Archives for November 2023

* Review * BREAKING THE BAD BOY’S RULES by Reese Ryan

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * BREAKING THE BAD BOY’S RULES by Reese RyanBreaking the Bad Boy's Rules by Reese Ryan
Series: Dynasties: Willowvale #3
Published by Harlequin Desire on November 28, 2023
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five-stars

He vowed never to mix business and pleasure again—but then she walked in.

Rock star drummer Vaughn Reed no longer has a band, just a run-down ranch resort he unexpectedly inherited. Transforming it into an upscale getaway could be his ticket to raising funds and reuniting his band. But the top-notch designer he hired—who’s also his best friend’s sister—may be more than he bargained for.

Alejandra “Allie” Price is all grown-up and tempting him to break his all-work-no-play rule…until a steamy fling and rumors splashed across the internet threaten his reputation. Vaughn refuses to allow his dream to implode a second time. But will it cost him Allie?

 

Temptation is alive and well! Reese Ryan is pulling out all the stops when she brings us the third hero in the Dynasties: Willowvale series and low and behold it’s an aging rock star down on his luck! Vaughn is such a delight to get to know and really gave a genuinely ideal match up for Allie. I loved every minute of them! Heartfelt characters, equal parts angst and happiness and a sweet happily ever after.

I highly recommend this book as well as the rest of the series to anyone who enjoys a whole lot of drama mixed up with their romance.

five-stars

* Review * A COWBOY CHRISTMAS CAROL by Melinda Curtis

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * A COWBOY CHRISTMAS CAROL by Melinda CurtisA Cowboy Christmas Carol by Melinda Curtis
Series: The Cowboy Academy #3
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on November 28, 2023
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five-stars

Christmas will come…

To even the most reluctant cowboy!

Rodeo roper Ryan Oakley may hate Christmas, but he still needs a miracle. Unfortunately, the only person who sells top-notch competition horses is Jo Pierce, his former high school nemesis. Now Ryan’s making the single mom a bargain: he’ll set her up with his twin brother, her longtime crush. It’s the perfect holiday plan…until the no-nonsense working cowgirl ends up lassoing his heart instead.

 

Smalltown enemies to lovers at it’s best! The characters are intriguing right from the start and watching the sparks fly as their tempers flare is magical. Each side has more going on beneath the surface than anyone knows, making for an emotional journey along the way. I highly enjoyed them!

Ryan was my favorite! He’s a sweetheart who has been looking out for his rascally twin his entire life. I really enjoyed watching him come into his own and live for himself for a change.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a smalltown romance filled with warmth and reality.

five-stars

* Review * PRINCESS’S FORBIDDEN HOLIDAY FLING by Jennifer Faye

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * PRINCESS’S FORBIDDEN HOLIDAY FLING by Jennifer FayePrincess's Forbidden Holiday Fling by Jennifer Faye
Series: Princesses of Rydiania #3
Published by Harlequin Romance on November 28, 2023
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four-stars

In the final Princesses of Rydiania story by Jennifer Faye, a princess and a CEO know a festive fling is completely off-limits…but succumbing to desire is far too tempting!

Breaking the rules…until Christmas!

Princess Gisella’s fundraising gala must be a success. It will prove she’s capable of taking the throne she was never meant to ascend. Anxious and exhausted, she’s about to fire her New York PR firm…before she meets high-flying CEO Silas. Gisella’s duty-bound to marry royalty, while Silas can’t afford distractions, so a fling is completely forbidden. But their intense connection blurs the lines of tradition…

 

Emotional and heartfelt! Jennifer Faye delivers a satisfying conclusion to her Princesses of Rydiania series that brings us Gisella’s story. I liked her and Silas together quite a bit, but felt like the development of them as an actual couple was a bit lacking and felt rushed. As a whole I loved the series and really enjoyed getting to know this family. Would have liked to see the entire fam come together in the end as well.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that loves a modern day royal romance that brings royals and commoners together even when it’s not necessarily allowed. The characters are intriguing and their love rewarding.

four-stars

* Review * CLOWN MOTEL by Lani Lynn Vale

* Review * CLOWN MOTEL by Lani Lynn ValeClown Motel by Lani Lynn Vale
Series: Welcome to the Circus #4
on November 21, 2023
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four-half-stars

It’s not every day you meet a man at the bar, stare at him for hours, and then right when you decide to make a move, he gets up to leave. Worse, when you follow him outside, you see him completely change his appearance by shucking a wig and a button down shirt, dropping them into the nearest trash can.

When Crimson looks around to see who noticed the complete one-eighty that’s just taken place, not a single person notices or cares. When she looks back, he’s gone.

Dejected, she leaves, thinking maybe she’d hallucinated and made the whole night up.

Only, just as she passes a dark alley, she’s taken. Literally and figuratively.

That’s the night that Winston Cyrus Osborn, III walks into her life.

***

Crimson is the worst type of woman.

She’s curious.

And curiosity kills the cat in his line of work.

With nothing else left to lose, he’s set to rid this world of the filth that infests it. And in doing that, he’s made a lot of enemies that would like nothing better than to ruin him and every single person he cares about.

At every turn, she’s there, insinuating herself into his life. And despite his attempts to keep her at arm’s length, she blows past every single barrier he erects.

He should really stay away.

He should also make sure that she stays out of his business.

Yet, he keeps letting her in. And she keeps reminding him why he wants her to stay.

 

Crimson meets her match and gets more than she bargained for! I’m really enjoying Lani Lynn Vale’s quirky Welcome to the Circus series. It’s filled with a really unorthodox group of siblings that worm their way more and more into the reader’s heart with each new book and there’s always hints of danger and intrigue weaved throughout. Crimson and Winston really caught my attention. He’s secretive and she’s out to get answers … and the answers she uncovers are more than she ever would have expected.

Highly intense emotional scenes are a given with this series, but the love each sibling is finding is healing them one step at a time. I loved Winston so hard! Highly recommend this series as a whole.

four-half-stars

* Review * CHEAP SHOT by Kat Mizera

* Review * CHEAP SHOT by Kat MizeraCheap Shot by Kat Mizera
Series: Lauderdale Knights #7
on November 14, 2023
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four-half-stars

Welcome to Fort Lauderdale… where the days are hot and the Knights are hotter!

Johan:
The last thing I need under my roof is a matchmaker… but that’s exactly what’s going to happen if my grandmother moves from Slovakia to Fort Lauderdale to live with me. She says it’s because she’s lonely, but I know better. She’s planning to find me a wife.

The problem is, I already have my eye on someone: my teammate’s sister. She’s gorgeous, sexy—and not staying in Florida. But now that I’ve had a taste, I don’t want her to leave. And I don’t know how to ask her to stay without risking it all.

Sloane:
I ran away when I was sixteen and I’ve never stopped. From the abuse of my childhood to the trauma of my failed marriage, it’s easier to keep moving. Until the search for my brother leads me to Fort Lauderdale.

Once I’m there I find a different kind of family—his team. Especially Johan. My brother warned everyone I’m off limits, but the Slovak hunk is known for breaking the rules both on and off the ice.

I just hope he doesn’t break my heart.

 

Instant sex appeal leads to the connection of a lifetime! The seventh book in Kat Mizera’s endearing Lauderdale Knights hockey series is pulling on our heart strings as Decker’s sister makes a surprise visit to town and secretly falls for a teammate.

Sloane is a complex character. She’s sweet and sincere but has a ton of baggage that she hasn’t worked through yet, and it makes her push Johan away more than I really liked. He was a total sweetheart and I wanted to see her embrace him as wholeheartedly as he did her.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a close knit group of hockey teammates that have each other’s backs on and off the ice as each one falls hard when they meet “the one”.

four-half-stars

* Review * VANISHED by Anna J. Stewart

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * VANISHED by Anna J. StewartVanished by Anna J. Stewart
Series: Circle of the Red Lily #2
Published by CAEZIK Romance on November 21, 2023
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four-stars

She'll risk everything to expose the truth.

Since her twin sister Sylvie's disappearance seven years ago, single mother Mabel Reynolds has turned grief into action and become a strong voice for victims of violence and abuse.

When new revelations shed light on what may have happened not only to Sylvie, but dozens of other women, Mabel's hope for answers is reignited. But the new oh-so-charming DA overseeing the investigation seems more interested in a quick rather than an accurate resolution.

With little faith in the system, Mabel isn’t about to stay quiet, not when she’s finally close to the truth. She’s willing to go up against anyone—even a smug, irritating, attractive DA to get the answers she and other families deserve.

Open and shut.

That's what Assistant DA Paul Flynn has been told about his new assignment supervising a house of horrors case. With a high-profile conviction at stake, Paul can’t afford to make a wrong move if his professional goals are to be achieved.

But Mabel Reynolds has his attention. All of it. Attraction aside, the woman knows far more than what’s in the official files which makes her something even more intriguing. But using Mabel as an asset means exposing her and her young daughter to even more danger. Danger that is closing in on them from every
side. As even darker forces appear, and their lives are threatened, Paul is faced with risking not only his entire career, but also the one thing he never anticipated losing: his heart.

 

The highly anticipated follow up to EXPOSED! Anna J. Stewart opened the door to a very complex and diabolical world with the first book in her Circle of the Red Lily series and anyone who enjoyed it was looking forward to the follow up. I can state that it did NOT disappoint … however … this book is very intense and interwoven with the first book so deeply that it’s simply not a stand alone. I am an avid reader/reviewer and I myself had to put it down after the first chapter and go back and reread the first one (which I never do) because of the level of mystique that alludes to happenings from the first book but isn’t elaborated on. Once caught up on that first book and all of the events, it was easier to let this story carry me into the heart of the case again. I very highly recommend that you read this series in order and close together.

The plot of this story is centered around a group of missing women, and one sister in particular that has been living her life simply to find her sister for almost a decade now. She’s closely connected to Riley from the first book in the series so we get a reunion with the cast from last time and they further endear themselves into our heart. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery and the characters and am looking forward to more to come in the series … I just really hope it’s easier to pick up as a stand alone next time with a little more detail fleshed out to catch the reader up on what has happened previously without requiring a full re-read.

four-stars

* Review * RANCHER UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Joanne Rock

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * RANCHER UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Joanne RockRancher Under the Mistletoe by Joanne Rock
Series: Kingsland Ranch #4
Published by Harlequin Desire on November 28, 2023
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four-half-stars

He left the past behind…but the passion was never truly gone.

Clayton “Clay” Reynolds is only staying at Kingsland Ranch through the holidays. Despite his half brothers' acceptance, bitter memories make him feel like an outcast. But seeing the love he left behind, veterinarian Hope Alvarez, has stirred up more memories—like the searing desire she ignited in him…and the letter telling him they were through.

The aching hunger Clay and Hope both feel is as potent as ever. But neither is willing to trust the other until Clay discovers his past choices were not what they seemed…

 

A fitting reunion as the final black sheep returns home to Kingsland Ranch! Joanne Rock brings the last brother home in this fast paced journey of healing and acceptance. I wanted a little more from the brother reunion, but the reconnection between Clay and Hope was spot on. I really enjoyed this series as a whole and loved the way Rock wove drama into romance and family love to make for a scintillating series with heartwarming characters and attention grabbing passion.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a family burdened with rift that has to be overcome as each brother finds their forever love and heals their heart.

four-half-stars

* Review * THE BALL AT VERSAILLES by Danielle Steel

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE BALL AT VERSAILLES by Danielle SteelThe Ball at Versailles by Danielle Steel
Published by Dell on November 21, 2023
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four-half-stars

It’s the summer of 1959 and the Palace of Versailles is hosting an event that will make history. It is an exclusive dusk-to-dawn ball in which a select group of American and French debutantes will be presented to international society and royalty. Four young women, all with something to prove, receive what some see as the invitation of a lifetime.

Amelia Alexander, who hopes to eventually attend law school, hesitates to participate in what she sees as an archaic and privileged tradition. But her indomitable widowed mother, Jane, who’s struggled financially and sacrificed for a career, encourages her to attend. Jane would do anything for Amelia to have the chance at a happily ever after.

Felicity Smith is equally uncertain about the ball. Although her family is prominent in the Dallas social scene, Felicity prefers to keep to herself, avoiding the older sister who torments her. But to get out of her sister’s shadow, Felicity decides to accept. If it’s a success, the tables will have turned at last.

For Caroline Taylor, the beautiful ingénue and daughter of Hollywood legends, the ball is an irresistible opportunity. But an unexpected heartbreak just before she leaves for France gets things off to a bad start.

Then there’s Samantha Walker, an art history major with an overprotective father. Her excitement about the invitation is overshadowed by the emotional and physical effects of a past tragedy that still haunts her.

For all these young women, Paris and one transcendent night will change their lives forever. Bestselling author Danielle Steel extends an invitation to all, in The Ball at Versailles.

 

Danielle Steel can always be counted on to weave a captivating tale as she wraps characters around her reader’s heart! THE BALL AT VERSAILLES quickly hooks us on four main families as their debutante daughters converge in Paris for the ball of the century. The story covers a few months in time but is fairly fast paced with each main character having ample time for drama, romance and various family obligations. I was highly entertained and didn’t want to put the book down until they each reached a high point.

four-half-stars

* Review * BAIN by Sawyer Bennett

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * BAIN by Sawyer BennettBain by Sawyer Bennett
Series: Pittsburgh Titans #9
Published by Big Dog Books on November 3, 2023
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four-half-stars

Bain Hillridge is new to the Titans and he’s building relationships with his new team, both on and off the ice. If only he could keep his hands off his teammate’s little sister.

I loved playing for the Arizona Vengeance but I’m stoked to be part of the legacy the Pittsburgh Titans is building. A team that has risen from the ashes, I’m eager to help them achieve their goal of winning a championship. I’m also looking forward to becoming part of a new hockey family. A night out with my new mates introduces me to the little sister of our goalie, Drake McGinn, and I’m powerless to resist her.

Keira and I have an instant and insatiable attraction and it doesn’t take long before we find ourselves tangled up in one another. While Drake has declared his sister off limits, I’m not deterred because I always go for what I want. I refuse to heed Drake’s warnings and take great pleasure in goading him every chance I get. It’s become one of my favorite hobbies, outside of making his sister scream my name.

As things with Keira get hotter, feelings start to develop making it a little more complicated than we intended. But a bucket of ice-cold water is tossed on our relationship and we’re forced to reprioritize everything. Neither of us were looking for more than a hot fling but fates get twisted all the time. Faced with tough decisions, Keira and I know that no matter what choices we make, our lives are never going to be the same.

 

Bennett is bringing on the feels in this emotionally gritty delve into Drake’s little sister’s life and I enjoyed watching her connection with Bain grow and prosper. Part of the subject matter is heavy, but the lightheartedness of their feel good romance can carry the weight of disappointment as life changes in the blink of an eye. The characters are easy to connect with, and their joy with each other is everything. Looking forward to more to come in the series!

I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a sports romance revolving around a teammates sister.

four-half-stars

* Review * CODE NAME: GEMINI by Janie Crouch and Danielle M. Haas

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CODE NAME: GEMINI by Janie Crouch and Danielle M. HaasCode Name: Gemini by Janie Crouch, Danielle M. Haas
Series: Zodiac Tactical, Injured Heroes
Published by Calamittie Jane Publishing on November 9, 2023
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five-stars

Tasha Volkov has been on the run for three years from a brutal cartel who want her dead.

Aka: her family.

She already paid a heavy price for crossing them, and has the scars to prove it. Her only choice is to keep running, even if the tiny town of Pine Valley feels more like home to her than anywhere else she's ever been.

The last place Zodiac Tactical agent Andrew Zimmerman expected to find the missing Volkov sister was with his friends at the Crossroads Mountain Retreat in the mountains of Tennessee—a place for wounded law enforcement and veterans to heal.

Tasha may not have been the one who gave the order that killed his wife—and very nearly killed him and his twin baby girls—but she can lead Andrew to the man who did.

And Andrew's willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

No matter how much Tasha's vulnerability pulls at him. No matter if everything about her screams innocent, not guilty. No matter how his gut says to keep her safe and close to him.

He thinks he knows all her secrets. But he doesn't.

Turns out, neither does she...

 

Heartfelt drama mixed with tumultuous danger around every corner makes for one fine read! Readers of Crouch’s previous series will be familiar with the Zimmerman family and several characters mentioned as his past comes back to haunt him in a stunning way. I haven’t read Haas’s series that this is a crossover into the world of, but there was nothing lacking to confuse me because of that. I highly enjoyed the fast paced excitement, the endearing characters and the happily ever after was all that I could have wanted. Really enjoyed!

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys intrigue with take charge characters, heartwarming friendships and hints of romance as they take down the bad guy.

five-stars