* Review * IN IT TO WIN IT by Kelly Jamieson

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * IN IT TO WIN IT by Kelly JamiesonIn It to Win It by Kelly Jamieson
Series: Wynn Hockey #2
Published by Loveswept on July 23, 2019
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four-half-stars

Wynn family bonds bend but never break. . . .

JP Wynn: I admit, I’ve made some bad choices—on and off the ice.
Now all I want to do is show my team I can control my emotions while I’m playing and redeem myself with my family, especially with my brother, Théo.
I hate that I hurt him and I’m determined to stay out of trouble.
But the hot bridesmaid at Théo’s wedding is tempting me into another bad decision.
A little flirting and a hook up with Taylor seem harmless . . . until Manny Martinez jumps me on the dance floor and starts beating the crap out of me.
And just like that I add one more bad decision to my résumé.

Taylor Hart: I always thought hockey players were hot. Now I think they’re crazy.
Manny broke my heart when he got traded to another team and left without even a goodbye.
Then he showed up at my best friend’s wedding. All I wanted to do was show Manny that I was over him.
And the groom’s sexy brother, JP, seemed more than willing to be my distraction.
But after the way everything went down, I want nothing to do with any of them.
Easier said than done. Especially when Lacey’s new brother-in-law is always around. . . .
And I keep thinking about the wedding night, when we snuck away to his room for the best sex of my life.

 

A hockey dynasty carries on! After reading Book One in this series, I was excited for it to continue, but in all honesty I wasn’t sure JP could be redeemed into a good guy after knowing what we knew about him. I was wrong. Kelly Jamieson did an amazing job of showing his true heart and spirit very early in this book and making me start to swoon. Taylor was a bit hard to like considering how she treated him, but in the end they panned out into an enjoyable couple. Really loving this Wynn family and looking forward to a lot more to come from them!

Jean Paul Wynn knows walking into his big brother’s wedding festivities that he’s not going to be well accepted by family and friends here, so finding a sexy bridesmaid to blow off a little steam with doesn’t seem like a bad idea … until it is. Did he really just get punched by some dude at his brother’s wedding reception?

Taylor Heart isn’t looking for a man at this point in her life, but JP is hard to resist … especially after they hook up for some of the best sex of her life. Only now her ex Manny is acting like he owns her when he starts throwing fists around. Both of them are now on her bad side. Men!

four-half-stars

* Review * SURGEON PRINCE, CINDERELLA BRIDE by Ann McIntosh

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * SURGEON PRINCE, CINDERELLA BRIDE by Ann McIntoshSurgeon Prince, Cinderella Bride by Ann McIntosh
Series: Cinderellas to Royal Brides #1
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on August 1, 2019
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four-half-stars

A year-long contract…

…to marry a stranger!

In this Cinderellas to Royal Brides story, Dr. Sara Greer’s shocked to find Crown Prince Farhan on her doorstep with life-changing news—she’s the long-lost heir to the throne of Kalyana! Farhan needs to preserve his title and Sara wants to connect with her newfound heritage, so agreeing to his convenient proposal seems like the perfect solution! Until their inconvenient chemistry has her reconsidering their hands-off agreement...

Cinderellas to Royal Brides duet
Book 1 — Surgeon Prince, Cinderella Bride
Book 2 — Royal Doc’s Secret Heir

 

A twist of fate changes her life! With the first book in the Cinderellas To Royal Brides duet, Ann McIntosh brings us the delightful modern day rags to riches story of Sara who is a hardworking doctor just trying to make ends meet for her family when royalty shows up at her door claiming she’s one of them. The characters are easy to be drawn into, and the story line has a way of nabbing our attention quickly and not letting go until they achieve their happily ever after. I really enjoyed it!

Dr. Sara Greer is shocked when a real live Prince shows up on her Canadian doorstep. She’s even more surprised to hear that he’s convinced she’s the heir to the throne of Kalyana that nobody knew existed until she sent in one of those home DNA kits to test her ancestry.

Dr. Farhan Alaoui is the Crown Prince of Kalyana and though Sara wants nothing to do with getting in line for the throne, he needs her to appear to join lines with him so they can smooth over any unrest if the kingdom learns of her existence. They agree to a one year marriage of convenience … they just didn’t count on being so attracted to each other!

four-half-stars

* Review * MAKE ME YOURS by Katee Robert

* Review * MAKE ME YOURS by Katee RobertMake Me Yours by Katee Robert
Series: Make Me #3
Published by Harlequin Dare on May 1, 2019
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four-half-stars

I didn’t get to be CEO of a New York tech company by chasing whims…or women. But when wildly beautiful, fiercely independent fitness instructor Becka Baudin caught my eye across a crowded wedding reception, my body reacted with a will of its own.

She wanted a sexy distraction—one night of lust in a glamorous hotel. And I was happy to oblige. Then, after the most amazing night of my life, she walked away—leaving me wanting so much more. I haven’t been myself since that night. My work is suffering. My social life is nowhere. All I think about, all I dream about, is her.

Three months later, she told me. A baby. My baby… I insisted she move into my Manhattan penthouse. Now I see her every day. I crave her every second. I long for her touch, her kiss, her body moving under mine. I know if I try to cage her she’ll fly away. How can I convince a wild thing to stay in my life, in my heart, forever?

 

A sexy escape turns into more than they bargained for! Unexpectedly pregnant isn’t where Becca was thinking she’d be right about now, but at least it’s with a guy who seems ready to step up and share the responsibility. The story was attention grabbing from the start, sexy as all get out and just downright sweet the way he worked his way into her heart. I really enjoyed it!

When businessman Aaron Livingston catches the eye of a sexy woman at a friend’s wedding reception, he has a feeling it’s going to be a wild night. He never expected to be so struck by her that he can’t get her off of his mind months later.

Fitness instructor Becca Baudin can’t believe her luck. She decides to burn off a little tension by enjoying all that the sexy hunk at her sister’s wedding is offering with his eyes and now she’s having to look him up to tell him she’s pregnant. She isn’t overly thrilled when he insists she move in with him, but she has to admit that he’s not so bad to have around.

four-half-stars

* Review * TAKEN by Rebecca Zanetti

* Review * TAKEN by Rebecca ZanettiTaken by Rebecca Zanetti
Series: Deep Ops #1.5
Published by Zebra Books on April 30, 2019
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four-stars

Hunter Holt might be the most stubborn ex-soldier ever born, but when he's called on to help find a lost foster kid, he jumps into action. Even if it means working with the woman who broke his heart five years ago--the woman who still haunts his dreams . . .

Faye Smith has spent five long years trying to get her life back on track. She knows she should've turned toward Hunter and not away from him, but they both had too many demons to destroy. Maybe now they'll get another chance--and save someone else's life too . . .

But first they'll have to stop arguing long enough to trust the Deep Ops team. Hunter was a lost boy himself once. In fact, he ran away from the exact same man, their monster of a father. Now he and Faye will have to unite to find the brother he never knew--and maybe each other . . .

 

An action packed adventure! Next up in Rebecca Zenetti’s newest Deep Ops series is a fast paced novella. Two former loves are drawn together to help an old friend. She turned her back on the relationship years ago, but neither of them could forget the other … their first love … their only love … the one they still can’t get out of their hearts.

Hunter Holt would do anything to help Miss Angelina … even if it means pairing up with the woman who tore his heart out when she left.

Faye Smith sets out to look for a missing foster teen that Miss A took in, but in doing so reconnects with Hunter and Raider from her youth. Uncovered secrets make for an interesting story!

four-stars

* Review * THEN CAME YOU by Kate Meader

* Review * THEN CAME YOU by Kate MeaderThen Came You by Kate Meade
Series: Laws of Attraction #3
Published by Loveswept on May 7, 2019
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five-stars

In the courtroom, they’re rivals. In the bedroom, they’re . . . divorced. But could the road trip from hell lead to a second chance at love?

Aubrey Gates is the hottest divorce lawyer in Chicago, a barb-tongued stiletto with legs that go on for miles. When her cool gray eyes meet mine across the battlefield, I want her like I’ve never wanted anyone or anything. Then I remember who she is: the woman who brought me to my knees. The woman who destroyed my faith in relationships.

The woman I used to call . . . wife.

And she needs a favor from me, Grant Lincoln.

It seems my ex forgot to mention the demise of our marriage to her dear old grammy, and now we’re both expected to attend her ninetieth birthday party. In Boston. And because it isn’t already awkward enough, Aubrey and I are driving there together from Chicago. That’s more than a thousand miles of tension, heartbreak, and barely concealed lust.

A little piece of paper might say we’re over, but this road trip is the true test. I intend to get my wife back . . . and I won’t stop until “I do.”

 

Such an emotional journey! Kate Meader saved the best for last when she brought us Grant’s story! The Laws of Attraction series has been a lot of fun to read with a group of close knit and hilarious characters. This book took it to a new level with even more emotion and angst than the previous two. I loved it … and loved how we got an update on them all a little down the road at the end.

Chicago divorce attorney Aubrey Gates told herself she was dealing with her divorce just fine and getting on with her life more every day … until he brought a date to a function they both had to attend because of shared friends. Seeing him with another woman on his arms gutted her … but it made being in the same room together again at least tolerable.

Competing divorce attorney Grant Lincoln can’t look at Aubrey without seeing the woman who broke his heart. He’s not sure if they’ll ever be friends again, but when he learns she never told her favorite grandmother that they got a divorce and now has to go home to Boston for her 90th birthday, he can’t leave her hanging. He loved her grandmother too, so if it will keep the event happy, he’ll play doting husband for a couple of days.

 

five-stars

* Review * TANGLED UP IN YOU by Samantha Chase

* Review * TANGLED UP IN YOU by Samantha ChaseTangled Up in You by Samantha Chase
Series: The Shaughnessy Brothers #7
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on April 30, 2019
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four-stars

They'll change each other's fate...

One fateful night Bobby Hannigan sustains a gunshot wound that could end his career as a police officer. If that's taken from him, he doesn't know what he'll do. The only ray of hope is Teagan Shaughnessy—a kindhearted single mom who understands his struggles...

Teagan and her young son have just moved back to the Carolina coast to be near family. When she meets Bobby, the timing feels wrong, but everything else feels oh-so-right. Bobby and Teagan each had plans for their own futures. But they're finding that those plans are meaningless if they can't be together...

 

A glorious return to all things Shaughnessy! If you were as big of fan of this family as I have been throughout this series, you will be thrilled to get to touch base with all of them again when their cousin Teagan finds love with Bobby Hannigan. Love this series as a whole and this particular book was a mix of reunion and rediscovery. Enjoyed it!

Bobby Hannigan didn’t expect to be heading back to his parents home in North Carolina, but when you get shot and your whole career is on the line waiting to see if you will recover, things have a way of snowballing. The only bright spot in this whole dark time is meeting Teagan.

Teagan Shaughnessy followed her parents from Colorado to NC so her son would still have the family he dearly loves near him. She’s not looking to make any more big changes in her life at the moment, but she can’t seem to get her heart to understand that every time it skips a beat when Bobby is near.

four-stars

* Review * SMOKIES SPECIAL AGENT by Lena Diaz

* Review * SMOKIES SPECIAL AGENT by Lena DiazSmokies Special Agent by Lena Diaz
Series: The Mighty McKenzies #2
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on May 1, 2019
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five-stars

She was on a mission to fix the past

And he was determined to help her…

For ten years, Remi Jordan has been hunting her twin sister’s kidnapper. When baiting a killer backfires, the FBI agent’s career and freedom are suddenly on the line. Joining forces with Smoky Mountains investigator Duncan McKenzie ups the ante, unleashing treacherous desire. Now, with another woman missing, Remi’s fighting a lot more than the ghosts of the past. Is she also ready to fight for her future?

 

A cold case comes to life in Lena Diaz’s second installment of The Mighty McKenzies series! I was on the edge of my seat many times throughout this story. The intrigue was top notch, the main characters were well-developed and easy to like and sympathize with and the romance in the midst of such turmoil was comforting. Really loving this series and the McKenzies … looking forward to more!

Ten years ago Remi Jordan’s twin sister disappeared into the woods, never to be heard from again. The cops couldn’t find any true suspect to pursue and they eventually set it aside. Remi let the injustice of not having answers fuel her passion to right a wrong and has spent the decade since as an FBI agent determined to one day find her sister.

National Park Service agent Duncan McKenzie thinks he’s come across a crazy person when he first sees Remi on a trail. Hours of chaos and confusion pass before he realizes her truth and sets out to help her find the answers she’s looking for. She might be on to something with this theory of hers about the park … and he’s going to enjoy spending time with her as they investigate.

five-stars

* Review * BIG SWINGING D by Tara Sue Me

* Review * BIG SWINGING D by Tara Sue MeBig Swinging D by Tara Sue Me
Series: Wall Street Royals #2
Published by After Six Publishing on June 11, 2019
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four-stars

Conquer. Control. Command. They have. They are. They will. They are the Wall Street Royals, men at the top of their game who are about to be mastered by the one thing they never counted on: love.

Don’t miss the second book in the seductively sexy new series by New York Times bestselling author Tara Sue Me.

Big Swinging D: Term used for the baddest badass on Wall Street. That guy. The one other men want to be and that women just want.

Maggie Warren has always been unfocused. She hops from job to job, and relationship to relationship. Most of the time, she’s not even looking where she’s going. Which is exactly what happens when she runs into Isaac Gregory, trips over her feet, and dumps a year’s worth of compost all over his hand-stitched suit and one-of-a-kind leather shoes.

Isaac’s never met anyone like Maggie. She’s nothing like the women he works with, or the submissives he typically dates. Sure, she’s got a knockout body and a wit to match, but she’s a free spirit and hopelessly scattered. He should not be attracted to her. But he is.

After hearing she’s between jobs, he offers her his recently vacated Personal Assistant position. She readily agrees, but isn’t sure why he’d hire her. He’s her exact opposite: structured, organized, and controlled.

Boy, does he like control. And it intrigues her, especially when she discovers his private life.

Isaac’s not surprised when Maggie grows more and more interested in both of the worlds she sees him in: the public boardroom badass and the private well-respected Dominant. He tells her if she’s interested, he has a plan. A plan so hedonistic it could only be proposed by the man nicknamed the Big Swinging D.

But even Wall Street isn’t prepared for the fallout when the king of control falls for the queen of chaos.

 

An unlikely match turns up the heat in Tara Sue Me’s next book in the Wall Street Royals series! We met the delectable Isaac in the previous book starring Lance and Celeste. He’s a successful businessman by day and a self-assured dominant by night. The story was sexy and fun and we got to reconnect with the past characters as well. I’m looking forward to getting Ty and Lillian’s story soon!

Maggie Warren is something of a free spirit. She flits between job not able to decide on exactly what it is that satisfies her in life, but she happily juggles it all with a smile on her face. It’s that exact attitude that keeps her from totally freaking out when she accidentally dumps an entire compost container on a gorgeous stranger on the street.

Isaac Gregory shouldn’t even take a second look at Maggie considering how scattered she seems to be, but he finds himself offering her his newly vacated personal assistant position and facing a non-stop attraction to her. She’s not the type he normally goes for, and when she finds out the lifestyle he leads, he’s sure she’ll run for the hills … but when Maggie surprises him and is actually intrigued instead, things just might get dicey here because he doesn’t mess with employees!

four-stars

* Review * SWEPT AWAY BY THE VENETIAN MILLIONAIRE by Nina Singh

* Review * SWEPT AWAY BY THE VENETIAN MILLIONAIRE by Nina SinghSwept Away by the Venetian Millionaire by Nina Singh
Series: Destination Brides #2
Published by Harlequin Romance on July 1, 2019
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four-half-stars

The trip of a lifetime…

…leads to the man of her dreams!

In this Destination Brides story, Maya Talbot’s taking a romantic vacation — alone! Betrayed by her ex, she’s indulging her love for art and travel… But finds a new passion — in the arms of mysterious millionaire sculptor Vito Rameri! This gorgeous Venetian has closed himself off, but as Maya becomes his new muse, she gets to know the man behind the masterpieces and becomes even more captivated…

 

Gorgeous scenery and romance go hand in hand with the latest from Nina Singh! The next story in the Destination Brides series is fast paced and utterly charming. Maya is cradling a broken heart, and Vito has given up on what brought his life meaning … alone they are unhappy, but together everything seems to fit into place again. Sweet story!

Maya Talbot was supposed to be escaping away to paradise with the man of her dreams, but as life would have it, he showed his true colors just beforehand, so she had to make the trip alone. It gets off to a really shaky start, but it doesn’t take long for it to brighten when she’s intercepted by a gorgeous local.

Millionaire Vito Rameri has shut himself off from the world and the art that brought him such fame ever since losing his wife. He no longer sees a vision to create when something crosses his path … until Maya. She’s like nothing he expected and brings his creativity back to life, but how can they make it work when they are opposites and across the world from each other?

four-half-stars

* Review * ONCE UPON A COWBOY by Rachel Lacey

* Review * ONCE UPON A COWBOY by Rachel LaceyOnce Upon a Cowboy by Rachel Lacey
Series: Almost Royal #2
on July 2, 2019
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four-stars

A TALE AS OLD AS TIME

Megan Perl went from beauty to beast when a car accident left her permanently scarred. Before, Megan was outgoing and vivacious, always with a man at her side. Now? She spends more time behind a camera than in front of it. She’s ready to turn her hobby into something more by offering photography sessions at the castle where she works. This year is dedicated to her career, not men. If only she wasn’t so crazy-attracted to the cowboy who’s renting the stable on the castle grounds…

Jake Reardon is no stranger to tragedy. After a fall left his bride in a coma on their wedding day, he was forced to watch her slowly fade away in a hospital bed. Now, he finds himself in the unwelcome position of virgin widower. At Rosemont Castle, he can finally focus on establishing his career as a horse trainer. The only problem is that his new landlady makes him hotter than the Virginia sun.

Sparks fly every time Jake and Megan cross paths, but there’s no way he’s going to lose his virginity with the woman who manages the property he’s leasing. As their attraction grows, though, so do their emotions. Jake carries his scars inside, but Megan has to wear hers for the world to see. Can love heal their wounds, or will it tear them apart?

 

Two wounded souls collide! With the next book in her quaint modern day fairy tale Almost Royal series, Rachel Lacey once again takes us on an emotional journey of redemption with her cast of kindhearted folks always game to help an animal and a lost soul. Fun characters, an interesting setting and lots of adorable critters worked into the mix!

Megan Perl used to be the outgoing one in the group who was always up for a good time and chasing the next adventure in life … until a freak accident left her scarred and hating life. She’s slowly regaining some confidence and has opened another part of the world to her heart through her growing gift of photography. Now if only she could get her heart to stop beating out of her chest every time she encounters their new tenant!

Jake Reardon is finally branching out into a horse training business of his own, and the risk of it all is always on his mind as he waits with baited breath to see if the business is going to come calling. He too has had his share of heartache and misfortune in his short life, so he recognizes Megan’s discomfort when he sees it. He also sees the attraction he feels reflecting back from her eyes as well!

four-stars