Monday, December 29, 2014

If the Viscount Falls

If the Viscount Falls is the second book I've read by Sabrina Jeffries and I have to say I really enjoyed it. Dom was strong and somewhat set in his ways, but Jane was the perfect person to call him out when he needed to be. Both Dom and Jane had insecurities that made them seem real. The issues they faced were real for the times and while Jane disagreed with Dom forcing her to jilt him, Dom's heart was in the right place. I really enjoyed the chemistry and seeing how their love survived 12 years of being apart. I give this book 4 1/2 stars along with a strong recommendation to read.

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From New York Times bestselling author Sabrina Jeffries, the deliciously sexy fourth book in the “Duke’s Men” Regency romance series—the first of which was called “a totally engaging, adventurous love story” (RT Book Reviews, Top Pick).

The heir presumptive to the Viscount Rathmoor, Dominick Manton once had his heart’s desire within reach—a bright future as a barrister and engagement to Jane Vernon, a wealthy baron’s daughter. Then a shattering betrayal by his vindictive brother George snatched away Dom’s inheritance and his hopes of offering Jane a secure future. Brokenhearted, and attempting to end their engagement without destroying Jane’s reputation, Dom staged a betrayal of his own to convince her that he’s not the husband-to-be that she thought.

Now George is gone and the viscountcy restored to Dom, since his brother’s widow, Nancy—Jane’s cousin and closest confidant—never bore an heir. But when Nancy goes missing, a panicked Jane calls on her former fiancĂ© to track down her cousin. Dom knows the mistakes of the past may be unforgiveable—but now, entangled together in mystery and danger, will they rekindle a passionate longing that was never lost to begin with?

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

My First, My Last

I had really high hopes for My First, My Last by Lacey Silks and unfortunately they weren't met. The story is of Mia and Adrian. They met when they were teenagers and fell in love and now, twenty years later, they have found each other again. I love second chance love stories, but this one was one I almost didn't finish. I almost stopped reading around 20% and by 30%  I had to tell myself to keep going. I am glad I finished it however. When it finally did get me hooked (around 65%), I wanted to see what would happen. When Mia and Adrian did finally connect sexually it was HOT. The ending had an emotional twist that had me tearing up while rooting for them. While this is one I'm glad I finished, I can only give it a 3 star rating because it took me so long to get invested in the story and the fact that I almost give up on it.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

A Cowgirl's Christmas

I really wanted to like A Cowgirl's Christmas far more than I actually did. C.J. Carmichael had a great concept, but her story fell short. Callan Carrigan has been working the family ranch by her father's side for years, but when he dies he leaves it to his cousin's son Court McAllister. For most of the story Callan goes out of her way to avoid Court and is determined to turn down every nice gesture he makes. It was understandable because she felt betrayed by her father, but I couldn't really see how it resulted in her falling in love with Court. Court falling for Callan was a little more believable, but I also felt like their interactions weren't very strong or frequent in the story. Towards the end, it felt like the author hit her maximum page count and suddenly had to finish the story. To make it more believable I feel the story would have had to go on another 100 or so pages and the characters should have actually dated or at least had more than a couple of pleasant interactions. I can only give this story 2.5 stars and only recommend it to someone who wants a quick Christmas read.
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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

A Sweet Montana Christmas

A Sweet Montana Christmas by Roxanne Snopek is a story of a couple, Melinda & Austin Sweet, who are down on their luck. Austin's company went bankrupt and as a result he pulled away from Melinda because he felt like he couldn't provide for her. Melinda became the breadwinner in the family and worked nights as an OB nurse. The couple drifted apart and the reader comes in when Austin has moved to his family farm in Montana and Melinda is living with her mom. This story was good and I liked both Melinda & Austin and their love for each other is evident throughout the story, even as they're talking about a divorce. This is a good example of how lack of communication and pride can cause a couple to break up. It was nice that there was not one huge fight, like there are in many romance novels, because it wasn't one issue that got in the way of this couple. They worked through some of their communication issues slowly and put in the work required to make their marriage work. This story gets 4 stars and is an easy read.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Seaside Sunsets Release Day Launch!

I was not given a review copy of Seaside Sunsets, but it sounds like a pretty good book to me. Below is the synopsis and a link to a giveaway. I hope you'll take the time to check out this author because I know I've enjoyed her books in the past and if you read this blog I'm betting you will too. 


Seaside Sunsets Synopsis:

Jessica Ayers has lived a sheltered life with little more than cello lessons and practices taking up her day. Now a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, she escapes the prim and proper symphony to vacation in the Seaside community in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and determine if she is living life to the fullest or missing it altogether.

For the first time since developing the second largest search engine in the world, billionaire Jamie Reed is taking the summer off. He plans to work from the Cape and spend time with his elderly grandmother—and falling in love is not in his plans.

From the moment Jamie and Jessica meet, the attraction is white-hot. Once-overly-focused Jamie can think of little else than sensual, smart, and alluring Jessica, and Jessica discovers a side of herself she never knew existed. But when Jamie’s business encounters trouble and his attorney and best friend intervenes, he proves that the blond beauty is too distracting for Jamie. To make matters worse, it appears that Jessica might not be who she says she is, turning Jamie’s life—and his heart—upside down. In a world where personal information is always one click away, Jamie must decide if he should trust his heart or watch the woman he loves walk away.



Melissa Foster Bio:

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, romantic suspense, thrillers, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Some say her romance novels are lovingly erotic, she deems them simply loving and real. Her books have been recommended by USA Today's book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café. When she's not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success.

Melissa has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa's interests include her family, reading, writing, painting, friends, helping others see the positive side of life, and visiting Cape Cod.

Melissa is available to chat with book clubs and welcomes comments and emails from her readers. Visit Melissa on social media or her personal website.




Buy Links:







Barnes and Noble - Pre-order will be changing after release date http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/seaside-sunsets-melissa-foster/1120748246?ean=2940046404753




Links:






Monday, December 15, 2014

Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy

Come Home for Christmas, Cowboy is the story of Christina & Dare Cooper. They have been married, but on Christina's 30th birthday, 2 days before Christmas, she realizes that her marriage to Dare is over. She has no connection to her husband anymore and can't continue to live in her unhappy marriage, so she leaves him and heads home for Christmas. When Dare gets home from work, he realizes that Christina has left him and realizes that even though he's been pushing her away he doesn't really want her to go so he follows her to her parent's house. Dare uses the time at his in laws to show Christina that their marriage isn't over and she should come home. I enjoyed the premise of this story and the story itself for the most part. I did have a little trouble following the story at times because it would start in the present, then flash back to earlier, then come back to the present and I don't think the transitions were always clear. That's the only real problem I had with the story, so I'll give it 3.5 stars. It's a quick, light Christmas read and I'll probably read it again.

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Friday, December 12, 2014

The Kidnapped Christmas Bride

The Kidnapped Christmas Bride is Jane Porter's third book in the Taming of the Sheenans series. When I first read about Trey in the second book in the series, I was intrigued. Trey was in prison for manslaughter after a bar fight gone bad. McKenna is the mother of his son and the only woman he ever loved. When Trey gets released a year early, he comes home to find that McKenna is marrying someone else the next day. Trey goes to the church to make sure that he still gets to see their son TJ before McKenna gets married. Trey claims he was worried about custody and ends up "kidnapping" TJ and McKenna. McKenna was getting cold feet about her wedding, even if she couldn't admit it to herself until later in the story. This was a sweet story, but I don't feel like I got to know McKenna as well as I would have liked to. The big focus was on her being a mom and the fact that she gave up on Trey. Trey was the better developed character. He knew taking McKenna and TJ was wrong and felt sorry about doing it, but I also understood his desperation to have Christmas with his son for the first time in four years. I give The Kidnapped Christmas Bride 4 stars and look forward to the next book in this series.

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Sunday, December 7, 2014

Ring in the Holidays

I can't express how much I enjoyed Ring in the Holidays by Katie Lane. This story was wonderfully messy in a way that captured reality to the point where I could see this happening to me or one of my friends. This story isn't completely linear, and that's what makes it so wonderful. Matthew and Ellie meet on New Years Eve in a Las Vegas club and end up hooking up. While that's not unusual for Vegas, what makes it unique is Ellie was a virgin who wrote a book on why abstinence is such a good thing for a relationship. I got hooked into this story from the first page and only put it down so I could eat dinner. It was read in hours because it was funny, captivating, and real. Between Ellie's book and family drama from both main characters, this book will keep you hooked until the end. This is the second story in the Hunk for the Holidays series, and now I need to go back and read the first book. I'd give this story a 5 star rating and I can't wait for more in this series.

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Saturday, December 6, 2014

The Billionaire's Counterfeit Girlfriend/ Four Weeks Till Forever

This is the first book I've read by Nadia Lee, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I got an advanced copy of Four Weeks Till Forever, but the title was changed to The Billionaire's Counterfeit Girlfriend after. The title change was a good thing because it matched the premise of the book much better. Mark Pryce needs a date to his family's Fourth of July picnic because he doesn't want to be set up by his mom. Hilary Rosenberg, his best friend's administrative assistant, is the perfect choice. She knows all about his reputation as a playboy and won't get attached. Hilary doesn't believe in love. She came from a messed up family, where her father slept with her mom and her aunt and got them both pregnant at the same time. Hilary has worked hard to get herself away from the reputation of being a Rosenberg girl and the wild things that they are known for. Mark doesn't know about Hilary's past and she wants to keep it that way, but the past has a way of coming out. Neither Mark nor Hilary expect to want more than the month they had planned, but they both end up wanting more, even if Hilary doesn't believe Mark when he says he does. My favorite part of the story was how Mark went about proving to Hilary that he is serious about her and she's not one of his Quarterly Girls. The book was long enough to be satisfying, but not so long that it felt forced. I give this book a solid 4 stars and can't wait to read more from Nadia Lee.

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Thursday, December 4, 2014

Too Hot to Handle

Too Hot to Handle is the second book in Katie Rose's The Boys of Summer series. I read the first in the series, Bring on the Heat a while back and really enjoyed the book. The biggest complaint I had was that the story started off slow with too much description. This story doesn't have that problem. Too Hot to Handle is the story of playboy shortstop Jake Baldwin and PR rep Nikki Chase. Nikki is tasked with cleaning up the image of Jake's baseball team and the players don't like it. As a result, some of the players bet Jake that he can't get Nikki to fall in love with him. This is a storyline that has been done before and you'd think that it'd be a boring one. That is not the case with this story. Kate Rose doesn't focus on the bet, but it's always in the back of the reader's mind, knowing that it'll come out eventually. Both Nikki and Jake were strong and independent characters, and they fit together perfectly. This book gets a solid 5 stars from me and I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Full Throttle

Full Throttle by Julie Ann Walker is the 7th book in her Black Knights Inc series. I've been following this series since the beginning, but one thing I absolutely love about these books are they are stand alone stories yet they also tie together. In this one, the President's daughter, Abby is kidnapped and Carlos "Steady" Soto is the one who rescues her. Abby and Steady have a history because they knew each other in college. Both were studying to be doctors, but neither ended up doing so. Abby is keeping a secret from Carlos at the request of her father and it has to do with the even that caused both Abby and Carlos to choose other careers besides medicine. This story had me hooked from the first page and I ended up staying up too late reading because I couldn't put it down. This book gets 5 stars and I can't wait for the next story in this series.

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Saturday, November 29, 2014

Simmer

Simmer by Deborah Grace Stanley was a complex, well written story. Emma Vance and Liam Anderson are both strong willed characters who only know how to rely on themselves. Emma was hurt by an ex and lost her parents at a young age, and as a result believes that everyone will eventually leave her. Liam cut off all contact with his dad at a young age and never knew his mom, which is why he had to become so self sufficient. Liam ended up a guest at Emma's family resort because he needed a break to try and refocus. What he didn't expect was to find Emma and fall for her quickly. He does have a secret that complicates things. One thing that made this book so good was the subplots. There were multiple subplots going on, and while they had the potential to stall the story or take away from it, I don't believe it did. I think they successfully enhanced the main plot. I give this story a strong 4 stars and hope that Emma's sister and best friend get their own story.

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Friday, November 28, 2014

Unwrapping her Perfect Match

Unwrapping her Perfect Match by Kat Latham is this first I've read by this author, but it definitely won't be the last. I was hooked in from the first page & was rooting for Gwen & John from page 1. Gwen's insecurities made her feel real and she reacted in a way that I have reacted in the past when people touch on things that hurt from the past. John was misunderstood at times because of his size, but he was a genuinely a good guy who wanted to do right by his daughter and Gwen. John is a rugby player and Gwen is a nurse and part of what helps bond them is Gwen ends up taking care of John after he gets a concussion at one of his rugby games. This story gets 5 stars and I can't wait to read more from both this author and this series.

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A London Legends Christmas Novella
Book 3.5 of the London Legends
’Twas a week before Christmas, and at the auction house…
At six foot one, Gwen Chambers has felt like a giant her whole life. She’s a calm, capable nurse saving lives in a busy London hospital, but healthy men give her heart palpitations. When larger-than-life rugby player “Little” John Sheldon convinces her to bid on him in his team’s fundraising auction, she discovers how pleasurable heart palpitations can be.
A rugby player was stirring, with desire no one could douse…
John has wanted Gwen since he first saw her, but when he’s injured in a match just before Christmas he suddenly needs her too. Not only can the sexy nurse help him recover, but she might be able to help him look after his daughter—a shy ten-year-old who speaks only French.
But will it be a Happy Christmas for all, and for all a good night?
From decorating the Christmas tree to ice skating at the Tower of London, Gwen helps father and daughter open up and bond with each other—and she bonds right along with them. But when John’s agent calls with a life-changing offer, Gwen has to decide how far she’s willing to go for her perfect match. Will their first NoĂ«l also be their last?

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Christmas to Remember

A Christmas to Remember is a compilation of holiday stories by five different authors: Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Molly Cannon, & Marilyn Pappano. What drew me to this book was the fact that it has another Lucky Harbor novella in it, and I absolutely love that series. That particular story sucked me in and I read it quickly. The biggest problem I have with stories like this is the stories are so short that I don't get emotionally invested in them to the point that I do with other stories. The book is about 224 pages, and in addition to 5 short stories, there are also excerpts from full length novels by each author. That many authors crammed into too few pages make for sweet but slightly unbelievable stories. I did enjoy reading them, but this book definitely could have been done better. Overall it gets 3 stars from me because they were sweet Christmas stories.

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Thursday, November 20, 2014

Skip to the Good Part

I've been anticipating this book since I first heard about it and in some ways it was what I was expecting and others it wasn't. My hope in reading this was to find new books that I wanted to read by authors I've never tried before. Some scenes were definitely hotter than others, and the ones at the beginning didn't hook me as much as some of the ones a little later on. I think part of the reason why is I'm not a big fan of first person writing and the majority of the stories are in first person. Some of these stories would be good to get you in the mood before spending time with a significant other, which to me is the point of this book. I'll admit, that some of the stories did nothing for me but the ones that did were great. Overall I'd give this book 3 stars. It's not spectacular, but it's also not bad.


Skip to the Good Part Synopsis:

Find your next red-hot read in this sizzling collection of sexy scenes

99¢ only through release week—regularly $2.99



Skip to the Good Part: 20 Authors Reveal Their Steamiest Scenes offers face-fanning romance and tie-me-up sizzle (and everything in between) from top authors including New York Times and USA Today bestsellers.



The collection features a British alpha who wants to turn a good girl bad, a woman realizing her impetuous marriage to a stripper isn’t all bad, a bad boy boxer who could use a large dose of sexual healing, a carnie who has found new and inventive uses for fun house mirrors, and a rocker who wants to woo the girl who got away: his high school sweetheart.



Read 20 of the best steamy scenes in contemporary romance and erotic romance today. This 250-page collection will get your blood pumping, your heart racing, and your skin tingling—you’re sure to discover a new favorite.

Due to the graphic nature of some content, this collection is recommended strictly for mature readers.



New York Times best-selling authors:

Raine Miller

Kendall Ryan

K. Bromberg

Carly Phillips

Denise Grover Swank

S.L. Scott



USA Today best-selling authors:

Christine Bell

Rebecca Shea

Andrea Smith



Featuring:

Magan Vernon

Kristie Cook

Nevaeh Lee & Michelle Lynn

Alessandra Thomas

Selena Laurence

Heidi Joy Tretheway

Elizabeth Briggs

Meghan March

Taylor Michaels

K.B. Nelson

Elise Covert


Giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/65c0fb1810/


Buy Links:

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo |Barnes & Noble

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

In the Heat of the Night

In the Heat of the Night by Katherine Garbera is the story of Rory and Meg. Rory is the new firefighter in town & Meg has come home to try and regroup while she gets ready for her next career move. Both have been burned by past lovers because of their careers and each is wary of the other person's career as well as falling in love. Both Meg and Rory were strong characters who knew how to stick their ground, but neither were good at compromising. This story didn't draw me in to the point where I couldn't put the book down, but that's okay. It's nice to have a light read sometimes and by the end I was rooting for Rory and Meg pretty hard. This is the third book I have read by this author, and I will continue to do so because I enjoy her writing style and think she tells a good story. I'd give this one a solid 3.5 stars and may try giving the book before this one a read.

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Sunday, November 16, 2014

A Cowboy's Christmas Promise

A Cowboy's Christmas Promise by Maggie McGinnis wasn't quite what I was expecting. Based on the title and blurb I was expecting a story that took place mostly during the holiday season, but that wasn't the case. I was 54% done with the story and it still was during the summer months. The story was sweet and I enjoyed seeing Hayley and Daniel fall in love, but fight the attraction the entire way. Hayley is strong, but had her sisters taken away never to be seen again, so she is wary of getting attached to anyone. Daniel lost his wife and doesn't even want to consider love again. With some not so subtle pushes from their friends, Daniel and Hayley end up spending time together and falling for each other. I loved how Hayley bonded with Daniel's daughters immediately and that it helped Daniel open up to her. Overall the story was good, but the title and blurb are a bit deceptive. This story gets 3 stars from me and I will probably read this author again.

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Friday, November 7, 2014

His Island Bride

I wasn't sure what to expect with His Island Bride by Maxine Sullivan, but I wasn't expecting to get hooked in and have trouble finding my way back up for air. Starting about chapter 2 I got hooked into Jace & Brooke's story. Jace has to marry to help save his family's resort, and who better for him to marry than the resort's wedding planner & his ex flame than Brooke. At first Brooke agrees to marry Jace, although reluctantly, because she doesn't want to lose her job or let the people of their small island down. She is kinda bitchy to Jace at first, but she was hurt by him when they were together as teens. Brooke also had a secret she was keeping from Jace. When Jace found out Brooke's secret, he was upset but didn't overreact like sometimes happens in books. He understood her reasoning and talked things over with her instead of writing her off. I'd give this story a strong 4.5 stars and I can't wait to read more from Maxine Sullivan.
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Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Pick Me

Pick Me by Erika Marks was a sweet story. Thea was dumped and went back home while her house was being rid of the termite infestation it had. Her neighbor ended up being her high school crush Calder. Calder rescued Thea on prom night and they both had a wonderful time. Fourteen years later, both of them still were wondering what if and they got their chance to find out. I liked this story because both characters were "real." Thea acted like most women I know do after a break up by wanting her ex to call and let her know that he realized his mistake and wants her back. I enjoyed seeing the slightly crazy side of Thea while she was imagining what she'd do if her ex came back to her. Calder was the sexy bad boy in high school and he went on to be a doctor. This was a well written, quick read. It didn't hook me in to the point where I couldn't put it down, but it was a nice relaxing read. I'd give this story a 3.5 star rating and consider reading the other books in the series.

 Amazon
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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

A Highland Wolf Christmas

A Highland Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear has an alpha wolf and a strong she-wolf who fall for each other. Calla is a party planner who was hired by the MacNeill clan to plan their Christmas celebration. Guthrie MacNeill is the financial adviser for the clan and he has to assist Calla in the party planning. The story is described this way, but I found it was more of a carry over from a previous book. Calla is being protected by the MacNeill clan from her ex-fiancee while she is planning their Christmas party. Guthrie is one of those assigned to protect her, and both he and Calla try to fight it when they start falling for each other. Unfortunately, this book wasn't a stand alone to me. I enjoyed the story a lot, but there were so many references to story lines that had happened before this book and no explanation for those who hadn't read the previous story. I will most likely go back and start this series over from the beginning because the writing was strong and enticing, and I would like to get the back story for this one. This story gets a 4 star rating instead of the 5 stars that it probably would have gotten if the back story had been explained better.

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Saturday, October 25, 2014

Bound by His Desire

I really enjoyed Bound by His Desire. It is the story of Nick Rhodes, a wealthy businessman and Pamela Bishop, the woman he hires to be his assistant. Nick notices Pam for the first time when she is walking down the aisle towards him at his best friend's wedding. It wasn't the first time they'd met however, the first time was the previous night at the rehearsal dinner. Nick was wary to hire Pam because he is attracted to her and has a rule about not dating his assistants. They do end up working together and things get more complicated from there. Pam was really good at calling Nick on being a jerk to her and the fact that he kept running hot and cold with her. One minute he'd be kissing her and then the next he'd be treating her like she was a piece of trash. I'd get frustrated with Nick's treatment of Pam, but I could also see it was because he was torn and scared. Nick had something happen to him that was the reason for his hard rule about not becoming involved with his assistants, so when he can't seem to deny the attraction to Pam it makes him question things. This book gets 4.5 stars from me along with a desire to read the book before this one and any that come after. This is a must read for romance fans.

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Friday, October 24, 2014

Finding Home

Finding Home by Roxanne Snopek fell short for me. This is a story of a woman who moves back to Marietta Montana, where she spent a short piece of her childhood, and the man she loved while they were both in high school. Samara Davis moved back as a widow, with her daughter Jade. Their house wasn't ready for them to move in and when Samara goes to look at the house, she finds out that the foreman on the job is her high school love Logan. I had a problem with how the relationship progressed between these two. It just didn't feel natural or real to me. It seemed like the entire story was written at the last minute and just didn't keep me enticed. I don't think I'll be reading this one again. I love the Marietta books, but not this one. It gets 2.5 stars from me.

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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Sing Me Back Home

Sing Me Back Home was a sweet story that involved falling in love with a first love again. Maya and Jack were high school loves, but things ended rapidly right after graduation. When Maya moves back, she is divorced and Jack is widowed. They end up dating again, but Jack holds himself back because Jack doesn't want to lose someone else he loves. I enjoyed this story, but there was one issue I had with it. The author did more telling than showing with the characters. There were things like "They talked" instead of showing the conversation. I also wish there would have been more interaction with the character's teenage daughters. The writing style brings this down to a 3.5 star rating. I did enjoy the story and will probably read this one again despite those complaints. It is a good addition to the Marietta Montana books and worth reading.

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Sunday, October 19, 2014

Cowboy on Her Doorstep

I really enjoyed Cowboy on Her Doorstep by Pam Mantovani. This is the first book I've read by Pam and it definitely won't be the last. Logan has spent the last 5 years in the military and the night before he left he slept with his best friend Kendall. He didn't know it at the time, but she got pregnant with his baby. Kendall kept the fact that she had a child from Logan, but when he comes home she admits that her daughter his also his. They develop feelings for each other as they get to know the other one again. Logan was sexy and strong. He was adamant about getting to know his daughter, but he also respected that Kendall knew Marissa (their daughter) better, so she knew when the right time was to let Marissa know that he was her father. Kendall was scared to let Logan in, but understood that Marissa needed to know her father. I got a kick out of how Logan and Marissa met for the first time and liked that Marissa didn't particularly like Logan because she thought he was being mean to her mom. They did end up loving each other and their relationship developed in a realistic and heartwarming way. This book gets 4.5 stars from me and I hope that there will be a sequel of Logan's brother and Kendall's best friend.

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Saturday, October 18, 2014

Undeniable

Undeniable by Ashley Simone was a hot novella that had one big flaw...it was a cliffhanger. I enjoyed how hot the story between Allie and Zac was, but not enough to pay $2.99 for the next in the story. It is approximately 70 pages and too cryptic for me to get invested in as little of the story as there was. Allie and Zac meet at the diner where she works, then they happen to meet again at a bar. Well, for some reason Zac won't go up to Allie's place with her. When Allie answers Zac's add for a prostitute, he will have sex with her. (The reason Allie needs to answer the ad is because her brother got mixed up in drugs and owes someone $20k, so this is her way to get the money for him.) If the story wasn't a cliffhanger I'd probably be giving it 4 stars, but as it is the story gets 3. I'll definitely pick up the other two stories if they become free, but I'm not paying $2.99 for so little story.

 
Amazon

Monday, October 13, 2014

The Honeymoon Prize

The Honeymoon Prize is a sweet story about two friends who have always wondered what it would be like to be together but never acted on their feelings for fear of ruining their friendship. In some ways it was what I expected, but in other ways it wasn't. Nick needed a wife to keep his job and try to prevent the wives of his clients from hitting on him. Who does he ask to be his temporary wife? His best friend, Addie. They have known each other since they were 5 and that's why Nick thinks she'll make the perfect wife. Nick and Addie were entered into a contest by a friend of Addie and won an all expenses paid honeymoon and new wardrobe. The catch that the friend neglected to tell them is the honeymoon was also a reality TV show. Because of the show, the couple is forced to kiss and that leads to their feelings coming to the surface. I really enjoyed this book and give it a strong 4.5 stars. I'll definitely be reading it again.

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Sunday, October 12, 2014

Season for Desire

Season for Desire wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. I couldn't get into the story as much as I should of been and when I did get into the story I didn't stay in it for long. There was too much emphasis put on secondary characters and not enough put on the main characters. I don't need to know what the Heroine's sister's fiancee thinks about his upcoming wedding. The constant switching of perspectives was one thing that pulled me out of the story. The blurb of the story says, "Audrina pursues mischief with gusto, attending scandalous parties and indulging in illicit affairs." The only thing that is really shown instead of told is about her affair because that is what gets her into trouble and how she meets the hero Giles. Neither Audrina nor Giles were very strong characters. I expected them both to have pretty strong personalities, but they went along meekly with what their fathers told them to do. I give this story a 3 star rating and unfortunately don't foresee reading it again.
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Tuesday, October 7, 2014

Loves Own Reward

In Loves Own Reward by Dana Ransom, Charley risked her life to save a little boy and almost got killed trying to go back for his parents. She didn't know it at the time, but she saved the only grandchild of a rich family. The grandparents of the boy offered Charley a reward and she took it. Jess McMasters was also at the wreck and he was the one who prevented Charley from dying. He is a journalist known for taking the most heart warming thing and bringing out its ugly side in a way that captivates readers. Jess decided his latest story was Charley and why she took the money. She says she doesn't know what she'll do with it, but Jess is determined to prove she did everything for selfish reasons. He keeps the fact that he is a reporter and is writing a story on her to himself as he continues to get closer. What he doesn't realizes is Charley is truly a good person and its going to turn his cynical side upside down. This was a good book, but Jess seemed a little more Beta than I was expecting. I tend to read books with really Alpha men so Jess was a nice change. He actually knew that he was screwing up and made some (halfhearted) attempts at letting Charley know what he was up to. This was a good story although a bit long (never thought I'd say that but I did). This gets 4 stars along with adding this author to my to read list.

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Saturday, October 4, 2014

His Every Fantasy

I got sucked into His Every Fantasy by Delilah Devlin very quickly, but unfortunately it didn't hold me like many others have. Kara and Sergei meet when he rescues her from where she was being held captive after being kidnapped. Kara was kidnapped because she was a virgin and was going to be sold into the sex trade. What I found so hard to believe was how much Kara became the aggressor when it came to sex. She was the one who initiated losing her virginity and then went from zero to full on BDSM with Sergei. To me, it seemed like she should be introduced to sex and then slowly introduced to the BDSM lifestyle. She got into exhibitionism and letting his friends play with her far sooner than seemed realistic to me. While the sex play was happening, the kidnapping story made no progress. One thing I tend to like about action books is the story continues to move along and progress is made even while the characters are falling in love and having sex. This story was far too focused on the sex aspect and didn't have enough progression outside the bedroom until the end. It wasn't a bad story, but it wasn't great either. I'd rate His Every Fantasy 3 stars.

 

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Billionaires in Love

Billionaires in Love is a reprinting of two Carly Phillips books Midnight Angel and The Playboy's Second Chance (formerly titled Kismet). I really enjoyed both stories and they were quick reads. Both stories could have been turned into full length novels and drawn out the hurt character forgiving the one who returned wanting forgiveness, but they weren't rushed either.

In Midnight Angel Dylan was sexy in strong, but was also able to admit that he screwed up ten years ago. Holly is determined to resist Dylan, but at the same time she needs closure. I was able to see why Dylan left Holly behind, but he definitely did it in a way that hurt her.

The Playboys Second Chance had somewhat of the opposite problem in that the female lead, Lissa, was the one who messed up and ended the relationship. She got pregnant at 18 by another guy while on a break from her high school sweetheart Travis. They end up working things out, then Travis freaks out about possibly becoming a father to Lissa's daughter and screws things up again.

I'd read Kismet previously and it was nice to revisit the story and rediscover why I enjoyed it. This is my first time reading Midnight Angel and it made me want to read the rest of the stories in the Love Unexpected series. This gets 4.5 stars from me, along with a recommendation for all Carly Phillips fans and any romance readers looking for a new author.

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Kiss Me, Cowboy

Kiss Me, Cowboy is the third book in the Montana Born Rodeo series. I really liked the concept of this story, but I don't feel that it was delivered as well as it could have been. Charlie has been in love with Zach since she kissed him, but Zach has a rule about never dating his coworkers. His rule was born out of a good reason, but the situations are very different. Charlie has a decision to make because she was offered a seasonal job at a horse ranch in Colorado. Both characters were a bit whiny and constantly flip flopped their positions. One minute Charlie wants to go to Colorado to get away from her feelings for Zach, and the next he's the reason for her to stay and try to convince him they could be a couple. Zach keeps telling himself and Charlie that they can never be together, but then keeps finding excuses to kiss her. This story rates a 3 stars from me. It was okay, but nothing spectacular.

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Cherish Me, Cowboy

Cherish Me, Cowboy is the story of Payton Hollis and Cordell Morgan. Payton is a head strong female who runs a ranch on her own. She lost both of her parents and since then doesn't accept help from anyone. Cordell comes to Marietta, Montana to lease some land and let his friend's cows get healthy again before sending them back to Texas. He and Payton end up becoming roommates when Henry, the owner of the land Cordell is leasing, asks Cordell to rent a room from Payton. Once they become roommates, they get to know each other and it gets to a point where they feel that their day isn't complete unless they see each other. Payton knows she can't fall for Cordell because she doesn't have time for anyone or anything but her ranch. He knows he can't fall for her because he's only in town for one reason, and it's not the one she knows. He also isn't staying so he doesn't want to get involved and risk hurting Peyton. This is a sweet story and another good addition to the series. The one complaint I have is this book didn't have any sex scenes. There was a comment about them undressing and then it was the next morning. I don't mind sweet romances, but I like a little bit of sex in them. Overall it was a good book and rates 3.5 stars. I'll probably reread it as part of the series, but not necessarily as a stand-alone.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

What A Bride Wants

I've been reading books set in Marietta, Montana a lot lately, and besides the town, they have one more thing in common. I am absolutely loving them. Like the rest of the books in the Great Wedding Giveaway series, this book was funny and a quick read. Ella was a strong character who would have run off the wrong man with her strong personality. Cameron Sawyer (Sawyer to most of Marietta), is strong enough to handle her. Ella and Sawyer meet because Ella's dad pissed her off and caused her to do something rash. Neither one was really looking for anything serious, but Sawyer was the one who had strong reasons not to fall for anyone. Eventually his reasons are revealed and Ella proves that she is strong enough to stand by him. The writing was strong and once I started reading, I didn't want to put this book down. One of these days maybe I'll read the books in order instead of jumping all over the place, but going out of order doesn't take away from any of the stories.  It gets a strong 4 1/2 star rating from me and goes into the read again pile.

Friday, September 19, 2014

The Make Believe Wedding

This was a book that I liked the sound of and an author I've never read before, but I will definitely be reading again. I absolutely loved Heath & Andie. In some ways this is your typical girl pines for guy, makes guy notice her, and they fall for each other, but this story is also unique. Andie isn't your typical female, she's a kick ass electrician and Heath is her boss/brother's best friend. Andie gets drunk at the Valentine's ball & enters herself and Heath in the Great Wedding Giveaway unintentionally. When she is informed, at work, that she and Heath are finalists she is mortified. Heath, being a good guy rolls with it and things escalate from there. I found myself laughing out loud at times, and cringing with embarrassment at others. This book hooked me in and kept me until the last page. I didn't put it down until I was done. It's a wonderful book and one I recommend to all romance readers. I'm giving it 4.5 stars.

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Tease Me, Cowboy

Tease Me, Cowboy is a story about a second chance at love. Selah Davis was with her friends and she ended up confiding to them that her biggest regret was not sleeping with her high school boyfriend Levi Monroe. They end up talking her into propositioning him for one night. Well, that one night doesn't go as planned. Levi loved Selah and when the opportunity to get a little payback for all the times she left him high and dry in high school presents itself he takes it. I really enjoyed this story by Rachael Johns. It was a great addition to the series and a quick read. The one thing I don't like about novellas is how short they are. This story, like most other novellas, could have been expanded into a full length novel. Luckily for the reader, the length of this story doesn't make it feel rushed. It also brings back characters from other books in the series, but not in a way that those who haven't read the other books would suffer. It is a sweet story and one I recommend to all romance readers. I'd give it 4 stars and I am looking forward to reading more in this series.

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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Sweet as Honey

I really wanted to like this book because I thought the premise was great. Unfortunately I just couldn't get into it. I felt like this story was about 16 year olds who were playing at being grownups. Both Dex and Honey were really insecure and I felt like they were having the same issues repeatedly. It grew tiring and it took me a week to get through the book because I just didn't want to continue reading it. I tend to like Alpha males, and Dex definitely wasn't one. He had been hurt in the past, but instead of working through it, it stuck with him and brought him down for most of the story. There was also a subplot of Honey having to sit on a jury with a case similar to the abuse she had suffered. I think the author was trying to add depth to the story, but I felt the subplot took away from the story instead of adding to it. One thing I did like was how the author set up the next book at the end of this one. Overall, the characters were too weak for my liking and I felt the story drug on too long. I'd give this book 2.5 stars.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

How the Scoundrel Seduces

How the Scoundrel Seduces was a great historical romance. This was the first book I read by Sabrina Jeffries and I can't wait to read more. Zoe was a strong woman who knows how to get her way when it really matters. She hires Tristan to find out if something she found out is true. Tristan and his business partners owe Zoe a favor because she kept a secret for them (I assume this took place in another book, but it was referenced in this one a few times). The tricky part about Zoe hiring them is she doesn't want anyone to know, not even her family, that she's trying to find out the truth behind this secret. Tristan and Zoe fight a fair amount, but it feels more like foreplay and banter more than anything else. Tristan is a black sheep and has secrets of his own. He uses Zoe's case to further his own agenda while working on her case, but it turns out they are intertwined. As the story progresses I like the characters more and am rooting for them to be together. This was a great historical romance with a bit of a mystery thrown in. It gets a 5 star rating along with a recommendation to anyone who likes historical romance.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Whipped

Whipped by Sabrina York was a short, hot read. Dane is at his best friend's bachelor party in Vegas and can tell that everything is going to change once his friend gets married. What he doesn't know is that his life will change too. Dane leaves the bachelor party early and runs into what he thinks is the hooker his friends hired for the party. In reality it is the bachelor's baby sister. Dane ends up hooking up with her (Tina), but can't seem to get her out of his head. He was shocked to discover who it was the next day, bu couldn't seem to stay away from her. Tina has been in love with Dane since she was in high school, so when he mistakes her for a hooker and wants to spend the night with her she says yes. The sex scenes in this book were hot and Dane's reactions to certain situations were amusing. It was a hot, and funny, quick read. It gets 4 stars along with a wish it was longer because I enjoyed it so much.

Close to Her Heart

Close to Her Heart by C.J. Carmichael wasn't one of my favorite books. The premise is good, girl gets knocked up by her emotionally unavailable boyfriend, boyfriend doesn't want baby, relationship ends, and girl ends up falling for her best friend. Unfortunately the follow through on this book wasn't as good as it should have been. Both Dani and Eliot were too beta for my tastes and Dani couldn't make a decision to save her life. Dani was presented with a possibility that her baby would be born with Down syndrome, but instead of making any decisions regarding testing she buries her head in the sand and ignores the possibility. She also doesn't tell anyone about that possibility.  I found her lack of decision making annoying and she wavered too much on any decision. Eliot was no better. He wanted to be there for her as a friend and suddenly realized he was in love with her. Their relationship felt forced and I didn't feel it develop at all. Eliot is a divorce lawyer and there was a small subplot with a pair of his clients that actually interested me more than this story. I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't get invested in the story or the characters. This book falls at about a 2.5 stars from me. I'm not going to write this author off because I see potential there, but not with this book.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Dare to Submit

This book is definitely the HOTTEST book I've read by Carly Phillips. Decklan Dare is a sexy alpha male who has watched Amanda for about six months at a BDSM club that they both go to. He was always aware of her, but never approached her and didn't know her name until he had to rescue her from a Dom who wasn't stopping when she said her safe word. Amanda was also aware of Decklan, but too insecure to approach him. They each have their reasons for going to the club even though neither has to have the D/s relationship. Because they meet and establish the D/s relationship, Decklan is really upset when he finds out Amanda has been keeping something from him and tells her that she broke one of the main rules of that relationship by not being completely honest with him.
I started reading this book on a break at work and had to stop reading it because I was getting too hot and bothered. It starts off strong sexually because that is all Decklan & Amanda's relationship is supposed to be. This makes for a great book, but not ideal for reading in public. The story was captivating and I had a hard time putting it down to do things like eat and sleep. I love that Carly Phillips is taking a risk by making her books more erotic and I think she is doing an amazing job of it. I can't wait for the next Dare book. This book gets a solid 5 stars and a recommendation to anyone who likes Carly Phillips books and/or HOT books.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Bring on the Heat

This book started off a little slow for me. It opens with some pretty heavy description and for me that is just a bit boring. The book does pick up after the first chapter or two, so for anyone that reads this, keep that in mind. I enjoyed Darcy and felt like she was easy to relate to. She is a screenwriter who house sits and has pretty much become a personal assistant to the person she house sits for. She comments on Disney princesses multiple times, and one of my favorite lines from this story is, "..felt like every storybook princess who had ever been kissed by her prince. Except even better. Disney never implied eroticism, and this was thoroughly arousing." Lines like that show that Darcy is a romantic at heart, while she keeps telling herself to be real about her situation and not fall for Chase. In some ways Chase really was Prince Charming. He's athletic, the star pitcher of the Sonics, and actually does things like send someone to get a pair of shoes for Darcy when she brakes her heel in a sidewalk grate. The biggest problem between Darcy and Chase is Chase believes Darcy is her employer Lydia Logan. When they first meet Darcy tries to tell Chase who she is, but he doesn't believe her. From there it snowballs and becomes a typical lie that got out of hand until the lie is revealed at the wrong time by the wrong person. This is a good contemporary romance, geared towards sports fans or at least readers who like their heroes to be athletes. This gets a 4 star rating from me along with a to read again.

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Night Unbound

I have been following the Immortal Guardians since Darkness Dawns came out and have fallen in love with the series. This is the latest in this series, and one I have been anticipating a lot. Lisette d'Alencon is someone who I have always wondered about and I was very glad I got to read her story. Zach, her love interest has secrets of his own and is accused of betraying the leader of the Immortal Guardians, Seth. He isn't the one responsible for the things he is accused of, but there is a lot of distrust between him and Seth. Lisette has to sneak around with Zach because Seth told her to stay away from Zach. Lisette is a very strong female who isn't afraid of kicking ass, and Zach loves that about her. This story isn't one that should be read as a standalone. They reference many things from other books, so for a reader who hasn't read the other books in this series some of the conversations might not make sense. I absolutely loved this book and this series will continue to be an auto buy for me. This book rates a full 5 stars and I'd suggest everyone who likes paranormal romance read this, and every other book in this series.

Monday, September 1, 2014

Beauty's Kiss

This is the second Jane Porter book I've read in a row, and I absolutely loved this. The story was of Taylor Harris & Troy Sheenan. Taylor is one of the town's librarians and Troy is a business tycoon. They are supposed to go to the town's Valentine's ball together, even though neither of them have met before. Neither is looking forward to going until they meet. Troy is intrigued by Taylor and wants to go with her, but Taylor doesn't want to go. As the story unfolds the reader learns about the trouble Taylor's brother is having, so she's distracted with that, and she doesn't feel that she's in Troy's league. Troy charms Taylor into going to the ball with him and even arranges a special surprise. The night of the ball something happens and Taylor has to cancel. Troy is disappointed, but understands. They do eventually get their HEA. I loved Taylor because I could see myself in her. She's more comfortable with her books than being social. She also hides behind those books because she doesn't feel very pretty. After being told she wasn't mature enough to care for her brother, she started doing everything she could to appear more mature. Troy sees past all of these defense mechanisms to the real Taylor. He charms his way into her heart and makes her see that she is smart, funny, beautiful, and most definitely in his league. I found myself falling in love with Troy and wishing he was a real person instead of the hero in this story. This story gets a solid 4.5 stars from me and is going in the read again pile.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Take Me, Cowboy

Jane Porter's Take Me, Cowboy is a sweet story about finding love after not believing in it anymore. Jenny Wright was left at the alter by her fiancee/boss and when she stepped outside instead of telling everyone that the wedding was off, she ran into her childhood crush Colton. Sparks fly between the two when Colton gives her a ride home from the church. They run into each other a few more times in their small town, and start getting to know each other again. Both have been burned by love, so neither one was looking for it, but they did find it. I thought this story was a sweet, quick read. It could have easily been a full length novel instead of a novella, and I feel it would've been a little better as a novel. The ending seemed a little bit rushed and I would have liked a little more build up before the ultimate happy ending. Overall, it was good and I'd give it 4 stars. It works as a standalone novel, but is part of the Copper Mountain Rodeo series. I will most likely go back and read the previous 3 books. Definitely recommend it to romance readers who want something short and sweet.

His Game, Her Rules

I'm one of those people who almost always finishes a book and will only quit if I just can't seem to get through for some reason. This is one that I had to stop reading. First off, the story was written in third person present, which caused the story to come across as choppy. On top of that, I felt like I was reading about middle school students instead of adults. Ty was cocky and whiny at the same time.He couldn't seem to get it through his mind that Eileen didn't want to go out with him. He kept saying things like you know you want to and you look like you want to go out with me? I just couldn't get to a point where I liked him. Eileen was supposed to be this strong character who knew that her job was going to be hard, but was strong enough to manage it. I felt that she couldn't handle Ty off the ice, so I was wondering how she handled the team on the ice (there had been no interactions with the players on the ice when I stopped reading). I only made it 19% (approx 6 chapters) into the book, before deciding the rest of the story wasn't worth reading. This is the first and probably the last book I read by Charlene Groom.

In Still Darkness, Immortal Guardian's 3.5

I absolutely loved this novella! It takes place during books 2 & 3 of the Immortal Guardians series by Dianne Duvall. Immortal Guardian Richart d Alencon saves Jenna, a single mother, from vampires one evening (saving people from vampires is what he does nightly) and after that he can't seem to get her out of his head. He ends up meeting her and falling for her. The night he plans on telling her exactly what he is, something goes wrong and she finds out for herself. I'm not going to ruin the story and say how she reacted. This story is one that makes sense on its own, but I feel the reader would get so much more out of it if they read the other Immortal Guardians books first because there are some fight scenes that were described in the other books (as well as the reasons behind those fights) in the other two novels. This book is a novella, and while it flows nicely and wraps everything up like it should, I still wish Richart's story had been a full length novel. I give this book a 5 star rating and hope everyone reads it and the other Immortal Guardians books.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Under His Protection

I finished Under His Protection by Katie Reus today. It is the 9th book of her Red Stone Security series, but the first one I've read. I enjoyed reading about Julieta and Ivan and getting to know a little about some of the characters from previous stories. The premise of this story is Julieta & Ivan met via a friend of Julieta's, whom Ivan protects (part of his job at Red Stone Security), and neither can get the other out of their heads. Julieta is being targeted by a stalker and Ivan takes it upon himself to help protect her and find the stalker. During this process they fall for each other. While I enjoyed the story, it didn't hit a point for me where I absolutely couldn't put it down. I wanted to know who the stalker was and how that story line would play out, but I wasn't as hooked as some of the other books I've read recently. After having read this story, I would like to go back and read the other 8 books before it but this story worked completely as a standalone. Overall I'd rate this as a 3 1/2-4 star book. It had a strong plot and moved along at a good pace. Definitely one for anyone who likes a little mystery with their romance.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Marriage Reinvented

I loved this book and was pleasantly surprised at how hard it was to put down. I'd read a couple of books by Kat Cantrell in the past, but none have grabbed me so quickly and held me to the point where I didn't want to stop to do basic things such as eating or sleeping. The opening grabbed me in the first few lines and the next thing I knew I was hooked. This is the opening, "The offices of Outlaw Manufacturing, Inc. epitomized a two-page glossy ad for a soulless, spawn-of-the-devil corporation, missing only the devil himself. A hulking shadow slid across the frosted window beside the door marked President and CEO. Nope. He was in residence after all." The story is about Alexia and Jesse Hennessy, a couple who are divorced except for one thing...Alexia didn't file the paperwork. Jesse used the fact that they weren't divorced to his favor and held the patent Alexia wanted for something they created together hostage. His terms were she had to live with him for three months, go on a date with him once a week, and at the end of the three months he would walk away and Alexia would get to be the sole name on their patent. Both blame the other for the demise of their marriage, but both are to blame. There was an event that created a Before and After Jesse in Alexia's mind, so she tries to keep her heart from getting broken and just ride out the three months. What she doesn't count on is seeing more of Before Jesse than she anticipated. Jesse admits to himself that he still loves his wife and knows he has a long fight ahead of him to try and get her back. He goes into it very cocky that he can accomplish his goals quickly, but realizes fast that Alexia has built up more walls than he thought.
One of the reasons I found this book so captivating was there were curveballs thrown in. I'd think that the book was wrapping up and then something else would happen that kept the story going. I've had this happen in some stories and just wondered if the author had a page or word quota that they had to meet, but that wasn't the case here. The curveballs that were thrown always contributed to the story and kept me reading. This book deserves a 5 star rating and is one I will be revisiting again.