Book Reviews – Page 71

* Review * LIGHTS, CAMERA … WEDDING? by Laurel Greer

November 14, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * LIGHTS, CAMERA … WEDDING? by Laurel Greer

Lights, Camera...Wedding? by Laurel Greer
Series: Sutter Creek, Montana #9
Published by Harlequin Special Edition on November 29, 2022
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A pretend wedding should be easy

So why do her groom’s kisses mean faking it is impossible?

Fledgling florist Bea Halloran has banked her reputation and love life on her upcoming reality TV Christmas wedding. When her fiancé walks out, she is terrified her business will go belly-up. But Bea's best friend, Brody Emerson, steps in as the fake groom, relieving her…and making her feel passion she barely recognizes. And Brody's smoldering glances and knee-weakening kisses might just put their platonic vows to the test…

Delightfully sweet and equally tantalizing! With the final book in her beloved Sutter Creek, Montana series Laurel Greer brings an emotional friends-to-lovers/fake romance trope to life with humor and affection and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Bea is super sweet and finds herself in quite the predicament just days before her wedding was supposed to play front and center on a reality show she contracted with to showcase her floral business. I enjoyed getting to know her, her family and most of all watching her prosper with Brody by her side.

Brody is a sweetheart who has been Bea’s BFF for more years than they can count and is not able to sit idly by and watch her lose face over this scandal.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a small town romance filled with quirky characters, endearing love stories and happily ever afters time and again.

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* Review * WEDDING NIGHT WITH THE WRONG BILLIONAIRE by Dani Collins

November 14, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * WEDDING NIGHT WITH THE WRONG BILLIONAIRE by Dani Collins

Wedding Night with the Wrong Billionaire by Dani Collins
Series: Four Weddings and a Baby #2
Published by Harlequin Presents on November 29, 2022
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From jilted bride…

To forbidden fling!

To save her business, Eden Bellamy must marry. When her perfect-on-paper wedding ends in humiliation, she flees…with best man Remy Sylvain! But picking him as her getaway driver might only add fuel to the fire, given that unforgettable kiss they once shared…

Their families’ rivalry makes Remy completely off-limits and Eden always puts her family first. Until it’s impossible for her to bury their red-hot attraction any longer…and, for once, the innocent is tempted to do something just for herself. Would claiming her wedding night with Remy be so very wrong?

Drama unravels as passion flares! With the second book in her Four Weddings and a Baby series Dani Collins brings us Eden’s story and I was hooked from the start. There is a lot of angst coming from various spots in this story and at times one spot loses some of it’s depth because another bit of drama rolls overtop of it. Overall a satisfying read, but there was almost too much coming into play at once and not enough wrap up from the Hunter/Eden drama first.

Eden is kind and sincere and stepped on a bit in the middle of Hunter’s baby drama. I liked her and was happy that she eventually got her happily ever after.

Remy is bold and tempting and I enjoyed watching him let his guard down a bit to let Eden find a way into his heart.

I recommend this book as well as the rest of the series to anyone who enjoys a dramatic background as a romance builds and a happy ending is had by all.

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* Review * THE WHITTIERS by Danielle Steel

November 14, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE WHITTIERS by Danielle Steel

The Whittiers by Danielle Steel
Published by Delacorte Press on November 22, 2022
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In this heartwarming novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Danielle Steel, adult siblings find their way back home—and back to each other—after loss.

Preston and Constance Whittier have built a happy life together, with a brood of six children raised in a beautiful historic Manhattan mansion. Now, with a nearly empty nest, it’s easier than ever for the Whittiers to maintain their tradition of a solo romantic “Wintermoon” ski trip.

But with this year’s trip comes tragedy, and suddenly the Whittiers’ adult children find themselves reuniting in the family home without their parents for the first time ever. The oldest, Lyle, is reaching a breaking point in his marriage and must decide whether a divorce would be best for him and his two children. Gloria’s big job on Wall Street has kept her single at thirty-nine, and growing ever more cynical. The twins, Caroline and Charlie, moved out long ago to start a fashion business that may now be faltering. Benjie, with special needs, is hit hard by the loss of his parents and needs his siblings’ help. And Annabelle, the youngest, drops out of college and starts to spin out of control.

The eldest four are forced to put aside their personal issues and their grief to keep the family together and support each other and their two youngest siblings. Selling the house, along with all the memories that live in its walls, feels like yet another devastating loss. Could there be another way, as unconventional as it seems?

In The Whittiers, Danielle Steel delivers an inspiring story about the everlasting bonds of one unforgettable family.

A heartfelt, emotional read! Danielle Steel always has a way of spinning a story that makes time pass quickly as page after page unravels a family before us and has the reader swept up in the emotion like they are in the same room. THE WHITTIERS brings loss to the forefront when tragedy strikes and a close knit group of adult siblings must come together and greet their new reality together as a team. Angst and drama unravel as love and support flows as naturally from the siblings as it did from the parents they all adored. I was quickly hooked and I loved every minute of their evolving stories.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a book strong in women’s fiction elements with heavy doses of family love, strife and dedication as one sibling after another meets their forever love.

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* Review * FIGHTING FOR KING by Gillian Archer

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FIGHTING FOR KING by Gillian Archer

Fighting for King by Gillian Archer
Series: Star Studded #2
on November 17, 2022
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The Nanny Factor! Is there something more going on between Actor Kingston Grier and his new nanny? Stay tuned…

Kingston: Who knew it would be such a challenge finding a nanny who could focus on my daughter without getting sidetracked by trying to get into my bed? I can’t even make eye contact without them thinking I’m flirting. I’m not.

Until Briar arrives, and finally we have a nanny who’s there for Zoe. But why does this Mary Poppins have to be so damn hot?

Briar: My divorce left me with more than my share of trust issues. Not that I’m looking at my new boss that way. Kingston might be a Hollywood hunk, but the guy has the personality of a potato. His daughter couldn’t be more different. One look into her doe eyes, and I am in love.

Somehow Kingston and I go from barely speaking to talking all night long. And our attraction becomes impossible to deny. Just when everything’s finally going right, intimate pictures of us are leaked and the fallout is insane. When I signed up for this job, I knew I’d do anything to protect Zoe—I just never expected how much I’d want to fight for King.

Sweet, sexy and oh so satisfying! The second book in Gillian Archer’s Star Studded series brings us Kingston’s story and it’s extra yummy. Great chemistry, endearing characters and so many feel good moments. I can’t wait for Phoenix’s story!

King is a loving father and a successful actor, but his family drama has him at his wits ends. I enjoyed watching him let his guard down with Briar and finally find the happiness he deserves.

Briar is a sweetheart just looking for some peace in her life again after drama with her ex.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone who enjoys a bit of Hollywood’s rich and famous taking a walk into the real world and facing it’s ups and downs on their way to happily ever after.

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* Review * CODE NAME: OUTLAW by Janie Crouch

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CODE NAME: OUTLAW by Janie Crouch

Code Name: Outlaw by Janie Crouch
Series: Linear Tactical #15
Published by Calamittie Jane Publishing on November 15, 2022
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Months trapped in the clutches of a madman made Jenna Franklin a shell of the woman she once was. All she can do now is use her computer genius from inside the safety of closed doors.

Even two years later, going outside = blood-freezing panic.

She’s made herself a haven in the only place she’s felt safe since her captivity: Oak Creek, Wyoming—home of her Linear Tactical friends. They don’t realize the extent of her emotional trauma, but at least she knows she can trust them.

Only one person knows the truth about the fragile mental state she’s hiding: Zodiac agent, Mark Outlawson—code name: Outlaw.

He’s witnessed her panic firsthand. Knows what it does to her.

When info on a human trafficking group—one connected to her own captivity—comes to light, it’s clear only Jenna’s expertise can stop them. Mark will have to prove Jenna can trust him—to keep her secrets, to protect her, to help fight her demons.

He’ll prove this outlaw is a hero.

Captivating and raw! I’ve been along for the ride of the Linear Tactical series from the start so any visit back is a win for me. I enjoyed seeing some of the old team as well as some of the Zodiac Tactical guys work together against the common enemy. Some might find the lack of outright detailed explanation about Jenna’s past to be off putting, but I’m willing to overlook it not being in this book as much as it probably should be because I’ve read bits and pieces previously in the series, but if you’re new to the series you might find it lacking.

Jenna is strong and brilliant in what she can do, but she still suffers the after effects of evil after being held in captivity for months. Mark understands her and helps ease her pain when she is needed for a crucial project.

Mark is the epitome of a good man. A soldier who put his life on the line time and again for the better good and a guy always willing to take one for the team in his current job, but life is starting to let him down and he’s slowing down and realizing the beauty that is in front of him.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire Linear Tactical and Zodiac Tactical series to anyone that enjoys a great group of former soldiers who band together to right the wrongs as each falls for their forever love and stands strong in the fight for them all.

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* Review * SCORING BIG by Kelly Jamieson

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

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* Review * SCORING BIG by Kelly Jamieson

Scoring Big by Kelly Jamieson
Series: Bears Hockey II #3
Published by Kelly Jamieson on November 15, 2022
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Nate
Delaying treatment for my bum knee until the off season isn’t the smartest move, but hey, I’m a big dumb jock. And pro hockey players play, come hell or broken bones.

That stupid knee sends me sprawling in front of the prettiest lady in Central Park. She’s also smart, and kind, and she bonds with my young daughter Quinn over strawberry cheesecake ice cream. Can’t hurt to ask her out for coffee, right?

Carly
There aren’t many options for a laid-off au pair in New York City. I can’t live on couch surfing, ranty blogging, and less ranty freelance articles forever, but I won’t work with kids again. It’s too painful when it ends.

But coffee with a single dad can’t hurt, right? Maybe a second date. Heck, why not make it one steamy night in his bed? But when Nate has to go under the knife, he asks me to help care for his daughter. I don’t want to be a nanny again, but I can’t turn him down. I’ll just have to keep my guard up to protect my heart.

Another winner from Jamieson in her Bears Hockey II world! I was quickly hooked on Nate and Carly’s story as we are wrapped around adorable Quinn’s little precocious finger. I was invested in them from start to finish, but I wanted more development to that ending. More of where things were going from there and how it was all going to play out would have been ideal.

Carly is an interesting character who has a bit of growing up to do on how to handle turmoil in her life, but overall is a caring, goodhearted person. I enjoyed her.

Nate is a doll and a doting father to an adorable daughter. He might have a few blinders on when it comes to his ex, but he’s a solid guy.

I recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a fun-loving hockey team who follow along with one another’s lives and cheer on the happily ever afters along the way.

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* Review * BEFORE I LET GO by Kennedy Ryan

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

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* Review * BEFORE I LET GO by Kennedy Ryan

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan
Series: Skyland #1
Published by Forever on November 15, 2022
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Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.

It couldn’t save their marriage.

Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.

Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It's hot. It's illicit. It's all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?

I was hooked throughout every delectable page! Kennedy Ryan is yanking on our heartstrings something fierce with the first book in her Skyland series, a gut wrenching rendition of life at it’s worst and the reawakening after the darkness. There’s laughter and tears, love through the pain and so many feel good moments as we follow their journey back from the sadness they became. You are not going to want to miss this book … and be prepared to not be able to put it down. I really hope we see more of this fam and get to see her BFF’s get a story soon!

Yasmen and Josiah are both amazing characters. Life tore them apart, but they still have great love for each other and the life that they shared and they make great effort to put their children first always as they meander through the ins and outs of moving on without each other. I loved their love and respect for each other and though they each have different sides to their story, you can’t really find fault with either one.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves love and holds out hope that even in the darkest days, love will find a way.

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* Review * EXPOSED by Anna J. Stewart

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

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Exposed by Anna J. Stewart
Series: Circle of the Red Lily #1
Published by CAEZIK Romance on November 15, 2022
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Working as a Hollywood photographer means Riley Temple has seen it all. But then she finds herself staring at the chilling image of a dead woman. When her questions about the film lead to violence, she reluctantly turns to the only person who can help. Detective Quinn Burton, the police commissioner’s son. Her history with the LAPD is complicated, her trust in authority, tenuous. But to find those responsible and protect those closest to her, she’s willing to do anything. Even trust a cop.

After more than a decade on the job, Quinn knows a dangerous situation when he sees it and Riley Temple is up to her ears in trouble. But not for the reason she thinks. The pictures she’s stumbled on call into a question a notorious murder conviction—one that powerful people have a vested interest in keeping in place. Seeing this case through means betraying someone: his job, his family, or the woman he’s falling in love with.

As old secrets are revealed, Quinn and Riley find themselves targeted by members of a secret society that has long maintained violent control over Hollywood’s powerful elite. A society that, until now, has remained hidden in the shadows. A society that will stop at nothing to keep their secrets buried.

What a ride! I was quickly hooked and enjoyed every single minute of Anna J. Stewart’s dive into a brand new diabolical series that endeared me to it’s characters just as much as it hooked me on the proclivities that were occurring around every corner and teasing me into following along page after page to discover. There are many unanswered questions here and much to build on, so I’m hoping this is going to turn into a long-lived series to intrigue me book after book. Well done!

Riley Temple is a kind, caring individual who happens to have a little bit of an ugly side hustle. Her goodness far outweighs her snark though and I enjoyed getting to know her and getting to see her stumble across the story of a lifetime. She has quite a cast of friends and family that leave a lot of potential here for several more stories as this mystery continues to unravel.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a whodunnit with some weight to the crime and lots of twists and turns as we meander through the characters. There’s a close knit family vibe here between her friends, fam and those she’s taken under her wing. Also some romance with her new favorite cop.

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* Review * RAVAGED by Naima Simone

November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment

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Ravaged by Naima Simone
Series: Burned Inc. #2
Published by Montlake on November 15, 2022
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Miriam

It’s no coincidence that my family’s breakup service is called BURNED Inc. I know what it’s like to be dumped. I’ve been there.

Long story short, I’ve got a rule when it comes to my love life: no athletes. As it happens, my best friend, Jordan, is a professional basketball player. He also has a delicious body and sexy tattoos.

But rules are rules.

Jordan

Miriam is my best friend. She’s also the love of my life, the woman I’ve been dreaming about since we met. But she doesn’t do athletes.

I get it. I really do. And I just want Miriam to be happy. Which is why I set her up with a teammate to help her find the man she deserves—even though I can tell she’s into me from that one hot-as-hell night we shared months ago. Still, rules are rules.

But here’s the thing: I’m a competitor.

And sometimes you have to break the rules to win.

A decadently tempting friends to lovers story with all of the angst and feels rolled into one delightful read! I loved this second book in Naima Simone’s BURNED Inc series even more than the first and the only thing I really wanted to see developed a bit more was his NBA world which fell a little to the wayside behind Miriam’s secret life. I loved their story and am looking forward to seeing what is in store for Levi.

Miriam is the family brainiac and has let herself become comfortable in business with her brother and sister, but what no one knows is the secret desire she has in life and how far she’s come towards achieving it.

Jordan is a sweetheart and I loved watching his love for Miriam outshine just about everything for him.

I recommend this book as well as the rest of the series to anyone that likes a fresh business concept revolving around a close knit group of siblings who are thriving despite the turmoil of life around them.

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* Review * MERRY CHRISTMAS COWBOY by Maisey Yates

November 2, 2022 Leave a Comment

Merry Christmas Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Series: Four Corners Ranch #2
Published by HQN Books on October 25, 2022
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As the snow falls on Four Corners Ranch, all this untamed cowboy wants for Christmas is the family he’s never had…

Cowboy Wolf Garrett is delighted his brother is happily married—really, he is. But time can never heal Wolf’s own wounds, so being surrounded by such marital joy is a bit…much. A trip to his extended family’s ranch in Copper Ridge seems the ideal change of scenery. Until he meets local innkeeper Violet Donnelly and realizes he’s exchanged one form of torture for another—trying, and spectacularly failing, to resist their instant, wildly hot chemistry.

Violet knew Wolf was trouble the moment he walked into her inn. But it's a whole new level of trouble when she discovers that their secret nights have left her pregnant! Especially when she has six feet of gorgeous, furious cowboy demanding that she come home with him for the holidays and marry him. Wolf has lost more than she could ever imagine, but Violet believes in the power of love to heal, and she’ll do anything to give their future family a chance. Wolf has already given her so many firsts—dare she hope he’s about to become her first Christmas miracle too?

Bonus novella included!

When two Maisey Yates worlds collide, a treat is in store for all! Fans of Yates will be delighted to take a trip back to an old favorite, Copper Ridge, in book two of her latest Four Corners Ranch series. Once angsty teen Violet Donnelly is all grown up and hooking up with Wolf Garrett when he comes to visit his cousins. I loved seeing Violet and her family again and watching her fall in love was heartwarming.

Wolf is a kindhearted man, but he’s set in his ways of never getting sucked into losing his heart to a woman capable of leaving him and crushing his soul.

Violet is sweet, sincere and enjoying the family she has around her when temptation like she’s never known before comes knocking.

I highly recommend this book as well as the entire series to anyone that enjoys a small town cowboy romance with endearing characters, sweetly passionate love stories and lots of drama to sink your teeth into.

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