Feeling Oppressed? It May be an Intercessory Prayer Burden - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

Feeling Oppressed? It May be an Intercessory Prayer Burden - Jennifer LeClaire Ministries

   

Shania Twain - Life's About To Get Good

BOOK REVIEW- NO PLACE LIKE YOU by Emma Douglas

Home—in the island village of Cloud Bay—is where the heart is. . .

Leah Santelli always knew that Zach Harper, son of a rock legend and her best friend’s brother, was painfully out of reach. Then, on the night of her eighteenth birthday, Leah shocked herself by asking for—and receiving—the gift she wanted: one night of passion with Zach before he left town to pursue his rock star dreams. Now, years later, Zach is back in Cloud Bay to record his first solo album. His return could also be Leah’s big chance to step up her own music career. But getting the producing credit she needs means spending long hours with Zach in the recording studio…and falling back into the habit of longing for him, for better or worse.

Zach used to believe that a man must put his past behind him. But coming back home for Cloud Bay’s famed music festival has allowed him to finally make amends with his family and, much to his surprise, reunite with Leah. He might have left her once but now it seems he can’t stay away. Trouble is, even though the heat between them burns hotter than ever, Leah has old wounds in need of healing before she can give Zach a real chance. Can he find a way to convince her that they can make more than just great music together—and that she’s the one that he wants for all time?   AMAZON 3.5 STARS

I have to say that the story does kind of start off slow.  I know it does take time to develop the characters and set up the story and it does do that.   But for quite a while it seems set at a slower pace.  I guess that is some of the reason for my giving it a lower rating.  It just didn't draw me in as much as I would have liked.
The emotions of the main characters are pretty well felt as the story goes on.  That slower feel to the story does ramp up as the story goes into the last few chapters.  Things start happening and there is a surprise twist at the end.   Another secret from the rock star legend Grey's past that is mentioned in the book.  There was speculation from the three "kids" about what that secret was....and then..bam, there was the answer.  It will have to be continued in another book but it did make for a good ending. 

But I get ahead of myself here.  Zach, Faith and Mina are the rock legends "kids".  And they have stuck together having each others backs for years.  Well, until Zach did a really selfish move and made himself scarce.  Now he's going to have to do some groveling to get that sense of family back.  

Here are some of the parts that I did like.  One of them is the dual P.O.V.'s from the main characters.  And some of the conversations between Zach and Leah were downright funny when they weren't awkward of even painful. It was interesting that you could feel the awkwardness before they even began to say that it was there.  Leah was a meet things head on kind of woman, going after what she wants.  I liked how Zach mentions that he sees her as someone who is laughter, movement, guts and brilliance.  What a great way to put it.  
Leah saw Zach as too talented and too hot for his own good; that he was born to prowl and born to leave.   But that didn't stop the two of them from acting like two magnets continually being drawn together. 

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and this is my honest opinion of it.

BOOK REVIEW- LOVE SO HOT (The Lawson Brothers) by Marquita Valentine

Bank Teller and all around good girl, Sydney McKnight, is tired of being the girl all the guys want to have as a friend. Who better to help unleash her inner vixen than her best friend and secret crush, Brody Lawson? Only, Sydney has no idea how to ask him, without their friendship going up in flames, until that is, the town of Jessamine's annual Firemen's Auction gives her the perfect excuse to set her plan into motion.

Fire Captain Brody Lawson has been in love with his best friend, Sydney, for years, but he would never risk their friendship by confessing his feelings to her. So, when Sydney beats out the competition to buy his time at the annual Firemen's Auction, Brody can hardly believe his luck until she asks him to teach her how to seduce a fellow fireman.

Now, it’s up to Brody to show Sydney how perfect she already is and convince her that the only man for her is him, because if Sydney is going to seduce any man, it’s going to be him. And once he has her in his bed, he’s not letting her go.  AMAZON 4 STARS

This was a fun story.   With two attractive people who have known each other for so many years.  But they are also afraid to try to take it to the next level.  Oh, I get it but geez, what a blockhead Brody could be.  Of course it helped make the story.  
The McCoy sisters end up becoming close friends to Sydney because they wanted to help true love.  The names of these women though, they are different.  Who names their children, Apple, Lemon, Cherry; altogether in a group?  Still they were really good supporting characters and I do mean characters. 
The sense of family and community was good and strong in the story. And it was surprising when you find out in the end how many people were rooting for Brody and Sydney to get together!  That is not the only surprise that comes out either.

We get a quick peek into the story about Lucas Lawson and that sounds interesting too.  Love is True is the name of that book.
Can I just say..what the heck is going on with Lemon and Tristan?  

They must  have their own story.   I looked and yes they do.  "Love So Tempting".   Looks like things are going to be stirred up even more in  Jessamine, North Carolina than they have been.  

BOOK REVIEW- OKLAHOMA CHRISTMAS BLUES by Maggie Shayne

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

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

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

Love, magic, and miracles ensue.

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

AMAZON 4 STARS

I enjoyed this fast, quirky, fun story.  It had really good main characters an supporting people as well.  You got the sense of family pretty easily.   The Santa Claus part of the fantasy was fun and there is a surprising twist at the end.
All in all a fun read just in time for Christmas.  

BOOK REVIEW- HOLDING OUT by Lila Rose

(Updated version with added extra, why not give this quirky biker ebook a try)

Not everything is roses, chocolates and vibrators in Zara's life...until Talon, Hawks MC President, wants to claim her as his.

Zara Edgingway is a twenty-six-year-old secretary. She has a daughter that apparently knows-it-all and a best friend that could possibly have the mouth of Satan, but she's been with her through hell and back. Then there's the hunk'a'licious biker neighbour finally showing interest in her.
If only she isn't about to face her next obstacle in life, the one she ran from six years ago: her ex husband.

Talon Marcus is the president of the Hawks Motorcycle Club. For two years, he's had his eye on the quiet, reclusive, yet sassy, neighbour Zara. Finally, he has the chance to claim her as his woman. Just when her past catches up with her, she'll need, not only his protection, but the help from his biker brothers.
Now, if only she'd stop fighting him along the way. AMAZON 4 STARS

A different kind of biker story but I did enjoy it.  Yes, there is language, and some violence.  Most of that language is coming from Zara's best friend Deanna.   "Hell Mouth" was a nickname that she is given and it is one that she has earned!  But the "f" word does appear in the story and not just from her.  
Most of the "guys" call her hellcat after seeing her interaction with Talon.  He's the only one who he calls Kitty and there is a story behind that.   It was good to see how much Talon cared about Zara and her daughter.  
There were plenty of surprises and twists to the story which I enjoyed. 
Also some of the secondary characters were pretty good too.  

BOOK REVIEW- CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTLE by Melissa McClone

A royal wedding. A meddlesome mother. An unexpected union.

A European getaway during the Christmas holiday is exactly what veterinarian Katrina “Kat” Parsons needs. She can’t wait to be a bridesmaid in her childhood friend’s royal wedding, but she hopes to steer clear of the bride’s arrogant older brother.

Crown Prince Guillaume wants his younger sister’s wedding day to be perfect, but he’s suspicious of Kat. He and his mother on are on high alert, afraid Kat is not just there for the wedding, but also to find a prince of her own.

But when Kat’s kindness and generosity prove them wrong, the prince realizes there’s more to her than he ever imagined. Can he trust his heart or will he lose the one woman he can’t live without?
AMAZON  4 STARS

This book had an unusual, unexpected different beginning to it.  I liked how long Kat had been friends with Sophie.  Princess Sophia that is.  
While some of the story I have seen similar settings in other books.  BUT, there is enough other different parts to keep it interesting.  
It was a quick, fun read with plenty of emotion to go around.  

The Queen while she loved her children was something else when it came to having things done her way.  It was fun to see how everyone underestimated Sophie.  She was sunshine and life but she also had times of getting her own way that the family didn't see coming.  She ends up having a few things planned that will make her wedding even more special!  And this time the family cant blame Kat for her independence.  Her fiancee totally loves and supports her which was good to see.  
Kat was such a good person who willingly took the "blame" for anything that Sophie wanted to do that her family was against.  It worked well for years because of the distance between the two countries but things are about to change.  
The prince, Gill was so duty bound and Queen controlled that it was hard to like him at first.  He was so rigid.  But as he began to relax a bit, he was much easier to see as the man and not just the prince.  It was a interesting twist that he loved everything Christmas so much.  
There were some other interesting characters in the book too that added some fun to the book.  

Of course there will be a H.E.A. but not without at least 2 people trying to get in their way.    That's okay there are others pulling for them too!