Book Reviews – Page 162

* Release Blast/Excerpt/Giveaway * SWEET HOME ALASKA by Beth Carpenter

July 9, 2019 3 Comments

Sweet Home Alaska
(Northern Lights #5)
By Beth Carpenter
Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
July 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

Some sparks last forever.

But once burned…

World traveler Dr. Scott Willingham is known for being calm and levelheaded—except where Volta Morgan is concerned. In the ten years since they parted, Scott still can’t forget her. Now he’s come to Alaska to find Volta and finally let her go, only to find their attraction is stronger than ever. Can Scott leave her behind one last time…or has he truly found a place to call home?

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Other Books in the Series

Excerpt

He’d tried to forget her. After all, Scott was the one who broke it off. Few marriages survived the sort of life he’d chosen, and with his background, he was a particularly bad risk. Just like his father, Scott was the sort of man who focused on a job and forgot to eat and sleep and spend time with his family. Volta deserved so much better than that. Once he realized their relationship was beginning to feel serious, he’d pulled the plug, and he’d never seen Volta again.

Scott’s life had turned out exactly the way he’d planned. He’d been with DEMA for ten years now, one of only a handful of full-time doctors ready to go wherever and whenever he was needed. Most of their medical staff consisted of volunteers who took a week or two off from their regular practices to volunteer with DEMA, but Scott worked year-round delivering babies and performing surgeries. And yet, even after all this time, Volta still appeared in his dreams.

He smiled to himself. She’d never liked the name her electrician dad had given her, but it suited her, with her electric-blue eyes and high-wattage smile. Not to mention the way his skin used to tingle when she touched him. He’d figured he would go to Alaska, get a good start on the assignment and then take a day or two off and find Volta. Once she looked him in the eye and told him she’d moved on and was happy, her memory would quit haunting him. At least, that was the plan.

But instead, she’d just walked into the room while he was in the middle of a delivery. In a tiny clinic in a tiny village in an enormous state. Volta. He followed her into the waiting room, quietly shutting the door behind him. She turned back to look at him, her bright blue eyes focused on his face. So many things he wanted to tell her. So many questions. What was she doing in emergency response instead of physical therapy? Did she ever think about their time together in Hawaii? Was she happy?

In fact, he didn’t ask any questions at all. Instead, he opened his arms. After only the slightest hesitation, she rushed into them. And suddenly it was years ago, he was holding Volta in his arms, and for a moment, all was right with the world.

About the Author

Once upon a time …

when Beth Carpenter was a little girl, she read everything she could get her hands on, and entertained herself on the school bus by making up stories in her head. Not a lot has changed. She’s still consuming books like M&Ms, and spends her days creating happily-ever-afters for her imaginary friends.

She lives in Alaska and Arizona with her husband and an aggressively affectionate fifty-pound lap dog. She loves to hear from readers.

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Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive:
– A copy of AN ALASKAN PROPOSAL
– A neoprene pansy-print lunch tote
– A $20 Amazon gift card

Please note: International entries welcome, but if the winner has no US mailing address, the substitute prize will be AN ALASKAN PROPOSAL and ALASKAN HIDEAWAY ebooks, plus a $20 Amazon gift card.

Ends July 17, 2019

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* Blog Tour/Release Blast/Excerpt/Giveaway * REUNITED WITH THE COWBOY by Claire McEwen

July 8, 2019 1 Comment

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Reunited with the Cowboy
(Heroes of Shelter Creek #1)
By Claire McEwen
Adult Contemporary Romance
Mass Market Paperback & ebook, 368 Pages
July 1st 2019 by Harlequin Heartwarming

She can save his ranch…

But can he forgive her?

Maya Burton knows she’s the last person rancher Caleb Dunne wants to see. After all, she survived the crash that killed his sister, and then left town. Now she has to convince the stubborn cowboy that she can help him save his ranch. But once she earns his trust—and his heart—will she be able to walk away?

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Excerpt

Maya Burton had always loved being alone in the wilderness. But after three hours of climbing through steep, dense, shadowy forest, it occurred to her that this nighttime hike through mountain lion territory might dim that love, just a bit.

It had felt like a good idea, back in Shelter Creek. The odds of meeting a mountain lion on the trail were low, and facing a lion seemed a lot less scary than facing the memories waiting in her hometown.

But Maya had forgotten that forests in this part of California were full of oak and bay trees that sent their branches arching right over the trail. And mountain lions loved to hang out on branches. Shining her flashlight to make sure she was safe still didn’t ease the prickly feeling on the back of her neck as she passed underneath.

When she finally reached the edge of the forest, stepping out onto the wide-open ridgetop was sheer relief. She loved studying mountain lions, but she was glad to be in a place where they couldn’t drop on her from above. Maya took in the full moon beaming in the sky, tinting the grassy meadows and scrubby slopes with silver. So much moonlight, she could put her flashlight away.

They were out here too though. Mountain lions, pumas, cougars, catamounts, ghost cats, panthers…maybe the big cats had so many names because they were so mysterious. Able to exist alongside people without anyone realizing they were even there.

Except lately the mountain lions in this area had been attacking livestock on local ranches. And people definitely noticed that.

That was why Maya was here, in the coastal hills surrounding her hometown of Shelter Creek, on a two-month assignment for the Department of Wildlife. She was going to try to find pumas. Photograph them. Count and classify them. Assess the population’s overall health and figure out why they were eating so many sheep.

But she’d rather not meet any big cats out here in the dark. “Okay, pumas,” she said to the shadowed spaces just past the moonlight. “If you’re out there, beat it. I’m coming into your territory and you are not allowed to bother me.”

She was being silly. Most big predators would prefer not to run into any humans. Usually people were a meal they didn’t have much appetite for, though once in a while…

Ugh. Don’t think about that.

About the Author

Claire McEwen writes stories about strong heroes and heroines who take big, emotional journeys to find their happily-ever-after. She lives by the ocean in Northern California with her family and a scruffy, mischievous terrier. When she’s not writing, Claire enjoys gardening, reading and discovering flea-market treasures. She loves to hear from readers! You can find her on most social media and at www.clairemcewen.com.

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Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card
Open internationally
Ends July 24, 2019

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Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blast / Review * IT WASN’T ME by Lani Lynn Vale

July 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blast / Review * IT WASN’T ME by Lani Lynn Vale

It Wasn't Me by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: KPD Motorcycle Patrol #2
on July 2, 2019
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Piper Mackenzie first sees him shirtless, standing in front of the military plane she was about to board, with one rather large wrench in his hand. The fact that he has the plane—the one that she’s about to be flying on for hours—in pieces only minutes before she’s set to take off on it doesn’t faze her. At least not until a flippant joke about dying in mid-air leaves his lips.

The second time she sees him, he’s helping her from the wreckage of her car. The wreckage that he helped cause.

The third, he’s laying across from her in the same bed, and there’s no denying what happened the night before.

The fourth, well that time would be the first of many. Being Mrs. Jonah Crew has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

*****

Jonah Crew saw her for the first time as she stared at him in awe. It was snowing, the temp was in the negative degrees, and he couldn’t think about anything but her and the look of horror on her face when he tells a badly-timed joke.

The second time he sees her, his heart skips a beat, but not for the reason that one might think. Mainly, it’s due in part to the fact that his truck smashed into her car so hard that his chest hits the steering wheel and his heart decides to stop working right.

The third time, he’s fairly positive that he’s died and gone to heaven. At least, that’s what waking up next to a beautiful woman like her signifies, right?

The fourth? Well, he’s not quite sure how he got there, but he’s already said ‘I do’ so what’s a guy to do?

Addictive from start to finish! With the next book in her KPD Motorcycle Patrol series, Lani Lynn Vale once again wraps an unlikely pair around our hearts. The relationship is fast paced, but they’re not only adorable together, but sexy as all get out. Lots of heat, sass and humor steals the show and the hint of intrigue seals it all up into a great read!

Piper Mackenzie knows she’s not a good flyer, so the fact that she’s going it without meds on her way back home from her military stint in Germany is awfully brave of her. Or stupid, depending on how you look at it. Factoring in the shirtless hunk working on the plane making a poorly timed joke is just icing on the cake to further her freak out.

Texas cop Jonah Crew considers it a big coincidence when he finds out the woman he freaked out, who’s hand is now squeezing his to the point of cutting off feeling, is heading home to Kilgore as well. Fate seems to be shining down on them to keep throwing them together as the days pass and eventually their enjoyment of each other reaches an all time high … a drunken wedding in Vegas high!

Piper Mackenzie first sees him shirtless, standing in front of the military plane she was about to board, with one rather large wrench in his hand. The fact that he has the plane—the one that she’s about to be flying on for hours—in pieces only minutes before she’s set to take off on it doesn’t faze her. At least not until a flippant joke about dying in mid-air leaves his lips.

The second time she sees him, he’s helping her from the wreckage of her car. The wreckage that he helped cause.

The third, he’s laying across from her in the same bed, and there’s no denying what happened the night before.

The fourth, well that time would be the first of many. Being Mrs. Jonah Crew has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

*****

Jonah Crew saw her for the first time as she stared at him in awe. It was snowing, the temp was in the negative degrees, and he couldn’t think about anything but her and the look of horror on her face when he tells a badly-timed joke.

The second time he sees her, his heart skips a beat, but not for the reason that one might think. Mainly, it’s due in part to the fact that his truck smashed into her car so hard that his chest hits the steering wheel and his heart decides to stop working right.

The third time, he’s fairly positive that he’s died and gone to heaven. At least, that’s what waking up next to a beautiful woman like her signifies, right?

The fourth? Well, he’s not quite sure how he got there, but he’s already said ‘I do’ so what’s a guy to do?

AVAILABLE NOW

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Lani Lynn Vale is a USA Today Bestselling Author of over thirty titles. She is married with three children, two dogs, two cats, a donkey, and a couple (a couple also meaning over twenty) chickens.

When she’s not writing, you can find her curled up in her favorite chair reading.

Lani is married with three children and lives in the Great State of Texas.

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * SWEET HOME ALASKA by Beth Carpenter

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * SWEET HOME ALASKA by Beth Carpenter

Sweet Home Alaska by Beth Carpenter
Series: Northern Lights #5
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on July 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Some sparks last forever.

But once burned…

World traveler Dr. Scott Willingham is known for being calm and levelheaded—except where Volta Morgan is concerned. In the ten years since they parted, Scott still can’t forget her. Now he’s come to Alaska to find Volta and finally let her go, only to find their attraction is stronger than ever. Can Scott leave her behind one last time…or has he truly found a place to call home?

Sweet reunion! With the next book in her beloved Northern Lights series, Beth Carpenter continues to show us the beauty of gorgeous Alaska. Her words bring the location to life time and again through out the series. With the latest book, first loves reunite years later to find their love never died … but their circumstances aren’t any better now than the first time things fell apart. Fast paced, great connection between the characters with the sweet addition of an adorable little girl. Really loved their story!

Once upon a time, Volta Morgan thought she would be living a different life, but things happened and turned her world upside down. Living back in her home state of Alaska for the last decade has rewarded her with a daughter that she adores and a job that’s very satisfying. To say she’s shocked when a blast from the past enters her world is putting it mildly!

Doctor Scott Willingham walked away from Volta more than a decade ago for the sake of his career. He’s been satisfied with that over the years, but there’s never been a time when she’s left his mind, so he decides to take on a job that will take him to Alaska where he plans to look her up and satisfy his need to know that everything turned out okay for her in life. He’s surprised to find that the attraction between them is still flaring strong … and he manages to fit into her ready made family a little too well!

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* Review * A CINDERELLA SEDUCTION by Karen Booth

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A CINDERELLA SEDUCTION by Karen Booth

A Cinderella Seduction by Karen Booth
Series: Eden Empire #2
Published by Harlequin Desire on July 1, 2019
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An overnight heiress meets the man of her dreams—

and her newfound family’s worst nightmare.

Discovering she’s a member of Manhattan’s most famous retail dynasty has given Emma Stewart a place to belong. Meeting a seductive stranger makes her rags-to-riches transformation complete. But British-born heir Daniel Stone is secretly carrying out revenge against her new family. Now the clock is ticking down to midnight on their secret affair…

Their long lost sister is settling in … and steeling the spotlight! Emma is trying to get to know her new-found sisters Sophie and Mindy, but isn’t exactly sure how to meander the difficulty of not having been a part of them over the years. One seems friendly and helpful, the other seems to ignore her as much as possible. Will she be able to win them over or will the fact that she’s falling for the enemy put her in danger of blowing the sisterhood up before she even feels like a member? Fun series!

Emma Stewart is trying her best to settle into a new life after being made an equal part heiress to the Eden department store fortune along with the two sisters she didn’t know she had. She’s not used to the money, the prestige or the powerful game of cat and mouse that she seems to find herself in the middle of.

British heir Daniel Stone is in New York on his mother’s behalf. She wants to open a new store, and sticking it to her long-time rivals at Eden’s is just icing on the cake. Imagine his surprise when the woman he’s drawn to at a party one night just happens to be the newest sister. It’s convenient to try to get inside information, but he’s too busy falling hard for her to try to play the game.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * REUNITED WITH THE COWBOY by Claire McEwen

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * REUNITED WITH THE COWBOY by Claire McEwen

Reunited with the Cowboy by Claire McEwen
Series: Reunited with the Cowboy #1
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on July 1, 2019
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

She can save his ranch…

But can he forgive her?

Maya Burton knows she’s the last person rancher Caleb Dunne wants to see. After all, she survived the crash that killed his sister, and then left town. Now she has to convince the stubborn cowboy that she can help him save his ranch. But once she earns his trust—and his heart—will she be able to walk away?

Such an emotional read! They were high school sweethearts with the world at their feet … until tragedy struck and life as they knew it fell apart. Claire McEwen found her footing in the Heartwarming line with no problem at all with this first book in her new Heroes of Shelter Creek series! The characters both have a side of story that you can understand and relate to, but the heartbreak they both are still feeling after all of these years makes it a really emotional story. The author did a fantastic job of telling from each point of view and delivering a heart-wrenching story of finding their way back to each other. Really enjoyed Maya and Caleb and look forward to more in this series!

Department of Wildlife biologist Maya Burton hasn’t been home in more than a dozen years. She left Shelter Creek when her world fell apart and tried not to look back. Now that her grandmother is aging and can’t travel to her, she takes a short term assignment close to home so she can check in on her. Once she hears who else is back in town, she’s sure he’s not going to be receptive to her arrival.

Rancher Caleb Dunne spent more than a decade in the Marine’s after losing his sister and lashing out at Maya for surviving. He’s finally come home, but the ranch as he knew it is no more and he’s struggling every step of the way as he tries to turn things around and make a go of it again. He’s not happy to see Maya back in town and trying to give him feedback on what he’s doing wrong. He has to admit that once he gets past the initial jab of anger, it’s easier to see her … and he even finds himself remembering the good times.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * SEDUCED BY SECOND CHANCES by Reese Ryan

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

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* Review * SEDUCED BY SECOND CHANCES by Reese Ryan

Seduced by Second Chances by Reese Ryan
Series: Dynasties: Secrets of the A-List #3
Published by Harlequin Desire on July 1, 2019
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He’s the one man she’s always wanted…

Her sister’s ex!

Gideon Johns inspired singer Jessie Humphrey to write her first hit about unrequited love. So when a star-studded event brings Jessie face-to-face with her former crush, sparks fly. But the handsome-as-ever real estate billionaire is still her sister’s ex. Still off-limits. Still impossible to resist. Is she setting herself up for more heartache, or for her wildest fantasy come true?

Forbidden love rekindled! With the next book in the scandalous Secrets of the A-List: Dynasties series, we get to catch up with the key players and continue the big celebration that has forthcoming in the earlier books. The event’s entertainment headliner will reunite with the one that got away at the same time as she’s stepping out on her own career wise. We also get more info into who is setting Teresa up for a fall and whether Liam is going to put his feelings for her first or let the past continue to color his opinion of her.

Pop star Jessie Humphrey isn’t prepared to come face to face with the only man she’s ever loved, but she isn’t left with any other option. She’s at a point in her life when she’s ready to step up and take what she wants … but does that include him even after the humiliation she suffered?

Billionaire Gideon Johns hates that he hurt Jessie all those years ago … he was young and she was his ex’s little sister, so he didn’t handle her feelings well. He panicked and was gruffer than he should have been. He’d like nothing more than to make up with her … especially when he is standing in the same room with her and attraction is flaring.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * RISKY RETURN by Virginia Vaughan

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * RISKY RETURN by Virginia Vaughan

Risky Return by Virginia Vaughan
Series: Covert Operatives #3
Published by Love Inspired Suspense on July 1, 2019
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“Stop investigating or you will die.”

A Covert Operatives story

Searching for a missing pregnant foster teen, Rebecca Mason stumbles across a human trafficking ring. Now with criminals determined to silence Rebecca, security specialist Collin Walsh appoints himself her protector. But how can the secret husband who once abandoned her to join the military regain her trust? Collin will do anything to make up for the past…but first he must ensure they survive.

Action packed and intense! With the next book in her exciting Covert Operatives series, Virginia Vaughan reunites an estranged couple at just the right time to cut danger off at the knees. There is non-stop action, a touching a back story, and enough chemistry to keep us watching for the flame to reignite! Really enjoying this series!

When court psychologist Rebecca Mason takes an interest in tracking down a missing pregnant teenager that she has counseled, she unknowingly stumbles across a major trafficking ring and puts herself in the sights of the bad men.

Security specialist Collin Walsh walks back into Rebecca’s life at just the right time to rescue her from the first of several attempts to get her to back off from her investigation. Will he be able to walk away without getting to the bottom of who’s after her? Doubtful … considering he just discovered they’re still married!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * MARRIED IN NAME ONLY by Jules Bennett

July 1, 2019 Leave a Comment

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* Review * MARRIED IN NAME ONLY by Jules Bennett

Married in Name Only by Jules Bennett
Series: Texas Cattleman’s Club: Houston
Published by Harlequin Desire on July 1, 2019
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Here comes the blackmailed bride

…and her Texas Cattleman’s Club groom!

Paisley Morgan just discovered that Texas’s most infamous billionaire could be her real father. Now she needs the help of her infuriating and incredibly sexy ex, investigator Lucas Ford. But Lucas will accept only one payment: Paisley’s hand in marriage. But will his thirst for revenge outlast their passion-filled nights as Paisley proves to be much more than a wife in name only?

Secrets abound! With a fast paced second chance at love story, Jules Bennett brings us the next book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Houston series. We’re getting closer to discovering who has been up to no good throughout all of the series, and for this particular story we get a reunion of high school sweethearts years later. The characters were easy to like and the story was fun!

Paisley Morgan has always regretted dumping the love of her life, but at the time she thought she was doing the best thing for him. Now he’s the best private investigator in town, so she’s having to go crawling to him for help. She’s all of a sudden being told that one of the richest guys in town is her father … how can that be??

Lucas Ford has never forgiven Paisley for walking away from the future they had promised each other. Now that he has her right where he wants her, he’s going to twist the knife and tell her he’ll help her on one condition … that she marry him!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * LOST AND FOUND by Danielle Steel

June 27, 2019 Leave a Comment

Lost and Found by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on June 25, 2019
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What might have been? That tantalizing question propels a woman on a cross-country adventure to reunite with the men she loved and let go, in Danielle Steel’s exhilarating new novel.

It all starts with a fall from a ladder, in a firehouse in New York City. The firehouse has been converted into a unique Manhattan home and studio where renowned photographer Madison Allen works and lives after raising three children on her own. But the accident, which happens while Maddie is sorting through long-forgotten personal mementos and photos, results in more than a broken ankle. It changes her life.

Spurred by old memories, the forced pause in her demanding schedule, and an argument with her daughter that leads to a rare crisis of confidence, Maddie embarks on a road trip. She hopes to answer questions about the men she loved and might have married—but didn’t—in the years after she was left alone with three young children. Wearing a cast and driving a rented SUV, she sets off to reconnect with three very different men—one in Boston, one in Chicago, and another in Wyoming—to know once and for all if the decisions she made long ago were the right ones. Before moving forward into the future, she is compelled to confront the past.

As the miles and days pass, and with each new encounter, Maddie’s life comes into clearer focus and a new future takes shape. A deeply felt story about love, motherhood, family, and fate, Lost and Found is an irresistible new novel from America’s most dynamic storyteller.

An eye-opening journey of love, forgiveness and expendability. With her trademark story-weaving, Danielle Steel quickly whisked this reader’s heart up and carried it along throughout the book. The characters were very connectable, and though the story took some unexpected turns, it was easy to follow and left you wanting more with each turning of the page. It was bittersweet, emotional and had a lighthearted depth in the end. I loved every minute of it!

Madison Allen felt she had lived a fulfilling life until an argument with her eldest daughter led her to question her place in the world at this stage in her life. After a household injury sidelines her from her career for a few weeks, and at her wits end with the envisionment her daughter put into her head of old age and life being over, Maddie sets out on a cross-country drive to put her life into perspective. A walk down memory lane via a box of old photos and letters has her reminiscing about the three men that passed in and out of her life in the years following her divorce as she was raising her three kids alone. She sets out to look up each man and verify in her heart that the decisions she made to get her to this place in her life were justified.

The first couple of visits had her comfortable with the choices she had made, and just as the third visit was on the horizon, a curve ball was thrown and an emotional fallout ensues. In the end, it all comes down to her deciding how much living she still wants to get out of life, and how to fit all of the pieces of her world into the area she wants to revolve.

Filed Under: Book Reviews