5 STARS!

You’re no stranger to the Wolfe brothers if you’re a fan of Jami Davenports sports romances, and now it’s the elusive Zeke turn!  Great characters and descriptions sweep us up into the story from the start of Chapter One, and don’t let us go until the final page!  Lots of emotions come to the surface along the way … sadness, empathy, and finally a huge swell of joy!

Newly traded to the Seattle Skookums, pro baseball player Zeke Wolfe is not happy at all to be in the same town as the two brothers he wrote off years ago.  He arrives into town in a bad mood, and on the way to his new house, his mood doesn’t improve much as the conscience that still lives beneath his fake demeanor forces him to stop and rescue a stranded woman and three kids along the side of the road.

Paisley Madison is in dire straights with her nieces and nephew, so when this handsome ball player is suddenly in front of her offering help … even if begrudgingly! … she can’t kick a gift horse in the mouth!  She buries her worries and puts on a bright face and hires herself on as his assistant!

Neither of them wants to feel the instant attraction to each other that they do, and at first they try to fight it … but eventually, it’s easier just to give in.  Can this ready-made-family actually turn into the real thing, or will their ugly pasts come back to haunt them before all is said and done?

ARC received via the Author

4 STARS!

A heartfelt read about moving forward after deceit and finding happiness again!  Fun characters keep you laughing as you read through to the heart of the story.

Joe Messina is picking up the pieces the best way he can when he comes back home to Harmony Valley with his pre-teen daughter Sam.  He is trying to earn an honest living even with the FBI still breathing down his neck for things he can’t fix.  Will the town give the former bad-boy a second chance, or will he never be able to live down his reputation?

Artist Brittany Lambridge meets Joe shortly after he gets back into town in an unorthodox way.  She’s thinking about pilfering what she things are abandoned car parts from his newly purchased property!  Doing hair for a living isn’t leaving Brit much time to pursue her true passion in life, but she’s determined to do it one way or another.  Will Joe turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to her, or will he push her away before they can find out?

ARC received via the Author

5 STARS!

I really enjoyed this friends-to-lovers story!  The characters are great and really draw you into their relationship right from the start and have you pulling for their happily ever after!

Violet Drummond just can’t stand the thought of yet another office Christmas party by herself, so when she runs into family friend Cameron McKinnon who is also looking for a hand, they agree to accompany one another to their events as a “couple”.

Cam loves Violet’s big, loving family more than his own stilted one.  Their ploy is only meant to be a couple of dates, but then it turns into a fake engagement and a gentle love affair in the blink of an eye!

Will true love be able to overcome the doubts and stubborn hearts to bring a happy ending to these friends?

ARC received via Author/VA

4 STARS!

A charming tale about lost long relatives with a touch of aristocracy to it!

Geraldine has recently learned that she’s the daughter of a lord in London.  She’s glad to use the excuse to get away from an ex-relationship in Glasgow and go run her father’s medical practice.

Thomas Ashwood is her new partner when she takes over her father’s practice, and his reputation precedes him as “the dark duke” who ravishes fair maidens.

Geri and Thomas find that they actually quite like each other, and as each stumbles through their own hang-ups in life, they lean on each other and help each other grow into better people.

ARC received via the Author/VA

4 STARS!

A unique reunion story … first loves, best of friends, a twisted twin in the mix!

As a teen, Samantha Carlton grabbed the first chance she could to get out from under the weight of an ugly childhood and make something of herself.  She left behind her alcoholic mother, jealous sister and her first love … and has spent a lifetime feeling guilty!

Trevor Kincaid couldn’t bring himself to go with Sam when she asked, but he didn’t have a problem finding comfort in the arms of her twin sister!  Now Sam has come face to face with the niece she didn’t know existed, and Trevor has to accept that the past he’s tried his best to protect his daughter from is rearing it’s ugly head!

The old flame is reignited between Sam and Trevor, but will the past stay behind them or be the cause of them splitting once again?

ARC received via NetGalley/Author

4 STARS!

A fun take on a reunion/friends to lovers story!  I had a little bit of a hard time liking Dee because she was a bit too wishy washy and didn’t appreciate him the way she should have, but I enjoyed Josh a lot!

Back in New Mexico inheriting half of her estranged father’s ranch is the last place Deanna Blake thought she’d be at this point in her life but here she is.  She always hated the loneliness of country living, and is anxious to sell so she can get on with her life in the big city … which will soon include a baby!

Josh Talbot has always considered the ranch his home, and he would love to stay there running it, but he can’t afford to buy out Dee’s half.  He reluctantly agrees that he and his young son will start over elsewhere with their proceeds from the sale, but as they all join together to get things ready to go on the market, will the happiness they come to share show them that selling and going their separate ways might not be what they really want to do anymore?

ARC received via the Author

4 1/2 STARS!

An attention grabbing surprise baby story!  I enjoyed characters and the draw they had to each other from the very beginning.

After seeing a shocking expose about a group of ruthless businessmen who are notorious playboys, Piper Riley finally has the name of the man she had an impetuous one night stand with a couple of months ago.  Not only did she lose her innocence to a playboy, but she gained a little surprise as well!

When Piper shows up at his office, Dante Mancini assumes she is there to climb onto the media circus with her own story and wonders how much money it will take to silence her.  Instead, she announces they are going to be parents!  He jumps on the opportunity to land the business deal of the century with the added bonus of a wife and child on the way to make him appeared settled. Piper agrees to the charade, but only because she wants her baby to know it’s father.

As they play the game, they both feel more than they expected … but when all is said and done, will it be enough to overcome the subterfuge and make it all real??

ARC received via the Author/VA

4 STARS!

A heart-wrenching reunion story!

Doctor Katie McGann is doing her best to keep her head down and forget that it’s Christmas time again.  Working in the ER of a busy ski town is helping with that, but when the relief doctor she’s been expecting shows up, the little bit of peace that she’s melded out for herself is coming to an end.

Doctor Josh West is Katie’s estranged husband.  They were as happy as could be until tragedy wiped it all away and now it’s been 2 years since they’ve seen each other.  He’s always said he wasn’t going to give up on his wife, so he’s making one last effort to see if he can win her back before he accepts the job of a lifetime and starts his life over.

ARC received via the Author/VA

4 STARS!

An intriguing story!  We come across a bit of familiarity from her last novel THE HOUSE BY THE LAKE in this story as answers from the past are sought once again.

Boston art curator Sarah West is newly divorced and trying to find her place in the world alone after also recently losing both parents.  While sorting through her father’s belongings, she stumbles across a letter that mentions the 1895 death of her great-great-aunt Louisa in Paris.  Family legend had always stated that she committed suicide, but some things stated in this letter lead Sarah to wonder if that is actually the case.  She sets out on the adventure of a lifetime to see if she can find out the true story.

Sharing an apartment with artist Laurent Chartier in Paris, she visits various locations looking for info.  Laurent encourages her not to give up when she hits road blocks, and she eventually finds a source that will be invaluable to finding the answer she seeks.

ARC received via NetGalley