Archives for October 16, 2017

* Review * VALDEZ’S BARTERED BRIDE by Rachael Thomas

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * VALDEZ’S BARTERED BRIDE by Rachael ThomasValdez's Bartered Bride by Rachael Thomas
Series: Convenient Christmas Brides
Published by Harlequin Presents on November 1, 2017
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four-half-stars

Blackmailed into marriage…by Christmas!

Genealogist Lydia Carter-Wilson is horrified by the debts her father has run up in her name. Then magnate Raul Valdez approaches her with an outrageous proposition. If she helps him claim his inheritance, he'll pay off her debts and save her tarnished reputation. But there's a catch. If she fails, she will marry Raul on Christmas Eve!

No matter their instant and electrifying attraction, Lydia knows Raul's proposal amounts to blackmail. Yet faced with an impossible choice—risking ruin or becoming Raul's bartered bride—Lydia finds she cannot resist her desire to make a deal with the dark-hearted billionaire!

 

Blackmailed … into marriage?? He thinks she’s a spoiled princess, she thinks he’s a playboy tycoon .. both have sides of themselves they keep private and hidden away from the worlds they grew up in. When scandal and deception leaves them counting on the other to get them out of the mess they find themselves in, their personalities flare up and come out to play! Both are reserved, but when the passion they feel for each other takes over, we see kinder souls hiding inside. The plot was fast moving and held my attention!

Lydia Carter-Wilson knew her estranged father was ruthless, she just never expected him to use her and her name to trade in on a debt! When she learns from Raul that she’s destined to marry him on Christmas Eve in order to keep her father’s dalliances out of the press, she’s furious! She just might have to make a deal with the devil himself to get herself out of this one!

Raul Valdez has father troubles of his own, and the recent death of his has left a monster of a stipulation before his inheritance can go through. Lydia has no other option than to marry him … he’ll see to it … or the company he worked so hard to resurrect will go under! Electrifying attraction may be a distraction, but will it be enough to make their time together more pleasant?

four-half-stars

* Review * GINGERBREAD GIRL by Carol Ross

* Review * GINGERBREAD GIRL by Carol RossGingerbread Girl by Carol Ross
Series: Heartwarming Holiday Wishes Box Set
on October 10, 2017
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five-stars

Your favorite Harlequin Heartwarming authors are back with ten all new Christmas stories set in charming Christmas Town, Maine. This year, a stocking brings a special holiday wish to each story.

Kinley Reed and Ian Mackey’s teenage rivalry-friendship was both frustrating and bittersweet. After he crushed her heart, Kinley was glad to see Ian go. But now he’s back. Both successful architects, they soon find themselves in competition once again. Ian also needs Kinley’s help to save his troubled sister. Can Kinley set the past aside? Will Ian finally win the love of his gingerbread girl?

 

The temptation of a childhood crush! Included in the Heartwarming Holiday Wishes box set, Carol Ross brings us Gingerbread Girl, a sweet holiday novella about overcoming adversity to find your happily ever after! The characters are easy to like and the plot is both a seasonal delight, as well as a heartfelt story of reconnecting with loved ones. I really enjoyed it!

Architect Kinley Reed is keeping herself busy this holiday season! Not only is she overseeing the judging of the annual Gingerbread Dream Home competition, but she’s also putting the finishing touches on her own design that she’s hoping will finally take her to the level she’s hoped to achieve with her career. She can’t believe her horrible luck when her old nemesis returns to town and moves right on in to her niche in town!

Ian Mackey is back home from the big city to get his troubled teenage sister back under control and on the right path. He didn’t get her opinion on the matter, but he plans to get his old friend and secret crush Kinley to take her under her wing and make sure everything stays on the up and up when he heads back home!

 

**  Part of the HEARTWARMING HOLIDAY WISHES Box Set!  **

This holiday season, warm your heart with 10 connected sweet, clean and wholesome holiday romances set in Christmas Town from 10 Harlequin Heartwarming authors who are USA Today bestselling authors.

This collection of PG-rated holiday romances are all set in Christmas Town, Maine, a location introduced in the 2014 Harlequin Heartwarming release Christmas, Actually.

Heartwarming Holiday Wishes will bring you laughter, tears, and happily-ever-afters (no cliffhangers), for more than 1000 pages.

Santa’s Secret Heart by Anna Adams
Merry Christmas Carol by Melinda Curtis
Miracle on Joyful Street by Liz Flaherty
Finding His Fiancee by Christmas by Cheryl Harper
The Christmas Window by Tara Randel
Mistletoe and Holly by Leigh Riker
Gingerbread Girl by Carol Ross
The Christmas List by Anna J Stewart
A Case for Christmas Magic by Amy Vastine
Jingle Bell Love by Cari Lynn Webb

five-stars

* Blog Tour / Review * THRILL OF LOVE by Melissa Foster

* Blog Tour / Review * THRILL OF LOVE by Melissa FosterThrill of Love by Melissa Foster
Series: Love in Bloom: The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor
Published by World Literary Press on October 4, 2017
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five-stars

Do you believe in fate?

World-renowned mountain climber and nature photographer Ty Braden never believed in second dates, much less heart-pounding, steal-his-breath love. But that was before a trip to Saint-Luc, where he met funny, strong, and entrancingly beautiful Aiyla Bell, a ski instructor and fellow photographer whose hopes and dreams, and love of the outdoors, aligned perfectly with his--and whose kisses alone turned him inside out.

After spending five magical days and four sweet, soulful nights falling in love, Aiyla couldn't imagine a day without Ty. But when he asked her to go with him on his next assignment, his reputation for having women at his beck and call stopped her from upending the life she'd worked so hard to create.

Months later fate steps in when a chance encounter brings Ty and Aiyla together for a five-day wilderness event held in the Colorado Mountains. Their deep, passionate connection is stronger than ever, and Ty is bound and determined not to lose her again. But when tragedy strikes and their worlds are turned upside down, their love faces the truest test of all.

 

With her powerful voice, Melissa Foster brings us her most emotional book yet! Fate brought them together, but their hearts easily attached and led them to the deep love they can’t imagine letting slip through their fingers. They might start out casual without plans of a future in tact, but each day brings more hope that it is their destiny to share a forever … until horrifying news tears through their dreams and make them have to decide how to soldier through. It’s gut wrenchingly real and beautifully written!

Mountain climber and photographer Ty Braden has never been one for settling down and believing in more than living for the moment, but when he happens upon a gorgeous woman that he spends five days with in Saint-Luc, he gives his heart away without a second thought. She takes his breath away and he can’t imagine life without her, but his reputation precedes him and scares her away.

Ski instructor and photographer Aiyla Bell can’t believe it when she runs into Ty again at a five day charity wilderness event! She hasn’t been able to forget about him since their time together a few months ago, but since she knew his reputation as a player, she was leery of trusting him. Now that he’s in front of her again and the same old feelings are burning strong, she can’t deny him again. This has to be real if fate has brought them together twice and they are both waiting for the other to complete them. They decide to when it’s time to pack up and leave that they have to share their lives … but when reality comes crashing in on them faster than they ever expected, they are going to have to dig deep to find the strength to lean on each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thrill of Love
The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor, MD #6

By: Melissa Foster

Releasing October 4, 2017
World Literary Press

 

 

BLURB:

Do you believe in fate?

World-renowned mountain climber and nature photographer Ty Braden never believed in second dates, much less heart-pounding, steal-his-breath love. But that was before a trip to Saint-Luc, where he met funny, strong, and entrancingly beautiful Aiyla Bell, a ski instructor and fellow photographer whose hopes and dreams, and love of the outdoors, aligned perfectly with his—and whose kisses alone turned him inside out.

After spending five magical days and four sweet, soulful nights falling in love, Aiyla couldn’t imagine a day without Ty. But when he asked her to go with him on his next assignment, his reputation for having women at his beck and call stopped her from upending the life she’d worked so hard to create.

Months later fate steps in when a chance encounter brings Ty and Aiyla together for a five-day wilderness event held in the Colorado Mountains. Their deep, passionate connection is stronger than ever, and Ty is bound and determined not to lose her again. But when tragedy strikes and their worlds are turned upside down, their love faces the truest test of all.

Buy Links:  AMAZON | B&N | iBOOKS | KOBO | GPLAY | PBK

 

 

 

Goodreads Link:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24779253-thrill-of-love

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/174204-the-bradens-at-peaceful-harbor-md

 

 

EXCERPT:

“Do you believe in fate?”

His warm breath coasted over her cheek, and she swallowed hard, paralyzed by the sound of the deep, seductive voice she’d heard in her dreams so many times she wasn’t sure it was real. Her heart thundered against her ribs, and she forced her shaky legs to work. She turned, both of them rising at the same time, bringing all six-plus broad, muscular, feet of Ty Braden into focus. Oh God. It’s really you. His silky brown hair was in desperate need of a trim, stopping just short of his shoulders and framing his rugged features. The mix of longing and shock in his golden-brown eyes unearthed a storm of memories—her hand in his, his lips on hers, deep conversations as they shared their hopes and dreams, which were as perfectly aligned as the stars in the skies of Saint-Luc.

“Ty” came out ridiculously breathless. She wanted to scale him like a mountain, to kiss his hot, sensuous mouth again and feel him holding her as he once had. But she couldn’t do any of those things. She was frozen in place, and that was probably a good thing. He was still Ty Braden, the world-renowned mountain climber and photographer, with a reputation as a player that preceded him.

In an effort to regain control, she shifted her gaze away and managed, “What are you doing here?”

“It’s fate,” he said confidently, as if he believed in it. “Fate has brought us together for another five days.”

She forced herself to meet his gaze, her heart thundering at the prospect of more time with him. “You don’t believe in fate, remember? You believe people are in charge of their own destiny.” Their last night in Switzerland, he’d asked her to leave with him the next day and travel with him “to see where things end up.” Oh, how she’d wanted to throw caution to the wind and join him. But she’d worked years to build the life she had always dreamed of, and she couldn’t risk it all to be one in a long line of Ty’s women. She’d fallen hard for him—fallen in love with him—and she hadn’t been able to bring herself to confront the rumors about his reputation. Instead, she’d said, Do you believe in fate? And though he’d said he didn’t, she always had, and she’d said, if this is meant to be, we’ll meet up again. They’d agreed not to exchange phone numbers or addresses, and not to track each other down by any other means, but to truly leave their future in fate’s hands.

“I think that’s changed, Aiyla.” He said her name like he’d been waiting to say it for all these months. He stepped closer, so close she could smell something minty on his breath. “I can’t believe you’re here. After all this time, you’re really here.”

The longing in his voice confused her even more. She looked into his eyes, and memories swamped her. She remembered the feel of him holding her in his arms as they fell asleep fully clothed and waking to his sweet whispers and gentle kisses. Cuddling under blankets as snow fell around them and they reminisced about their childhoods and families. She felt like she already knew his five siblings, though she’d never met them. A lump rose in her throat, and she shifted her gaze over his shoulder to try to regain control. Two female competitors were whispering and watching them. Her stomach knotted again. Why did the only guy she’d ever fallen for have to come with a womanizing reputation? He hadn’t seemed like a player in Saint-Luc. He hadn’t even tried to sleep with her until that very last night, when she knew he’d been picking up on all of her sexy signals. Signals she’d then dashed with one sentence. She’d been seconds from going back to his hotel room when he’d stepped away to answer a call. The brief moments it had taken him had given her a chance to clear the lust from her head enough to make a more rational decision. He probably thought she was a cocktease, but it wasn’t merely sex she’d been avoiding. She’d thought she was saving her heart. And she’d regretted that decision ever since.

 

 

AUTHOR INFO:

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

 

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

 

 

 

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Win a Digital e-copy of WHISPER OF LOVE (Two Winners)

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five-stars

* Review * THEIR MISTLETOE BABY by Karin Baine

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THEIR MISTLETOE BABY by Karin BaineTheir Mistletoe Baby by Karin Baine
Published by Harlequin Medical Romance on November 1, 2017
Buy on Amazon
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four-stars

A Christmas dream come true

When handsome pediatrician Lucas Brodie walked out on his wife, Freya, at Christmas, he left her heart and hopes for a family shattered. This year, nurse Freya is determined to put the pain behind her by volunteering on a trip to take sick children to Lapland. But then she discovers Lucas is coming, too!

As they begin to fall in love again, Lucas wonders—could he give her a family after all? Can he put his past behind him? Perhaps an unexpected pregnancy could be the Christmas miracle to make Freya's dreams come true…

 

Who says you can’t go home again? In this fast-paced story of love and loss, we learn that you can! With a lot of hard work, Lucas has pulled himself together and is trying to make amends for the heartache he left behind last year, but will Freya be able to make peace with the fact that he abandoned her? The plot could have definitely been built out more, but the characters were strong with an interesting underlying story.

Pediatrician Lucas Brodie walked out on his wife and her hopes of a family last Christmas. Now it’s almost Christmas time again, and word around the hospital is that he’s back, but she hasn’t seen him yet. Her luck is about to change, because he just stepped onto the plane taking the kids from the hospital to see Santa!

Freya Darrow is still reeling from having her life implode not so long ago, and she doesn’t relish being stuck with her ex on this trip. She has no clue what made him just up and walk away … but she doesn’t think she can ever forgive him. When Lucas makes an effort to talk to her and his story eventually comes out, she realizes there was a sad past that her husband never got around to telling her about, and things came to a head at a terrible time last year. Can she actually find it in her heart to forgive him? … and will a surprise baby be just what it takes to make them open their eyes to the future they could share?

four-stars