Archives for September 2023

* Review * UNREGRETTABLE by Monique Moreau

September 30, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * UNREGRETTABLE by Monique Moreau

UNREGRETTABLE by Monique Moreau
Series: Empire Academy Series #2
on October 12, 2023
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Marriage can't fix what’s broken. If only he would see that.

Crina

If he thinks I’ll come to the altar like some meek, blushing bride, he must not know me.

Oh, wait, he doesn’t know me anymore.

Four years of a cold war will do that to a friendship.

We were friends once.

But I won’t tolerate being humiliated. And if he thinks forcing me to marry him will change anything between us, he’s lost his damn mind.

No one messes with me.

Least of all him.

Marku

Crina is my woman, bonded to me since birth. The fact that we’re from different mafia clans is irrelevant. The fact that she’s in danger just sped up a marriage that was always meant to be.

I hurt her, I know that.

I never apologized. Never explained. Never reached out. Stuck in my own pain, I let a war simmer between us.

But that ends today.

Today she will become my wife. Tonight, she will come to my bed. I’ll finally fix things between us.

But when my desire for revenge—revenge I’ve pursued for five long years—collides with doing right by Crina, everything goes to hell in a handbasket.

Content warning: UNREGRETTABLE is the second installment of The Empire Academy Series. Marku is an OTT morally gray, possessive hero who will do anything to win back his woman. Brace yourself for a domineering and dirty-talking alpha. But don’t worry, Crina is more than up to the task of dealing with him. If such material offends, please do not read.

Delectably forbidden steals the show! She’s from one clan, he’s from another … but danger and parental interference have them meeting at the alter in no time. I like the premise of this book because there are familiar faces from the Lupu Chronicles series floating in and out regularly, but this series isn’t the best work of this author by far. There seems to be a timeline issue where this is supposedly book two, yet the things that happened in book one don’t appear to have happened in many instances. Mass confusion and a seeming pull between young adult, bully and mafia not aligning into a strong storyline in any of the above are disappointing. I really enjoyed her MC series and even her mafia series, but this younger generation just isn’t cutting it for me personally. Not a bad story, just not cohesive enough to carry itself. The cast is interesting and there is interest in the context, just weakness in development that shows through.

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* Review * ROCKED by Gillian Archer

September 30, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Rocked by Gillian Archer
Series: Tin Gods Rock Stars #1
on October 12, 2023
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What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. Not when you marry a rock star.

Shay
Las Vegas was a terrible idea. Why can't I say no to my family? After a night out with my awful cousin for her bachelorette party, I wake up naked in a strange bed surrounded by scrawled notebook pages. Turns out I’d married a rock star last night. How am I ever going to explain this to my religious parents?

Chase
I went to Vegas to get married, only she married someone else, so why shouldn’t I do the same? It’s the best way to stop public speculation about the marriage-that-wasn’t. But even better, something about Shay has flipped a switch inside me—suddenly I can write music again. Only my new little wifey isn’t thrilled about our marriage.

She says drunken mistake. I say best night ever. Of course I'm right. And I'll use everything I've got to convince her.

Attention grabbing and highly addictive! Gillian Archer delivers on the rocker lifestyle with the kickoff to her brand new Tin Gods Rock Stars series and the introduction of an almost unredeemable lead singer with the world at his fingertips. Chase is complex because in one aspect he’s kind and sincere and in another he’s selfish and unseeing. I was invested in the story quickly and am looking forward to more to come from these guys for sure!

Shay was my favorite! Yes, she’s naive and almost too kind for her own good, but she’s such a sweetheart and just has a goodness to her that makes you want to be her best friend and give her a hug. I really enjoyed seeing her find something she loved in life and be treasured as she deserved.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a sullied rockstar falling hard for that forever love just when he least expects it.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * PROVING COLTON’S INNOCENCE by Lara Lacombe

September 30, 2023 Leave a Comment
Proving Colton's Innocence by Lara Lacombe
Series: The Coltons of Grave Gulch #12
Published by Harlequin Romantic Suspense on December 28, 2021
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A battle for justice

pits brother against brother

Bounty hunter Baldwin Bowe works in the shadows, finding fugitives no one else can. But now he’s hired to bring in his own sibling and help prove the innocence of CSI Jillian Colton. Baldwin sticks by her side, aiming to lure in his criminal brother and exonerate Jillian. Yet as danger escalates, Baldwin never expected to fall for the woman by his side…

Highly addictive and fast paced! The final book in the Colton’s of Grove Gulch series ties up some lose ends and takes the reader on a roller coaster ride of tracking down the final bad guy as he strikes out against the beloved Colton family once again. The intrigue starts from the very first page and quickly had me hooked on what was to come. Jillian and Baldwin shared an emotional connection that carried the romance aspect into a gentle comfort as danger circles before rearing it’s ugly head right when they least expect it.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys fast paced danger with a touch of romance and heartfelt connections throughout.

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* Review * SECOND ACT by Danielle Steel

September 30, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Second Act by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on October 3, 2023
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As the head of a prestigious movie studio for nearly two decades, Andy Westfield has had every conceivable professional luxury: a stunning office on the forty-fourth floor, a loyal assistant who can all but read his mind, access to a private jet and company cars. The son of Hollywood royalty, Andy always put his career before his marriage, and now, besides his daughter and young grandchildren, it’s the only thing he truly loves.

But then Andy’s world is upended. The studio is sold, and the buyer’s son demands the top seat. Out of a job and humiliated, Andy spirals. When his head clears, he decides to get as far away from Los Angeles as possible until the dust settles and he can find a new way forward.

Andy signs a six-month rental agreement for a luxurious home in a tiny, forgotten coastal town two hours from London. When he arrives, he hires a local woman to help get his affairs in order. A former journalist, Violet Smith is at a crossroads as well, and this temporary job is exactly what she needs to tide her over. But when Violet leaves the manuscript of her unfinished novel behind after work one day, Andy lets his curiosity get the best of him and is captivated by a story that begs to be adapted for the big screen. Could this be the miracle they’ve both been looking for?

Steel delights with a fresh concept! It’s not unusual to pick up a Danielle Steel novel and be quickly swept up into the life of the lead character who is overcoming heartache and hardship to move forward after some sort of turmoil, but it is a little more unusual for it to be a male lead taking center stage and I have to say I loved every minute of watching Andy’s resurrection! Very relatable characters will have you hooked quickly and a fulfilling plot filled with unexpected twists will leave you satisfied. Really enjoyed his Second Act!

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys an intensely character driven plot of losing oneself and having to reinvent what marks your measure of success after upheaval.

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* Review * WRECK THE HALLS by Tessa Bailey

September 28, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey
Published by Avon on October 3, 2023
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Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.

Quirky and delightful! Tessa Bailey is rolling into the holidays with a rock star reunion, intrusive reality show and unorthodox sexual tension as Melody and Beat comes together in WRECK THE HALLS for a Christmas miracle. The characters are quick to catch a reader’s attention and their backgrounds easy to relate to. There’s more drama to this story than comedic voice, but there’s enough quirk to please a rom-com fan. I enjoyed their story.

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a steamy love story with a lot of heart and turmoil mixed into the plot.

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* Review * ROCK GOD by Kat Mizera

September 28, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Rock God by Kat Mizera
Series: Rock Harder #2
on September 28, 2023
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They call me The Rock God. As lead singer of the multi-platinum selling rock band Onyx Knight, I have a life most people can’t even dream of… until it all becomes a nightmare.

Our bass player dies.

Now we’re tasked with the impossible job of replacing him or hanging it up for good.

On top of the world just shy of my thirtieth birthday, I can’t imagine walking away. Not now. Not from the money, the fame or the women. Half the music industry might be vying for the job, but no one feels right.

Until Devon Cates walks in and blows us away. Especially me.

We all have secrets, and Devon is no exception. I’m determined to find out what hers are, without getting too close. But I can’t seem to stay away.

When the truth comes out, it could be another death spiral for the band… one I’m not sure we can come back from.

Sexy, angsty goodness! Kat Mizera knows how to deliver a swoon-worthy rocker with the best of them! I am loving this Rock Harder series and am hungry for more. With the revelation towards the end of the first book in the series, this second book could definitely have dived a little deeper into the despair and really torn our hearts out before slowly putting them back together again, but though that facet was a little underdeveloped, the storyline and character depth portrayed made the story feel complete and satisfying enough to keep me hooked and wanting more.

Kingston is just self-assured enough to give off that air that a rocker should have but he also has a really caring heart that he lets be seen quite often. I really enjoyed him as a character.

Devyn brings out the protective nature in you as you read the depth she has to go to in order to try to be appreciated in her chosen field and I really liked seeing her get success in her own merits with the band. Her secret keeping and lack of trust after a point that should have already proven itself was irritating.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that loves a rock star romance with lots of your typical flamboyant, sexy lifestyle but with depth and heart that will have you hooked in no time added into the mix!

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* Review * MONTANA RAIN by Josie Jade

September 20, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Montana Rain by Josie Jade
Series: Resting Warrior Ranch #8
Published by Calamittie Jane Publishing on September 22, 2023
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Psychiatrist Rayne Westerfield has found purpose in helping patients, especially those with PTSD, heal at the Resting Warrior Ranch. For her, there’s no greater calling than equipping people to fight the worst of their demons.

But she’s never allowed anyone to help her fight her own.

She’s kept her distance. Kept herself buttoned up tight. Even the people in the small Montana town she’s known for years—the ones she calls friends—don’t know who she really is, and the fears she hides.

And that’s okay.

But it’s not okay to Cole Phillips.

The FBI agent’s first interaction with the Resting Warrior Ranch a few months ago wasn’t under the best of circumstances, but he’s determined to make up for that now.

Where everyone else sees ice in Rayne, he sees fire. And he’s not going to let her fears keep him at a distance.

Especially not when Rayne witnesses something she shouldn’t and a killer comes after her. Cole will battle the criminal determined to silence her, and the fears she’s buried so deep.

The healer has fought for everyone else. Now this warrior will fight for her.

A powerful and intriguing conclusion to the Resting Warrior Ranch series! Dr. Rayne finally gets her happily ever after in the last book in this addictive, high octane series and I loved what Cole brought to her life. I wanted a little more back story to refresh our memories on what exactly happened with Cole’s partner to make this feel like a complete stand-alone that anyone could pick up and enjoy, but overall it was a really easy to connect with, fast paced read and a great tie up of the series as a whole. I loved this group of people a lot!

Rayne has helped heal so many people having to do with the ranch, so it’s really heartwarming to see her come to some peace within herself as her story plays out and having it be Cole who lays his heart on his sleave really on with her is rewarding.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a small town romance with a lot of mystery and action revolving around a core group of friends/family as each one finds their forever.

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* Review * ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Susan Carlisle

September 20, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
Once Upon a Christmas Promise by Susan Carlisle
Series: Once Upon a Christmas Kiss: Cozy Christmas Collection
on October 3, 2023
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You're cordially invited to the charming town of Cherry Creek, Tennessee, where the legendary book—Once Upon a Christmas Kiss—promises true love to the one who possesses it during the holiday season.

Don’t miss this collection of unique, romantic novellas by six different authors about women who’ve been given the gift of romance. Featuring all your favorite tropes, such as: small town, Second-chance at love, emotionally scarred, opposites attract, friends-to-lovers, secrets, cute meet-cute, blind-to-love, enemies-to-lovers, and of course, a lot of classic Christmas charm.

Who knows, you might be the next to find Once Upon a Christmas Kiss in your stocking.

Included in this collection:

Once Upon a Christmas Reunion by Ciara Knight
Broken hearts reunite for a second chance at love on Christmas night.

Once Upon a Christmas Treasure By Brenda Lowder
When Amelia enlists former best friend Oliver to help her hunt for a legendary book for her sister, she doesn’t know finding the treasure might mean losing her heart.

Once Upon a Christmas Promise By Susan Carlisle
Two emotionally scarred hearts mend through the promise of love.

Once Upon a Christmas Secret By Terra Weiss
To uncover the deepest secret of her late best friend, Dawson must volunteer for the holidays with her nemesis, Sawyer, and do good for the community... and maybe her heart too.

Once Upon a Christmas Wish By Susan Sands
Star-crossed lovers reunite with the help of a little Christmas magic.

Once Upon a Christmas Party By Christy Hayes
Two young millennials find love with the help of a Christmas legend, meddling grandparents, and a well-placed sprig of mistletoe.

** Part of Once Upon a Christmas Kiss: Cherry Creek Holiday Romance Anthology **

Small town holiday romance at it’s best! While Susan Carlisle’s book in this holiday collection is novella length, it quickly wraps the characters and the premise of the story around a reader’s heart and has us fully invested in no time. We can’t achieve a fully fleshed out story in this length of a book, but Carlisle does a great job at pushing the buttons we need activated to make the story feel complete and gives us a believable and deserving happily ever after to enjoy. I really liked Laurel and Brandon and loved seeing him join the world again.

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* Review * A HIDEAWAY WHARF HOLIDAY by Laurel Greer

September 20, 2023 Leave a Comment
I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
A Hideaway Wharf Holiday by Laurel Greer
Series: Love at Hideaway Wharf #2
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on September 26, 2023
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Diving headfirst into uncharted waters.

Independent single mom? Free-spirited Franci Walker’s got it covered. Until she goes into labor early…with only fellow diver Archer Frost to help. And after unexpectedly delivering Franci’s baby, Arch can’t resist the coworker who’s secretly brought sunshine his way for years. But Arch has spent years burying his feelings—first his guilt over the accident that left him with an amputation and killed his best friend, then his growing attraction to Franci. Maybe the new mom—and her sweet baby—can lead Archer out of those turbulent seas for good…

Franci and Archer were everything I wanted and more! If you read the first book in Laurel Greer’s Love at Hideaway Wharf series, you will recognize Sam’s sister Franci and co-worker Archer from the dive company. I was very quickly hooked on the chemistry they oozed whenever the other was around, and the feels the turmoil they each are going through brings to the surface are spot on and addictive. I loved every minute of their story. I really enjoy Oyster Island and would love to see more stories come from this series.

Franci is a sweetheart and really likable, but Archer was by far my favorite character. There’s just something about him being the man that he is even as he’s living through guilt and despair that he won’t share with anybody that makes him a solid guy who you can just tell won’t let anybody down.

I highly recommend this book as well as the first book in the series to anyone that enjoys a small coastal town romance where the family and friends play an integral part in the background of the town. The characters are endearing, their story is fast paced and the happily ever after was all I could have ever wanted.

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* Review * THE HOLIDAY HEARTBREAKER by Maisey Yates

September 20, 2023 Leave a Comment
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The Holiday Heartbreaker by Maisey Yates
Series: Four Corners Ranch #5
Published by Canary Street Press on September 26, 2023
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A fresh start is all she wants this Christmas, but maybe a cowboy is all she needs…

It’s not the holiday season she’d envisioned. But moving back home with her son, Benny, is all single mom Elizabeth Colfax can do after her ex-husband’s infidelity left their life in pieces. A fresh start at Four Corners Ranch means Elizabeth’s dream career in equine therapy can become a reality, allowing her to share her love of horses with Benny. If only it didn’t also mean butting heads with Brody McCloud, the frustratingly attractive cowboy who sets sparks off inside her.

Brody doesn’t do complicated, and Elizabeth’s got more baggage than an airport. But there’s something about the woman that’s always gotten under his skin in a very welcome way. As the simmering tension between them grows harder to ignore, they’ll have to decide if their undeniable attraction can outweigh a shared loss of faith in forever. Maybe this Christmas, they can find a family worth fighting for.

In the bonus novella Wild Night Cowboy, can a cowboy with a dark past find his future with the one woman he shouldn't touch?

One of my favorites in the series! The next book in the Four Corners Ranch series by Maisey Yates delivers another delicious cowboy, but Brody McCloud brings an even more emotional delivery than we’re used to. He’s out for a good time, and just can’t believe the way Lizzie and Ben knock him for a loop and have him questioning his feelings before he can turn around. He unpacks a lot of baggage along the way about his childhood and the way his family sees him. I really enjoyed watching both main characters find the side of themselves that they can live with going forward and the fact that they each bring out the best in each other. Great characters, emotional journeys and so many sweet and sexy thrills along the way!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a small town romance filled with an overbearing family that lives hard and loves even harder standing up for each other along the way towards finding their forever one after another.

Filed Under: Book Reviews