Archives for December 2019

* Review * BILLIONAIRE’S WIFE ON PAPER by Melanie Milburne

December 21, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * BILLIONAIRE’S WIFE ON PAPER by Melanie Milburne

Billionaire's Wife on Paper by Melanie Milburne
Series: Conveniently Wed!
Published by Harlequin Presents on January 1, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

“I need a temporary wife.”

Logan McLaughlin can’t lose his Scottish family estate. But to rescue it, his grandfather’s will demands he wed! Logan avoids real relationships, having failed so significantly at love before. So when housemaid Layla suggests he take a convenient wife, he’s intrigued…

Untouched Layla never imagined Logan would choose her! With her scars, she feels far from the perfect bride. Yet to protect the only home she’s ever known, she’ll wear Logan’s ring… But can she ignore the burning connection threatening to destroy their paper-only arrangement?

With the next book in the Conveniently Wed series, Melanie Milburne delights her readers with a modern day opposites attract story with BILLIONAIRE’S WIFE ON PAPER. I was quickly entrenched into Logan’s family drama and enjoyed watching his relationship with Layla unfold.

Layla was the quintessential hired help turned marriage of convenience, but she brought so much more to the story than that. She was beneficial in giving Logan the idea of how to save his family ancestry, never expecting him to call on her to be the convenient bride he needs. Once the plot began to unravel, we got to see the story behind her life and see what motivated her.

Logan believed his history with love in the past meant he could never trust himself to try again, so even though feelings started to develop quickly with Layla, he attempted to hold her at arms length. It was a lot of fun watching them fall!

I recommend this story to anyone looking for a marriage of convenience story line with tons of heart weaved in.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FIREFIGHTER’S UNEXPECTED FLING by Susan Carlisle

December 20, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FIREFIGHTER’S UNEXPECTED FLING by Susan Carlisle

Firefighter's Unexpected Fling by Susan Carlisle
Series: First Response #1
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on January 1, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

When the best-laid plans…

…go up in smoke!

In this First Response story, with his impending promotion, hotshot fire captain Ross Lawson has no time for romance. Until stunning paramedic Sally Davis starts work at his station… Even if she wasn’t his best friend’s recently divorced sister, a workplace romance is out of the question. But their blazing attraction burns bright and deep and soon becomes one fire Ross might not want to put out!

The First Response Duet
Book 1 – Firefighter’s Unexpected Fling
Book 2 – Pregnant with the Paramedic’s Baby

With the first book in the First Response duet, Susan Carlisle delivers an attention grabbing story line with FIREFIGHTER’S UNEXPECTED FLING. It’s fast paced, has really fun characters and checks off all of the must haves for a delightful romance!

Ross nabbed my attention quickly as the go to man when there was a problem, and a good friend to have in your corner. He knows Sally should be off-limits because she’s his best friend’s sister, but he can’t seem to resist her.

Sally is still reeling from her recent divorce, but starting a new job that she loves is good medicine for heartbreak … and it turns out, so is spending time with a man like no other!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of a forbidden romance between friends and co-workers. It easily held my attention throughout and I’m looking forward to the second book in the duet.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FORTUNE’S FRESH START by Michelle Major

December 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FORTUNE’S FRESH START by Michelle Major

Fortune's Fresh Start by Michelle Major
Series: The Fortunes of Texas: Rambling Rose #1
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on January 1, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

There’s a new breed of Fortune in town…

In the small Texas burg of Rambling Rose, real estate investor Callum Fortune is making a big splash. The last thing he needs is any personal complications slowing his pace—least of all nurse Becky Averill, a beautiful widow with twin baby girls. Callum’s past has convinced him he’s not cut out for commitment. Yet, drawn to Becky in ways he can’t understand, Callum is torn between moving on…and moving in!

Another branch of the beloved Fortune family has stolen my heart! The kick-off to a new Fortunes of Texas series is always exciting, and Michelle Major brought her A game with FORTUNE’S FRESH START, the start of the Rambling Rose sub-series! I’m super excited to get more of Callum’s sibling’s stories in the future books.

Callum catches a reader’s eye immediately with his self-assured way and when we see him jump to the aid of a single mother, we start to melt from the start. Watching him interact with family, friends and Becky and her kiddos keeps us entertained throughout.

Becky is appealing from the moment we meet her starting anew as a widowed single mother of adorable twin daughters. She’s fresh and like-able and the more we see her start to fall for the self-proclaimed bachelor, we can’t stop watching … even if her heart might be on the verge of being broken at any moment.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast paced story filled with love, laughter and a close-knit cast of family and friends. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FAMILY UNDER FIRE by Jane Godman

December 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

Family Under Fire by Jane Godman
Series: Colton 911
Published by Harlequin Romantic Suspense on December 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

An unexpected family

A once-in-a-lifetime reunion in danger…

After a bitter breakup, FBI agent Everett Colton never expected to see his ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Bartholomew, again. Suddenly, tragedy reunites them—and makes them guardians of an orphaned baby girl. Everett suspects that her parents’ deaths were anything but innocent. When his instinct for danger proves correct, it’s his job to protect the child he’s grown to love…and the woman he never forgot.

With the sixth book in the Colton 911 series, Jane Godman brings us an unorthodox reunion story with FAMILY UNDER FIRE. An FBI agent and his ex-girlfriend are reunited when they are left co-guardianship of his former best friend turned criminal’s baby girl.

Everett has no idea why Sean would leave him to look after his daughter, much less why he would include the woman who dumped him four years ago as part of the equation.

Alyssa might have been the one doing the dumping, but it’s easy to see she still has feelings for Everett when they are reunited. It doesn’t take long for playing house with little Kennedy to feel way too real!

I recommend this story to anyone loving a fast paced reunion story that has a bit of a crime to have to solve in the midst of all of the emotion and drama. The characters were easy to like and get behind cheering for.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * SPY by Danielle Steel

December 19, 2019 Leave a Comment

Spy by Danielle Steel
Published by Random House LLC on November 26, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

A young woman is caught up in a dangerous double life on behalf of her country during World War II in Danielle Steel’s thrilling new novel.</b

At eighteen, Alexandra Wickham is presented to King George V and Queen Mary in an exquisite white lace and satin dress her mother has ordered from Paris. With her delicate blond looks, she is a stunning beauty who seems destined for a privileged life. But fate, a world war, and her own quietly rebellious personality lead her down a different path.

By 1939, Europe is on fire and England is at war. From her home in idyllic Hampshire, Alex makes her way to London as a volunteer in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry. But she has skills that draw the attention of another branch of the service. Fluent in French and German, she would make the perfect secret agent.

Within a year, Alex is shocking her family in trousers and bright red lipstick. They must never know about the work she does—no one can know, not even the pilot she falls in love with. While her country and those dearest to her pay the terrible price of war, Alex learns the art of espionage, leading to life-and-death missions behind enemy lines and a long career as a spy in exotic places and historic times.

Spy follows Alex’s extraordinary adventures in World War II and afterward in India, Pakistan, Morocco, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Washington, D.C., when her husband, Richard, enters the foreign service and both become witnesses to a rapidly changing world from post-war to Cold War. She lives life on the edge, with a secret she must always keep hidden.

An enlightening look into the life of a spy! With Danielle Steel’s latest release SPY, she delves into the life of a family in late 1930’s Hampshire as World War II is raging and their loved ones are getting into the midst of it all.

Finding herself at odds with what life is expecting of her and where it’s leading her, Alexandra sets out to volunteer during the war at the First Aid Nursing center, but her fluent language skills quickly gain the attention of intelligence that tempts her into spying on the enemy. During this time she meets and falls in love with a pilot, but she must keep her secret assignments to herself.

We continue to follow her life and assignments as the war ends and she marries her pilot and goes on to raise a family as she continues to compile secrets she can share with no one.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a historical romance intermixed with turmoil, secrets and intrigue. Alexandra was easy to become enchanted with, and following her through all of her exploits was quite riveting.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * A WYOMING CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER by Melissa Senate

December 19, 2019 Leave a Comment
A Wyoming Christmas to Remember by Melissa Senate
Series: The Wyoming Multiples #6
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on November 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

She couldn’t remember anything…

Except her love for him.

Stricken with temporary amnesia, Maddie Wolfe can’t remember a single thing about her life…or her boy-next-door husband, Sawyer. But even with electricity crackling between them, it turns out their fairy tale’s careening toward disaster. When Sawyer’s unexpectedly thrust into caring for his newborn twin nephews, will he finally change his mind about being a dad and give Maddie the family of her dreams—and his?

An adorable ready-made family! With book six in her The Wyoming Multiples series, Melissa Senate brings us the story of a woman who has a temporary case of amnesia just in the nick of time to see her husband in a new light.

Maddie might not be able to remember her life, but she knows seeing her husband with his adorable nephews steals her breath away.

Sawyer doesn’t want Maddie to remember that their marriage was failing … all because he refused to give her the one thing she wanted most in the world … a family!

I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys an emotional journey towards healing and moving forward. The characters were well developed and satisfyingly real!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS SECRETS by Laura Scott

December 19, 2019 Leave a Comment
Soldier's Christmas Secrets by Laura Scott
Series: Justice Seekers
Published by Love Inspired Suspense on November 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

He’ll do whatever it takes

To protect his family

When a plane crash leaves special ops soldier Hawk Jacobson with amnesia, all he knows is that the plane was sabotaged and he has a target on his back. His survival depends on letting everyone—including his wife, Jillian Wade—believe he’s dead. Until gunmen come after Jillian and the daughter he never knew existed. Can Jillian help him regain his memory in time to expose a killer?

The intrigue kicks off early when danger comes visiting right from the start in this emotionally riveting book! SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS SECRETS is the first book in the Justice Seekers series from Laura Scott and revolves around reuniting a family.

Special ops soldier Hawk Jacobson went down in a plane crash and for years had no memory of his previous life. When he did start to remember, he knows things aren’t right with how this whole thing played out, so he stays “dead” to keep his wife safe.

Jillian has no clue the helpful stranger who moved in next door to her a few months ago and started doing the occasional outside chore for her without prompting or discussion is her supposed dead husband.

I recommend this story to anyone looking for a read filled with emotional depth, exciting danger and unrelenting faith. I really enjoyed it!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Book Tour/Review/Giveaway * THE CHRISTMAS KISS by Virginia McCullough

December 13, 2019 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
The Christmas Kiss by Virginia McCullough
Series: Back to Bluestone River #2
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on December 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Will working together

…lead to together forever?

Recently divorced, Parker Davis needs to focus on his new job so he can provide a stable home for his daughter in time for the Christmas holidays. The problem is, he’s frequently at odds with his boss. He and Emma O’Connell approach everything differently. Yet he finds her intriguing, and Bluestone River festivities keep pushing them together—often enough that two people at odds could find themselves evenly matched in love!

A delightful holiday romance! THE CHRISTMAS KISS by Virginia McCullough is book two in the Back to Bluestone River series and centers around familiar character Emma and a new face in town.

Parker Davis catches a reader’s eye from the start as a newly divorced father of one who is trying to settle into a new job as the holidays are quickly approaching for he and his daughter. He’s fairly easy to like, even though he carries a bit of a chip on his shoulder here and there.

Emma O’Connell is familiar to those that read the first book in the series as she is Ruby’s best friend who had recently had back surgery. She wasn’t exactly looking to spice up her life right now, but she finds it hard to resist this handsome man who introduces her to her new favorite thing … bird rescue!

I recommend this book to anyone enjoying a small town romance with a close knit group of family and friends playing a key part in the story line. Sweet interactions, a whimsical setting and a romance sure to please.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Christmas Kiss
(Back to Bluestone River #2)
By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
December 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Will working together

…lead to together forever?

Recently divorced, Parker Davis needs to focus on his new job so he can provide a stable home for his daughter in time for the Christmas holidays. The problem is, he’s frequently at odds with his boss. He and Emma O’Connell approach everything differently. Yet he finds her intriguing, and Bluestone River festivities keep pushing them together—often enough that two people at odds could find themselves evenly matched in love!

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Harlequin | iBooks | Kobo

Other Books in the Series

A Family for Jason
(Back to Bluestone River #1)
By Virginia McCullough
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
August 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She’s not home for keeps

Unless he proves first love is forever

Bluestone River is a minefield of memories for Mike Abbot—all involving Ruby Driscoll. Twenty years after scandal divided them, they’re both back in their hometown. Ruby’s visit is strictly temporary. But as she uses her trauma expertise to help his vulnerable son, Mike faces what his heart has always known. Ruby’s still his one and only. This time, can he convince her to stay?

Goodreads│Amazon│B&N│Harlequin│iBooks│Kobo│GooglePlay

About the Author

Born and raised in Chicago, Virginia McCullough has been lucky enough to develop her writing career in many locations, including the coast of Maine, the mountains of North Carolina, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and currently, Northeast Wisconsin. She started her career in nonfiction, first writing articles and then books as a ghostwriter and coauthor. She’s written more than 100 books for physicians, business owners, professional speakers and many others with information to share or a story to tell.

Virginia’s books feature characters who could be your neighbors and friends. They come in all ages and struggle with everyday life issues in small-town environments that almost always include water—oceans, lakes, or rivers. The mother of two grown children, you’ll find Virginia with her nose a book, walking on trails or her neighborhood street, or she may be packing her bag to take off for her next adventure. And she’s always working on another story about hope, healing, and second chances.

Website│Goodreads│Facebook│Twitter│Bookbub│Amazon│Newsletter

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

– 1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card and a $25 Etsy eGift Card
– Open internationally for those who are eligible
– Ends December 18, 2019

ENTER HERE

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews

* Review * THIS IS LOVE by Melissa Foster

December 12, 2019 Leave a Comment
This Is Love by Melissa Foster
Series: Harmony Pointe #2
Published by Montlake Romance on December 3, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Actress Remi Divine is sick of bodyguards, sick of stalkers, and sick of feeling like she is always under a microscope. But this movie star isn’t helpless by any means. She’s got a rebellious streak, and she knows how to use it. First order of business: getting rid of the overbearing bodyguards who are sticking to her like glue.

Mason Swift has made protecting others his life, and when Remi ditches his two best men, he takes over and gives it everything he has. Having grown up in the foster-care system, and as a former special operative, he knows all the tricks. Nothing gets by him, especially not gorgeous, sneaky Remi.

He thinks she’s a diva. She thinks he’s arrogant. But when sparks turn to flames and their walls come down, their true hearts are revealed, and their connection is unstoppable. And when tragedy strikes, Remi realizes that being protected isn’t the worst thing in the world—but losing Mason just might be.

Melissa Foster has proven time and time again that she has a unique talent of creating characters that enchant her readers … and her latest continues the trend! THIS IS LOVE is the second book in her Harmony Pointe series and brings us a Hollywood superstar and the bodyguard tasked to control the wayward starlet in a sexy forbidden love romance.

Remi is no stranger to avid reader’s of Foster, so starting this story with her handling a stalker and balking at the strict protection her brother has ordered for her was attention grabbing from the start. She’s a complex character in that she’s achieved such greatness in her young life, but still half feels smothered under her brother’s love.

Mason felt like walking sin the second he entered the first scene. He caught her eye majorly before he ever even got the chance to tell her he was her new bodyguard … and that chemistry continued to flare out of control as they danced around the sexual attraction consuming their thoughts.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sassy banter, steaming hot passion and generally good natured folks. You can’t go wrong with either book in this series so far … they’ve both been great!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Excerpt/Giveaway * INSTACRUSH by Kate Meader

December 12, 2019 1 Comment

Instacrush
Kate Meader
(Rookie Rebels #2)
Publication date: December 10th 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance, Sports

Theo Kershaw is the luckiest guy alive.

Roaring back from a life-threatening injury, he has the world at his skates as defenseman for his new team, the Chicago Rebels. Everyone adores his big personality, his on-ice talent, and his killer smile. Everyone but his prickly neighbor – or so he thinks. One chilly Christmas Eve, Theo will learn that maybe the girl next door isn’t such a hater after all …

Elle Butler is the most embarrassing person on the planet.

How else can the ex-military-now-bartender explain her crush on the hot jock who lives across the hall? True, he has gorgeous green eyes and perfect cheekbones, but the filter between his brain and too-sexy mouth is permanently malfunctioning. Yet she can’t stop checking out his Instagram antics or sneaking looks at him when he’s in her bar. So. Mortifying. Running from a past filled with damning secrets, Elle’s determined that this guilty pleasure remains buried in her deepest fantasies.

Because she couldn’t possibly indulge with the Theo Kershaw or make a mistake that draws attention to her under-the-radar life. And she especially couldn’t be a mom to a pro-athlete’s baby … could she?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

—

EXCERPT:

“Yes, I’ve seen those billboards for your underwear.”

“Fender bender when you did, right?”

“Oh, I have epic self-control. But seeing them made me realize that you’re a bit too pretty. I kind of like ’em rougher.” She placed a finger under his chin and tilted it for inspection. “You ever get into a fight? And I don’t mean those phony ballets you perform on the ice for your fan base.”

“I’m more a lover than a fighter.”

She scoffed, reluctantly withdrawing her touch. “Thought as much. Wouldn’t want to risk getting that perfect nose broken.”

He didn’t take offense. She wondered what in the world would ever bother The Theo Kershaw.

“So we’ve established I’m not manly enough for you. Any other comments?”

“Oh, I’d never be one to criticize.”

He waved a hand. “Help me out, Elle-oh-Elle. Give me some pointers on how to win a real woman such as yourself.”

She thought about it for a moment, her blood fizzing with the fun of sparring with him. “You’d need to be a completely different person. But don’t fret, your current vapid personality is probably cleaning up so don’t change a thing, ’kay?”

He didn’t look put out, probably because her jab carried no heat. They both knew she wouldn’t be talking to him like this if she really believed he was dumb and vain.

“Yeah, good thing I’m doing okay. It’s just you’re here and I’m here …” The implication being that only proximity would force him to lower his standards.

She patted his chest and suppressed a groan at how hard it felt under her fingertips. “I know you can’t help yourself. You’ve got a penis that seeks out the nearest vagina like a diving rod. It’s really not your fault.”

“True. I can’t be held accountable for my incorrigible flirting.”

He grinned and she grinned back, and that fizz in her veins bubbled bright. He’d figured out her game, matched her quip for quip. They understood each other and now they were … friends?

How odd.

And surprisingly sweet.

Theo Kershaw was smarter than he looked. Confusion must have registered on her face because he seemed to be closer, more present. A rush of awareness overtook her, not just of him, but of them and the sparking connection being formed in this sizzling moment, more powerful than mere sexual attraction.

Author Bio:

Originally from Ireland, USA Today bestselling author Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines who can match their men quip for quip.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Amazon

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Release Day Blitz