Archives for August 26, 2019

* Review * THE DARK SIDE by Danielle Steel

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE DARK SIDE by Danielle Steel

The Dark Side by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on August 27, 2019
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In her new novel, Danielle Steel tells a riveting story of the dark side of motherhood.

Zoe Morgan’s childhood was marked by her younger sister’s tragic illness, watching as her parents dedicated themselves completely to her final days and then divorced. As a young woman driven by these painful memories, Zoe sets the bar high for herself, studying hard and pursuing a career in the nonprofit world, where her deep compassion for disadvantaged children finds a focus.

When Zoe falls in love and has her own child, she is determined to be a perfect mother as well. But before long, old scars long dormant begin to pull Zoe to the edge of an abyss too terrifying to contemplate.

As Zoe is haunted by the ghosts of the past, her story will become a race against time and a tale of psychological suspense that no reader will soon forget.

THE DARK SIDE is the latest novel from Danielle Steel and is a classic love story with a major twist. While out of character from what we typically expect when picking up Ms. Steel, her take on a modern day psychological thriller is not to be missed!

Zoe Morgan comes into the story as a young girl who suffers a stilted childhood because of a devastating illness her little sister goes through. Her family is never the same again, and the scars it leaves on her into adulthood are obvious, but also deceptive. No one looks at her and sees pain … but distortion is the new normal as we traverse a life of success, leading to love and eventual motherhood. She wants to be all that she didn’t get in her own life for her daughter … but she ends up being more than we ever expected.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a pivotal plot change in a romance/psychological thriller. There was a slight disconnect in emotion with this story compared to others by the author, but the suspense more than made up for it. Great story, great twists and a very satisfying read!

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* Review * HOLD ON TO ME by Jules Bennett

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * HOLD ON TO ME by Jules Bennett

Hold On to Me by Jules Bennett
Series: Return to Haven #3
Published by Zebra Books on August 27, 2019
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When three best friends decide to stretch their wings and revamp the local airport in small-town Haven, Georgia, the destination is laughter and love . . .

Jade McKenzie left her high-society family’s expectations behind when she came back to cozy Haven, and she’s never been happier. But what’s supposed to be a quick trip to Nashville for a cousin’s wedding turns into a disaster when one of the airport’s pilots offers to fly her there. One crash landing and a shared room later, and tattooed, bearded Cash Miller is standing in as her gorgeously unsuitable plus-one—and turning her on in ways she can’t deny. But a relationship? A real one? That’s definitely in the no-fly zone.

Vincent “Cash” Miller doesn’t have much in the world, but he does have pride—and a strict policy not to let anyone trash-talk his friends, not even their mothers. Standing up for sexy, headstrong Jade comes naturally—but so does the bone-deep itch for her he’s always wanted to scratch. Giving in to attraction is one thing, but commitment is another. So why does it feel like together, love might take them to breathtaking heights?

HOLD ON TO ME is book three in Jules Bennett’s Return to Haven series and centers around a Pilot/Gym Owner and public relations whirlwind joining forces to not only revamp the airport that means so much to their group of friends, but also a hookup or two on the sly! This yummy enemies to lovers story is sure to entice.

If you’ve been reading this series from the start, you will recognize the setting of Haven, George as well as the airport that three best friends got hooked on seeing succeed. Two of them have already fallen for the loves of their lives, and now it’s Jade’s turn to settle in for the long haul. With a close-knit group like this, we always get a feel for what’s going on in the previous couples lives as the new couple starts to evolve.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a small town romance centering around a group of best friends. You can’t go wrong with any of the three books in this series as each couple has been well developed and very satisfying.

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* Review * WILD TENDY by Toni Aleo

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Wild Tendy by Toni Aleo
Series: IceCats #2
on August 27, 2019
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Nico Merryweather loves women—all women. Sure, they’re sexy and fun. But “Player” is an easy reputation to hide behind, a way to keep the good times rolling and reality at bay. He’s loud, he’s cocky, he says exactly what he’s thinking, and people just laugh it off because they think they know him. But Nico makes sure no one is close enough to know the truth. With a new season starting, he is ready to play the game he can control. They’ll all be watching Nico, the goalie, but they’ll never know the man behind the mask who is just trying to breathe. He hasn’t ever wanted anyone close enough to him to see the truth, until Aviva rams herself into his ass. Literally.

Aviva Pearce’s life is a collection of bad days all wrapped up without a bow. If it can go wrong, it will. All she wants is to run her business, take care of her sister, and keep her head above water. But with a father who is out to ruin her like he has himself and debt trying to drown her, it’s hard to stay afloat. Aviva isn’t the type to waste time dwelling on her misfortunes or to give up, though. She’s got too much fight in her. And she definitely doesn’t have time to waste on the wildly sexy, rich, showboating goaltender everyone wants. She’s got goals.

What she doesn’t know is that Nico has goals of his own.

And she’s number one on his list.

WILD TENDY is the second book in Toni Aleo’s IceCats hockey series and brings us an opposites attract story filled with sass, drama and a whole lot of heart.

Aviva hasn’t had an easy life of late, and she when she comes across as hard-nosed, we totally get why she has her guard up. She wants to give her sister a good life, and life and all of it’s issues just keeps trying to knock them down. When she meets this fancy sports guy, she doesn’t have the time of day to give him … until he continues to show that he’s more than she ever expected.

Nico puts up the front that everyone expects to see … arrogant womanizer who lives for the party. He simply takes our breath away when we get to know the true man behind the prestige and recognize how wonderfully far he’s come in life. He’s a joy to read.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves to see a cocky sports guy being brought to his knees by “the one”. The hockey action is a tad light, but the emotional depth is spot on and more! Looking forward to more in the series.

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* Review * THE AUSSIE NEXT DOOR by Stefanie London

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE AUSSIE NEXT DOOR by Stefanie London

The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London
Series: Patterson's Bluff #1
Published by Entangled: Amara on August 27, 2019
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American Angie Donovan has never wanted much. When you grow up getting bounced from foster home to foster home, you learn not to become attached to anything, anyone, or any place. But it only took her two days to fall in love with Australia. With her visa clock ticking, surely she can fall in love with an Australian—and get hitched—in two months. Especially if he’s as hot and funny as her next-door neighbor…

Jace Walters has never wanted much—except a bathroom he didn’t have to share. The last cookie all to himself. And solitude. But when you grow up in a family of seven, you can kiss those things goodbye. He’s finally living alone and working on his syndicated comic strip in privacy. Sure, his American neighbor is distractingly sexy and annoyingly nosy, but she’ll be gone in a few months...

Except now she’s determined to find her perfect match by checking out every eligible male in the town, and her choices are even more distracting. So why does it suddenly feel like he—and his obnoxious tight-knit family, and even these two wayward dogs—could be exactly what she needs?

THE AUSSIE NEXT DOOR kicks off the brand new Patterson’s Bluff series by Stefanie London with a delightful opposites attract twist between a comic strip creator and a tourist who enjoys brightening people’s lives.

Angie is a complex character. She has a past that she doesn’t advertise and all that she wants is to stay in this delightful location that feels like home for maybe the first time ever … but she’s having visa problems. She sets out to fall in love and step into that happily ever after that every girl dreams of (in two months time of course!) … if only the quirky neighbor wasn’t catching her eye time and time again.

Jace is a heartwarming character. He’s unique and had this reader wrapped around his finger very quickly. I enjoyed watching him learn to let his guard down a little as Angie and her spunkiness became a part of his life.

I highly recommend you take a trip to Patterson’s Bluff if you enjoy a small town vibe with a side of sass, an adorable cast and a boatload of heart! Looking forward to more to come in the series.

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* Review * THE GREEK’S VIRGIN TEMPTATION by Susan Stephens

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

The Greek's Virgin Temptation by Susan Stephens
Published by Harlequin Presents on September 1, 2019
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A passionate kiss from an enticing stranger…

…ignites a craving she can’t deny!

Abandoned in paradise, jilted bride Kimmie Lancaster is adamant that she’ll still enjoy her honeymoon. But she doesn’t realize she is trespassing on billionaire Kristof Kaimos’s beach! His magnetic charisma encourages her to confide in him…and ignites a hunger that untouched Kimmie has never experienced. Soon she’s tempted to share her unspent wedding night with this irresistible Greek!

THE GREEK’S VIRGIN TEMPTATION is the newest Harlequin Presents out by Susan Stephens. It’s a twist on a second chance on love story and revolves around an exotic Greek island.

Kimmie drew our sympathy quickly from the situation she found herself in, and her naivety in situations was sort of sweet.

Kristof was an attention grabbing character as he walked onto the scene as if he owned it … but of course he did! … and captivated the reader. The time frame of the story line was fairly short, yet the dialogue drug a bit.

Overall the read was satisfying and I recommend it if you enjoy a good virgin heroine story where she’s whisked away by the rich mogul.

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* Review * TOP TROUBLE by Tara Sue Me

August 26, 2019 Leave a Comment

Top Trouble by Tara Sue Me
Series: Submissive Series
Published by After Six Publishing on August 20, 2019
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Some say they've been arguing for years.
Others say it's just a really long foreplay session.

When Kelly moves from Wilmington, Delaware to Dallas, Texas, Evan regrets all the time they spent arguing and knows he made a mistake in letting her go. A wedding allows them the opportunity to reconnect and they spend a passionate night together. Yet when morning comes Kelly seems further away than ever.

Kelly has her reasons for treating Evan the way she did, not to mention a secret or two she’s never shared with anyone. If she hurt Evan, she’s sorry but she had no other choice. Besides, they’re both Tops, and they’d never be right together.

An unexpected situation forces them back together, and for a couple who’s done little else than bicker, the danger they find themselves in might be what they need to finally admit how they feel for each other.

Or it might be what pulls them apart forever.

TOP TROUBLE is the next book in Tara Sue Me’s beloved Sumissive Series, and centers around two dominant personalities who finally succumb to their temptations in this enemies to lovers story.

I always love a return visit to this series because we always get a great update on all of the previous couples we loved and this was no exception. It’s like visiting old friends to reach for this book.

Kelly was particularly interesting from the start because even though she’s dominant and outspoken in public, she has secrets she doesn’t let be known by just everybody. Letting the walls down to let Evan in was difficult for her … but the reward eventually made it worth it!

Evan is a fun character. He brings sass and humor to the table, but flirts with a sternness at times that really brings him to life. Really enjoyed watching them let their guard down and live a little.

I highly recommend this story to anyone wanting a fun-filled, light-hearted delve into the BDSM world with a cast of characters that are tight-knit and always like family. The characters are well developed and the passion is always steamy. Always a pleasure, and I always leave looking forward to that next book!

Filed Under: Book Reviews