Book Reviews – Page 36

* Review * MAKE BELIEVE MATCH by Joanne Rock

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MAKE BELIEVE MATCH by Joanne Rock

Make Believe Match by Joanne Rock
Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: The Wedding #4
Published by Harlequin Desire on March 28, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Billionaire playboys aren’t marriage material.

But “fake” marriage?

What could possibly go wrong?

Wedding fever has hit the town of Royal, Texas! And graduate student Jessica Lewis has made a deal with the devil. Her one-night stand—bad boy CEO Oliver Price—has agreed to be her pretend fiancé for the social season. Their off-the-charts chemistry makes their fake romance an easy sell. But the more events they attend, the more the make-believe feels very, very real. But for two commitmentphobes from different worlds, will chemistry be enough?

Fake turns into forever in this fast paced delight! Joanne Rock is turning on the charm in the fourth book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series when Oliver woos Jessica into one night of debauchery that leads to more than they bargained for! I enjoyed the characters very much and their story was quite satisfying.

Oliver is an accomplished, sincere man who adores his family and lives a good life, but he’s a bit short sighted when it comes to knowing what his pretend fiance needs most of all.

Jessica is a sweetheart who’s out to help her parents get out of a snafu when she agrees to Oliver’s plan, but spending time on his arm is no hardship!

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that loves scandal and riches mixed in with heartfelt happily ever afters.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * A COWBOY WORTH WAITING FOR by Melinda Curtis

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A COWBOY WORTH WAITING FOR by Melinda Curtis

A Cowboy Worth Waiting For by Melinda Curtis
Series: The Cowboy Academy #1
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on March 28, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

This cowboy’s done with love…

Or is he?

Former rodeo queen Ronnie Pickett has always had a talent for matchmaking—and now she’s going pro. Her first customer? None other than her friend and teen cowboy crush, Wade Keller. Of course, convincing the widowed bronc rider and single dad that it's time to date again is gonna be a challenge. But no one warned Ronnie about the occupational hazard of falling for her very first cowboy client…

Heartfelt and delightful! Melinda Curtis is kicking off a brand new Cowboy Academy series with healing, hearts of gold and humor and I enjoyed every minute of it! The characters have a strong connection between them before their chemistry this go round even comes to a head, so there’s baggage to be sorted through, attraction to act on and happily ever afters to promise. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!

Ronnie is sweet yet stubborn in her determination to honor a promise to her late best friend and find her husband and little girl someone to step into her shoes. She has good intentions, but her refusal to see what’s truly happening between them almost derails it before it begins.

I loved Wade so much. He’s such a kind man and watching him struggle with what the right way to move forward was just touched my heart. Ginny was a doll too.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a sweet romance filled with angst and good-heartedness as love comes to those who least expect it.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * JUST A LITTLE HOOKUP by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * JUST A LITTLE HOOKUP by Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde

Just a Little Hookup by Carly Phillips
Series: A Dare Crossover Novel #1
on March 21, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Being a bachelor has its perks. It also has its downside. Just ask Derek Bettencourt.

Standing on stage and being auctioned off in the name of charity is awkward AF… until his business partner’s younger sister wins him for the weekend. He’s all hers to do with as she pleases and he can’t say he’s unhappy with the prospect. Especially since she saved him from an ex-fiancée determined to get her claws into him again.

Jessica Cavanaugh never intended to bid on the man she’s had a lifetime crush on. But her spur-of-the-moment decision gives her a chance to exact a bit of playful payback, for old time’s sake. And Derek is all too happy to indulge Jessica's whims.

What starts as a fun, flirty, game, with Derek acting as her personal handyman, quickly turns into a steamy and forbidden weekend. Lines are crossed that they never intended and emotions unravel their playful facades. Afterward, he can’t get the gorgeous, full-figured woman out of his head and he’s determined to make her his.

But how can they concentrate on a future when someone is threatened by their relationship and will do anything to come between them?

* A Dare Crossover novel featuring Derek Bettencourt from Carly Phillips’ novel, Just One Taste.

A sexy, scandalous dive into a forbidden romance! Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde can always be counted on to deliver an attention grabbing, confident hero to steal their heroine’s heart and I just loved seeing them back together again to work their magic in this Dare Crossover! The chemistry is intense, the characters are endearing and heartfelt and their happily ever after is our sweet reward!

Derek is accomplished and sincere and has such a good heart. I loved getting to see him let himself be loved for who he is instead of who someone wants him to be.

Jessica is adorable and gorgeously outspoken. I enjoyed seeing her shine and get all that she deserved out of life.

I highly recommend this book and can’t wait for more to come in this spinoff series!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FOUR WEEKS TO FOREVER by Karen Booth

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FOUR WEEKS TO FOREVER by Karen Booth

Four Weeks to Forever by Karen Booth
Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: The Wedding #3
Published by Harlequin Desire on March 28, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Can they put that one unforgettable night behind them

and keep things strictly business?

Sharing the bed of high-profile chef Colin Reynolds during a blackout was a mistake florist Corryna Lawson can’t afford to repeat. Especially now that they’re working together on a celebrity wedding at the Texas Cattleman’s Club. As the two collaborate on flowers and food, Corryna finds Colin nearly impossible to resist…and maybe she doesn’t want to. But then she discovers she’s carrying his baby…

Fast paced and pleasurable! Karen Booth always delivers on drama and angst and with the third book in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Wedding series, she hits paydirt with an attention grabbing couple and a sexy yet sweet trail towards happily ever after!

I enjoyed both Corryna and Colin right from the start and learning each of their back stories endeared them even more to my heart. I wanted to see a little more resolution with the storyline revolving around her ex, but overall I felt like their story was fairly complete and totally enjoyable.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys high profile characters with a lot going on in their lives as they stumble across love when they least expect it.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE NATURE OF SECRETS by Debra Webb

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE NATURE OF SECRETS by Debra Webb

The Nature of Secrets by Debra Webb
Series: Finley O’Sullivan #2
Published by Thomas & Mercer on March 14, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Legal investigator Finley O’Sullivan has had a difficult year in the wake of her husband’s murder. But in her line of work, there’s no time to grieve. Her job is to protect the firm’s clients and defend their innocence through grueling investigative work.

Ellen Winthrop is a force to be reckoned with in the financial world. In a male-dominated industry, she shattered the glass ceiling by empowering and promoting women. But now her husband is dead, killed in the Winthrop family home—and she stands accused of his murder.

Finley, as the investigator at the firm Ellen Winthrop hired to defend her, has a clear objective: prove that Ellen didn’t do it. But the deeper Finley digs into the Winthrops’ marriage, the more she starts to doubt Ellen’s story. The uncomfortable truth is that Ellen Winthrop may in fact have killed her husband.

And he might not have been the first.

Entertaining and highly addictive! The second book in Debra Webb’s Finley O’Sullivan series not only brings us a brand new case to sink our teeth into with her, but it also brings some answers to some of her questions regarding her husband’s murder a year ago. The story is complex and delves into the lives of the newest vic, his wife and all of her closest friends while on the side Finley is getting closer every day to uncovering who her own husband really was.

Even though there are two detailed stories going on at the same time throughout this book, the author does a great job of melding them into one cohesive unit and delivering concise resolutions to each.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a whodunnit mystery with high powered secrets and lies popping up around every corner.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * CROSS ROADS by Tracey Devlyn

March 5, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Cross Roads by Tracey Devlyn
Series: Steele Ridge: The Blackwells #3
Published by Steele Ridge Publishing on March 6, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Cybersecurity expert Rohan Blackwell left his fellow hackers in the Collective behind to focus on the family business. But when an unusually fruitless background check on a potential contractor coincides with a savage cyberattack, he can’t help but suspect that the two events are connected. Determined to ferret out the beautiful artist’s real story, Rohan soon finds himself distracted by more than her secrets.

Hard work and quick thinking pulled Lena Kamber out of a difficult past and into a successful fine arts reproduction studio. Then disturbing visions of her childhood begin to surface, and she senses malevolent eyes on her at every turn. Add to that, a gorgeous stranger inadvertently helps a burglar steal her latest high-profile commission, a million-dollar painting. With her beloved career on the verge of collapse, Lena turns to a reluctant Rohan to help her recover the stolen artwork.

As Rohan and Lena draw closer to the truth—and each other—the stakes get higher, the bodies pile up, and the two loners unite to stop a vengeful cyberterrorist from destroying a future they have only just begun to imagine.

Fast paced and highly addictive! This octane filled third book in the Steele Ridge: The Blackwells series did not disappoint and kept me entertained throughout, but there was as whole lot to wrap your head around. While the multiple side stories did add mystery depth to the main storyline, they also detracted from a cohesiveness that would have drawn the arc together a bit more. None-the-less, I enjoyed Rohan and Lena very much and look forward to more to come in the series.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that loves a suspenseful romance filled with a close knit cast of family and friends that always have each others backs as one brother after another falls for their one.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Release Blitz/Review * BAD BOY’S DOWNFALL by Gina Azzi

March 2, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Release Blitz/Review * BAD BOY’S DOWNFALL by Gina Azzi

Bad Boy's Downfall by Gina Azzi
Series: Tennessee Thunderbolts #6
Published by Three Cities Publishing LLC on March 2, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Word on the ice: the only thing worse than knocking up your teammate’s sister is knocking up his daughter.

I have no business tangling up with Lola Daire. She’s a smart, idealistic, college senior planning to take on Silicon Valley. I’m an angry NHL player with a chip on my shoulder.

She smiles rainbows; I spit fire. She’s a daddy’s girl; I’m the last guy her father wants her to date.

A man with my past and demons will only corrupt a good woman. I know better than to give in to her playful flirting, but when Lola finds herself in a compromising situation, I break the rules to keep her safe.

We have nothing in common, save for the attraction we feel. We have no future, except for the moments that stretch between us. But our desire is insatiable. Our chemistry, off-the-charts.

One night turns into more and our casual understanding takes an unexpected turn.

I may be the cliché bad boy, but my downfall is the good girl with a baby on the way.

Forbidden romance never tasted so sweet! It’s always bittersweet to end a Gina Azzi series, but she’s taking the Tennessee Thunderbolts out in style by matching up the angry team loner with Brawler’s college-aged daughter and watching the fireworks ensue is quite the entertainment! Great characters, powerful backstories and just a whole lot of heart. I loved this series!

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a great group of hockey players who rally around each other as one after another succumbs to true love.

Release Date: March 2

Word on the ice: the only thing worse than knocking up your teammate’s sister is knocking up his daughter.

I have no business tangling up with Lola Daire. She’s a smart, idealistic, college senior planning to take on Silicon Valley. I’m an angry NHL player with a chip on my shoulder.

She smiles rainbows; I spit fire. She’s a daddy’s girl; I’m the last guy her father wants her to date.

A man with my past and demons will only corrupt a good woman. I know better than to give in to her playful flirting, but when Lola finds herself in a compromising situation, I break the rules to keep her safe.

We have nothing in common, save for the attraction we feel. We have no future, except for the moments that stretch between us. But our desire is insatiable. Our chemistry, off-the-charts.

One night turns into more and our casual understanding takes an unexpected turn.

I may be the cliché bad boy, but my downfall is the good girl with a baby on the way.

Grab Your Copy Here!

Meet Gina Azzi

I’m Gina Azzi, a book-obsessed, coffee-drinking, globetrotting, mama of soon-to-be three! I write sweet with a dash of spicy New Adult and Contemporary Romance full of good men putting in work to win the hearts of even better women.

A total Jersey girl at heart, I struggle with insatiable wanderlust and currently reside in Ontario, Canada with my family.

When I’m not dreaming up storylines or writing all the words, you can find me hanging with my littles, attempting to bake, or planning my next adventure.

Connect with me on social media or at ginaazziauthor@gmail.com. I’d love to hear from you!

Happy Reading!

Xo,

Gina

To learn more about Gina and her books, visit here!

Hosted By:

Filed Under: Book Reviews, Release Day Blitz

* Review * WORTHY OPPONENTS by Danielle Steel

February 26, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * WORTHY OPPONENTS by Danielle Steel

Worthy Opponents by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on March 7, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Spencer Brooke always knew she was destined to be CEO of her grandfather’s business—the most respected and luxurious department store in New York City. Brooke’s has been at the center of every happy memory she has, but it hasn’t been an easy journey. Seven years after her father’s death, her life is very different from the days when she walked through the store with her grandfather as a young girl. She may be the owner of Brooke’s, but she’s also now a divorced single mother of twin boys. And with the ever-evolving landscape of the fashion industry comes new challenges for Spencer and the legacy she’s inherited.

Mike Weston is known for making enormous profits by transforming small businesses into bigger, more successful ones. With his marriage at a breaking point and his children grown up, investing is where he thrives—where he can build something greater. And Brooke’s feels like the perfect opportunity. Yet the firm’s beautiful and savvy CEO turns down the offer before they even meet.

Spencer has no interest in outside investors meddling in her family business; her grandfather never saw the need for them, and neither does she. She refuses to be tempted by Mike’s offer, despite her big dreams of expanding the store. But when bad luck strikes, suddenly she is backed into a corner.

Addictive and heartfelt! You can always count on Danielle Steel to produce a concise, solid read filled with emotional journeys, dramatic characters and rich happily ever afters. WORTHY OPPONENTS keeps this tradition alive beautifully. There is a whole lot of back story in the first couple of chapters, so be prepared to set the scene slowly with several additional characters laying the groundwork, but then the story pace picks up as interaction with Spencer begins. I enjoyed her story very much.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a human interest story with tradition and family playing a key part in the wholesomeness of the main character. Strong on the women’s fiction realm with hints of romance throughout.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * ANNOYED AT FIRST SIGHT by Lani Lynn Vale

February 24, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * ANNOYED AT FIRST SIGHT by Lani Lynn Vale

Annoyed At First Sight by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Gator Bait MC #4
on February 28, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

The first time Cassius Ulysses Costas met Alice Paradis, she was in a string bikini and filling up a long line of boats that were there just to see her. She was eighteen and every man’s wet dream.

Even his.

For the longest time, he went out of his way to stay as far away from her as he could get without actually taking his eyes off of her. For years, he was the better person. He played his hand close, and not a single person would know just how obsessed he was with her.

Then he goes to prison and comes out a man that couldn’t care less about anyone or anything, least of all what someone thought of him and his actions. But not one second while he was behind bars did he forget about Alice.

He tries to stay away. For a few long months, he fights his every instinct to make her his. But, as if the universe is conspiring against him, Alice is thrown into his path time after time, instance after instance.

And his resolve is waning. Fast.

In one last ditch effort to stay away, he walks away, hoping making her mad enough will force her to do the work for him.
However, when Alice is attacked, it isn’t Cassius’s harsh words she remembers, but the way he makes her feel safe.

Soon, the very last thing he’ll do is let her walk away. He did the right thing, and that didn’t work out. Now, it’s time for him to embrace the wrong.

What a ride! The fourth book in the Gator Bait MC series had me quickly hooked and wanting more as twists and turns for both Cassius and Alice keep the book exciting and unputdownable. The characters are good-hearted and sincere and the turmoil they each face only brings them closer together. Her family makes for a good bit of entertainment.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a tight-knit group of guys who have formed a brotherhood based on situation and always have each others backs as each one succumbs to their happily ever after.

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * CANNON by Sawyer Bennett

February 24, 2023 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Cannon by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Pittsburgh Titans #6
Published by Big Dog Books, LLC on February 28, 2023
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads

Cannon West left his hockey playing days behind to care for his dying wife but has since found success on the other side of the bench. Now, as the youngest head coach in league history, he’s hoping to lead the Pittsburgh Titans to a winning season. The last thing he’s looking for is a relationship, but life sometimes takes us in another direction.

The Pittsburgh Titans are still working to move on from the tragic plane crash that forever changed the landscape of their organization. Having lost my wife, I know all about grief and the guilt of survival which makes me uniquely equipped to take this team to the next level. From the very first time I stepped inside the Titans’ arena, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.

New to town, I’m still establishing my routine, but I have the most important aspect under control—the coffee shop where I stop on my way to the arena every morning. A strong cup of java and the gorgeous manager who I can’t help but chat up is quickly becoming my favorite way to start the day. But no matter how much I enjoy the blush that stains Ava Cavanaugh’s cheeks with my admittedly awkward attempt at flirting, I know it will never be more than brazen banter with a new friend. My job consumes almost all my time, and I know firsthand what that level of commitment can do to a relationship.

That doesn’t mean I’m not open to some fun. My career comes first, but Ava understands my boundaries. The only problem is that once I give into her temptation, the rules I set for myself become blurred, and my mixed signals hurt Ava—the one thing I promised I wouldn’t do. I’ve put myself in what seems to be an untenable situation, but I’ve faced those before. Now I need to find the strength to move past my fears, or risk losing my second chance at love with the woman who has stolen my heart.

Emotionally tempting! The sixth book in Sawyer Bennett’s Pittsburgh Titans hockey series is centering around the new head coach and the lady who has caught his eye. The characters are kindhearted and endearing and the backstories are attention grabbing. I loved seeing Cannon get his happily ever after and can’t wait for more to come in the series.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a hockey romance with a whole lot of healing happening behind the scenes as a team is resurrected and love and friendships are forged.

Filed Under: Book Reviews