Category: Contemporary Romance

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.

Review: Date and Dash by Susan Hatler

Posted May 23, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Date and Dash
Series: Better Date Than Never #10
Author: Susan Hatler
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 10, 2015
Publisher: Hatco Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Mary Ann Nielsen lives by her one-strike-and-you’re-out dating policy, but she’s always open to meeting the right guy. When she accidentally rear-ends handsome Trevor Brooks on her way to a charity auction to buy back her beloved grandmother’s long lost bracelet, she figures this unconventional meeting could at least turn into a hot date. Wrong. Trevor is annoyingly responsible and more concerned with insurance reports than responding to her flirting so he earns three strikes right off the bat.

Flustered from the car accident and being rejected by gorgeous Trevor, Mary Ann mistakenly bids on the wrong auction item and loses out on reclaiming her grandmother’s bracelet. Instead, she wins four dates on a reality TV show with none other than stuffy Trevor Brooks. Now she’s broke and the only way to get the money to buy back her special family heirloom is to win the grand prize money from the televised couples competition by convincing the audience that she and Trevor are in love.

While dating Trevor on the show, Mary Ann discovers the reliable analyst is fun and kind-hearted. In fact, the more she finds out about him the more she starts to fall for him. Could giving Trevor a second chance mean winning not just the TV show and her grandmother’s bracelet but the love that Mary Ann has always dreamed of?

Read on for my thoughts on Date and Dash. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Year of Living Blonde by Andrea Simonne

Posted May 21, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Year of Living Blonde
Series: Sweet Life in Seattle #1
Author: Andrea Simonne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 17, 2015
Publisher: Liebe Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

A funny and sizzling romp about discovering your inner pin-up girl….

Plain-Jane bakery owner Natalie Anderson has always followed the recipe for a safe life. When her husband dumps her for a seductive older woman though, it’s time to throw out that recipe and start from scratch. She cooks up a plan to transform herself from mousy brown to sexy blonde. Meanwhile, she’s trying to expand her Seattle bakery, La Dolce Vita, but runs into an obstacle in the form of her irritatingly handsome landlord.

Astronomer Anthony Novello’s good looks and charm usually guarantees him a free pass with women, though that’s not the case with his new tenant, Natalie. Plain, plump, and persnickety—he’s never met a woman more annoying. But when Anthony returns from a telescope observing run, he makes a discovery of the non-celestial kind—Natalie has changed. He’s amazed to find himself attracted to her. Sparks fly as he tries to convince her there’s more to him than meets the eye.

However, when Natalie’s ex-husband tries to win her back, she’s forced to choose. Is her year of living blonde over? Or is this the start of a new and much sweeter life.

Read on for my thoughts on Year of Living Blonde. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Wish You Were Here By Phillipa Ashley

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Wish You Were Here
Series:
Author: Phillipa Ashley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 1, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 3 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Beth Allen has moved on…

It’s been eight years since she and Jack Thornfield met on an exotic holiday and sparked up a seriously promising romance. But then he disappeared without a trace, and Beth’s life got dreadfully busy, demanding, and altogether complicated.

Then Jack and Beth run into each other again…while she’s applying for an exciting new job in London-at his company. For necessity’s sake, but against her better judgment, she takes the job, and from that moment on, complicated doesn’t even begin to describe it.

Read on for my thoughts on Wish You Were Here. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Forget Me Not by Erika Marks

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Forget Me Not
Series: Loveless and Dunn #3, Magnolia Bay
Author: Erika Marks
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

When aspiring-writer Mallory Reynolds packed up for New York City, she ditched more than her quiet hometown of Magnolia Bay—she left her high-school sweetheart, Josh Loveless, behind. But when the big city didn’t deliver big contracts on her novels, she turned to writing erotica under the pen name Farrah Ivory to spare her family any embarrassment. Soon, her scandalously-sexy series, The Lost Diaries of Scarlet, is a break-out hit. Just as Mallory begins to enjoy her sweet success, her publisher leaks her true identity and a media firestorm ensues. Exposed, she decides there’s nowhere to hide—except for home.

For Josh Loveless, getting over Mallory Reynolds hasn’t been easy, but he’s done his best to move on. For starters, he’s turned his love of the outdoors and rock-climbing into his own business. And just as things are starting to settle for him, he learns Mallory’s coming home to ride out her scandal, and suddenly his world is turned upside down again…

Can Mallory convince her friends and family that she’s still the same good-hearted girl they knew? And more importantly, can Josh trust the woman she’s become, and give her a second chance to rewrite their love story with a happy ending?

Read on for my thoughts on Forget Me Not. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Shatter Me by Tori St. Claire

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Shatter Me
Series:
Author: Tori St. Claire
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 19, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC Brazen
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Bound by honor, caught by desire…

Former Marine Alex McCray is ripped up inside over the knowledge that his best friend died saving him. Now he’s returned to his hometown to honor a promise he made-to take care of his buddy’s widow. Semper fidelis. “Always loyal.” But Alex’s loyalty is about to be tested, because there’s never been a time when Reagan Sanders didn’t make him burn with desire.

All it takes is one night for Reagan and Alex to give in to the deep, carnal need they’ve denied themselves for so long. But Reagan has secrets of her own?secrets Alex can never know about her marriage, or the kind of man her husband really was. But one night with Alex isn’t enough. Not even close. Now Alex must choose between his sense of honor…and his heart.

Read on for my thoughts on Shatter Me. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: This Wedding is Doomed! by Draven, Lin, Madison, Berry

Posted May 19, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: This Wedding is Doomed!
Series:
Author: Stephanie Draven, Jeannie Lin, Shawntelle Madison, Amanda Berry
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 19, 2015
Publisher: PENGUIN GROUP Berkley, NAL / Signet Romance, DAW
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

In these stories of matrimonial madness from four sensational authors, unexpected couples find their happily ever after at a wedding that’s counting down to disaster…

When a perfectionist and a troublemaker have to stick together in Amanda Berry’s The Wedding Planner: Flirting with Disaster , more than sparks fly…

In Shawntelle Madison’s The Maid of Honor: Lovers in Lockdown , two best friends trapped in a wine cellar decide to sample the wine—and each other…

Covering up the groom’s many misdeeds forces the best man to choose between loyalty and the love of a wedding singer in Stephanie Draven’s The Best Man: Sex, Lies and Karmic Catastrophe .

And finally, a runaway bride, a hunky caterer and a stolen cake hit the road in a hijacked van in Jeannie Lin’s The Bride: Love on the Run

Read on for my thoughts on This Wedding is Doomed!. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Bride by Mistake by Nicole Helm

Posted May 18, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Bride by Mistake
Series: Montana Born Brides #3
Author: Nicole Helm
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: May 18, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Wedding fever has hit the little town of Marietta…

And Kaitlin Shuller’s groom of her dreams is marrying someone else… her sister.

Worst day ever. Her heart is broken, and all her carefully laid plans destroyed. Enter Beckett Larson, her older brother’s best friend and a very good bad decision.

Beckett has spent his life trying to outrun his bad reputation, but everyone already thinks the worst of him, so when Kaitlin offers herself to him — virginity and all— he just can’t say no.

But one night together has permanent consequences, and this time Beckett knows he can’t outrun his bad boy reputation. He’s determined to make Kaitlin his bride…even if he has to seduce her down the aisle.

Read on for my thoughts on Bride by Mistake. No true spoilers, promise.