Book Reviews – Page 213

* Review * KIDNAPPED AT CHRISTMAS by Barb Han

October 29, 2018 4 Comments

Kidnapped at Christmas by Barb Han
Series: Crisis: Cattle Barge #4
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on October 1, 2018
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This Christmas brings the revelation that he’s a father.

Now he needs to keep his little family safe when they become a target…

When the blonde beauty who shared his bed a year ago tells him he’s a father, Wyatt Jackson is stunned. But the attempted abduction of their newborn daughter drives the Texas cowboy to uncover the dangerous secrets of Meg Anderson’s past. Can Wyatt crack a twenty-year-old cold case before Meg’s Christmas becomes her last?

A heartfelt story with tons of exciting intrigue! With the next book in her Crisis: Cattle Barge series, Barb Han brings us the story of another illegitimate child of Maverick Mike. The book is filled with drama regarding his estranged family, sweetness surrounding finding out he’s a dad and reuniting with Meg, and lots of suspense around what’s going on with her past and the danger knocking on her door! Really enjoyed!

Wyatt Jackson isn’t happy about being summoned to Cattle Barge to deal with a load of bull, but he is really tired of the attorney hassling him and just wants to get this all over with. The surprise he receives when he meets up with a beauty from his past is life changing though!

Meg Anderson kept the secret that she got pregnant with Wyatt’s baby after their night together a little longer than she intended to, but now she’s doing the right thing and telling him he has a daughter. He’s shocked, but anxious to get to know his baby … but before too much bonding has a chance to occur, someone attempts to abduct her! Wyatt will stop at nothing to protect Meg and their daughter … even it’s something from her past coming back to get revenge.

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* Review * MIDWIFE UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Karin Baine

October 29, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MIDWIFE UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Karin Baine

Midwife Under the Mistletoe by Karin Baine
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on November 1, 2018
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A kiss under the mistletoe…

A family for Christmas?

GP Fraser McColl longs to be part of a loving family, but past experience has taught him he’s better off alone. Only, thrown together with gorgeous yet guarded midwife Iona Munro, to care for two children at Christmas, he’s tempted to believe in miracles… After one passionate night together, can he persuade Iona that they deserve a lifetime of happiness—together?

A cute story! The kids are adorable, the brooding doc is attention grabbing, and the story line is appealing. I enjoyed it!

When Iona Munro agrees to take care of her friend and colleague’s two children during an emergency, she never expects to enjoy playing happy little family with Fraser so much! By the time it’s time to hand the children back over to their mother, she and Fraser are imagining a fairy tale in their minds.

Dr. Fraser McColl hasn’t had a great experience with family in his life. He was sent away to boarding school young and never had that family connection that most children yearn for. Now in adulthood, he doesn’t know how to live any other way. When Iona and the kids move in for their stay at his house, he begins to see what life can be like when you have warmth and love around you. Can he convince Iona that there might be a future in this for them?

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* Review * THE MAVERICK’S CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER by Christy Jeffries

October 29, 2018 1 Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE MAVERICK’S CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER by Christy Jeffries

The Maverick's Christmas to Remember by Christy Jeffries
Series: Montana Mavericks: The Lonelyhearts Ranch
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on November 1, 2018
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All She Wants for Christmas is a Cowboy!

Rust Creek Ramblings

A few weeks ago, local wedding planner Caroline Ruth took a tumble off a ladder, and when she came to, she believed Thunder Canyon cowboy Craig Clifton was her boyfriend. Trouble was, they’d never met before. What was an upstanding rancher to do? Now, until Caroline’s memory returns, Craig is acting as reluctant faux fiancé. But with Christmas around the corner, dear readers, we’re hoping for a real-life happy ending for this unexpected couple!

She’s all mixed up! With a fun little jaunt into an unusual situation, Christy Jeffries takes us to Rust Creek Falls, Montana for the next in the Montana Mavericks series. The book has a touch of humor to it since they’re in a bit of a forced situation, and the characters are interesting and keep our attention throughout the story line. Enjoyed it!

Wedding planner Caroline Ruth is convinced she’s engaged to the hunky cowboy standing next to her! Of course the fall off of a ladder and knock on the head could explain her confusion.

Thunder Canyon cowboy Craig Clifton has never seen this woman before, but she’s friendly with some of his friends and she seems so convinced, so how can he be a mean ogre and blow her mind at this sensitive time? He reluctantly finds himself staying by her side and letting her believe they are engaged until her bruised mind safely realizes the truth … only problem is, he actually starts to enjoy his time with her along the way!

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* Review * AMERICA’S SWEETHEART by Jessica Lemmon

October 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

America's Sweetheart by Jessica Lemmon
Series: Real Love #5
Published by Loveswept on October 2, 2018
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Old flames burn bright. When a disgraced starlet returns home to lick her wounds, she discovers that her high school sweetheart is just as tempting as ever.

Allison: When I left for California, I gave myself a new name and never looked back. Now my carefully crafted good-girl image is getting torn to shreds in the press thanks to my Oscar-winning A-hole of an ex-boyfriend. So I escape to the only safe haven I know and trust—my hometown—to take a breather while I plot my triumphant Hollywood comeback. However, when I arrive at my parents’ house, Jackson Burke answers the door instead. And suddenly the past comes rushing back. . . .

Jackson: First kiss. First time. First love. Yep, Allison Murphy and I shared a lot of firsts back in the day. When she left, she took half my heart with her. Now she’s back in town, and even though I swore I’d keep my distance, her parents hired me to remodel their house, and I’m going to finish the job. But one hot kiss later, suddenly the press is calling us the next big celebrity couple. Sure, I’ll play the part, for Allison’s sake—but I refuse to let her close enough to break my heart all over again. . . .

The sexy, sweet memories of first love! They were high school sweethearts, destined to spend their lives together … until she changed the game plan and decided to become a star. Now she’s back, he’s better than ever and she finds herself doubting whether it was all worth it or not. The characters were well developed and quick to grab my attention. She was hard to like, but Jax was enough of a sweetheart to carry the load and make up for her unlike-ability. A fast moving plot and just generally a fun story!

When young Allison Murphy left her home on the East Coast all those years ago to make it big in Hollywood, she never expected to one day be returning home in disgrace as her face is splashed all over the tabloids. Now thanks to the lies told by an ex, that’s exactly what’s happening! She thinks a little comfort in the arms of her parents will do wonders for her wounded soul, but arrives home to the love of her life who she left behind all those years ago instead!

Jackson Burke agreed to do a big remodel for Allison’s parents while they were away, but had no clue their daughter would be returning home during the time he and his crew are there. He can’t deny that just seeing her is like another knife to his heart, but when photographers catch them sharing a moment and it’s now spreading around that she’s found a new love, he reluctantly agrees to help her pull off a ruse … but he’s going to be guarding his heart around every corner!

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* Review * BIG STICK by Kelly Jamieson

October 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Big Stick by Kelly Jamieson
Series: An Aces Hockey Novel
Published by Loveswept on October 23, 2018
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A brooding hockey hunk learns to embrace life—and love—from a single mom who takes the world one puck at a time.

Big move . . . Jodie’s motto is “Don’t wait for the perfect moment—take the moment and make it perfect.” And that’s just what she decides to do when she moves to Chicago with her two-year-old daughter. Now all Jodie needs is a place to live, and her best friend’s boyfriend has just the answer.

Big stick . . . Nick Balachov has zero interest in socializing, partying, or flirting right now. It’s not that he doesn’t like women. He loves them. It’s just that hockey, casual hookups, and hanging out at home are enough for him these days. Now Nick has a big problem—because the woman living in his empty coach house is a major distraction.

Big deal? The more Nick tries to keep his distance, the more Jodie needs him—around the house, that is. First he helps with the snowstorm, then the power outage. Nick even finds himself trying to impress her little girl. What the hell is wrong with him? Jodie represents everything Nick doesn’t want. But maybe she’s just what he needs. . . .

Opposites attract when they least expect it! He’s not looking to be responsible for anybody but himself ever again, yet he finds himself being drawn to this gabby woman and her equally peppy toddler. They might have been the last thing in the world he was looking for, but it turns out the love they show him just might be exactly what he needs to be able to move forward with his life! Great characters that keep the story line moving.

Pro hockey player Nick Balachov doesn’t need any distraction right now. He’s still picking up the pieces of the turmoil life has been thrown at him in the last few years, and it’s just about all he can handle right now to concentrate on playing hockey, having time to himself and maybe an occasional casual hook-up. He never in his wildest dreams thought he’d be offering the guest house on his property to a single mom and her two year old daughter, but man, that just happened!

Jodie believes in living life to the fullest, so she didn’t let self-doubt railroad her out of picking up and moving with her kid from New York to Chicago! Her bestie and business partner Kendra has been the best at trying to get her settled, but she’s encroached on her love nest long enough and has to find her own place. Good thing Kendra’s hockey player boyfriend Max knows Nick will do him the solid of offering up his house.

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* Review * GOOD GIRL’S BAD LESSONS by Carmen Falcone

October 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

Good Girl's Bad Lessons Series: Dirty Debts #3
Published by Entangled: Scorched on October 15, 2018
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Translator Emma Cavanaugh will do anything to win her ex-boyfriend back—including summoning her brother's best friend, Italian billionaire and playboy Nico Giordano, to give her much-needed lessons in the art of seducing and pleasing a man. Sex was never her thing, so if anyone is going to know how to teach her how to be bad it'll be Mr. Sex-on-A-Stick himself.

Nico doesn't want any part of the crazy plan to teach Emma to be the mayor of pleasureville because not only will her brother kill him, but little does she know he wants nothing more than to taste her, touch her, and hear her moan his name. So that's a hard no...until she begs him to show her, to let her be his student for a month of blistering hot instruction that will make not only Emma's ex panting for more, but Nico as well as it turns out.

Delectably forbidden! He’s always known she was off-limits, but now she’s basically begging him to defile her … what’s a man to do?? Carmen Falcone’s latest is sexy, fun and oh so flirty and it’s going to steam up day the minute you open the first page.

Emma Cavanaugh can’t believe her boyfriend just dumped her … and called her boring in bed! He’s perfect for her, and she will stop at nothing to win him back, so she’s going to take matters into her own hands and learn how to knock his socks off in bed! Who better to get to teach her than the Italian walking sex God himself!

Billionaire Nico Giordano adores Emma and, but little does she know when she makes this little request of hers that he has always secretly desired her. She’s his best friend’s little sister and has always been strictly off-limits, but if she wants to play games and push his buttons, she’s going to learn the hard way about getting results!

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* Review * A TALL, DARK COWBOY CHRISTMAS by Maisey Yates

October 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

A Tall, Dark Cowboy Christmas by Maisey Yates
Series: A Gold Valley Novel
Published by HQN Books on September 25, 2018
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It’s Christmas in Gold Valley, and this wounded widower is about to get another shot at love…

Grant Dodge didn’t expect to find a woman sleeping in an abandoned cabin on his family ranch. Or to find her so intriguing. Unlike every other woman in town, McKenna Tate doesn’t know Grant’s a widower. There’s no pity in the looks she gives him. McKenna wants him, and Grant has forgotten what it’s like to feel like a man. A no-strings fling for Christmas might be the kind of holiday cheer Grant needs…

With only a suitcase to her name, McKenna came to Gold Valley to confront her birth father. She didn’t plan to work at the Dodge ranch or fall for the gorgeous cowboy who keeps his heart roped off. But there’s no denying the way their broken pieces fit together. Hope brought her to Gold Valley—but will it be the gift that could finally heal Grant, and McKenna’s own wounded heart?

Christmas comes to Gold Valley! With the next book in her beloved series, Maisey Yates brings us the brother’s story we’ve all been waiting for. We knew he lost his wife, and we knew he seemed to still be spending his life pining away, but we were missing lots of the back story! Grant Dodge is a real joy to get to know, and McKenna is just the spitfire he needs to bring him back to life. Really enjoyed their story!

Widower Grant Dodge never expected to find a woman sleeping in an old cabin on his family’s ranch, but when he does he’s intrigued by her. He doesn’t get the opportunity to interact with someone that doesn’t know his past and who only sees him as a former husband anymore, and he has to admit, he really likes the lack of pity in her eyes!

Down on her luck McKenna Tate has come to Gold Valley to contact the man she discovered is her birth father, but she’s not so sure what kind of reception she’s going to receive. Along the way, she stumbles into the middle of a family filled with kindness, and a man that attracts her attention, as well as awakens her libido. She’s not sure what Grant’s story is, but she’d like to mix things up with him a bit while she’s around!

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* Review * A RING TO CLAIM HIS LEGACY by Rachael Thomas

October 22, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A RING TO CLAIM HIS LEGACY by Rachael Thomas

A Ring to Claim His Legacy by Rachael Thomas
Published by Harlequin Presents on November 1, 2018
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Demanding his baby…

And his fiancée!

Tycoon Marco Silviano can’t forget the mysterious woman he spent an incredible week with on a luxurious island. Coming face-to-face with Imogen in England is shocking—especially when he learns she’s expecting his baby! Convinced their child will secure his family’s dynasty, Marco is intent on persuading Imogen to wear his ring. But once they’re engaged, their burning desire and Imogen’s warmhearted allure test Marco’s control to the limit…

A holiday fling turns into forever! A delightful delve into an unexpected union. They thought the time they had on their magical island was all that they would have with each other, but an unexpected pregnancy and happenstance in business has reunited them for the ride of their life. Sexy, sweet and satisfying!

Imogen Fraser never expected to see the man she had a week long fling with again after they departed their magical island getaway, but circumstances have him showing up unexpectedly to meet with her … but the surprise is really on him, because he’s shocked to see her in her pregnant state!

Marco Silviano certainly wasn’t looking for forever when he had a holiday fling, but he can’t deny that the timing of finding out Imogen is pregnant with his child couldn’t have been more opportune. He needs an heir to satisfy the father that he’s never been able to please, and this just might be the time to play his cards!

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* Review * DREAM by Carly Phillips

October 21, 2018 Leave a Comment

Dream by Carly Phillips
Series: Rosewood Bay #4
Published by CP Publishing on October 16, 2018
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Best friends.

First loves.

Can they find a second chance?

Andi wanted nothing more to marry prince charming and her best friend Kyle Davenport believed that would be him.

But after losing the girl of his dreams to the town bad boy, Kyle left Rosewood Bay and swore he’d never look back.

They say true love never dies, so when Kyle returns and discovers single mom Andi is in danger, he’ll do anything to break down the walls she’s built to protect her son, and to finally win her heart.

Except that no happily-ever-after is won without a fight—and her ex-husband doesn’t like to lose.

Past mistakes come back to bite her! With the final book in the Rosewood Bay series, we get Andi’s story. Her brother Kane got his happily ever after in the first book in the series, and during that book we got to know a bit about Andi’s life and were intrigued by her. Now we’re seeing her reunite with the man she let get away … and along the way, she’s having to face her past mistakes in full force. Lots of drama, forgiveness and a sexy sweet romance. Really enjoyed this entire series!

Andrea Harmon has worked hard to put her past behind her and to build a solid foundation for life with her son. She’s divorced, living close to family and friends and happy to have a new chapter going forward. She’s surprised to hear that her childhood best friend is going to be her son’s new teacher!

Kyle Davenport adored Andi all those years ago, but she chose to head off into the sunset with a bad boy and cut off their friendship. She never even realized that he was in love with her. Now he’s moving back to Rosewood Bay, and Andi feels the need to apologize and try to make amends for how she treated him, but Kyle’s not sure he wants the drama in his life at this point. When he learns a little of what life was like for her back then, he starts to open his heart back up to her a bit … but will things change when her ex heads back into her life again?

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* Review * HER FORGOTTEN LOVER’S HEIR by Annie West

October 18, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * HER FORGOTTEN LOVER’S HEIR by Annie West

Her Forgotten Lover's Heir by Annie West
Series: Conveniently Wed!
Published by Harlequin Presents on November 1, 2018
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She’s carrying the billionaire’s child…

But he seems like a stranger!

Brooding Pietro Agosti was stunned when his sizzling fling with vibrant teacher Molly Armstrong resulted in her pregnancy. Finally, the merciless Italian would be able to continue his legacy—but then an accident left Molly with no memory of him! Pietro must help Molly remember the fierce attraction that drove them together, and the fact that the baby she’s carrying is the Agosti heir…

Captivating story! An exotic amnesiac tale that will take you on a whirlwind trip throughout the countryside as we try to figure out what will become of Molly. Will she remember the dashing Pietro or will she have to create new memories with him without confirmation of what they previously shared? Very entertaining!

When Molly Armstrong awakens after an accident, she has no memory of her life! She doesn’t know her name, where she’s from and definitely not the man who claims he’s her husband! She’s bewildered, scared and feeling quite alone as she travels the emotions of trying to figure out who and what to trust in this situation she’s found herself in.

Italian billionaire Pietro Agosti was shocked when Molly informed him she was pregnant, but he’s determined to raise this baby as his proper heir! He’ll spend as much time as Molly needs getting her comfortable in their relationship again while they await for her memories to return. In the meantime, he’ll remind her of all the reasons she fell in love with him in the first place!

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