberts

Review ~ The Real Thing – Melissa Foster

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Bakery owner Willow Dalton’s friendship with Zane Walker has always been a bit complicated. Now a scrumptiously hot A-list actor, Zane’s always had a reputation as a player. He’s arrogant, and he’s definitely not boyfriend material. Sure, he did Willow a favor by agreeing to take her virginity before college, but is that reason enough for her to go along with a fake engagement a decade later—even if it comes with a real diamond ring?

Zane should have known better. Nothing involving Willow has ever been easy. Still, he knows her better than anyone, and becoming America’s hottest new leading man means cleaning up his reputation. An “engagement” to curvy, sass-mouthed Willow is the perfect PR move…provided no one gets hurt.

Now Zane and Willow’s little white lie has turned into an irresistible recipe for sweet temptation. And soon no one will be able to tell the difference between their fake engagement and the real thing—including them.

I am so in love with Willow and Zane! It’s been awhile since I read a good Melissa Foster and The Real Thing was the perfect book to break the dry spell! Willow and Zane have had it bad for one another for a very long time so when he needs a serious girlfriend—a pretend serious girlfriend—he sees the perfect opportunity to make Willow his! Damn but I do love a man who knows what he wants and goes after it. Continue reading Review ~ The Real Thing – Melissa Foster

Review ~ Royal Pain – Tracy Wolff

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Being rich opens a lot of doors. When you’re rich and royal, those doors lead to a new bedroom every night. I should know. The tabloids call me His Royal Hotness, Prince Kian of Wildemar. Women across the world see me as a naughty fairy tale, an image I’m happy to indulge. As the spare to the heir, I’m the prince with none of the power . . . and all of the perks.

Then my twin brother is kidnapped, and suddenly I’m the one who could be king. The crown chasers start circling—and yet it’s a luscious waitress who catches my eye. With a smart mouth and the curves to back it up, Savannah Breslin is as brazen as I’d expect an American commoner to be.

But Savvy’s not interested in playing Cinderella. As sexy as she is, she’s no stranger to heartbreak. Besides, a nice guy wouldn’t drag her into all the drama that comes along with royalty. Lucky I’m not a nice guy. And, as it turns out, I might not even be her first prince…

So I should tell you all right now that I have a hit or miss relationship with royal romances. Other than Marquita Valentine’s Royal series, I find that royal-centric romance novels are a little too over the top for my tastes so I was a little hesitant when I came across Royal Pain.

One of the things I had to get over when reading this story is the first person POV which honestly, made it very difficult to like Kian who is supposed to be our hero. I don’t have a problem with Kian being a playboy or just a hard partying spare heir, none of that bothers me. Hell, I believe he’s earned that kind of lifestyle with the kind of restrictions placed upon royals. But hearing his inner most thoughts made it very difficult to sympathize with him, to give a damn about him.

At the start of the story I honestly liked Garrett more and was hoping he would come back and take Kian’s place. But I digress…

The story itself was…okay. I didn’t feel any real pull to Kian or Savannah and I didn’t really care about them. I finished the story more because I just wanted to know how it all turned out. Let’s just say there were some mysteries within this story beyond Garrett’s disappearance that added a few layers to the story, but overall I just felt meh about this story.

It is well written and the story is developed but I think Royal Pain would have been more compelling written in third person.

Review ~ More Than Love – Ruth Cardello

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What happens when a normally reserved billionaire tries to be a regular guy and discovers he has a wild side? Grant Barrington is a quiet hero who is about to flex his alpha billionaire muscle.

Viviana Sutton is living in Boston after being swindled by her ex-boyfriend. She’s done with relationships and isn’t looking for forever. Giving in to one naughty, incredibly hot romp with a financially challenged stranger actually makes her feel better until she takes a pregnancy test.

To help his family, he’ll need to be the man she makes him feel like he can be.

For the sake of her baby, she’ll give him a chance to prove what they had was more than sex—and he’s more than just a regular guy.

I’ll tell you right now that I am a pretty big Ruth Cardello fan. I love her writing style with just the right amount of sex and cheese, which I love. And Grant and Viviana together in More Than Words, were delightful.

If you’re not familiar with The Barrington family, I won’t give away spoilers but I will say that one of their siblings, a twin, died at birth and there’s a big ol’ mystery surrounding it. Grant, the staid, logical financial wizard is the perfect person to pursue the investigation further because he’s not as emotional as the rest of the family. Continue reading Review ~ More Than Love – Ruth Cardello

Review ~ When You Got A Good Thing – Kait Nolan

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She thought she could never go home again. Kennedy Reynolds has spent the past decade traveling the world as a free spirit. She never looks back at the past, the place, or the love she left behind—until her adopted mother’s unexpected death forces her home to Eden’s Ridge, Tennessee.

Deputy Xander Kincaid has never forgotten his first love. He’s spent ten long years waiting for the chance to make up for one bone-headed mistake that sent her running. Now that she’s finally home, he wants to give her so much more than just an apology.

Kennedy finds an unexpected ally in Xander, as she struggles to mend fences with her sisters and to care for the foster child her mother left behind. Falling back into his arms is beyond tempting, but accepting his support is dangerous. He can never know the truth about why she really left. Will Kennedy be able to bury the past and carve out her place in the Ridge, or will her secret destroy her second chance?

 

Kait Nolan is an author who has really grown on me over the past couple years. The first book I read because it was free, To Get Me To You kind of sucked me into her love of small town southern romances and I try to pick up one whenever I get a chance. So when I came across a new series, The Misfit Inn, how could I resist?

Throw in a second chance love, a hot cop and a town full of nosy but lovable meddlers and I was halfway in love with When You Got A Good Thing as I got started. Continue reading Review ~ When You Got A Good Thing – Kait Nolan

Review ~ On The Plus Side – Alison Bliss

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Big girls don’t cry.
They go after what they want.

Thanks to her bangin’ curves, Valerie Carmichael has always turned heads-with the exception of seriously sexy Logan Mathis. Just Valerie’s luck that the object of her lust-filled affection is also best friends with her overprotective brother. But Valerie’s determined to get Logan’s attention . . . even if it means telling a teeny little lie to get a job at his new bar.

Logan can’t remember a time when Valerie didn’t secretly fuel all his hottest fantasies. Now the curvaceous she-devil is working behind his bar, tempting him every damn night. It’s only when he finds Valerie’s naughty things-to-do list that Logan decides to break every rule in the book-by making each red-hot deed a reality.

No one warned them that they were going to fall this hard. And no one warned them that sometimes the smallest secrets can have the biggest consequences.

So I love the sibling’s best friend romance trope and anytime a story contains it and meets my other criteria, I can’t wait to dig in and get started. And when that childhood crush lingers, persists until they meet again…as adults? Well I am all over those stories! On The Plus Side started out great and I was intrigued with Valerie’s feistiness, her fierce confident attitude and her potty mouth! Valerie is a pretty great character who embraces her curves and makes sure the rest of the world does too. Continue reading Review ~ On The Plus Side – Alison Bliss