Category: Contemporary Romance

Review: Bayou Bound by Linda Joyce

Posted June 5, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Bayou Bound
Series: Fleur de Lis #2
Author: Linda Joyce
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 25, 2014
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Blurb:

Biloxi Dutrey grounds her jet-setting photography career and returns to Mississippi when she learns her family home, Fleur De Lis, is headed for financial ruin. She plans to save it by scooping up the job of Keeper. But that means breaking tradition, and her family isn’t cooperating.

Veterinarian Nick Trahan is new in town and wants folks to stop matchmaking. He won’t settle for just a pretty face. He wants the perfect woman, one who believes in family and commitment the exact opposite of his parents.

Nick rescues Biloxi during a raging storm, but the squall is tame compared to the tempest between them. Soon they experience the backlash from the long-standing feud between their families. If Biloxi surrenders her dreams for Fleur de Lis and tows the line with tradition, will she also be forced to give up on “forever love” due to the hate their families still harbor?

Read on for my thoughts on Bayou Bound. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: One Night with the Cowboy by Eve Gaddy

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: One Night with the Cowboy
Series: Whiskey River #2
Author: Eve Gaddy
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 3, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Blurb:

Meet the Kellys of Whiskey River, Texas, men who have always gone through life, and women, with their father’s legendary charm.

Trey Kelly has it all. Eldest son of Boots Kelly, Trey runs the Kelly ranch, and Trey’s heart is with his “babies”, Kelly’s Champs, the World Champion cutting horses he breeds and sells. Women love Trey and he loves women, but he’s never met the one he wanted for keeps. Until…

Reclusive Ariana Wright‘s lavender farm sits next door to the Kelly spread. Ariana is a smart, ambitious chemist and after the car accident that left her scarred, the success of her new line of lavender-based beauty products is all Ariana is interested in.

Convincing Ariana to take a chance on love is a task that takes all of Trey’s cowboy determination. But can Ariana let go of the wounds of the past and give herself more than one night with the cowboy?

Read on for my thoughts on One Night with the Cowboy. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Love On A Spring Morning by Zoe York

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Love On A Spring Morning
Series: Pine Harbour #3
Author: Zoe York
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: ZoYo Press
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley

Duplicity. Desire. Denial. They were doomed from the start.

Ryan Howard has zero interest in the movie being filmed in Pine Harbour or the high maintenance stars staying in the cottages at the end of his lane. He’s just barely holding on to the raw remains of his life and the fantasy world being concocted around him is, as far as he’s concerned, a complete waste of time and energy. The one bright light in his life is an intern on the set, Holly Cresinski, and their quiet conversations at the end of the day on his back porch.

Holly hates her life, too, which is entirely unfair because she’s blessed beyond measure. She’s at the top of her career–as film actress, Hope Creswell–and surrounded by people that mean well. But Ryan makes her laugh, and cry, and before she can find the words to explain her deception, he kisses her.

Read on for my thoughts on Love On A Spring Morning. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Lake Season by Hannah McKinnon

Posted June 3, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Lake Season
Series:
Author: Hannah McKinnon
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women’s Fiction
Published: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Blurb:

Set in the weeks leading up to an idyllic New England wedding, this “enticing and refreshing” (Nancy Thayer, New York Times bestselling author) novel sparkles with wry wit, sweet romance, and long-kept family secrets.

Iris Standish has always been the responsible sister: the one who studied hard, settled down, and always made the right choices—even when they came at the expense of her passions. Meanwhile, her sister Leah dropped out of college to “find herself” by hiking through Yellowstone and switches jobs nearly as often as she switches lovers, leaving Iris to pick up the pieces in her wake.

But now Iris’s life is coming apart at the seams, and when Leah calls her back to their childhood home with a desperate cry for help, she is thrust headfirst into preparations for her sister’s wedding to a man their New Hampshire clan has never met…with her own marriage and family on the brink.

Still, despite the rush of dress fittings, floral arrangements, and rehearsal dinners, Iris is learning to put herself first. And amid a backdrop of late-night swims and a soul-restoring barn renovation comes Cooper Woods, a high school crush who beckons with the promise of a new start.

While Leah faces a past that has finally caught up to her, Iris prepares to say goodbye to a future that is suddenly far from certain. As Hampstead Lake shimmers in the background, Iris must decide when to wade in cautiously and when to dive—and, ultimately, how to ferry herself to safe harbors in this novel of second chances and the ties that bind.

Read on for my thoughts on The Lake Season. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Beautiful Surrender by Priscilla West

Posted May 30, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Beautiful Surrender
Series: Forever #3, Surrender series #3
Author: Priscilla West
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: November 4, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

No one is who they seem to be.

Kristen let Vincent into her heart because he seemed so different from everyone in her conservative world of wealth management. She thought they shared something special, but when she realizes that Vincent has been playing her the entire time, her heart is crushed.

As Kristen’s relationship with Vincent reaches a crisis point, a man from Kristen’s past returns looking for a second chance. Is her ex-boyfriend really looking for redemption or is his goal something more sinister?

Kristen struggles to hold herself together, until she discovers a revelation that will change everything.

Read on for my thoughts on Beautiful Surrender. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Secret Surrender by Priscilla West

Posted May 30, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Secret Surrender
Series: Forever #2, Surrender series #2
Author: Priscilla West
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Blackbird Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

I knew that giving in to Vincent Sorenson was a risk, but it was one I was willing to take. I had hidden my heart for so long and for the first time in a long time, Vincent was close to breaking down the walls.

When a trip to Vincent’s exclusive private island reveals the real Vincent underneath the layers of suave nonchalance, I thought we were close to the start of something special.

Just when things were looking up for us, I would discover the one secret that Vincent never intended for me to find.

Read on for my thoughts on Secret Surrender. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Forbidden Surrender by Priscilla West

Posted May 29, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Forbidden Surrender
Series: Forever #1 Surrender series #1
Author: Priscilla West
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: August 7, 2013
Publisher:
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

“What gives you a thrill Kristen?”

The minute I saw Vincent Sorenson, I knew he was trouble. Billionaire. Bad boy. And dangerously sexy. He was everything I craved, and nothing I needed.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t just avoid him. The higher ups at my company decided they needed his business, and I was on the team to bring him in. Vincent Sorenson didn’t seem as interested in business as he was in me, but I knew that was a door better left unopened. If I got involved with him, it would only unearth the pain I spent years trying to bury.

I thought I had it under control, but I seriously underestimated Vincent’s seductive charm and silver-tongue. I would soon find out how delicious it would feel to let myself fall into this forbidden surrender.

Read on for my thoughts on Forbidden Surrender. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: A Deal with the Devil by Louisa George

Posted May 29, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: A Deal with the Devil
Series: International Bad Boys #6
Author: Louisa George
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 29, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing, Holiday Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

When the only thing worth fighting for is love …

There are two things ex-boxer and casino tycoon Rey Doyle is an expert in: fighting and gambling. He trusts no-one, but he needs a fiancé to help seal a business deal and part-time casino waitress Kate Wilkinson agrees to the pretense.

Kate is on a mission to expose Rey Doyle for the pitiless criminal he is, but the more she learns about Rey and his past, the more she begins to admire the man. When the chance to bring him down arrives will she take it? Or will this bad boy claim her heart instead?

Read on for my thoughts on A Deal with the Devil. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Pitch by Belinda Williams

Posted May 28, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Pitch
Series: City Love #2
Author: Belinda Williams
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 28, 2015
Publisher: Momentum Books
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

She’s in a long-term, committed relationship. With her business.

In three years Madeline Spencer has single-handedly grown her marketing agency, Grounded Marketing, into one of the country’s fastest growing companies. But her success has been at the expense of her social life, and her girlfriends have had enough. They’ll do whatever it takes, from speed dating to blind dates, to show her there’s more to life than work.

Only Maddy is having a hard time forgetting about her business. She’s about to pitch for her biggest client ever and the mysterious media mogul, Paul Neilsen, has volunteered to mentor her. Maddy might just be in with a shot of landing the account – if she can keep her mind on the job. Working with Paul is not at all what she’d imagined, and Maddy finds herself torn between her ever increasing workload and her feelings for Paul. She’s discovering playing in the big league means making sacrifices … and Maddy must decide what she can’t live without.

Read on for my thoughts on The Pitch. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Rescuing The Bad Boy by Jessica Lemmon

Posted May 26, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Rescuing the Bad Boy
Series: Second Chance #2
Author: Jessica Lemmon
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Forever
My Rating: 5 star
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories-including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things . . .

Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fund-raiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional . . . yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past-so they can fight for a future together.

Read on for my thoughts on Rescuing the Bad Boy. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Letting Go by Jessica Ruddick

Posted May 26, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Letting Go
Series:
Author: Jessica Ruddick
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Entangled
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Cori Elliott likes order. Her schedule, her social life…even her GPA is perfect. Then she finds out her high school boyfriend’s death wasn’t an accident-it was suicide. The devastating revelation is enough to fracture her perfectly structured life, sending Cori in a downward spiral of self-doubt and impulsive decisions.
And right into the arms of Luke Evans.
But Cori’s life isn’t perfect anymore. In fact, it’s all coming apart. The only way she can save herself is to let go of everything-including the girl she used to be. Even if it means losing the one guy who might just be perfect for her in the process.

Read on for my thoughts on Letting Go. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Wedding Bells in Christmas by Debbie Mason

Posted May 26, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Wedding Bells in Christmas
Series: Christmas, Colorado #4
Author: Debbie Mason
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Forever
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Wedding bells are ringing in the charming town of Christmas, but not for Vivian Westfield. She’s just had her heart trampled under the cowboy boots of Chance McBride and lost her dream job at a big-city newspaper. But when she returns for a wedding, she stumbles on a story that could resurrect her career. First, though, she’ll have to deal with the handsome man standing in her way… and a still-burning flame that’s too hot to ignore.

Chance recognizes trouble when he sees it. He just didn’t expect to find it in the first-class cabin on the flight home for his father’s wedding. Yet there she is, as gorgeous as ever. Vivi dared Chance to want things he knew he could never have. It’s why he left her. But Christmas’s meddling matchmakers have them firmly in their sights. So if they want to survive the next week, they’ll have to play the part of an adoring couple—an irresistible charade that may give them a second chance at the real thing.

Read on for my thoughts on Wedding Bells in Christmas. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Hookup Hoax by Heather Thurmeier

Posted May 25, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: The Hookup Hoax
Series:
Author: Heather Thurmeier
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Lovestruck
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Sawyer Sterling needs a girlfriend. With the family cabin up for grabs, he’s desperate to prove that he could be the guy to “pass it on.” Of course, Sawyer also has a tendency to treat relationships like a contagious stomach flu that should be avoided at all costs. Now he needs a girlfriend-for-hire. Someone he can trust. Someone he could never, ever fall for…

Someone like his best friend’s sister.

Sawyer’s offer is exactly what Olivia Morgan needs. After traveling around the world for the last five years, the promise of a job and free accommodations is heaven. And sure, maybe Sawyer’s a super-hot, charming guy with dimples made for kissing, but he’s not willing to be the guy—or relationship—she needs.

All it takes is one hot hook-up before this little hoax gets blown all to hell.

Read on for my thoughts on The Hookup Hoax. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Finally His Bride by Maisey Yates

Posted May 25, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Finally His Bride
Series: Montana Born Brides #4
Author: Maisey Yates
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 25, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Wedding fever has hit the little town of Marietta…

As the whole town goes crazy over the celebrity wedding event of the century, Melanie Richards decides she’s tired of blending in. It’s time go after what she wants. Her to do list:

Get a sexy dress

A little liquid courage

Lose that pesky virginity

Luke Shuller can’t believe his eyes when he walks into Grey’s and sees his best friend trying to pick up some drunk cowboy. Melanie wants to start hooking up? She can practice on him. At least he’ll keep her safe. And as a bonus, their pretend relationship will help him deal with a family crisis.

But when pretend gets real, Melanie can’t tell where the charade ends and reality begins. When the dust settles, will she get thrown back into the friend zone, or will she finally get the man of her dreams?

Read on for my thoughts on Finally His Bride. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Kissing Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter

Posted May 24, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Kissing Mr Wrong
Series: A Wrong Man Story
Author: Kerri Carpenter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Three months ago, graphic designer Vanessa Hewitt slept with the ridiculously hot guy she met after nearly falling to her death while stargazing on a bridge. The adrenaline-fueled night of we’ll-never-see-each-other-again sex fulfilled every fantasy, but with her best friend’s wedding on the horizon, Vanessa can’t stop thinking about what would happen if her sexy stranger passed through town again.

Haunted by his time in Afghanistan, soldier John Campbell returns to his hometown just long enough to help plan an engagement party for his sister. When he realizes her best friend is the sweet one-night stand he’s been fantasizing about for months, he’ll do anything to have her again…though getting trapped together in a storeroom wasn’t quite what he had in mind.

Vanessa is in hell. Or is it heaven? Because with every touch, their forbidden connection grows, until kissing Mr. Wrong starts feeling more like kissing Mr. Right.

Read on for my thoughts on Kissing Mr. Wrong. No true spoilers, promise.