BOOK REVIEW- My Favorite Cowboy (Heart of Texas Book #3) by Donna Grant

  
Audrey Martinez is a veterinarian who has devoted her whole life to the care and protection of horses—even if doing so leaves her little time for meeting a man. Who would have thought that a strange case of criminal horseplay would lead her to falling deeply, wildly in love? If only the man who makes her heart race faster than a wild mustang would let his guard down, that is. . .
Caleb Harper is no ordinary cowboy. Sure, he wears his hat, boots, and jeans like a second skin, and displays an easygoing charm that comes from years of working on the ranch. But with his military background, and Army buddies at his side, he is tried-and-true Texas tough. Audrey knows she can trust a man like Caleb to help her save horses. But can Caleb trust himself to resist his attraction to Audrey—or will the sparks of their desire end up getting them burned? AMAZON 4 STARS

 This was an intense mystery mixed with danger and a developing romance.  Ah, I love those.  Especially when they are well done. And this one was.  
Really good, flawed main characters. It was amazing to see after reading for a while they had something surprising in common.  Fear of committing to a love relationship.  They both had the method of basically one night and done.  They weren't out to hurt people but it was how they coped.  They each had their own reasons but they were powerful ones just the same. 
There was a good unit of secondary people in the story and I would like to read more of "Maddy's" story.  Maddy helped her sister Audrey a lot in the story but she has her own hurts that she is hiding.  Caleb also had a good group of people behind him too.  A sister, brother, in-laws and friends were all  there for him and he was there for them.



I had my suspicions on who the "bad guy" behind everything was.  And maybe even the why.  Nope.  Not even close.  And I had looked at several different possibilities after a while. Still, no.  The author did a good job of jerking me around to the who and why of the culprits. I was running all over the place trying to guess!



I liked that there is dual P.O.V.'s in the story.  The only flaw if you want to call it that, is a bit too much angst replayed over and over about Caleb's inability to trust women.  His inability to trust women doesn't keep him from having hot sex with Audrey though.   One good thing to my way of thinking is that it didn't happen right away.





“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- It's Getting Scot in Here (Wild Wicked Highlanders #1) by Suzanne Enoch

HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER
London socialite Amelia-Rose Baxter is nobody’s fool. Her parents may want her to catch a title, but she will never change who she is for the promise of marriage. Her husband will be a man who can appreciate her sharp mind as well as her body. A sophisticated man who loves life in London. A man who considers her his equal—and won’t try to tame her wild heart...
IN THE HIGHLANDS
Rough, rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers know the rules: the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate, period. But Niall’s eldest brother just isn’t interested in the lady his mother selected. Is it because Amelia-Rose is just too. . . Free-spirited? Yes. Brazen? Aye. Surely Niall can find a way to soften up the whip-smart lass and make her the perfect match for his brother for the sake of the family.
JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HOTTER.
Instead it’s Niall who tempts Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations about barbarian Highlanders. Niall finds the lass nigh irresistible as well, but he won’t make the mistake his father did in marrying an Englishwoman who doesn’t like the Highlands. Does he have what it takes to win her heart? There is only one way to find out...AMAZON  5 STARS


I enjoyed every last bit of it.  Amelia-Rose was so much more than she appeared.  Yes, she wanted to please her parents but also despaired of ever doing that.  Why?  Because the real person that she was had to always be stuffed down in order to be the prim miss that her mother (mainly) demanded.  Her mother was a overbearing, social climbing shrew.  Speaking of mothers, the MacTaggert's mother really stirred up a kettle of resentments and trouble as SHE tries to control her sons.  She wants to insert herself back into their lives and does it in the worst possible ways. But it's the only way to get them over a barrel and FORCE them to come to England.  Threaten their beloved Scottish family home by cutting off the finances needed to keep it up and running. Not a good start but she does has that power.
Charming Niall was just that..charming when he wanted to be.  He was also not only the youngest son but the peacekeeper of the group of sons. No, he wasn't a wimp by any means, he knew how to fight and often did. 
 I really enjoyed the often spunky conversations between Niall and Amelia-Rose.  With him she definitely let much of who she was shine through.  And a lot of it was funny too!
This is a story that I am going to keep and re-read at another time because I did enjoy it so much.  Half of the fun was watching some of the creative and funny ways that the brothers tried to thwart their mother. 
Now, I also want to read the remaining single brothers, Aden and Coll's stories.  I think Coll's story is going to be especially explosive.  Why?  Because he has one gigantic angry chip on his shoulder. 
I just remembered their sister,  Eloise.  Is her engagement as happy as it seems or is there more to that particular story?


 “I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Angel (Linear Tactical Romantic Suspense Standalone) by Janie Crouch

 Even angels have their demons

Jordan Reiss is well aware that if she was on fire the entire town of Oak Creek would probably go inside and make a sandwich. She can't blame them. Her father scammed half the town out of their retirement funds, and then she...

She did so much worse.

She doesn't expect forgiveness. But she's back in town with no other options and just wants to be left alone to live on the fierce Wyoming land she's missed so much during her six years in prison.

Former Navy SEAL Gabriel Collingwood's callsign may have been Angel, but he'll be anything but to protect his sister. Especially from a pretty ex-con who has somehow weaseled her way into a job at his sister's new bakery.

He doesn't trust Jordan, even with her big gray eyes and quiet smile.

But when someone decides its time for Jordan to leave Oak Creek--preferably in a body bag--Gabe will have to put his distrust aside. Jordan needs her own guardian angel. And he happens to be one.    AMAZON  5 STARS



Plenty of action going on in this one!  GREAT main characters and intense emotions too!
There is an interesting start to the story. And some intense interaction between Jordan and Gabriel, starting on Jordan's porch. Wasn't expecting that but it was good. 
But don't count out some of the secondary people in the story either. Jordan may not feel like she has any friends in the town but the people of Linear Tactical Unit and their girl friends definitely are in her corner.
 The town of Oak Creek has quite the hate on for Jordan and her father.  Since they can't get to her father, Jordan takes all of their heat.  And they do dish out quite a few problems for her.  She realizes that just seeing her makes them re-live what they have lost and they just want her gone.  She understands but she is so alone and it hurts.
The author did a good job of making you feel some of what she has had to deal with.  Jordan even thinks about it's been so long since anyone even gently touched her. 

There's a twist that I didn't see coming about 60% into the book.  I maybe should have but the author did a good job of keeping the tension up in the book.  Another reason I probably didn't see it coming was because there was so much other trouble going on.  Not confusing though which I appreciated.  

There is sexual heat in this story along with fairly detailed sex.  Just saying for people who want to know.


I really liked the nickname "Rainfall" that Gabriel gave Jordan and the sweet reasons behind it.  That also added more tender moments to the story too!



 I liked how the story ended and it had at least one or two smile-worthy surprises.  I definitely would like to read more of the books from this particular series.  I have read at least one other book from this author and really liked that one too.  It was also the reason I wanted to give this book a try.  This book knocked it out of the park for me.  I hope in the final copies the unique chapter icon is used.  It was pretty cool. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BOOK REVIEW- Holiday Affair: A Sexy New Adult Romantic Comedy (Margo & George Book 4) by Stephanie Queen

Melissa goes from riches to rags but will she find gold in a holiday affair?

The one thing Melissa never thought she would be was poor. Dirt-no-place-to-live-scraping-together-change-poor. But she would climb back--eventually. She was determined and proud after all.
Until she met a hunky Uber driver who was all wrong for her. Then she began to see things a little differently.
But in spite of her eye-opening holiday affair, would she turn down the opportunity to get together with the great-on-paper-guy-of-her-dreams?   AMAZON 4 STARS

This sexy new adult romantic comedy is meant for adults, new and otherwise, and is part of the Margo & George series set in the fabulous Big Apple, New York City.


A Fun Romp filled with emotion.
The opening pages of this book give you a pretty good view of how Melissa's life has been dumped into the dumpster.  And also that Pride just might be her middle name. Just let us count the ways that pride can bite her in the butt, right?
There isn't exactly an insta-love going on at first sight but Melissa is definitely in insta-attraction towards Lucas. Okay, maybe lust even.  Her life has been flipped upside down but meeting  no last name known Lucas,  flips it even further.  She's not her usual cold, unflappable business self but darn if Lucas doesn't understand her and see her for who she really is.   And he still likes her anyway.  To tell the truth, I liked her too even as complicated as she sometimes seems to be.
Melissa's P.O.V. is the main view in this book although we get to see Lucas through her eyes. 
Lucas is tender and understanding but direct with  her while keeping most of his secrets intact.  He might have his secrets but he still comes across as a juicy, interesting guy.  Should I have said, "Hunky" instead?  If a poll was taken by others who have seen him, he probably would have scored really high.  Speaking of scoring, Lucas and Melissa do steam up the sheets a time or too.  It makes me think of them as..."strangers, then friends, then lovers. "
An added plus for me was some of their conversations.  They made me smile.  But Melissa's inner thoughts made me smile even more.   Like, when she first met him and her "usual expression filter must be turned off" as her eyes widened.   I liked that visual.

Melissa does have some really good friends and family in her corner though.  Her friend Margo is one of her biggest supporters.  She can tell Margo anything and still feel the love.  Too bad, Melissa is so busy trying to prove herself and her worth by being a financial success. 
Melissa makes some mistakes towards the end of the book. But is all lost?  I don't think so.
I enjoyed this book and also plan on reading the next one "The Melissa Affair" to continue the adventure.  The nice thing is that you can stop right on the first book and be pretty happy with it or continue on.  You have that choice.



I received a copy of this book and chose to submit a review.

Book Review- The Iron Earl (Valor of Vinehill) by K.J. Jackson

A lady desperate to escape. A hot-tempered earl in the wrong place and wrong time. An escape that sends sparks flying and turns into an attraction that neither can deny.

A lady desperate to escape.
Miss Evalyn Swanson is desperate to escape her stepfather and his nefarious plan to hawk her off to his vicious business partner. With time running out, she spies salvation at a house party in Lincolnshire. Salvation in the form of one hulking, brooding Scotsman that is conveniently traveling north. North, where she can disappear for good.

A hot-tempered earl in the wrong place and wrong time.
With his sister just married to his bitter enemy, Lachlan Ruddington, Earl of Dunhaven is in no mood to entertain the whimsical notions of a chit straight from the ballroom. Even if she’s an enchanting sprite, he has no time for anything other than quick dabbles with the opposite sex. He has an estate to right. A senile grandfather to battle. And a few more enemies he needs to mete out justice to.

An escape not quite according to plan.
Try as he might, Lachlan discovers the draw of Evalyn undeniable—though he’ll deny it for as long as he can. Propriety demands it. His heart that he never thought to lose to an English lass demands it. The danger that lurks around her demands it. But if they can survive, they may just discover the truest love could be the love neither one of them ever anticipated.   AMAZON 4 STARS

Note: The novels in the Valor of Vinehill series by K.J. Jackson are each stand-alone stories and can be read individually in any order. These historical romances are set in the Regency and Victorian eras, and do not shy away from scenes with steamy heat, occasional naughty language, and moments that might possibly make you squirm. 

This book had quite the dramatic start.  As soon as I opened the first chapter it was like being thrown into danger right away.  And it sets the story up really well.
This book also has a lot of emotions going on for both of the M.C.'s.  Evalyn (Eva) has had quite the brutal upbringing.  The more the story goes on, the more brutal we learn it has been. And it also becomes pretty clear why she was running for her very life now.  After all, she really has TWO evil people chasing her. It felt pretty realistic when it came to her panic when she felt trapped.  So many times she had been without any way of escape.  
I liked the developing relationship between Eva and Lachlan.  Of course it happened at the worst possible time but that just made the story even better.  Lachlan is searching for justice that involves his family and his people. Another person who adds to the story is Lachlan's grandfather.  Most of the time it wasn't in positive ways.   In fact, he stirred up quite a bit of trouble trying to control his grandson. 



This is what I believe is a story for   +18 readers because there were at least a few scenes that are kind of rough in their re-telling. But at least there weren't a lot of those although I can say that the story was intense with a lot of action too. It had a good ending and a encouraging H.E.A. Epilogue.  Made me smile.

I received an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review.

BOOK REVIEW- Inkcaster (Library Gate book 4) by H. Duke

 

Save the world? Check.

Consort with magical creatures? Check.

Defeat an evil organization? Double-check.

April’s seen it all in her time as the Pagewalker—the guardian of a magic gate that allows you to step into the pages of any book.
Now she faces her greatest challenge yet:
Leaving the gate in the hands of her friends while she fulfills Gram’s dying wish and takes her on a dream vacation.
Simple, right?
As if things could ever be that easy…
When the group gets split up inside a book two days before she’s scheduled to leave, they create a monster the likes of which they’ve never seen before.
Great.
A villain, a storybook character, a homeless veteran, and one harried librarian...
Can April bring them together to defeat an unspeakable evil before she misses her flight?
AMAZON  4 STARS

Another really good book in the series.  I liked the Team that has developed in the library.  And Rex, the dog is a member of that team as well. 

The world building in these books are really great and this book is the same.  Although the monster that gets created is both surprising and even more powerful than expected.  
There is plenty of action in this book but there is also several unexpected surprises towards the end of the book.  Now, that I really enjoyed!


Once again I have to mention how much I like the eBook covers for this series.  They just pop and are easy to spot among a large choice of books.  I like that they are colorful as well without being garish.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

BOOK REVEIW- Ranger's Protection The SEAL & Veteran Series, Book 3 by Leslie North

Description

Viktoria Jonsdottir is none too pleased with the personal bodyguard her father has insisted on hiring to keep her safe. Safe from what, she has no idea, but she’s convinced having this brooding man hovering over her is completely unnecessary. All she wants to do is get to New York where her father is conducting high level meetings for their corporation—meetings she arranged, to prove her value to the company. Sure, Lee MacCallister is sexy as hell and his eyes would make an ordinary woman swoon. But Viktoria is no ordinary woman. She’s not going to fall for Lee, even if he does make her feel things she’s never felt before. Like this strange new emotion that just might be…happiness.
It’s a simple enough assignment for the former Army Ranger—protect some rich, spoiled woman for a few days then pick up the check. Only thing is, Viktoria isn’t like any woman he’s ever met. She’s tough, smart, and has a body that’s more than a little distracting. He can keep it professional, even though she’s beyond tempting as sin. But when things get dicey and Victoria’s enemies prove to be far more dangerous than Lee anticipated, he realizes Viktoria has become more than an assignment—she’s become personal. And that could be the most dangerous thing of all.
AMAZON  4 STARS

I liked that both of the main characters are strong people. They come from two different cultures but the attraction is still strong. It made me grin that Viktoria dubbed Lee,"The Heathen" when she first met him. No, she didn't call him that to his face but it was in her inner thoughts. Of course there was more than one time when she kind of acted like a snob around him too.  Can't say that I liked that too much.  But it really wasn't the real person that she was.  It was a fake version of herself.  But it will cause problems of course.

I really liked the charming thing that Viktoria's father told her long ago.  He warned her that when she met her perfect match, he would be able to stand up to her without tearing her down.  He would appreciate her fire and spirit.  He also said she that  when she met that man, she would know.  He also advised her when she did, be courageous and grab hold with both hands.  All really good advice that does come in handy.

There were two people that I suspected of not being on Team Viktoria and it does get confirmed in the story.  But that doesn't mean that there isn't a twisted surprise included.  Because I didn't see that one coming.  It all made the story  even better.
I also appreciated the Epilogue because that is almost a must for me.   When possible, I want to see one. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BOOK REVIEW- Found (The Folk Trilogy Book 3) by Meg Benjamin

 

     Some think she’s a monster. He thinks she’s the love of his life. 

After she sent several men to the hospital, Dame Blanche Eva Winchester is learning to control her power. But she’s also bored to tears. Enter Prince Bertie, who offers her the chance to go undercover as a waitress in order to find out who’s attacking men in the parking lots of Folk-owned clubs.

Bertie’s motives aren’t entirely innocent—he’s smitten by the lethal lady’s charms. But he and Eva discover the attacks are part of a more wide-ranging conspiracy, involving the very survival of the Folk.
As their investigations bring Bertie and Eva closer, Eva finds the downside of dating a prince, even one as yummy as Bertie. But when the prince is attacked, Eva swears to protect him. To overcome a ruthless enemy, the two must stage a last-ditch battle in the blizzard-ridden mountains. And this time they’ll need more than love and super strength to survive. AMAZON 5 STARS

The characters in this book were outstanding.  And the world building was off the charts good!
"Ad hoc", now that is a word I had heard of vaguely before but when I ran into it in this story I just had to look it up. Fortunately I didn't have to look up any other words but I guess I did learn a thing or two.

His Perfect Highness... That is the title that Eva calls him in her head.  And Bertie moans the fact that whenever he is around her he becomes kind of stuffy.  That's not who he is.  He also has had quite the reputation for having been a smooth guy around women.  So he can't figure out what in the world is going on around Eva.  The attraction between them is strong and I liked both of them.  I wanted to see how they were going to work everything out. It was fun to watch the two of them try to figure all of that out. 
There was plenty of action, mystery and plots going on. The dangers were real. I also enjoyed the secondary people in the story.



I really liked the cover for this eBook and it's what originally caught my attention.  It caused me to stop and read the book blurb.  And that was that, I wanted to read it.

I didn't realize at first that this was Book 3 in a Trilogy.  Oops.   The good news is that fact didn't seem to make it hard for me to keep up at all. I was able to just jump right in.   Whew.  I was a bit concerned about that.




 “I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Chain Reaction (Security Breach Book 1) by Rebecca York

Description

Gage Darnell never should have taken the job of security chief at Cranesbrook defense contractor. And when he rushes into the lab after a secret project goes up in smoke, he's exposed to vapors that leaves him with a strange new power. But that's only the beginning of his problems. He wakes up confined to a mental hospital; and after he breaks out, he's framed for murder. His only way to escape from the cops is to "kidnap" his wife, Lily, who thinks he's crazed and dangerous. Will she trust him enough to come back to their marriage bed, and then help clear his name and save both their lives?
AMAZON  5 STARS

What a great story.  For me, it just flew by.  The danger and intrigue never really let up. It was really intense.  Put that together with two really good main characters and the story really takes off.  The paranormal element was a surprising one and I really liked the originality of it.

In the beginning even Gage's wife, Lily isn't so  sure whether or not he is innocent of all charges.  She is definitely torn because so much is being stacked against him and she can't even get in to see him.  That arrogant Dr. Morton made me want to slap him around.  I couldn't decide for the longest time if he was knee deep in everything or if was just a nasty fellow.  Time will tell.  I will say that I really wanted him to be the main bad guy. Of course he wasn't the only smarmy guy in the set-up.  
 Randall "Rand" McClellan and Richard Francis were two Maryland State Police detectives.  And they were smart, not the bumbling, accept anything at first glance kind of guys.  I really liked that and I liked their partnership.  Although it caused Gage a whole lot more problems as he tried to dig out the truth himself.  He not only had to escape the
people from Cranesbrook, and now these clever detectives. Things kept getting even worse  now that the general public is on the look out for them.
Brayden Sloane?  He is Gage's best friend and co-owner of the security company but where is he?   He's just disappeared.  It leaves Gage worried on so many levels.  Well, that question won't be answered in this book. There is a H.E.A. for this couple but with adventures for a few other people.  And from what I can see all questions will be answered in Book #3.
My last word on this book is that I really liked this author Rebecca York.  I was surprised to read the information that said Ruth Glick was writing this as Rebecca York.

Critical Exposure by Ann Voss Peterson is Book #2 in the Security Breach series.  Book #3 is Triggered Response by Patricia Rosemoor.

 “I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

BOOK REVIEW- Shattered Vows (Crimson Point Series Book 3) by Kaylea Cross

Description

She’s his best friend’s widow.
Molly Boyd’s entire world unraveled when tragedy turned the man she loved into her greatest threat. Her ex-husband’s death has left her pregnant and alone, struggling to put her shattered life back together—and her confusing feelings for his best friend aren’t helping matters. For years Jase has been a solid, steady source of comfort and friendship. Now she can’t stop seeing him as something more. And just as she’s wrestling with her shifting feelings, a new danger from her ex’s past threatens everything—including her and her unborn child’s lives.
But she’s always been the one.
Jase Weaver is an expert at unrequited love. Years ago he stood by and watched his best friend marry the woman of his dreams, and he’s endured his suffering in silence ever since. But when Carter’s self-destructive tailspin threatened Molly, Jase stepped in to make her safe. And when Carter died, Jase stepped up to be her rock. Now he can’t stay silent any longer. He’s wanted Molly forever and it’s time she knows it. So when a new threat against her emerges, Jase will put his own life on the line to protect her, no matter the cost.  AMAZON     5 STARS

Molly was in danger from the very first opening of Chapter One.  What surprised me was where the immediate danger was coming from.  What a great way to start a book.  And the emotional intensity continued because let's face it, Jase had an unrequited love for Molly, for years.  Add to that,the physical danger starts to ramp up and it comes from a place that Molly would never have suspected. But that danger is absolutely real and potentially vicious.  Because this person
 (a.k.a. John) is extremely violent and we see example after example of what he does to people who cross him.  *Shiver*
Molly is a really good main character and has a good cast of people who love and support her.  Included in that group is her BFF's, Sierra & Poppy.  There is also some good men in her group of friends that both Molly and Jase share.  Men who were fellow military brothers who share a really tight bond. 

Jase makes for the perfect book boyfriend.  He's sweet, protective and loyal to his friends.  And he has some mad skills; some from the military, some in accounting, some in restoring a special car.  That isn't even touching on his skill and care as a lover.  Yes, there will be some steamy scenes in this book.  He is so unbelievably tender with people.  Well, at least those who aren't trying to hurt Molly that is.  It didn't take long before I was definitely Team Jase being with Molly.   I just wondered how they were going to get there and how much pain it was going to take. 
Some cute, funny scenes were added by a little girl named Ella and her passionate love of animals.  Walker is one of her neighbors dragging sad faced waddling dog.  Ella is totally in love with him and spends all of the time that she can with him.  Ella's single mother, Tiana is fiercely protective of her daughter and she has some good reasons to feel that way.  Aiden who also likes to be called Mac shows up in the story as he meets Ella with Walker and is charmed by her.  He also butts heads with Tiana who instantly becomes a fierce Mama Bear when she spots them together.  I do want to read that story also because the times that Aiden did show up in the story he did make me smile with his Scottish brogue and teasing ways.  The Excerpt for that book looked pretty good too (Rocky Ground, Crimson Point Series). 

I enjoyed the fact that there was a good Epilogue included.  I also just have to say that I enjoyed the authors writing style.  I will definitely be looking out for other books by this author in the future. 
One other thing I wanted to mention may sound a little shallow but I didn't really care for the choice of the eBook cover.  The muscles definitely fit with the described body of Jase but the rest just didn't seem to fit that well.  This guy looks a lot older than I thought Jase was supposed to me and to be honest I didn't think he was all that great looking.  Ouch, sorry about that but that's one person's opinion I guess.  Still, I don't regret for one minute reading this book.


 “I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
 

BOOK REVIEW- The SEAL's Accidental Family (The SEAL & Veteran Series, Book 2) by Leslie North

  All her life, Rachel Winchester has fought against the idea that she was nothing but white trash destined for Loserville. Now, it seems all that fighting was for nothing. Sure, she’s running a successful B&B and, yes, she finally had her way with a man she’s crushed on for forever—Harris McCallister, the guy she’s flirted with for years; the guy she’s thought about and pined for. She’s finally feeling good about the future when—bam—she gets pregnant. True or not, in her world, nothing says white trash more than an unmarried pregnant woman. Worse, her “loving” mother is threatening her over the B&B and the property it sits on, all because of a silly legend about a pirate’s buried treasure.

Harris doesn’t know what it is about Rachel, but he’s always been drawn to her. With her brightly dyed hair and sexy-as-hell tattooed body, she’s impossible to ignore—and drives him crazy in all the best ways. Finding out she’s carrying his baby has him thinking things he’s never thought before. Thoughts he brutally pushes away. Returning to active duty as a Marine Raider is what he wants, not settling down and playing house. He’ll stick around just long enough to make sure Rachel and the baby-to-be are safe from increasingly disturbing attacks they both believe has to do with an old legend about a pirate’s buried treasure. The longer he stays, though, the tougher returning to duty is becoming. But when the time comes to head back to the Marines, he has to make the toughest decision of his life—duty to his country, or life with the woman he loves.  AMAZON 5 STARS

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this story.  The main characters were each so well drawn with their personalities and personal challenges.  It didn't take me long to really like them and want to see them win.  Together.  I liked that this book not only had the great main characters but there was plenty of emotions, romance, mysteries and some dangerous actions going on. I think this book is now going onto one of my favorites by this author.
Rachel has had to be tough growing up the way she has but she still has a huge, caring heart. The way she grew up just added to her insecurities and misunderstandings between the M.C.'s.  But it also added to some hot make-up sex. 
Like Harris points out to her, Rachel shows a lot of love and caring in the way she treats people around her.  Especially the people who come to her B&B.   Now, her "loving" mother was quite the disaster.  She just keeps adding to Rachel's problems.  And her mother isn't all that smart when it comes to picking boyfriends.  You'll have to read the book to find out if she has any redeeming qualities at all though.


It's shown over and over what a great guy Harris is, even though he isn't always understood by Rachel.  She was used to having to do everything herself without any help.  She failed to recognize that the love language that Harris had was..acts of service.  Of course, working on stuff was about the only time he and his dad had together too.  I really appreciated the unusual quirk/skill that Harris had.  It was like the land spoke to him.  It was explained that it was like the land called to him.  It was something that aided him and his team in the military and does so again at home.  
I LOVED how creative Rachel was when she does the gender reveal to Harris.  It was unique, charming and fun.


There is a good H.E.A. for the couple in the Epilogue and and leads into one of Harris's brothers needing his help. A bit of that adventure was seen in an excerpt of, "SEAL'S Home-coming."  Sounds interesting and it looks like its out now.  

 “I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

The CEO's Valentine: A Billionaire Romance (Players Book 4) by Stella Marie Alden

       
...she's off limits, annoying, and completely irresistible.

































Grayson
I arrive in New York to do one last solid for my dying father and that cheeky programmer could ruin everything. If her allegations are true, his company can't go public. I need to get to the bottom of this and fast. Trouble is, it's a lot harder than I thought because after one look, I want a lot more than I should.

Isabella
It's not fair that I work harder than any man and get squat. Then, when I complain to some new guy in human resources, he gets pissed off. So, my mouth runs off about getting a lawyer. That's why I'm so surprised when he offers me a sweet assignment involving an overnight. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Until I find out he's the boss's son.  AMAZON 4 STARS

Note: This novella has it's own HEA but there's more to come. Beware of steamy scenes, cursing, and a plot guaranteed to make your pulse race.


I liked the story and it was a quick read.  Good main characters and some interesting undercurrents.  Both in the place of business and between Grayson and Isabella.  
Izzy is beyond direct when it comes to making statements and I can see where it got her into trouble but I liked her anyway.
Grayson starts things on the wrong foot with Isabella by lying about who he is at first.  It may be the first wrong move but it won't be the last as misunderstandings kept cropping up.   But also feel bad for Grayson because, like wow he had one nasty father.  He may  be dying but he still knows how to use his words to sting. 
I liked how the danger was woven into the story and I had my eye on who I thought was behind it.  But the motive was eluding me and I wasn't 100% sure I was right about who it was.  After all, it could have been someone not yet revealed.  
There were some interesting twists towards the end with a HFN ending.  Grayson and Isabella do have some steamy scenes together but it seems they need to stay on guard because the villain does get revealed but also gets away.  That part I wasn't so happy with.  It looks like their story continues in Book 5, "The CEO's Lucky Charm."
 

BOOK REVIEW- SEALed With Love (DiCarlo Brides book 2) by Heather Tullis

He’s there to protect her from harm, but who is going to protect her heart?

Sage is tired of jumping at shadows thanks to the stalker that keeps sending her creepy letters. When the father who had never publically acknowledgemed her offers her a job at his new hotel in Juniper Ridge, CO, the move sounds like the relief she's been looking for despite the bodyguard her father hired to protect her. Now if she could only convince Joel that she's more than just a client.

Joel Watts was lost after an injury made him retire early from the Navy SEALs. But being hired to be Sage's bodyguard has brought new light and life to his existence. When the stalker follows them to Colorado, he's afraid that giving into his feelings will put Sage at risk. Though he'd rather take her and disappear where he can keep her safe, he realizes this new town and her sisters have become her world, so he has to figure out how to protect her and all of them, before the stalker kills someone.
AMAZON  4 stars

This story had good main characters, plenty of action and mystery and emotions. 
The other half sisters added to the story as they tried to come to terms with their emotions about their father and some of his dishonesty about all of the six sisters.  He might have been good to them individually but he sure kept a whopper of a secret from them all.  The way the truth was revealed to them after his death was kind of cruel and cowardly.  And even from the grave he was trying to pull strings with them.  All for their own good of course. I didn't like that but he was bringing them together hoping they would  become real sisters.   And he was forcing them to use their skills in ways that caused the to step it up a level.  
It helps that Sage had her brother there with her as well.  Her father cared for him as well and made sure he was taken care of too. 
Joel was quite the good protector when it came to Sage but he also was a good protector of what he was really feeling about her personally.  But he can't hold out forever.  He really was a good guy and had gone through so much.  I liked that we slowly got to know him.  We actually knew more about Sage in the beginning.  It didn't take long for me to be rooting for him.  Not only was he a good guy but because he has lived without someone to care and love him for a very long time.
Sage was pretty direct and she also was sensitive and caring.   Sage also had some other skills that she tried to hide because most people didn't understand it.  They just thought she was a quirky hippy because of her upbringing. 
The story ended with a couple of surprises, a twist and danger before getting to the H.E.A.

BOOK REVIEW- Runaway Colton (The Coltons of Texas Book 11) by Karen Whiddon

  In the newest Coltons of Texas romance, a woman framed for a heinous crime falls for the man who must bring her safely home



Wrongfully accused of masterminding her adoptive father’s disappearance, Piper Colton needs answers. So she leaves the family ranch behind to embark on a dangerous mission…but she’s not alone for long. Her brother enlists the help of Cord Maxwell—a local bounty hunter—to ensure his sister’s safe return. But Cord has an agenda of his own, and it’s not just to avoid falling for the Colton beauty! He promises to help her in exchange if she’ll help him track down his runaway niece—and stay with him. It’s an offer she cannot resist and a powerful attraction she cannot deny…
AMAZON  4 Stars
GOODREADS VERSION  9781488005206

Piper and Cord were both really good main characters and I enjoyed getting to know them.
Their story was pretty good and the author did a pretty good job of making the reader think I know who the guilty party is. Piper's brother Fowler was right on the top of my list but that is probably because he was so unlikable and pushy.  Keep reading though, because there is more than one twist and you're probably going to get it wrong.

The story line about Cord's niece Renee added to the story as well. And let's not forget Cord's "ugly" dog,  Truman.  Well, at least other people thought he was ugly but not Cord or Piper. 

Although there is a H.E.A. for the main characters, I have to say that I was unsatisfied that there was no answers about  Eldridge Colton. It was charming story but also felt like you were left hanging on some issues.   Is her adopted father alive or not? What happened to him?  If he's dead who killed him?  Yes, those kind of questions. I didn't realize until later that there were multiple authors involved in this series.  I might not have been so quick to grab this book had I known.   Not so sure that I'm a fan of that.

BOOK REVIEW- The Cowboy's Stubborn Sweetheart (Brothers of Cooper Ranch #3) by Leslie North

 

Julianna Norrell’s dream of leaving Montana for big city life in NYC was wonderful—until it all went bust. She’d tempted fate by getting a fine arts degree in photography, and believing one brilliant show would make her career take off. But three years later she’s a borderline starving artist, making a living off of stock art photography. Plus, she's just been on the wrong side of a copyright infringement case and no gallery in New York will touch her. Se when her mother seriously breaks her leg at the same time Julianna gives up her lease, it seems fate is pulling her back to where she started: Cooper Ranch.

Wright Cooper has come home to lick his wounds. After being a major fundraiser in a failed political run, most of America has started to hate his guts, and Wright himself is beginning to wonder when he’d stopped vetting his politician’s ideas and simply started funding them. Now, he’s home to dust off his boots and find himself again in the beautiful land that had made him want to enact change for his country in the first place.

When the two childhood sweethearts suddenly find themselves living under the same roof, they’ll need to decide if they’re coming home for good, or simply stopping over before losing each other once again.  AMAZON 4 STARS

This was a charming story but I also have to say that it didn't quite grab me as much as I had hoped.  And that really hurts to say because I have read other books by this author and liked them.  I really had a hard time coming up with a rating for this book.  I waffled between 3.5 and 4 Stars on this book for Amazon.  I finally decided on 4 stars because I did like it but with some reservations. 

On the plus side I have to say that both of the M.C.'s had strong personalities and strong focus on what they wanted, career-wise.  It was great to read how far back their relationship went before everything went south.

It was a nice touch about how sexy Wright was with his wearing glasses.  You don't always see that in a story and I liked the uniqueness of it.  There were times when Julianna noticed how his awkwardness was unbearably  sweet  especially when he was so often alpha aggressive in his lovemaking. 

I really liked that Julianna really put her finger on the truth for Wright.  When she said that the political field that he was so interested in backing was just using him for his money.  She just couldn't get him to see it and that he could help his beloved Montana in other ways, that flew right over his head for quite a while.  

I did like the ending and there is a H.E.A. 

I voluntarily read an ARC via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

BOOK REVIEW- Messing with Mac (South Village Singles #3) by Jill Shavis

Part 3 of the South Village Singles series

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis brings readers book three in the sassy, sexy and fun South Village Singles series where four friends make a vow of singlehood in a hip, vibrant yet quaint suburb of Los Angeles. VOWING TO BE SINGLE IS EASY… Taylor Wellington doesn't do relationships. She learned a long time ago that they were a recipe for heartache. However, she does do flings-steamy affairs that burn hot…and brief. And her sexy new contractor, Thomas "Mac" Mackenzie, has her thinking about burning up some sheets. Problem is, now that she's got him right where she wants him, she can't seem to stop playing with fire. UNTIL THIS SEXY BACHELOR COMES ALONG! At the start, Mac is in perfect agreement with Taylor- they'll keep things hot and light, then walk away when they're done. But for reasons he can't explain he doesn't want to end this affair. In fact, he wants more. So now he'll just have to use some seductive persuasion to convince her that this is too good to let go… AMAZON 4 STARS

Taylor finally gets her story.  I liked it but I can also say that I probably liked the other "girls" stories a bit more.  But maybe that is not fair because there was a lot of emotional baggage being carried by both M.C.'s.  And it was some pretty serious stuff. 

It was good to see the two former roommates and friends of Taylor's again.  They already found their "this is it" loves and are so hoping Taylor finds hers. 

Lisa, who is a sister to Taylor briefly shows up in the story but that doesn't really go anywhere in the story.  Other than maybe show the difference between Mac's family and Taylor's.  I have to say  Taylor's mom was pretty cold, unfeeling and ruthless in getting what she wanted.  I was hoping Taylor would give her the heave ho when she called asking for a favor.  A family photo opp for political reasons?  Really?  She should have told her to take a hike.   There were no fuzzy close family feelings in that family.  Not that Taylor was happy about that. 

I liked how the story ended and the 1 Year Later Epilogue really did put the finishing touch on things.

Glory Road TV Interview

Glory Road TV Interview

 

BOOK REVIEW- The Bravo Billionaire (Book 8) by Christine Rimmer

                   

 THE MAN WHO HAD EVERYTHING- If ever there was a living embodiment of all that money could buy, Jonas Bravo was it. But the gleaming facade hid a legacy of loss. For though Jonas had been to the manor born, the kidnapping of his baby brother had yanked the rug out from under him - and taught him always to keep his heart padlocked. Until two females produced the key... One: baby Mandy, Jonas's adoptive sister, whose custody he was determined to get. And two: Emma Hewitt, her lovely guardian. Clearly the two were a package deal, and clearly Emma was daring the Bravo billionaire not only to hope but to dream - of getting back everything he'd lost that long-ago winter night... and thought he would never see again.

AMAZON 3.5 STARS

I will say that I have mixed feelings about this book.  
The deal that Jonas's mother came up with in her will was kind of unlikely but did add a lot of emotional challenges for both Jonas and Emma.  I've also got to say that I wasn't sure I was ever going to like Jonas because he was kind of unlikable at first.  Bossy, arrogant, "everything is going to be my way" kind of guy.   It took a long time for me to even warm up to this guy. In fact, Emma didn't even like him at first either.   But he did manage to call the shots with Emma, when he discover they were both attracted to each other.    She gave and he took and took.  Well, until she decided things needed to change.  She came up with some creative things to help that along.  Besides, she had a promise to keep with her dead friend, Blythe.  In order for that to happen, she needed to get a stiffer backbone.  Before she gets that backbone though, the story kind of slowed down for a while for me at least.
Emma was a whole different kind of person from Jonas.  It was easy to like her and the moments that we see that she had shared with Jonas's mom. She had a wide open heart, but was also a pretty successful businesswoman.  The little girl's future that was being decided was called, "Mandy."   She of course added moments of cuteness.  The only thing I found odd about her was her language.  For the most part she spoke about how you would imagine a two year old would.  BUT, there were several different times that I thought here language skills were a bit off.  She spoke like someone older than two.  I found that a little off balance.  
So why did I give it 3.5 Stars on Amazon?  Because of the depth of the twists, turns and surprises as Jonas and Emma start trying to unravel a deep mystery. I felt that I knew that Russell, the missing Bravo baby was alive and who it might be.  Wrong. That was one of the twists I was talking about.  And I liked that the author was able to fool me.
I also liked how the story ended. 

BOOK REVIEW- About That Kiss ( A Heartbreaker Bay Novel #5 ) by Jill Shalvis

When love drives you crazy . . .


























 
When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

… is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.  AMAZON 5 STARS

This has to be one of my favorites by this author. I had a hard time putting it down.  I like this series to begin with but this one just hits so many of the high notes.  Strong characters, Kylie has a mystery to solve and there are strong and interesting secondary people in the story.  Let's not forget Kylie's highly unusual rescue pet, Vinnie.  He definitely brought his own brand of humor into the picture.  I liked how Kylie thought of her being HIS emotional support instead of the usual other way around.
As usual the author didn't let me down when it came to humorous ways of putting things. Guaranteed to bring a smile to my face time and again.  Like when Kylie told Joe that it would be a more satisfying conversation if he used more than one word at a time.

Kylie's friend Sadie also made me laugh with her witty sarcasms.  At least one time she encouraged the gals to eat up the muffins without guilt.  Because come on, more you weight the harder you are to get kidnapped.   

There is plenty of family drama in both of the M.C.'s past that keep bleeding into their present.  So not only are they trying to deal with that but the responsibilities in their "now". 

There is some twists waiting in the story that brings things to a dramatic end.  The Epilogue helps rope in the H.E.A. that we have been waiting for.
At the end of this book is also a quick peek into "Hot Winter Nights."  It is another in this series but now it's Molly and Lucas time to fight their attraction and go on their own adventure.

BOOK REVIEW- Tarjan ( Star-Crossed Alien Mail Order Brides (Intergalactic Dating Agency) by Susan Hayes

What do you do when your planet runs out of women? Send for takeout, of course. Tarjen never expected to go to Earth again. The first time, he was there to protect Crown Prince Joran as he claimed his mate and returned her to Pyros. This time, Tarjen is on his way to claim a mate of his own. He’s studied human courtship behaviour, memorized his match’s file from the Star-Crossed Dating database, and prepared himself for the moment he’ll meet his mate. He’s planned everything perfectly so that nothing can go wrong. Not like the last time they were here… This book contains a single mother who doesn’t believe in happy endings and a royal bodyguard who does everything by the book – until the universe blows up the book, his plans, and part of a city block.
AMAZON  4 STARS

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun. A fast reading story with good main characters and a "game" of catch up for Tarjen's new "bride", Aria.  Of course with two different species, misunderstandings are sure to abound and they do.  But there is also a charm to their adventure as well as a bit of danger as well.  And some mysteries that the aliens have held back.  All made for a pretty decent story, even better than I expected.  Not super deep but not just an excuse to write alien sex scenes. 
I liked that Aria's sister Piper and Aria's friend, Haley were on the edges of the story.  But do get drawn in deeper and will get their own "adventures" as well in other books.  

Pastor's Need your Prayers

BOOK REVIEW- Lucky by Stella Marie Alden

 ...pure, unadulterated trouble.

"I-I can't."
"Why not?"
"This is the real me, Lucky, from down un-dah."
"You stopped kissing me because you're Australian?"
"Oi. Don't look at me like that. I'm doin' both of us a fav-ah."

Lucky
Trouble starts with a blue-eyed stare that hits below the belt. You might think it ends with a girl-next-door but you'd be wrong. Bloody hell, she's all woman and you'd swear she was about to do you. Not only that, she's a bloomin' genius.

Callie
While my bodyguard works, I flirt all night and play with fire. When the party's over, we're ready for more but fate has other plans. First there's the snowstorm, then the break-ins. Did I mention the arms dealer?

A Stand-alone Patten Securities novel with heated scenes, swearing, and a Happily-Ever-After.

AMAZON  4 STARS

First off, how hot is that eBook cover?  

Now to get to the nitty gritty...Callie, now that woman really is a genius.  But street smarts when it comes to interacting with people, not so much.  She's so focused on her brain child thesis that is all she sees for the most part.  People and their motives are still kind of a puzzle to her at times.  She's got tricked and hurt more than once in her past by trusting people.   And her mother?  Would someone please get her a muzzle?  She is one manipulative, pushy woman with lots of money to get her way.  I don't think she had one nice word to say to her daughter.  If the author wanted me to hate her, good work because I did.  I kept hoping she had some redeeming character but you'll have to read it to find out if she did. 
Lucky is quite the interesting fella.  His boss introduced him to Callie's mother as Sir James.  And it took a while to see if it had any merit or was just a gag.  The truth does come out about that.  He could be charming, direct and knew what he wanted.  Even knew that he wanted Callie early on even feeling she was so out of his league. But he did have confidence on his side and loyalty.  You could see the loyalty also when he didn't want to mess up his duty to protect Callie by sleeping with her.  If he was off duty then you were looking at a whole different situation.  He tried to draw an honest line.  I liked that he was trying to be honorable with his boss Grayson, at Patten Securities.
I said that the eBook cover was hot but so was some of the romance between the two M.C.'s.  And some of the language might make you blush too.  But the book blurb did warn you. 
Plenty of surprising action happens as the tension about Callie's work amps up.  There is a few twists I didn't see coming and I liked how the story ended.  It also had a nice Epilogue which is always a plus in my book.  

  I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book and these are my honest thoughts about it.

NLCC

BOOK REVIEW- don't tempt me -A Novel (Hqn) by Lori Foster

Love comes along when it's least wanted 

Jason Guthrie has no time for entanglements—between helping out his widowed brother and teenage nephew and getting his hometown back on its feet, his days are spoken for. But his nights are another story… And when his lovely new neighbor, Honor Brown, reluctantly accepts his help in remodeling her house, Jason finds himself wishing his handyman skills could knock down the defenses she keeps building around herself.

Martial arts teacher Sullivan Dean knows real danger when he sees it—even when it takes the form of the gorgeous blonde helping her friend move in across the street. After putting his wayward past behind him to focus on teaching control to troubled kids, Sullivan has learned to avoid party girls like Lexie Perkins. But Sullivan can't seem to keep his hands off the real woman behind that flirty charm—or keep his heart from landing at her feet…AMAZON  4 STARS

I liked this story and it's unusual elements.  Honor being the first and foremost unusual one.  The story of her life starts to unfold slowly but I didn't hate that.  Sometimes in other stories I might not like that so much.  But in this one I felt like I was following breadcrumbs that the author was leading me with.  And it was done in a a way that made me want to know where those breadcrumbs led to.
The balancing act relationship between Honor and Lexi was interesting and sweet.  What a great friend Lexi has been.  Even though like she said, she's had to kind of bulldoze her way into a friendship with Honor. 
Jason is intensely drawn to Honor from the very first meeting.  His gaze was so intensely attached to her that it made her kind of uncomfortable at first.  And why not? Most of her life she's liked NOT being the center of much attention.  Jason was a great guy though and found himself not only attracted to honor but also feeling protective too. He admired her independence but also saw her vulnerabilities too.
Jason comes with great family (brother Hogan & nephew Colt in particular) and friends.  Honor not so much of either.  Lexi is the only friend she has let in and they have known each other a long time. Honor's family? Jeez, you'll have to read it to get how nasty they can be.
The Lexi and Sullivan romance as a more secondary part of the story but they did bring up the heat level.   All Sullivan saw at first was the party girl image that Lexi projected.  But she has that other part of a really caring person that he finally begins to really see.   
This book had a great family community feel to it although of course there will be sex in more than one couple's story. 
The story had a good ending and a good beginning for a new life for both couples.  I enjoyed that too.