Archives for December 28, 2017

* Review * SNOWED IN WITH THE RELUCTANT TYCOON by Nina Singh

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Snowed in with the Reluctant Tycoon by Nina Singh
Series: The Men Who Make Christmas
Published by Harlequin Romance on December 1, 2017
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The spirit of Christmas…

Justin Hammond might be heir to a family business that thrives on Christmas, but for him the festive season holds only bad memories. Being drafted to make some tough financial decisions should be straightforward—until he meets feisty executive Carli Tynan.

With her zest for Christmas and determination to save her favorite Hammond’s store, Carli vows to remind brooding Justin of the holiday’s magic—starting with a kiss in the snow! Can Carli show this reluctant tycoon just how special Christmas can be?

A holiday to remember! With the second book starring the family surrounding Hammond’s Toy Store, Nina Singh brings us Justin’s story. We met his brother and learned a bit about their childhood trauma in the first book in this duet, but in this one we get to hear Justin’s take on it. The characters are really fun to get to know and the plot of the story is heartwarming. We get to see more of the past settled for the family in general, but the one surprising thing to me was that we didn’t get to see the brother’s meet up and reconnect as part of either book … that was disappointing, but overall the story was really easy to connect with and very enjoyable … and the future tidbits we got to see in the epilogue was sweet!

Justin Hammond finds himself being finagled by his long lost father into getting his foot into the family business, Hammond’s Toy Store by doing some consulting. When he suggests closing a severely underperforming store in the company fold, he finds himself meeting resistance in an unlikely place!

Project Manager Carli Tynan has been thriving working under his father, Jackson Hammond, and she dearly loves her job. When she hears the store in her hometown and the one she herself worked in as a teenager is under threat of being closed, she’s heartbroken! She has to find a way to prove to Justin how meaningful that location is … even if it means taking him along on a trip home to let him see it in action himself!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE BILLIONAIRES: THE STEPBROTHERS by Calista Fox

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

The Billionaires: The Stepbrothers by Calista Fox
Series: A Lover's Triangle Novel
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on December 26, 2017
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This pair of stepbrothers have their sights set on just one woman…

Scarlet Drake is an insurance fraud investigator hot on the heels of the thief who stole a multimillion-dollar art collection from tycoon Michael Vandenberg’s Hamptons estate. Unfortunately, the sexy Wolf of Wall Street is also her prime suspect—along with his equally mouthwatering stepbrother, Montana rancher Sam Reed. Scarlet quickly finds herself tangled up in the two devilishly handsome men, and ensnared in a web of family lies.

Michael is used to getting what he wants—and he wants Scarlet in his bed. Sam had no intention of getting emotionally or romantically involved with a woman again, but he can’t deny the sizzling chemistry with Scarlet. And when the three of them cave to one sinfully delicious night of sheer decadence, their sexy ménage becomes a fiery affair of the heart. But they don’t stand a chance at a happily ever after unless all of the absolute truths are finally revealed…

This is a standalone ménage romance with an HEA.

A sizzling connection takes us on a decadent ride in Calista Fox’s latest Lover’s Triangle installment! We’ve previously met Scarlet in her two best friend’s stories, so we’re not surprised to see her tough persona as an insurance fraud investigator. We get to enjoy her surprise at meeting not one, but TWO men who get her motor running with almost instantaneous combustion! The characters each have an interesting story all on their own that makes the plot thick with intrigue, and watching them all interact is super sexy! Really enjoyed the 3rd book in the series!

Scarlet Drake is dotting her i’s and crossing her t’s as she follows up on a decade old insurance payout in a stolen art case. She isn’t taking no for an answer when it comes to re-interviewing all of the key players involved, she just doesn’t expect to feel an instant attraction to not one, but two of the suspects!

Step-brothers Michael Vandenberg and Sam Reed don’t want any part of talking to an investigator and they both are dead set on ignoring her until she makes it impossible by showing up directly in front of each of them and making them tell their side. She ends up believing them … and gives in to mouth-watering desire to share in an unforgettable night of menage in their bed! When secrets are exposed will they be able to forgive the part she plays in ruining their fairytale family?

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * BEST MAN UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Jules Bennett

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Best Man Under the Mistletoe by Jules Bennett
Series: Best Man Under the Mistletoe
Published by Harlequin Desire on December 1, 2017
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Christmas wedding bells are ringing!

Everyone in Royal, Texas, now knows former special agent Gabe Walsh’s connection to the blackmailer terrorizing the town. And Gabe’s suddenly guilty by association. Worst thing is, Chelsea Hunt blames him for the compromising photos of her that everyone’s talking about. But since he and Chelsea are planning the Christmas wedding of their best friends, Gabe has many opportunities to show the sexy cowgirl just what a good guy he really is. And apparently he’s pretty convincing, because she soon winds up in his bed! But is this just a holiday fling or the real thing?

The blackmailer might have been caught, but the fallout is still wounding many! Jules Bennet takes us along for the ride as she writes the next riveting story in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail series. We know who the culprit was now, but do we know everyone that had a hand in helping him? We’re going to find out! We recognize many of the familiar faces from previous books in the series and get to share in events from past couples as Gabe and Chelsea fight their attraction to each as long as they can before giving into temptation and taking us along on their sexy love affair!

Security specialist Gabe Walsh knows he’s guilty simply by association by a lot of folks in Royal, Texas as it comes to light that his uncle was the blackmailer known as Maverick who has been terrorizing members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club for months now. He can’t believe his own family was up to such shenanigans, but he didn’t have anything to do with it! He only hopes he can use his upcoming time planning his friend’s wedding to make Chelsea see that he’s innocent!

Chelsea Hunt was one of the most damaged of all in his uncle’s scheme, and she’s convinced he was the accomplice the police are still searching for that helped with taking and leaking the nude pics of her. Being thrown together with him in the planning of this wedding is not making her happy … because the more time she spends with him, the more she has to admit that he’s actually a really nice guy … and she no longer believes he could be guilty!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * CHRISTMAS WITH HER MILLIONAIRE BOSS by Barbara Wallace

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Christmas with Her Millionaire Boss by Barbara Wallace
Series: The Men Who Make Christmas
Published by Harlequin Romance on November 1, 2017
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The magic of Christmas…

Abandoned by his mother on Christmas Day, James Hammond wishes he could simply erase the date. So when his company buys a new toy store devoted to Christmas, he wants to seal the deal and get home. Until he finds himself injured and under the care of employee Noelle!

Nobody loves Christmas more than young widow Noelle Fryberg! But could she be the one to change his mind and melt the millionaire's guarded heart?

A sweet Christmas romance! A disconnected workaholic meets his match when he meets a kindhearted woman who’s willing to look past his cold exterior to see his true self deep inside. Their love story is fun to read and left me pulling for their happy ending throughout! Well developed characters, a heartwarming setting and a rocky road leading to a well-deserved happily-ever-after!

Noelle Fryberg adores Christmas and working at the toy store she married into. She’s devoted to helping her mother-in-law make this last Christmas the best that it can be since she has sold out to a big conglomerate. When James Hammond shows up from Hammond Toy Stores to get the lay of the land and make recommendations about changes they will want to make, she can’t help but call him what he is … a big ol’ Scrooge!

James doesn’t have the best memories of Christmas since that’s the day his mother walked out on him all those years ago, so he’s not going to let Noelle’s sentimentality over traditions at the toy store change his plans for streamlining the most profitable location as possible. Only problem is, she starts to get to him … the young widow isn’t just a whirlwind at work, she’s also a sweet woman with a heart of gold who he finds himself falling for without even blinking an eye!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * MARTINEZ’S PREGNANT WIFE by Rachael Thomas

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MARTINEZ’S PREGNANT WIFE by Rachael Thomas

Martinez's Pregnant Wife by Rachael Thomas
Series: Convenient Christmas Brides
Published by Harlequin Presents on January 1, 2018
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Expecting her husband’s baby

When Lisa Martinez last saw her estranged husband, Maximiliano, she was walking out on their relationship for good. Her heart and dignity in tatters after once more giving in to the temptation of Max’s seduction, she knew divorce was her only option. Except Lisa’s heartbreaking plans are halted by unexpected nine-month consequences!

Max never wanted a family, so Lisa is appalled when he refuses to relinquish his child and demands she return to their marriage bed! For their unborn baby’s sake, Lisa agrees. Dare she hope to find more than mindless pleasure in her husband’s arms?

Will they … or won’t they? The big question as we dash into this holiday romance is whether Max and Lisa will be able to salvage their marriage. He doesn’t want to risk his heart, she has already fallen hard for him and only wants to be loved in return. Will they be able to find a common ground to build on or will they walk away? The characters are intriguing and I enjoyed their connection and learning about the past that made him who he is today. The one thing that I thought would have added more to the plot was to actually bring their jobs more into the mix of daily life. They were supposed to be working together, yet we never really saw that interaction.

Maximiliano Martinez has a family past that leads him to close himself off from the world. He never planned to marry, but he was so taken with Lisa in the beginning that he thought he could make it work when they rushed into a wedding. He broke her heart when he told her he couldn’t love her and thought they should end their marriage.

Lisa Martinez fell hard for Max and even though he hurt her tremendously, she still fell into his arms again a couple of months ago when they were working late one night. She mistakenly thought it meant more than it did, but he rectified her thinking on that as soon as the morning came! Their marriage is close to being over … she’s just waiting on him to sign the papers … only now she’s added a little something to the pot that he just might not be able to walk away from so easily … an heir!

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* Review * RANGER PROTECTOR by Angi Morgan

December 28, 2017 1 Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * RANGER PROTECTOR by Angi Morgan

Ranger Protector by Angi Morgan
Series: Texas Brothers of Company B #1
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on January 1, 2018
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USA TODAY bestselling author Angi Morgan kicks off her new series with a spellbinding tale of crime and passion—Texas Ranger style!

All Texas Ranger Jack MacKinnon has to do is keep Megan Harper alive while they hunt down whoever’s framing her for a fatal shooting. But the gorgeous intelligence analyst is too independent for her own good—and Jack’s peace of mind.

With a false murder rap and hit men gunning for her, Megan has no choice but to trust the cowboy-handsome lawman. She isn’t used to playing it safe. Yet how can she let Jack put his career and life on the line? And how can they ignore the desire ratcheting up the stakes, tempting them to take one last risk before a killer erases their future?

Captivating from the first page! With her unique style of spinning a tale, author Angi Morgan brings us another set of Texas Rangers to fall for! This kick off to a new series is fresh and appealing as we meet the cast of characters and start our first case with them leading us into danger. The characters were fairly well developed, and the plot held my attention. Looking forward to more in the series.

Texas Ranger Jack MacKinnon doesn’t know what he’s walking into when he blindly takes his partners cryptic message to heart for the fact that someone needs his help. He can’t reach him back, and he has no further intel to go on, but he knows that he has to get Megan Harper to safety.

Megan isn’t used to depending on anyone. She’s tough and independent and enjoys solving her own set of crimes in her line of work, but when strange things start happening around her, she’s willing to listen to what Jack has to say when he rescues her from danger. When they realize she’s being framed for murder, they set out to find out what’s really going on … and why!

Filed Under: Book Reviews