Tag: Contemporary Romance

Review: A Little Ray of Sunshine by Lani Diane Rich

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The Particulars: Women’s fic, indie, available as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Kobo ( just before it was re-issued by the author)
The Grade: C
The Blurb:

Emmy James is not the kind of girl who believes in angels, or fate. So when a lost soul named Jess gets stranded at the convenience store where EJ works the night shift, and claims to be an angel delivered by Fate to fix EJ’s life, EJ calls her a cab and sends her on her way.
Ah, if only it were that easy to shake an angel off your leg…
Jess’s determination to fix EJ’s life culminates in a kidnapping and a cross-country trek at the end of which lies Fletcher, Oregon, and the scorched earth of EJ’s past. There’s Lilly, her narcissistic child-star mother; Danny, the stand-in father who raised her when her mother couldn’t; and Luke, the love of her life, the man who knew her best and loved her anyway. Now it’s up to EJ to heal the damage she left in her wake when she disappeared out of their lives six years ago, and even with an angel on her shoulder, that’s gonna be a tall order…


The Review:


I really like  Lani Diane Rich contemporary romances, yet for some reason I have been bad about re-reading the books I have bought the last couple of years ( fine, a majority of them was KDP Select freebies. But I would have bought them if they had been available at Smashwords!).  


I liked this book.  The theme that ran through this book was dealing with the past. From EJ dealing with her mother, to her confused relationship with Luke, to Jess dealing with her painful past.   It was heart touching to watch EJ as fate nudged her towards returning to Fletcher, despite her wishes.   

And once she returned to Fletcher she had to deal with her past.  I liked the fact that this book had a lot of soul searching in it.  There were harsh words, but I got the feeling that they were necessary harsh words, otherwise everyone would have been stuck in the past.

It was touching to watch as EJ and Luke started to patch up their relationship, and the misunderstandings that arose between them.

I liked this. It was well written, but it was more Womens fic than contemporary romance.  And that is the root of my problem.  I wish the romance subplots had been more intergrated into the story.  And, I wish this had been told in third POV, instead of just EJ’s, since that would have given an additional depth to the story.

Friday Bargain: Sinfully Sweet only

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 I am feeling lazy today, so I just have one deal for you. But it is a good one. 
 Sinfully Sweet is a bundle with 6 novels, and it is for sale for 0.99 at Amazon and BN. I cannot find it at Kobo. Which is a shame, since I would love to read it.


Bestselling Authors . . . one delicious boxed set of 6 full-length, “SINFULLY SWEET” romance novels!

Romance novels are like chocolates. You can’t stop with just one . . .

BORN TO BE WILDE by Janelle Denison
SAVIN’ ME by Alannah Lynne
DRIVE ME CRAZY by Marquita Valentine
BABY LOVE by Leslie Kelly
THE PERFECT PROPOSAL by Rhonda Nelson
THE RIGHT CHOICE by Carly Phillips

BORN TO BE WILDE by Janelle Denison
Ex-Marine turned security specialist Joel Wilde thrives on the high-wire thrills that come with his job. And he isn’t about to give all that up to settle down – – not even with a sexy woman like Lora Marshall. Which means that while he’s protecting her from a violent mobster, he’ll need to set a few ground rules to keep things professional. Good thing he’s always been a rule-breaker at heart.

SAVIN’ ME by Alannah Lynne
One step away from the coveted Vice Presidency of her firm, the last thing Kat Owens needs is the distraction of a man. Her client, Erik Monteague, disagrees. He’s charming, sexy, seductive, and impossible to ignore. Erik’s perfectly executed seduction gets Kat into his bed, but her passionate, loving nature is more than he bargained for. As the carefully constructed walls guarding his heart dissolve, he’s forced to make a decision… spend the rest of his life running, or risk being devastated by love again.

DRIVE ME CRAZY by Marquita Valentine
NASCAR racer, Carter Ambrose, has decided to take his doctor’s advice and find a new occupation before another wreck on the track kills him. Only his doctor hadn’t counted on his little sister’s best friend, Melanie Ann Smith, crashing his weeks of solitude with her short skirts and platform heels. Will Carter risk it all for love, or will Melanie be left holding the trophy for second place?

BABY LOVE by Leslie Kelly
When Claudia Warren goes into premature labor in the worst possible place, a handsome stranger comes to her aid, saving her life her daughter. Former rebel Chase Paxton is a loner, and he likes it that way, so delivering a stranger’s baby shocks him to his core. Even more shocking is that the beautiful young mother disappears before he can even learn her last name. Now, fate has brought the very sexy, available Claudia back into Chase’s life. And while the physical attraction between them sizzles, neither wants any emotional tangles. Can two people who’ve sworn off love for good ever move beyond the past to trust in a future together?

THE PERFECT PROPOSAL by Rhonda Nelson
Annie Witherspoon has spent the last five years working toward obtaining the CEO position at Hightower Advertising. She’s worked nights and weekends, has sacrificed her practically non-existent social life and kept her eyes on the prize, as it were. Now, thanks to some inconvenient, ill-timed bout of nostalgia, her boss is giving his global playboy nephew a shot at her job.
Mitch Hightower isn’t nearly the playboy the papers make him out to be and, after the sudden death of his business partner, Mitch feels to need to be closer to his family, to his heritage. But when pitted against Annie Witherspoon to win an important account, Mitch finds himself less concerned with pitching his campaign strategy and more interested in marketing himself…to her.

THE RIGHT CHOICE by Carly Phillips
Advice columnist Carly Wexler is planning the perfect wedding with the perfect fiancé. So what if he doesn’t make her heart beat faster? He’s the right choice. Until sexy photo journalist, Mike Novak, her fiance’s adopted brother arrives and Carly experiences all the passion she’s convinced herself she doesn’t need. Mike is torn by loyalty and a yearning unlike any he’s ever known. After spending time with Carly, he is sure the engaged couple are marrying for the wrong reasons. With one week to go before the wedding, can Mike convince Carly he’s the only choice for her?

Review: Lost in You by Lauren Dane

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations

The Particulars: Contemporary Romance, Samhain Publishing, available as e-book
The Source: Books on boards
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

It hasn’t been easy for Joe Harris to live down his not-so-honorable past, but the military made him a better man. He’s determined to make up for past mistakes, starting with coming home to care for his ailing father.
Things are going as planned until his best friend’s little sister comes barreling into his life. Funny, quick talking, smart, beautiful, she’s a temptation he tries—and fails—to resist.
When Beth Murphy hears Joe is back in town, she makes sure she’s the first on his welcoming committee. Though he tries to pretend he’s gruff and unworthy of her, she sees the man who spoils his dog, who touches her like she’s precious. Cherished. But there’s one wall she can’t break down—the truth about what’s happening at home.
On the night the nature of his father’s illness becomes painfully, publicly apparent, Joe does the right thing—push Beth as far away as possible. But if he thought she’d go away quietly, he’s about to learn she’s made of sterner stuff.

Tbe Review:
Lauren Dane is slowly becoming an autobuy author for me, at least when it comes to contemporary romance.
It was nice to revisit Petal, and the Murphy-Chase family. I loved how the Murphys have fought hard to crawl up from the hell hole they were born in. They have created a new, better life for themselves.
Beth and Joe was a touching couple. I liked that their romance wasn’t easy, and that they had their bumps. I loved that Beth knew exactly what she wanted, and didn’t hesitate in pursuing Joe. I liked Joe as well,even though he occasionally was a jerk.
I also appreciated how their romance wasn’t easy. They had their bumps, created by misunderstandings and Joe’s reluctance to reveal his father’s health issues. How Joe and his family struggled to keep it within the family, made sense. Often psychological problems are viewed as something to be ashamed of. But all their obstacles made their HEA so much sweeter, since they had fought hard for it.
Despite the many things that I liked with this book, the grade is pulled down by the headhopping. Most of the time I was able to ignore it, but there were times when it confused me.

Review: The Shop of Shades and Secrets by Colleen Gleason

On By MikaelaIn Uncategorized
The Particulars: Contemporary Romance with a dash of mystery, Avid Press, avaible as ebook
The Source: Kobo
The Grade: B
The Blurb:
When Fiona Murphy inherits a small antiques shop from an old man she met only once, she’s filled with surprise, confusion and delight—and a little bit of terror at having a new responsibility in a life she prefers to be free and easy.

As she takes over ownership of the quaint shop, odd things begin to happen. Lights come on and off by themselves, even when they are unplugged…and there is a chilly breeze accompanied by the scent of roses even when the windows are closed.

H. Gideon Nath, III, is the stiff and oh-so-proper attorney who helps settle Fiona’s inheritance, and despite her flightiness and fascination with all things New Age, he finds himself attracted to her against his better judgment.

After she finds an unpleasant surprise in one of the shop’s closets, scares off an intruder in the store, and uses her skill at palmistry to read Gideon’s future–of which she seems to be a part–Fiona begins to realize that her free and easy life is about to change…whether she wants it to or no

The Review:
I read the first book in the Gardella Vampire Hunter series awhile ago, and couldn’t see what the fuss was. So, when I bought the To Die For bundle, primarily for the Jana DeLeon novel, I decided I might as well give Ms Gleason another try.
And I am glad I did.
This was a well written contemporary romance, with a dash of mystery and paranormal activity.
The story hooked me from the start, and I loved to the read about Fiona and Gideon. How their relationship developed, from a first tense meeting to a romance. On the outside, they were total opposites. Gideon was a stiff, proper attorney and Fiona was flamboyant and outspoken.
But I liked how they affected each other, in good ways. Gideon helped ground Fiona and Fiona helped Gideon relax.
What I liked was how their romance wasn’t easy. They both struggled with it, and wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do. Tossed into that mix, was the fact that someone was looking for something. There were plenty of unexpected plottwists, and I enjoyed how Fiona had to scramble a bit to get out of trouble, and each time the the villain got more and more desperate.
So what I didn’t like with this book… Fiona found the biggest clue to the mystery, purely by coincidence. Which felt a bit like cheating to me. I would have liked if her search had been a bit more active.

Ten Days of Yule Review:Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight by Grace Burrowes

On By MikaelaIn Book Recommendations, reviews
The Particulars: Historical Romance, Sourcebooks, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Discover a new love
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:
No one would ever guess that Lady Louisa, the most reserved of the Duke of Moreland’s daughters, had published a book of racy poems under a pseydonym on a dare. Before she can buy and destroy all of the copies, a dastardly fortune hunter seeks to compromise her reputation by revealing her secret identity at a holiday ball.

Before she can be publicly ruined, close family friend Sir Joseph Carrington saves the day by offering to marry Louisa. As he recites poetry to her, waltzes with her by starlight, and showers her with lovely kisses, they both begin to discover that their match may be the best Christmas gift either has ever received..

The Review:
Grace Burrowes are one of my favorite authors, so when this was one of the picks at Discover a New Love I snapped it up.
This was a sweet romance. Both Joseph and Louisa felt very believable, and down to earth.
Both of them felt slightly out of place at the balls and the soarees that the rest of the Ton felt at home with. The descriptions of felt believable, from the way some males prefered the billiard room, to the polite chatter that could hide so many things. As the story went on, their romance developed. It was a slow romance, but I enjoyed it. They showed their feelings in a thousand different ways.
Both of them had secrets, and I enjoyed as the secrets were gradually revealed, as both of them seperately, started to get an inkling of that something was wrong. It was touching, when their relationship reached the point that they trusted each other to reveal their secrets.
The biggest part I had with this book was that it lacked… tension. Oh, the sexual tension was there, but considering the blackmail threat, I missed the feeling of a suspense regarding to who it was, and what would happen.

Review: Sanctuary Lost by Moira Rogers

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance


The Particulars: Paranormal Romance
The Source: Purchased at AllRomance
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

If there’s one thing that Brynn Adler hates, it’s feeling helpless and vulnerable in unfamiliar territory. Three weeks ago, life tossed her into just such a world. A world of werewolves she never knew existed—until she found out her sister was one of them.
The pack seems determined to hurry her back to the normal world of humans. But after everything she’s witnessed, she’s not sure she wants to go—especially if it means leaving not only her sister behind, but the one man who makes her forget her life is falling apart.
Now all she has to do is convince him to agree to a plan to force the pack to let her stay.
Joe Mitchell has been battling his protective instincts since he rescued Brynn from her kidnapper. Getting involved with her is a bad idea for a lot of reasons. She’s on shaky emotional ground, and a supernatural war is no place for a human woman. He’s not about to let her make a hasty decision, one that will only bring her pain and regret.
Now all he has to do is let her go.



The Review:

This is the second book in the series, and it isn’t stand alone. I don’t believe there are many spoilers to book one in it, but to understand the background, it is best to have read book one.

I enjoyed the insight this book gave me when it comes to the Hierachy of a Werewolf pack. I loved how everyone (except Gavin) are dominant to some wolves, and submissive to others.I also enjoyed the insight in werewolf politics it gave me.    

This is a heart wrenching book.  My heart ached for Brynn, as she struggled to pick up her life and adjust to the changes in her life.I liked how Joe was there and supported her, even though he didn’t always agree with her descions.  But he did his best to ensure she could defend herself.   

Brynn might be submissive, but I love the fact that she is strong. She knows what she wants. I also loved that she had to fight for it, both with her sister and the Alphas of Red Rock Pass.

The plot was action packed, and filled with unexpected twists.  I loved how Ms Rogers took Brynn’s wishes and turned them upside down.While Joe acted as Brynn’s Guide,  I also liked that in the end it was Brynn that reached a balance with her wolf.

As all this happens, other events builds up to a confrontation with Alan Matthews.
While nothing with this book was bad, it took awhile before it fully hooked me :).

Review: Cry Sanctuary by Moira Rogers

On By MikaelaIn Paranormal Romance
The Particulars: Paranormal Romance, Samhain, available in print and as e-book
The Source: Purchased at Kobo
The Grade: B+
The Blurb:

Keith Winston is tired of fighting. The war between werewolves and wizards rages on in Europe, but he’s come home to Red Rock, Montana in hopes of finding a bit of peace. Instead he finds more strife as he struggles against the pack’s dictates that he resume his place as the alpha’s right-hand man.

When he rescues a new wolf on the run, he knows his instant attraction to her could cause trouble. What he doesn’t expect is to find himself embroiled in another battle that goes against all his instincts—and his heart.
Abigail Adler learned about the existence of werewolves only when she became one. With her life threatened by a corrupt alpha, she flees to the only sanctuary she knows: Red Rock. While she’s grateful for the pack’s protection, she chafes under its unbreakable rules of conduct—except when it comes to submitting to the passion Keith stirs in her.
Then her tormentor kidnaps her sister in an attempt to lure her out of hiding. To save her, Abby and Keith must be willing to do the very thing that could get them all killed—break all of the rules.
The Review:
This is the first book in Moira Rogers excellent Red Rock Pass series, which is one of my favorite series.
The world is intriguing, and filled with fractions. I loved how the tension between werewolves that follows the old ways and werewolves that doesn’t affected the plot. I could feel an echo of how fast our society has changed, and not necessarily for the better. What I also liked was how she hinted at the existence of other factions. I cannot wait to see how that will affect future books, both in this series and the Green Pine series. ( And future, unwritten series.)
But what I liked most was how Moira Rogers has spent time thinking about the details. I loved the tradition of Guide and Initiation, and how it was encouraged to take time before taking the plunge. At least in the Sanctuary pack, in non- Sanctuary pack I felt it was more on the whim of the Alpha.
The book crackles with tension. Both between Keith and Abby, but also tension between the Red Rock Pack and the Helena Pack.I enjoyed reading about Keith and Abby’s relationship. It would have been so easy for Keith to take the plunge, and become both Abby’s boyfriend and Guide. Instead, he is adamant that Abby makes an active choice about who she wants as Guide. Both Abby and Keith had their past, and I loved how it came back to haunt them. Both the Romance and the Action built on each other, and both stemmed from the characters protective instinct.  That combination led to a book I couldn’t put down.  
This book was fast paced, but sometimes it felt like things happened too fast. It is a sign of Moira Rogers skill that it never became confusing.

Book Lover’s Giveaway hop: Scandalous by Patricia Burroughs

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In a lucky coincidence, tomorrow happens to be the release day of Scandalous by Patricia Burroughs. And since I had the fortune of reading an ARC, I want to spread the word of this book. So I am giving away 3 e-book copies. Just leave your e-mail address, so I can gift it through Amazon.

 Why live in the boring present when you have a century’s worth of vintage couture to live up to? Why be ordinary with centuries of Vandermeir scandals to shape your destiny?

Paisley Vandermeir was born on a hippie commune in the 60s, transplanted to high society Manhattan in the 70s and mentored by her wild Aunt Izzy, whose Roaring 20s exploits still tarnish the family name. Paisley is the very definition of “Vandermeir scandal.” It’s simply a matter of what and when. Following in the steps of her forbears, she intends to create her own scandal, then walk away from family and Society and find her own future.

Enter Christopher Quincy Maitland, the blond and gorgeous Rock of Gibraltar who carries the weight of his family’s fortune on his shoulders–safe, dependable, scandal proof. Or is he?

When irresistible force meets immovable object, what happens next is SCANDALOUS.

Review: Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

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The Particulars: Contemporary romance, Smashwords( will be re-issued byGrand Central Publishing), available as e-book and print ( at the moment of this review)
The Source: Smashwords
The Grade: C+
The Blurb:
Although Kane “Tack” Allen colors Tyra Master’s world with a vibrancy that’s blinding, being with him means she has to live in his Motorcycle Club world. Full on, no holds barred. And since Tack’s world, not to mention Tack, is a little scary, Tyra isn’t so sure. It’s Tack’s job to convince her.
The Review:
I kept hearing good things about Kristen Ashley, so when Mandi from Smexybooks raved about this one at twitter, I decided to give it a try. After reading it, I can understand why Kristen Ashley is so popular.
I enjoyed reading about Tyra’s plunge into the World of Chaos. Both Ride and Chaos felt believable in many ways. Both when it came to their attitude towards women, and also the dangers from the slightly shady world they live in.Just as Chaos balance the fine line of keeping clean, this book manage to stay out the misogynic mire. 
And that is because of Tack. Tack is a jerk, occassionally, but the reason is that he wants to protect Tyra and his children. And, I loved Tabby and Rush, they were so typically teenagers, with their drama, and mistakes.
But, of course everything isn’t perfect. Naomi, Tack’s ex wife, hit the roof when she found out about Tyra and Tack’s relationship. Which, I felt, was as it should be. Tack hadn’t been a saint, and he admitted it.

Tossed into that story, was the threat of the Russian Mob looming over them. I loved how the author woved it into the rest of the things going on in the novel.  

What made the book for me was how the author mixed everything. Tyra’s uncertainty, furious ex-wife, dramatic teenagers, rebellious Chaos members. And keeping it together was Tack. He was tender and patient with Tyra and his children. He was harsh with Naomi, and the Chaos members.
So for what I didn’t like. The biggest problem I had with this novel, was the author’s tendency to use 10 words when one would be enough. At times, I wondered what the characters were talking about, which isn’t a good sign. This  became even more obvious when they confronted the Russian mob, because those pages crackled with tension. This, gives me hope that Kristen Ashley’s Chaos Series which will be published by Grand Central Publishing during 2013, will be much more polished. 
 One  minor quibble: The Russian mobsters mentinoed by name, their surname ends on -ova.  Which, is the ending that signifies FEMALE surnames in Russia. And those characters are male..

Review: Hoping For Love by Marie Force

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The Particulars: Contemporary romance, self-published, available as e-book and in print
The Source: Smashwords
The Grade: B
The Blurb:

All her life, Grace Ryan was the “fat girl.” Taunted and teased and ignored by her peers, she tried every diet ever invented to no avail. Desperate to change her life as her twenties slipped away, she decided it was time for drastic measures and had lap-band surgery. More than a year later, she’s lost 130 pounds and is venturing into the dating world for the first time. During a boat trip to Gansett Island with the new guy in her life, Grace refuses to have sex with him and finds herself abandoned without a dollar to her name at McCarthy’s Gansett Island Marina. At home for the summer awaiting the launch of his debut CD, music star-in-the-making Evan McCarthy is performing at the Tiki Bar when he notices Grace looking lost in a sea of happy people. Evan comes to her aid and quickly finds himself smitten. But the last thing Grace needs after all she’s been through is a guy who “doesn’t do relationships.” Will Evan change his ways to win Grace’s heart?

The Review:

I picked up this when Marie Force discounted the Gansett Island novels recently.  And I am glad I did. This book is Marie Force at her best.

Gansett Island… It felt so real. I loved how Marie Force described the upside and downsides of living on an island, with a quaint town, although not all of the buildings are old.
I loved the friendliness the Islanders showed towards strangers, although at sometimes it felt like they were almost gullible.

But what I enjoyed the most was the characters. I loved following Evan and Grace
developing romance. From their first meeting, to their first date.  Both of them struggled, since things moved fast between them ( Sometimes it felt like it moved too fast). I also liked how Grace was determinded to move on with her life, and take the next step.  
But so much more than Evan’s and Grace’s romance happened in this novel.  Tiffany’s marriage hits the rocks. ( And let me tell you: Jim is a jerk). I loved watching Owen and Laura, you could almost feel the growing romance between them.


That said all, no matter how much I enjoyed the other romances,it is the weak point of this books . Since there were secondary romances, it never felt like it the focus of the novel was  the romance between Evan and Grace. Also one minor quibble: The lack of the final formatting touches, in the shape of more professional chapter headlines, and scene breaks. The lack of it made me feel like I was reading an post edits, but pre-formatting manuscripts.