Archives for August 22, 2020

* Review * ROYAL by Danielle Steel

* Review * ROYAL by Danielle SteelRoyal by Danielle Steel
Published by Dell on August 18, 2020
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four-half-stars

In this spellbinding tale from Danielle Steel, a princess is sent away to safety during World War II, where she falls in love, and is lost forever.

As the war rages on in the summer of 1943, causing massive destruction and widespread fear, the King and Queen choose to quietly send their youngest daughter, Princess Charlotte, to live with a trusted noble family in the country. Despite her fiery, headstrong nature, the princess's fragile health poses far too great a risk for her to remain in war-torn London.

Third in line for the throne, seventeen year-old Charlotte reluctantly uses an alias upon her arrival in Yorkshire, her two guardians the only keepers of her true identity. In time, she settles comfortably into a life out of the spotlight, befriending a young evacuee and training with her cherished horse. But no one predicts that in the coming months she will fall deeply in love with her protectors' son.

She longs for a normal life. Far from her parents, a tragic turn of events leaves an infant orphaned. Alone in the world, that child will be raised in the most humble circumstances by a modest stable manager and his wife. No one, not even she, knows of her lineage. But when a stack of hidden letters comes to light, a secret kept for nearly two decades finally surfaces, and a long lost princess emerges.

A fascinating story of family and royalty, and an unforgettable portrait of an extraordinary young woman and the man who brings her home, Royal is an exhilarating work from America's most beloved storyteller.

 

An awe inspiring story of strength and sacrifice! While not nearly as easy to emotionally connect with as your typical Danielle Steel novel, ROYAL was fast paced, plot intensive and simply delightful. I loved it!

Seventeen year old Princess Charlotte was too ill to be around the bombing aspects of the war in London so the youngest child of the ruling King of England was sent to live in the countryside of Yorkshire for a year. While there, she fell in love with the son of her caretakers.

Destiny leaves behind a child who is raised as a commoner with no trail left of the royal lineage she carries. Fate brings the truth to the surface after nearly two decades and the knowledge of the lost princess is shared with the royal family, and the story plays out the details of their reunion.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a royal family saga with hints of romance.

four-half-stars

* Review * PACIFIC PARADISE, SECOND CHANCE by Susan Carlisle

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * PACIFIC PARADISE, SECOND CHANCE by Susan CarlislePacific Paradise, Second Chance by Susan Carlisle
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on August 1, 2020
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four-stars

Is their surprise reunion…
…enough to heal them?

Nurse Macie Beck never imagined she would see Dr. Landon Cochran again—especially in her small Pacific island hospital. But the shock of his arrival is overtaken by their obvious and unresolved chemistry… As they are forced to work with each other, memories of the past blur their professional boundaries. Keeping things strictly business becomes impossible…and they find themselves wondering if this might be their opportunity for a second chance together!

 

Love when they least expect it! Susan Carlisle’s characters draw the reader in quickly in PACIFIC PARADISE, SECOND CHANCE and make this reunion story super sweet. An intriguing past, a romantic tension flaring out of control and a close-knit setting are sure to please.

Macie Beck is holding a grudge when she sees Landon arrive at the remote hospital she works at in the Pacific. She isn’t interested in hearing his excuses for disappearing on her at the most intimate point in their relationship years ago.

Landon Cochran had a reason for walking out on her and wishes she’d let him fill her in instead of staying mad at him.

I recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a medical centric plot with a reunion twist.

four-stars

* Review * THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED by Michelle Major

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED by Michelle MajorThe Last Man She Expected by Michelle Major
Series: Welcome to Starlight #2
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on September 1, 2020
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five-stars

How could being so wrong suddenly feel so right?

Falling for her arch nemesis

Isn’t going to happen.

Moving to Starlight was Mara Reed’s first step forward after her devastating divorce. But had she known she’d find Parker Johnson, her ex-husband’s ruthless divorce attorney, there, she might have gone in a different direction. Away from the big city, Mara is seeing Parker in a new light—but is it enough for her to set aside her anger?

 

I’m always smiling when I return to Starlight! Michelle Major easily wraps a small town around her reader’s heart with engaging characters, intriguing back stories and just enough sass and humor to warm our soul as we turn the pages towards that happily ever after! THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED definitely lives up to the hype as recently divorced Mara settles into life as a single mom in Starlight, Washington. I loved every thing about it!

Mara Reed is an easily relatable character. She puts one foot in front of the other every single day to make a good life for her daughter, but when the day is over and Evie is asleep, she remembers the “what if”s and “used to be”s with the best of them.

Parker Johnson is a joy to watch transform into a great guy. He doesn’t recognize Mara, but she quickly lets him have it and refreshes his memory that he recently raked her over the coals as her ex-husband’s divorce attorney. Awkward!

I highly recommend this book as well as the first book in the series to anyone who enjoys small town romance with lots of heart, sass and happily ever afters.

five-stars

* Review * CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE by Nichole Severn

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE by Nichole SevernCaught in the Crossfire by Nichole Severn
Series: Blackhawk Security #5
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on September 1, 2020
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five-stars

Her husband doesn’t remember her.

When Kate Monroe’s deceased husband suddenly appears, the profiler can’t believe her eyes. Declan Monroe has lost all of his memories, and Kate is struggling to figure out how to respond after finally overcoming her grief and moving forward. But with a killer targeting Kate, the pair will have to work together to outwit The Hunter in his murderous game…and find their way back to each other.

 

High intensity action! With book five in her always exciting Blackhawk Security series Nichole Severn delights her reader with quite the story in CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE. Danger is lurking around every corner, lies are exposed and love in rekindled when Declan Monroe returns from the dead!

Kat is a force of nature. She survived the shootout that killed her husband and took her future from her and is finally coming over the hurdle of grief to get back to work and living again. When she discovers her husband is alive but remembers nothing about their life together, she has to once again use the strength in her soul to be side by side with him when to him she’s a stranger.

Declan is a powerful character. His memory loss is a pivotal part of the book and watching them reconnect despite the things he can’t remember is even sweeter because of it.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a suspenseful read with lots of heart.

five-stars

* Review * CONFESSIONS OF AN ITALIAN MARRIAGE by Dani Collins

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CONFESSIONS OF AN ITALIAN MARRIAGE by Dani CollinsConfessions of an Italian Marriage by Dani Collins
Published by Harlequin Presents on September 1, 2020
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four-stars

He’s back to reclaim her…but where has he been?

What do you do when your husband goes missing? Flush him out by pretending to marry again! Billionaire Giovanni’s dramatic return forces Freja to confront the deep hurt she felt at his desertion…and the sparks that continue to fly between them…

Giovanni had to go into hiding to protect his new bride, but he’s shocked by the consequences his mysterious past had on Freja. Now he’ll have to let her in closer than he’s allowed anyone before if he’s to save the whirlwind marriage he’s suddenly so compelled to fight for!

 

Secrets are exposed and passion is reignited! As tempers flare and temptation abounds a groom returns from the dead just as his bride is seemingly about to commit to someone else in CONFESSIONS OF AN ITALIAN MARRIAGE by Dani Collins. I enjoyed the main characters and some of the story line premise but other aspects felt a bit disjointed.

Giovanni and Freja had a whirlwind courtship and only weeks after their wedding he’s believed dead. Only his bride doesn’t believe it and is determined to flush him out of hiding no matter the reason.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys their romance mixed with a show of wealth and mystery.

four-stars

* Review * BURIED SECRETS by Carol Ericson

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * BURIED SECRETS by Carol EricsonBuried Secrets by Carol Ericson
Series: Holding the Line #4
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on September 1, 2020
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four-stars

They’ve been warned to stay away,

But they won’t be deterred that easily.

To halt construction of a casino on Yaqui land, ranger Jolene Nighthawk plants damning evidence. But she’s caught by her ex Sam Cross, a Border Patrol agent with his own interest in the land…and Jolene. There may be bodies beneath the desert, victims of a murderous cartel. As Jolene and Sam investigate, they find that theirs may be the next bodies hidden in the Arizona sand.

 

Full of danger and intrigue! With the fourth book in her Holding the Line series Carol Ericson brings us BURIED SECRETS. The story kicks off the excitement from page one and continues turning up surprise after surprise throughout. I felt pulled in several different directions with this plot, but I enjoyed Jolene and Sam’s relationship progression a lot.

Jolene Nighthawk had my attention from the start when she buries false evidence in the dessert to get the casino groundbreaking halted. She’s determined to find answers before real evidence is destroyed.

Sam Cross is really easy to like. Jolene holds a grudge against him for their previous break-up but she also still cares for him a great deal and is willing to work with him towards their common goal of finding out what’s been going on out there in the dessert.

I recommend this book to anyone who likes a mystery to solve as a relationship develops and real life keeps interfering.

four-stars

* Review * FALLING AGAIN FOR THE SINGLE DAD by Juliette Hyland

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FALLING AGAIN FOR THE SINGLE DAD by Juliette HylandFalling Again for the Single Dad by Juliette Hyland
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on September 1, 2020
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five-stars

Fatherhood has changed him—

But can she risk her heart?

ER nurse Amara Patel is starting over. Running into her ex, physician Eli Collins, on her first day at Boston General throws a major wrench in the works! Because despite his still irrefutably sexy appearance, he’s not the Eli she remembers. He’s always put work first, but now that he’s bringing up his niece, everything’s changed—except his and Amara’s feelings for each other! Dare Amara allow herself a second chance at love?

 

A delightful second chance on love with intriguing characters, powerful back stories and tantalizing chemistry! Juliette Hyland quickly catches her reader’s attention with a reunion of college sweethearts who haven’t seen each other since their split a decade ago in FALLING AGAIN FOR THE SINGLE DAD. The characters were easy to like and the reunion uplifting but the real meat of the story was the turn of events that occurred in each of their lives that has shaped their future differently. I really enjoyed their story!

Amara Patel is a strong female lead with a dedication to nursing that serves her patients well. She’s never forgotten Eli, but she still isn’t sure that she can trust him to be invested in a relationship long term. She was a little less trusting than I thought he deserved, but I still liked her a lot.

Eli Collins is a sweetheart. He let the love of his life get away years ago and he regrets it to this day. When she steps back into his life as a colleague at the hospital, he sees it as his chance to right past wrongs, but he still has a tendency to get obsessed with being better.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys watching a couple reconcile and find their way to that ultimate happily ever after. The story line has a medical setting with a whole lot of feels in the mix!

five-stars