BOOK REVIEW- It's Vegas, Baby (Vegas, Baby #1) by Fiona Davenport *

 

  

All bets are off when this billionaire casino owner falls for a beautiful doctor.

When Andrew Lennox spotted Autumn standing at the registration desk of his Las Vegas hotel, she was instantly his obsession. With Autumn leaving to spend a year abroad, their time was limited. But Drew was determined to use every second convincing Autumn of what he already knew. She was his. And no matter how long she was gone or how far away, that would never change.  AMAZON LINK

3 STARS

I've got to admit that the eBook cover made me slow down and read the book information.   Very attractive indeed.  And it even fit pretty well with the description of  Andrew Lennox's physical appearance.  Another bonus point for that too, for me.  

However, I was somewhat disappointed with the actual story.  It was just okay for me.  Yes, it's a short story, a novella just like it clearly states.  It has SOME good moments and a good description of the luscious of their surroundings.    Even a bit of information shared about some actual gambling.   But there were a few moments when I felt almost uncomfortable with some of Drew's possessiveness.  It helps  though that we get to read both Drew and Autumn's points of view.  It helped with some of my uncomfortable in that area especially.  

I liked that at least another thing that Drew and Autumn had in common was that they had been so laser focused on their careers that they had been left with no time for dating.  

Prepare yourself for a lot of sex, because they were trying to get together knowing there was a very short time limit for them in the right now. 

The story does have a H.E.A. which I of course liked .  But also the feeling of one and done. 

BOOK REVIEW- Blacklisted (Loveless, Texas Book 3) by Jay Crownover

  

Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men series comes an irresistible and suspenseful romance between a doctor who plays by the rules and the outlaw who breaks them in order to protect her.

Dr. Presley Baskin has always lived a quiet, calm life. Unfortunately, nothing about her life in Loveless, Texas -- especially not the wild, rowdy, and impossibly close-knit Lawton family who've claimed her -- is quiet or calm. Which is how loner Presley finds herself roped into patching up local bad boy Shot Caldwell against her better judgment. Presley wants nothing to do with the dangerous, brooding leader of the local outlaw motorcycle club. But when someone starts stalking her, Shot is the only person she trusts to help. Plus he owes her one . . .

Palmer 'Shot' Caldwell has always known his life isn't made for relationships. At least until shy, secretive, Presley reluctantly pulled a bullet out of him. He's oddly protective of the pretty doctor, so when she comes to him  for help, hard-hearted Shot suddenly realizes there's nothing he wouldn't do to keep her safe.   AMAZON LINK

    5  STARS

It all starts out with a really great dedication that I loved!  It was a great encouragement that its better to stand out  than to fit in. But most important, be yourself. There was more but that was the gist of it.  When I read that my first thoughts were, ''This sounds promising.  I sure hope the story is as good as this dedication!"  And I can truthfully say, it was.  I really enjoyed the story and think I've found a new- to -me author to follow.  I will be looking to read more of her stuff.

Both Presley and Shot were compelling main characters who couldn't be more different from each other. Makes you wonder how they could ever be a good fit. Sure, the attraction was there.  That was not even a question.  But as the story goes on, some interesting similarities crop up that you wouldn't think would.  One thing that they do have in common is that they have both been outsiders in society.  The reasons are different but it came as a surprise to me when it became clear that they BOTH had been blacklisted in some way.  I really liked that and the unpredictability of not only the story but also in both of the M.C.'s.  

Looking at Presley you see a woman who had no family left and she was used to being a loner.  She is someone who has carried a pretty heavy load all on her own for years.  That made her independent but also not used to having anyone to lean on.  She even owns up to the fact that she doesn't know how.  She doesn't know how to do the family thing either.  But she's getting a crash course in it when her quiet life explodes with her newly found Lawton family.  I think the author did a great job of showing just how jarring that was to Presley.  Her half sister Kody played a big part in the story.  After awhile she keeps refusing to allow Presley to shut her new family out.  Kody had a heart as big as Texas and her personality was just as big too. 

Shot lived his life by his own rules.   It often makes him butt heads with the law.  But he does live by his own code of honor.  So, I guess that made him a dark hero in the story.  Still, he had quite the way with Presley that was surprisingly charming.  It made me smile when it came to Shot and Presley doing the "you owe me a favor" (a favor for a favor) game.  The two of them do end up heating things in the bedroom but it's not right away, which I also liked.

Ashby was quite the villain that you don't have to wonder about.  Is she evil or not? Oh, yeah,  you know it early on and her manipulations and hateful actions just keep being revealed.  Her hatred for Presley runs long and hard and without any limits.  It made me wonder when and how she would get caught. 

The twists and turns in the story kept me involved and often on the edge of my seat.  Not only was Presley in danger but Shot had some enemies too.  They also have a part to play in some of the danger. 

I also really enjoyed the Epilogue that was included.

One thing I will say was the eBook cover felt a bit  like it didn't quite fit my image of Shot.  At least on the cover at this time, he looks more cowboy than a leader of a biker club.  Not a tattoo to be found anywhere.  But I probably shouldn't make a big deal about that because the picture did cause me to stop and take a closer look at the book. 

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

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BOOK REVIEW- The Beast of Aros Castle (Highland Isles Book 1) by [Heather McCollum] *

   

Ava Sutton is on the run from a dangerous man and makes her way safely to Scotland. Masquerading as a titled, English lady, she must convince the darkly handsome chief of the Macleans of Aros to wed her before she is tracked down.

Tor Maclean, the new chief of Aros Castle, has sworn off marriage. Despite his efforts to scare away the Englishwoman his father arranged for him to wed, Tor is nonetheless drawn to her passion and beauty. But he doesn't know if he can forgive the untruths that have come to light for a chance at a once in a lifetime love...  AMAZON LINK

   5 STARS 

You can almost taste the danger that Ava and Grace face in the very opening chapter of this book.  It made for quite the dramatic start. It was not only dramatic but kind of scary too. Vincent was revealed right in that first chapter as a pure evil villain that they were trying to escape. Add to that to the fact he had some power on his side and he was a clever evil guy.  Ava and Grace were really good main characters and had me rooting for them both really quickly.

Ava was quite the clever woman and some of her improvised plans started out good.  It saved both herself and Grace many times. And Ava will do just about anything to protect Grace, they are SO close. It's almost like they are sisters regardless of their difference in status. It also landed them in some unexpected things that go sideways too.   This was going to be another of those things that will go sideways.  But Grace and Ava really had no other choice.  And Ava was really good at thinking on her feet.  I really liked her a lot.  

Grace was quite the gentle lady, she also was fairly quick to follow after Ava and her adventures.  She just about faints when she meets The Beast.  There is no way she can marry HIM.  But it was also good to see Grace begin to toughen up a bit as the story goes on.  She also starts to come into her own.

Tor being titled with the name"The Beast of Argos Castle" was really misguided.  Yes, he is a tough and fierce warrior but he is also so much more.  And Ava finds ways to tap that so much more.  And he fights her all the way until suddenly he just can't.  Their battle of wills was interesting and often funny.  They made me smile more than once.

This story kept me involved every step of the way.   It was at times unpredictable, mixed with some twists and turns.  It also had some interesting secondary people in it and that includes Tor's mother Joan.  Is there a H.E.A?  Yes, and I liked how the story ended.  It also made me want to read more of this series.  Bring on the stories for Grace and also Tor's sister,
Mairi Maclean.

 

BOOK REVIEW- Claimed by the Wealthy Magnate by Nina Milne

 

 One evening that changes everything! After Lady Kaitlin Derwent was kidnapped as a child, she shut down her emotions and focused on becoming the perfect daughter her aristocratic family wanted. But one evening in Barcelona she meets a handsome stranger who makes her crave freedom... Wealthy lawyer Daniel Harrington has never believed in love, but spending the evening with Kaitlin opens up new possibilities. Daniel is determined to show her that only by being true to herself can she be truly happy... If only she'll let him show her the way!  AMAZON LINK

3 STARS

This story had potential but just ended up being "just okay" for me.

It started out with some good main characters; people who have gone through some pretty painful things.  Both with parents who had disappointed them but at least Daniel's mother had loved him.  The same thing really can't be said of Kaitlin's parents.  They were all into long distance parenting and everything was about image and status to them. Totally unlikable people, who were of zero help to Kaitlin.  

For me the story got bogged down with the same issues over and over again.  Mainly when it came to Kaitlin's traumas.  

After a while I found it harder and harder to keep interested in the story.  I didn't hate the story but I also can't say I loved it either. 

BOOK REVIEW- Finders, Keepers A Stand-Alone Intro to The Helios Series (The Helios Greek Romance Series Book 1) by Chloe Holiday *

   

 Finders, Keepers is a fast, fun novella: a sexy modern Cinderella story with a dash of humor, plenty of spice, and NO CLIFFHANGERS!

Description

Convinced her boyfriend is cheating when she catches him getting hands-on with a model at a swanky holiday party, Farrah bolts. Caught after dark in the bad part of town, she dodges into a bar where straitlaced Caleb is a breath of fresh chivalry—perfect. Ready to burn her bridges, Farrah goes home with Caleb for a round of incendiary revenge sex. By the time she hears from her boyfriend it was all a misunderstanding, it’s too late: she’s the cheater now. Horrified, Farrah sneaks out. She resolves to do better, yet she daydreams of the hot stranger, not the loyal boyfriend she wronged.

Caleb's all-in when a gorgeous, funny woman materializes in the bar. He throws out his rule book, unable to resist taking her home. When he wakes up alone, he has to find her again. All he has is a single mitten ... AMAZON LINK

      4 stars

This was a fun, enjoyable story with really good main characters.  

I didn't like Farrah's boyfriend Justin though.  For someone who loves her he sure was busy trying to change her.  He didn't really like her fun, funky appearance and ways.   I on the other hand did enjoy them.  He appeared to be subtle about it but he really wasn't.  Someone described him as a douche and it really seemed to fit.  Also pretentious was mentioned and that seemed to be right on.  I wasn't rooting for him at all.  Farrah definitely deserved better.  And the more I read about Caleb, he sure seemed to be the better man.

Caleb sure was a hardworking, honorable man who is gobsmacked when he met Farrah.  I liked that he was holding two part time jobs as he continued his studies.  He sure was more appreciative of Farrah than Justin was.  In both his words and his actions. 

There is miss after miss when it comes to the times that Caleb and Farrah try to catch up with each other. The one missing mitten made me smile and think it was reminiscent of Cinderella and her left behind shoe.  It didn't overtake the story though which I felt was good. 

I liked how the story ended with a well deserved H.E.A. 

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

BOOK REVIEW- Guardian's Grace (Dark Protectors Book 12) by Rebecca Zanetti

Description

Duty—or desire?

Vampire soldier Adare O’Cearbhaill’s default setting is cranky.  Or irritated.  Or down-right hostile.  Still, as a Highlander of honor and duty, he stepped up to save an enhanced and special human female by mating her—with merely a bite and a brand. The last person he wants in his life is a fragile human, yet he can’t get her out of his mind as she regains her strength before taking off for parts unknown. And when he discovers she is in danger, nothing can stop him from hunting her down—whether she likes it or not.

There’s only one way to find out . . .

Photographer Grace Cooper has had it with vampires, demons, and the rest of an immortal world she was happier not knowing about. She also doesn’t believe she’s destined for some great battle because of an old birthmark. Forget the fact that her mate is the sexiest thing on two stubborn feet, or that her brand is fading along with her health. She’ll handle things on her own—until an old enemy reappears and she learns the only way to stay alive is to actually mate, wild sex and all, with that ripped and dangerous Adare—a powerful, captivating Highlander who demands nothing less than everything . . .

AMAZON LINK
    4 STARS

This was another rip roaring story in the series.  I have always experienced some unusual things in the previous stories in this series.  This book definitely kicks that element up to another level.
A certain amount of time is spent with both of the M.C.'s fighting against how they didn't need each other.  Yes, the attraction was there but Grace was a "no go" when it comes to being with Adare because of his sense of duty.  It's going to take a whole lot more than that to bring her around.
Grace got tossed into the supernatural world with no preparation. She still hasn't learned a lot.  Although after the coma she roamed on her own for 5 years.  Her takes her a long time to even begin to see how big the danger is for her.
Adare was all male warrior who has tamped down his emotions since forever.  He doesn't believe in love which is going to be a BIG problem for him.  He does has close friends and family.  Because of the SEVEN, he also has another group of brothers bound together. 
One of those brothers is Benny.  Along with skill he brings charm and humor to the story.  I liked him a lot.  Please tell me his story will be told.
Plenty of action and danger and some angst fill the story.  Finally later in the story Grace and Adare do get hot and heavy with each other.

Some surprised definitely awaited me as I got closer to the end.  There was several twists and one which I never saw coming.  I really liked that.

It all ends with a H.E.A. for now.  Mainly because they all still have enemies out there.  And one really bad enemy who is still fighting to get free.


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