Book Reviews – Page 155

* Review * BABY by Janie Crouch

June 23, 2020 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Baby by Janie Crouch
Series: Linear Tactical #9
Published by Calamittie Jane Publishing on June 23, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Baby. Don’t let the name fool you.

Being Linear Tactical's easiest-going younger brother has never been a problem for Baby Bollinger. He likes people. He likes laughing. He likes life.

But he has secrets buried deep under his charming smile that would change everything.

Quinn Harrison-Pritchard doesn’t have secrets. What she does have is a big mess of a life that's painfully public.

Jobless. Blacklisted. Broke. Alone. Exactly where nobody wants to be as they hit their 39th birthday.

Oak Creek is supposed to be a fresh start. A chance to lick her wounds and figure out a plan. One that doesn’t include Baby Bollinger. But the vigorous, mouth-watering mechanic—anything but a baby—is pursuing her with a single-minded focus.

And doesn’t seem to care that she’s twelve years his senior.

But danger has followed Quinn to Oak Creek, someone from her past who is convinced she’s wronged him. And that she needs to pay with her life.

Only Baby can save her. But to do so, he’ll have to face the secrets he’s let define him for way too long. And resurrect the warrior buried inside.

My favorite hero yet! With book nine in her always exciting Linear Tactical series Janie Crouch brings the sweetest guy around to the forefront in BABY. The characters were easy to connect with from the very start, the intrigue was light but pointed and their chemistry was out of this world. A bit of a rushed ending, but I loved their story!

Quinn Harrison-Pritchard has us on her side the moment we hear what she’s been going through as her world crumbles around her. She’s self-assured even when things are looking bleak, and watching her fall for this younger man who seems intent to have her even though she’s no catch at the moment is heartwarming.

Blake “Baby” Bollinger is the epitome of a nice guy! He’s sweet, he’s sincere and he’s just down right kindhearted. Deadlines are looming in his life that make him have to out his secrets when it’s not something that he normally likes to do, but getting to that happily ever after counts on it.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who likes high action plots filled with a close-knit group of family and friends who always have each others back no matter the circumstance. Lots of action and suspense are always guaranteed.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * A COWBOY FOR ALL SEASONS by Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, Maisey Yates and Jackie Ashenden

June 23, 2020 Leave a Comment

A Cowboy for All Seasons by Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, Maisey Yates, Jackie Ashenden
Published by HQN Books on February 25, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

June Gable left each of her four granddaughters a handwritten bequest—to spend a season at her beloved farmhouse in Jasper Creek, Oregon, before they sell it. These cousins were once as close as sisters, but time and family betrayals have pushed them apart.

In spring, polished city girl Keira must find her country roots—and reconnect with an old flame. In the summer, tough tomboy JJ needs to tap into her softer side while helping a single dad and his daughters. Cheerful dreamer Lila has to help coordinate the town craft fair in autumn, under the stern eye of the handsome cowboy she loved as a girl. And as winter falls, headstrong, independent Bella must learn to ask for help from the one man she believes she can never have.

The four cousins will have to confront secrets from the past, deal with old wounds they’d rather hide, and tangle with their hardheaded cowboys before they can find love, healing and the true meaning of family…

Emotional and satisfying! A COWBOY FOR ALL SEASONS is a story separated into four parts by Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, Maisey Yates and Jackie Ashenden. It tells the story of four cousins who used to be as close as sisters in their childhood summers spent with Grandma June in Jasper Creek, Oregon before life sent them in different directions. June Gable is gone now and has left each granddaughter a personal letter asking them to each spend a season in the house she treasured and take care of a task or two for her.

Along the way each cousin reconnects with the past and envisions the future they were meant to have as happily ever after comes knocking at the door. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family intense plot filled with romance along the way. I enjoyed them all!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * 48 HOUR LOCKDOWN by Carla Cassidy

June 23, 2020 Leave a Comment

48 Hour Lockdown by Carla Cassidy
Series: Tactical Crime Division #1
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on April 1, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

The Tactical Crime Division—TCD—is a specialized unit of the FBI. They handle the toughest cases in the most remote locations.

When TCD learns of a school invasion turned lockdown, every agent is ready to engage. With children in jeopardy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. But it becomes personal for hostage negotiator agent Evan Duran when he learns Annalise Taylor is one of the captives holed up with the students in a school for the gifted. He’ll need every resource available at TCD and every ounce of his expertise to turn this disastrous situation into a rescue mission—and if he succeeds, maybe reunite with the woman he never stopped loving.

Exciting from start to finish! With the kick-off of the Tactical Crime Division series, Carla Cassidy brings the intrigue in 48 HOUR LOCKDOWN. The story line is fast paced and filled with tension and the characters are easy to get invested in. The romance is light, but the danger and intrigue is full throttle.

Evan Duran is accomplished and dedicated with a back story few know about. The life he has lived makes him an interesting lead in this investigation.

Annalise Taylor is dedicated to her students and has no clue that danger is going to come knocking on what should have been an average day. She’s concerned about her students, but when she hears Evan’s voice she has no doubt he will get them out.

I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a high intensity read that centers around a particular spot of danger and it’s victims. The scene was set well and the intrigue was top notch.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blast/Review * LOUD MOUTH by Avery Flynn

June 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blast/Review * LOUD MOUTH by Avery Flynn

Loud Mouth by Avery Flynn
Series: Ice Knights #3
Published by Entangled: Amara on June 22, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

I never meant to say a word, not one single word.

But I did.

Now because of something I leaked—without even realizing it—I've inadvertently broken up one of the Ice Knights’ most legendary bromances. And worse—I've kicked hockey star Ian Petrov's grumpy level to insane levels of grump.

And what could make it worse? How about the two of us being trapped together in a remote cabin after a massive blizzard. Neither of us can leave. Just us, the snow, his resentment, and OMG sexual tension so thick it would take a snowplow to break through it.

I’ve got to get out of here before I do something even dumber than I’ve already done and kiss the sexy with his misplaced anger and perfect pecs. That would be the worst, the absolute worst. But… would it be terrible if we gave in? Just a little? It’s not like we’re ever going to have to spend time together again.

Until the next morning when we’re told we have to play chummy for the press until this news cycle blows over. F.M.L.

Utterly delightful! With the third book in her always entertaining Ice Knights series Avery Flynn delights us all with Ian Petrov’s story. This grumpy hockey player is yummylicious and growls in all the right places, but he might have just met his match in tough girl Shelby Blanton!

Ian is a lot of fun to read. He is mad at the world when a major secret is uncovered that tears apart the best part of his days in hockey. He’s mad at the world and he’s especially mad at his jerk of a father, bonehead of a former best friend and the chatty cathy who told the world things he didn’t even know about his life!

Shelby is tough girl gold! She is at a good place in her life for a change and just wants this new job with the Ice Knights to go her way when it all starts to unravel in the blink of an eye … simply by accident! She’s got to find a way to make this right … before she starts falling for this grumpy gus of a hockey stud!

I highly recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who likes a whole lot of snarky sass to make you laugh out loud on a regular basis with your hockey romance. The characters are loads of fun and the story line always fast paced and interesting. I’m really enjoying this team!

Release Date: June 22

I never meant to say a word, not one single word.

But I did.

Now because of something I leaked—without even realizing it—I’ve inadvertently broken up one of the Ice Knights’ most legendary bromances. And worse—I’ve kicked hockey star Ian Petrov’s grumpy level to insane levels of grump.

And what could make it worse? How about the two of us being trapped together in a remote cabin after a massive blizzard. Neither of us can leave. Just us, the snow, his resentment, and OMG sexual tension so thick it would take a snowplow to break through it.

I’ve got to get out of here before I do something even dumber than I’ve already done and kiss the sexy with his misplaced anger and perfect pecs. That would be the worst, the absolute worst. But… would it be terrible if we gave in? Just a little? It’s not like we’re ever going to have to spend time together again.

Until the next morning when we’re told we have to play chummy for the press until this news cycle blows over.
F.M.L.

Grab Your Copy Here:

Meet Avery Flynn

USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling romance author Avery Flynn has three slightly-wild children, loves a hockey-addicted husband and is desperately hoping someone invents the coffee IV drip. Avery was a reader before she was a writer and hopes to always be both.

She loves to write about smartass alpha heroes who are great with a quip and relatable heroines who are feisty, fierce and fantastic.

Connect with Avery Flynn

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Hosted By:

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * SISTERS BY CHOICE by Susan Mallery

June 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

Sisters by Choice by Susan Mallery
Series: Blackberry Island #4
Published by MIRA on February 11, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Cousins by chance, sisters by choice…

After her cat toy empire goes up in flames, Sophie Lane returns to Blackberry Island, determined to rebuild. Until small-town life reveals a big problem: she can’t grow unless she learns to let go. If Sophie relaxes her grip even a little, she might lose everything. Or she might finally be free to reach for the happiness and love that have eluded her for so long.

Kristine has become defined by her relationship to others. She’s a wife, a mom. As much as she adores her husband and sons, she wants something for herself—a sweet little bakery just off the waterfront. She knew changing the rules wouldn’t be easy, but she never imagined she might have to choose between her marriage and her dreams.

Like the mainland on the horizon, Heather’s goals seem beyond her grasp. Every time she manages to save for college, her mother has another crisis. Can she break free, or will she be trapped in this tiny life forever?

Family turmoil, romantic connections and happily ever afters! With the fourth book in her Blackberry Island series Susan Mallery brings her readers a delightful family saga in SISTERS BY CHOICE. Three cousins reconnect as each finds their way toward the future they always dreamed of. Each main character is easy to like and has a compelling story line. I really enjoyed their journey.

Sophie Lane is accomplished and kind-hearted, but it turns out she has a lot to learn in how to successfully rebuild her cat product empire that fell apart around her. She returns home to Blackberry Island and sets out to make it bigger and better. Along the way she realizes her way isn’t always the right way.

Kristine Fielding is complex. She’s happy with her husband and kids, but she yearns for more than just doing the same routine day in and day out. When the parts fall into place to allow her the opportunity to open the bakery she always dreamed of, she doesn’t expect it to put the future she always expected to be there in jeopardy.

Heather Sitterly nabs our sympathy from the first moment we meet her … and her mother! She’s worked hard to support herself and her mother for more years than she wishes to remember and it never seems to be enough. Her mother is a real piece of work but this time she might have gone just far enough to make Heather wake up and live for herself for a change.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family connected story line. Each cousin gets a fulfilling ending filled with accomplishment and love.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * BEST FRIEND TO DOCTOR RIGHT by Ann McIntosh

June 22, 2020 Leave a Comment

Best Friend to Doctor Right by Ann McIntosh
Series: Harlequin Medical Romances
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Sometimes the deepest desire…

…is the one you’ve hidden the longest.

Realizing her world is dramatically falling apart, surgeon Mina’s childhood friend Kiah offers her a fresh start on the beautiful Caribbean island he calls home. She’s beyond grateful for his help in regaining the spirit and purpose she feared she’d lost. But when a long-denied attraction spills into their friendship, they must decide whether to risk everything on the breathtaking passion that’s quickly unraveling between them!

Such a great friends to lovers story! BEST FRIEND TO DOCTOR RIGHT by Ann McIntosh brings the story of a hotshot surgeon picking up the pieces of her shattered life with the help of the one constant in her life … the best friend who has been by her side since childhood.

Mina is a very touching character. She’s strong even when she’s weak, and the love she portrays even in her darkest days is encouraging. I really enjoyed watching her come into her own again.

Kiah is delightful. He doesn’t hesitate to be the support that she needs at just the right time and is overjoyed to sit close by and watch her thrive. He only hopes he can convince her that he’s the man who should be by her side forever more.

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys seeing a character overcome hardship to thrive in the world again as they fall in love and prosper. The characters were so interesting and their connection was inspiring. Really enjoyed their story!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE SOMERSET GIRLS by Lori Foster

June 17, 2020 Leave a Comment

The Somerset Girls by Lori Foster
Published by HQN Books on May 19, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

No one knows you quite like a sister…

Summer in Sunset, Kentucky, means long, hot days—and sometimes surprising new beginnings. Through it all, the ties of sisterhood will be there, guiding Autumn and Ember to the lives, and loves, they need…

When they’re running the animal-rescue farm they inherited from their grandparents, Autumn and Ember Somerset are perfectly in sync. At all other times, not so much. Dependable Autumn would rather curl up with a good book than paint the town red with Ember. After the disaster that was Autumn’s last relationship, it’s pure self-protection. But when her high school crush comes back to town with his adorable young daughter, igniting memories best left forgotten, there’s only one person Autumn can turn to…

Beneath Ember’s free-spirited facade is a layer of deep hurt. She’ll gladly nudge Autumn toward a second chance. But risk her own heart? Not likely. The closer Autumn gets to her own happily-ever-after, the more Ember wonders what she might be missing—and if it isn’t her time to be bold, too.

Lori Foster has a magical way of making you feel like you’re home the minute you open one of her books! With heartfelt descriptions and interactions, you can see the characters come to life right beyond your eyes and feel their heartache and joy as the pages fly by. THE SOMERSET GIRLS brings us the story of two sisters who couldn’t be more different in personality, but love and support each other deeply. The fact that they share the running of an animal rescue with all of their spare time will delight readers who can’t get enough of their own furry creatures.

Autumn Somerset is simple yet delightful. She expends her creative side as a designer and enjoys burying her nose in a book with any downtime she manages to eek out after her day job and her farm duties. She can’t believe it when she hears the guy she crushed on in high school is back in town, and she only hopes she doesn’t find herself unable to speak in his presence like all those times in school when she became a stammering mess.

Ember Somerset is the life of the party. She loves immersing herself in life at all times and never wants to take the time to think or feel. She gives as good as she gets with playing hard to get around their farmhand Mike, but she likes the look of love on Autumn so much that she’s considering letting him catch her to try her own hand at the game.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a family rich plot filled with comedy, romance and lots and lots of heart. The adorable kiddo and animals make this story come to life! I really enjoyed them all.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * CHAIN OF CUSTODY by Carol Ericson

June 17, 2020 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CHAIN OF CUSTODY by Carol Ericson

Chain of Custody by Carol Ericson
Series: Holding the Line #2
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on July 1, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

With a baby suddenly in his care,

he’ll need all the help he can get.

When Nash Dillon’s childhood friend leaves a baby on his doorstep, his days become unpredictable. Thankfully, Emily Lang, an undercover investigator posing as a nanny, comes to his rescue. But once he discovers why Emily is really there—and that both her and the baby’s life are in danger—he unleashes every skill in his law enforcement arsenal to keep them out of harm’s way. Especially once it leads them down a very deadly path.

Danger is lurking! With book two in her Holding the Line series Carol Ericson grabs a reader’s attention quickly in CHAIN OF CUSTODY. The story is fast paced and action packed.

Nash Dillon is an interesting character. He sees crime every day, but he’s willing to help a friend even when it looks like she could be bordering on the wrong side of the law.

Emily Lang starts out playing a game of subterfuge but it doesn’t take long for her true identity to be uncovered and danger to start nipping at her heals.

I recommend this book and the series as a whole to anyone who enjoys a romance mixed with intrigue and suspense.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blast/Review/Excerpt * A LITTLE BIT WICKED by Melissa Foster

June 17, 2020 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blast/Review/Excerpt * A LITTLE BIT WICKED by Melissa Foster

A Little Bit Wicked by Melissa Foster
Series: The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside #
Published by World Literary Press on June 17, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

What do a cocky biker and a businesswoman who has sworn off dating bad boys have in common? According to Chloe Mallery, not much.

Justin came into the Wicked family after a harsh upbringing by a thieving father. He’s gone through a lot to become a true Wicked, and he’s made them proud. Now he’s ready to show the woman he loves exactly what type of man he is. But Chloe has worked hard to move past her difficult upbringing, and she’s wary of getting involved with a man who looks like he’s walked right out of it. When tragedy strikes, will their trying pasts draw them together, or will Justin’s protective nature be too much for Chloe’s independent heart to accept?

Delectably sinful! With the first book in her latest spin-off series The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside Melissa Foster brings us the man we’ve all been waiting for in A LITTLE BIT WICKED. Justin Wicked has been simmering in all of our Bayside fantasies for years now and it’s finally time that he lays it all on the line for Chloe Mallery. I adored them as a couple and am so looking forward to this series! While I loved them getting together and finding their way, I felt like their story was almost too overwhelmingly sappy. There were too many characters woven into one story which made it long and left the space for the turmoil and strife needed to accurately test their relationship feel a bit like a side spot. I was left wanting a bit more drama and less distraction, but they rocked that happily ever after.

Justin is a dream. He lost a bit of the alpha bad boy side in the telling of his story, but the emotional depth he portrayed was spot on.

Chloe is easy to like even if she does let her past rule her life a bit too much. She quickly realizes how much she’s been misjudging Justin and becomes present in the making of their relationship.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an emotional story line that is heavy in family and friendship. You really can never go wrong with a Melissa Foster book if you’re looking for love, friendship and a whole lot of heart!

A LITTLE BIT WICKED
The Wickeds: Dark Knights at Bayside
Melissa Foster
Releasing June 17, 2020
World Literary Press

Set on the sandy shores of Cape Cod, the Wickeds feature fiercely protective heroes, strong heroines, and unbreakable family bonds. If you think bikers are all the same, you haven’t met the Dark Knights. The Dark Knights are a motorcycle club, not a gang. Their members stick together like family and will stop at nothing to keep their communities safe. Their stories are told in the same loving, passionate voice readers have come to adore in Melissa’s other series. Some of the Wickeds’ love stories will be hilariously fun and deeply emotional, others will tear at your heartstrings and include injections of humor, but they will all leave you wishing you could climb between the pages and join them!

When the Dark Knights at Bayside and the cast of Bayside Summers collide, sparks fly, and trouble—or maybe love—is not far behind.

What do a cocky biker and a businesswoman who has sworn off dating bad boys have in common? According to Chloe Mallery, not much.

Justin came into the Wicked family after a harsh upbringing by a thieving father. He’s gone through a lot to become a true Wicked, and he’s made them proud. Now he’s ready to show the woman he loves exactly what type of man he is. But Chloe has worked hard to move past her difficult upbringing, and she’s wary of getting involved with a man who looks like he’s walked right out of it. When tragedy strikes, will their trying pasts draw them together, or will Justin’s protective nature be too much for Chloe’s independent heart to accept?

Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52076654-a-little-bit-wicked

Goodreads series link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/269450-the-wickeds-dark-knights-at-bayside

Buy Links:

➜KINDLE: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_Kindle
➜APPLE BOOKS: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_Apple
➜NOOK: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_Nook
➜KOBO: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_Kobo
➜GPLAY: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_GPlay
➜PAPERBACK: https://smarturl.it/ALBW_Pb

Also available in audio book

➜AMAZON: https://smarturl.it/ALBWa_Amazon
➜APPLE: https://smarturl.it/ALBWa_Apple
➜AUDIBLE: https://smarturl.it/ALBWa_Audible

Excerpt:

Read First Chapter here, https://melissafoster.com/a-little-bit-wicked-sneak-peek/

For more Dark Knights, check out The Whiskeys: https://melissafoster.com/series-the-whiskeys-dark-knights-at-peaceful-harbor/

For more Bayside Summers fun: https://melissafoster.com/series-bayside-summers/

Author Info
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance and new adult romance with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa’s emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented–perfect beach reads for contemporary romance lovers who enjoy reading about wealthy heroes and smart, sassy heroines.

Author Links:
Website: http://www.melissafoster.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MelissaFosterAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Melissa_Foster
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3023973.Melissa_Foster
Newsletter: http://melissafoster.com/newsletter/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/melissa-foster
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissafoster_author/

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * DADDY’S GIRL by Danielle Steel

June 17, 2020 Leave a Comment

Daddy's Girls by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on June 9, 2020
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

In Danielle Steel’s riveting novel, three women raised by their father on a sprawling California ranch now confront difficult truths about their past.

Decades ago, after the death of his wife, Texas ranch hand JT Tucker took his three small daughters to California to start a new life. With almost no money, a will of iron, and hard work, he eventually built the biggest ranch in California. But when he dies suddenly at the age of sixty-four, the ranch is inherited by his three daughters—each of them finding it impossible to believe that this larger-than-life figure is gone from their lives.

JT’s relationship with each daughter was entirely different. Caroline, the youngest and most reserved, was overlooked by her father for her entire life and fled to become a wife, mother, and writer in Marin County. Gemma, his declared favorite, sought out Hollywood glamour and success and became a major television star. Kate, the eldest, stayed at home with her father to do his bidding as a ranch hand, without thanks or praise, forsaking marriage and a family of her own for the love of him.

Now, upon JT’s death, the paper trail he leaves behind begins to reveal much more than the three sisters ever guessed about who he really was. It will turn their world upside down, and each of them must grapple with a new reality, strengthening their relationships with one another, and discovering who they are now as grown women, in spite of him.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the West and the drama of a family in turmoil, Daddy’s Girls is the story of three remarkable women and their unique bond to each other—the daughters of a complex, many-faceted, domineering father who left his mark on each of them.

A captivating tale of sisterhood filled with emotional turmoil, gut wrenching realities and that happily ever after punch that can only be delivered in a beloved novel by the queen of romance herself! DADDY’S GIRLS delivers the raw emotion that we can always count on in a Danielle Steel novel with several jaunts into happily ever after. I was spellbound from page one and happily refused to put it down.

Jimmy “JT” Tucker was the epitome of a self-made man and took pride in the California ranch that he built from the ground up over the years. He was a hard man, but approachable to certain people in his life. Upon his sudden death, his three daughters are left to pick up the pieces and come to grips with their unresolved feelings about the relationship they each shared with their father and how to deal with the secrets they stumble across that could change their lives forever.

Kate came across as easily likable. She worked at her father’s side her entire life basking in nature and her love of the land. She knew her father best because she was there day in and day out but their relationship was far from close knit.

Gemma shows her spoiled side from the get go and makes you think you can’t possibly relate to her and her divaness … but she quickly grows and becomes more personable. She was her father’s favorite … and he never was shy about screaming that from the rooftops.

Caroline came across as cold, but as her story unfolds, we understand her more. She was the youngest and the forgotten. She was quick to leave the ranch and set out in her own life as a wife, mother and writer and never really looked back.

Three sisters reconnect and prosper as life moves forward after turmoil. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of a family centric saga with heartache and romance woven in brilliantly.

Filed Under: Book Reviews