Category: Contemporary Romance

Review: Barbara’s Plea by Stacy Eaton

Posted April 10, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Barbara's Plea Title: Barbara’s Plea
Series:
Author: Stacy Eaton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 10, 2015
Publisher: Nitewolf Novels
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Barbara lives in constant fear of her husband. She finally summons the courage to leave with their young daughter, Allie, but dreads the moment her husband learns of their escape. In his desire to control them and bend them to his will, he will leave no stone unturned to punish them–especially Barbara.

Grey’s future seems bleak, especially the day he is fired, but everything begins to turn around the moment he absently sinks down on a bench occupied by wealthy Gloria Withers. Gloria sees something in him that no one else bothers to notice and, within moments, a friendship is sparked that will withstand many trials.

When Barbara makes good her escape and arrives on the doorstep of her grandmother, Gloria, whom she hasn’t seen for years, Barbara is greeted instead by Grey. It doesn’t take long for a different kind of spark to fly as Barbara takes up residence in the Withers mansion.

When Grey falls inexorably in love with not only Barbara, but also her daughter Allie, he vows to do everything he can to protect them from her husband who is out for revenge.

Read on for my thoughts on Barbara’s Plea. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Her Secret Prince by Madeline Ash

Posted April 10, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Her Secret Prince
Series: Royal Holiday #2
Author: Madeline Ash
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 9, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

At sixteen, Dee Johnson gambled her heart on her best friend Jed Brown – and lost when he disappeared without a trace.

Ten years on, Dee’s life is uprooted when Jed turns up on her doorstep, asking for her help.

Dee has been left behind by everyone she’s loved: her parents, her close friend Alexia, and a stream of lovers. She moves fast with men and suspects this is why they move on fast. Now that’s Jed’s back in her life, she’s taking no chances. Despite the attraction ripping at her seams, she holds back, knowing she wouldn’t recover from being loved and left by him a second time.

A constant traveler, Jed has only felt at home once in his life – with Dee. Now that he’s found her again, he’s determined to make up for lost time. He’ll never leave her again.

Until an unexpectedly royal revelation threatens to strip Jed of his freedom and future – including his place by Dee’s side.

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

Review: The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson

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

Title: The Wedding Cake Tree
Series:
Author: Melanie Hudson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 7, 2015 (Original December 1, 2012)
Publisher: Choc Lit
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Can a mother’s secret past provide the answers for a daughter’s future?

Celebrity photographer Grace Buchanan has always known that, one day, she’d swap her manic day job for the peace and quiet of her beloved childhood cottage, St Christopher’s – she just didn’t expect it to be so soon.

At the reading of her mother’s will, she’s shocked to learn that she hardly knew Rosamund at all, and that inheriting St Christopher’s hangs on one big – and very inconvenient – condition: Grace must drop everything for two weeks and travel the country with a mysterious stranger – war-weary Royal Marine, Alasdair Finn.
Caught in a brief but perfect moment in time, Grace and Alasdair walk in Rosamund’s footsteps and read her letters at each breathtaking new place. As Grace slowly uncovers the truth about her mother’s incredible life story, Alasdair and Grace can’t help but question their own futures. Will Rosamund’s madcap scheme go to plan or will events take an unexpected turn?

An emotional, fun-filled and adventurous journey of a lifetime.

Read on for my thoughts on The Wedding Cake Tree. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Wedding Audition by Catherine Mann, Joanne Rock

Posted April 4, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Wedding Audition
Series: Runaway Brides #2
Author: Catherine Mann, Joanne Rock
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 7, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

The tabloids call her the Hit and Run Bride after reality show star Annamae Jessup walked out on Atlanta’s favorite baseball player on cable television. Eager to escape her notoriety, Annamae takes a road trip to find the grandmother she’s never met and winds up discovering a whole lot more than a band of back woods relatives. There’s no escape from reality TV, even in Beulah, Alabama, population 3000.

The last thing Wynn Rafferty needs in his new life is a spoiled television princess who can’t even know his real name. He’s in temporary witness protection as an apple farmer after his undercover work put his life in danger. He needs to lay low until the heat dies down from his last case— even if he sucks at growing apples as badly as he sucks at relationships. But Annamae turns his new town into a media circus, unwittingly threatening the lives of him, her and most of Beulah. Wynn is an expert at keeping the world at arm’s length, but when it comes to Annamae, the only way he can keep her safe is to keep her very, very close.

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

Review: License to Date by Susan Hatler

Posted April 1, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: License to Date
Series: Better Date Than Never #6
Author: Susan Hatler
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 14, 2014
Publisher: Hatco Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

After discovering her fiancé cheated on her, Kaitlin is focused on two things: remodeling her new home and avoiding men at all costs. But her friends insist she get back in the driver’s seat and date again. They strike a hard bargain and agree to paint her house if she goes on five dates.

Anxious to get the paint job started, Kaitlin schedules five dates in five days, but her plan falls to pieces when a sexy bartender at her venue-of-choice makes her swoon. Even though he observes each of the dates from afar, she can’t help but want him to come a little closer.

The last person she should fall for is a mysterious bartender with a sinful smile, but Paul makes her want to take risks again. Will the charming man with electric blue eyes break her heart or will he prove to her that a license to date is what makes life worth the drive?

Read on for my thoughts on License to Date. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: The Cinderella Princess by Melissa McClone

Posted April 1, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: The Cinderella Princess
Series: Royal Holiday Book 1
Author: Melissa McClone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 2, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Thanks to a philandering father, ad exec Emily Rodgers knows happily ever after doesn’t exist. Relying on a man only leads to heartache. She takes care of herself, and work defines her life. But Emily soon finds herself in the hands of a real-life prince who defines the words charming and sexy. Not to mention reckless. If Prince Lucas doesn’t find a royal bride, Emily’s dream of being named a partner at the advertising firm will die.

Luc’s fun-loving ways have made him a magnet for scandal. His father gives Luc an ultimatum—find a wife on a reality TV show or be disowned. Rules require him to marry nobility, but after he meets the uptight American sent to find him find a princess bride, his search for Cinderella might be over. Too bad Emily wants nothing to do with him. Perhaps he can show her that fairytale endings can happen in real life…

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

Review: Reft by Libby Austin

Posted March 31, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Reft Title: Reft
Series:
Author: Libby Austin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: April 1, 2015
Publisher: Infinity & Beyond Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. ~
Newton’s Third Law of Motion

Brandon “Brand” Carmichael’s life was the stuff dreams were made of…too bad it was an illusion. As a guitarist for Inert Motion, Brand traveled the world, performing with his brothers in all but blood. He never stopped moving all the while his mind played in a never ending loop. Now outside influences have changed the band’s course, leaving Brand’s life void of the balance he craved. Once again, his dream had become a recurring nightmare. Brand coped the only way he knew how; retreat into solitude.

Magdalena “Layna” Delacroix had achieved the long sought goal of her Ph.D. in Psychology, but success came at a high cost: over one hundred thousand dollars in debt. After being presented with the opportunity to fulfill her desire to help someone in the aftermath of tragedy, along with earning enough money to clear her debt and start a psychology practice of her own, Layna had to balance the means against the outcome. Could she be the force to stop the downward spiral of someone who refused to seek help?

Neither Brand nor Layna expected the reaction they had to one another. It was the opposite of everything they sought.

Could Layna live a lie while pushing Brand to live in the truth?

Would Brand forgive her for committing one unforgivable sin?

Or was he branded by destiny to be… Reft

Read on for my thoughts on Reft No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Amii’s Angel by Natalie-Nicole Bates

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

Title: Amii’s Angel
Series:
Author: Natalie-Nicole Bates
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 17, 2015
Publisher: Books To Go Now
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

For years, Amii Sloan has held a burning grudge against Ryan Maine for his cutting cross examination during her sister’s murder trial. Now, a chance encounter brings Ryan back into her life, along with a very interesting proposition—to work as his personal assistant in the idyllic
town of Unity.

Down on her luck, and supporting a mother with early onset dementia, Amii doesn’t have much of a choice but to accept the job Ryan offers. But can she overlook the past, to possibly open the door to a brighter future?

As she spends time with the handsome, successful lawyer, she realizes that maybe first impressions can be wrong, and that just maybe she and Ryan could share a whole lot more than she ever imagined.

Read on for my thoughts on Amii’s Angel. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Driftwood Cowboy by Lenora Worth

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

Title: Driftwood Cowboy
Series: Driftwood Bay
Author: Lenora Worth
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Can she heal from a tragedy too great to bear?

When Michelle Lancaster flees her hometown of Spirit, Louisiana to spend time at a beach retreat in Driftwood Bay, Florida, she only wants to run from the tremendous pain of a tragedy that caused her perfect life to shatter into pieces.

But on the day when the memories become too much, a man steps into her path on the beach and causes her beloved horse Coco to almost throw her. Not to mention this is the one man Michelle has tried to avoid. But laid-back boat captain and artist Brodie Stevens has his eye on Michelle and soon, he is pursuing her with a strong-willed determination. He too is haunted, but believes that together they can heal each other. Now the driftwood cowboy must convince Michelle it’s possible to hope… and to love again.

Read on for my thoughts on Driftwood Cowboy. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: A Kiss to Build a Dream on by Kim Amos

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

Title: A Kiss To Build A Dream On
Series: White Pine (Book 1)
Author: Kim Amos
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Forever
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS…

If pride goes before a fall, Willa Masterson’s trip back to White Pine, Minnesota, should be one heck of a tumble. The girl who left her hometown—and her first love, Burk Olmstead—in the rearview twelve years ago was spoiled and headstrong. But the woman who returns is determined to rebuild: first her family house; then her relationships with everyone in town . . . starting with a certain tall, dark, and sexy contractor.

MEETS HER MATCH

Burk has no reason to believe Willa has changed, and every reason to discourage her from converting the Masterson house into a B&B. He has plans of his own for that house, and they certainly don’t include a no-vacancy sign. But Burk didn’t count on how distracting Willa’s bright green eyes or her all-too-familiar touch would feel—or how impossible she will be to resist…

Read on for my thoughts on A Kiss To Build A Dream On. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Conflict of Interest by Gillian Reese

Posted March 22, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Conflict of Interest
Series:
Author: Gillian Reese
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 18, 2015
Publisher: Riverdale Avenue Books
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Conflict of Interest is a look at lawyers in love in the high stakes world of Manhattan’s prestigious legal firms.

Avery Peters is excited to start her summer associates job at a boutique law firm. On her first day, she finds out her office has been swallowed up by law giant Coldwater, Brock, & Henry.

She is apprehensive at first, but everything seems to be going well. Her high spirits quickly crumble when she bumps into her high school ex — Trent Cannon, who is now a high-powered partner at Coldwater.

Avery doesn’t think she can handle the internship working alongside her former love. Worse, the pain of remembering a buried secret every time she sees Trent is too much to bear.

She knows she must find a way to get a handle on her emotions for the rest of the summer. But despite her determination not to get involved with him, there is an undeniable attraction.

Is it nostalgia or is it something more? Will it matter when Avery discovers the truth about Trent?

Read on for my thoughts on Conflict of Interest. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: When Things Go Wrong by Lacey Silks

Posted March 22, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 4 Comments

Title: When Things Go Wrong
Series: Prequel to Cheaters Anonymous
Author: Lacey Silks
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica
Published: March 8, 2015
Publisher: MyLit Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Lazy eyes, scarred lip and brow, muscled and tattooed, Julia’s high school best friend, the one who made her heart go pitter-patter, had definitely changed in the past five years she hadn’t seen him.

Being stuck with her mom and boyfriend number one hundred at an exclusive ski resort doesn’t seem as daunting when Julia runs into the gorgeous and enticing Scar Wagner. And when fate forces the couple much closer than Julia would ever allow a man to be, she can’t help but wonder whether it’s time to give relationships another try.

After all, when things go wrong, they turn out right.

Read on for my thoughts on When Things Go Wrong. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: Up to Date by Susan Hatler

Posted March 22, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Up to Date
Series: Better Date Than Never (Book 8)
Author: Susan Hatler
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: August 31, 2014
Publisher: Hatco Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Synopsis:

Ginger knows that practical choices guarantee a stable life, which is why she chose a career as an office manager. Her job provides a steady paycheck, but it also has her snoozing at her desk. She wishes she’d pursued her passion for interior decorating rather than business.

She’s also trying to forget Greg Shaffer—the gorgeous emergency room doctor she met at a dance club last month. Her dad was an emergency room doctor and the stress of the job turned him into a raging alcoholic, which didn’t exactly create happy childhood memories.

Ginger believes donating her decorating services to her friend’s charity auction is the perfect fix for both her problems. She’ll get a break from the daily grind, get her creative juices flowing, and stay so busy she’ll finally forget about Greg.

But then Greg ends up buying the condo right above her. Even worse, he deliberately wins the bid on her auction item. Greg seems determined to prove to Ginger that practicality has nothing on passion. And as Ginger brings beauty into Greg’s world, how can she possibly resist the beauty he brings to hers?

Read on for my thoughts on Up to Date. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: One Night With Her Bachelor by Kat Latham

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

Title: One Night With Her Bachelor
Series: Montana Born Bachelor Auction (Book 6)
Author: Kat Latham
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 27, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 star
Source: NetGalley

Cover Blurb:

Bid on a date with this wounded warrior for an unforgettable night of adventure. Aim high—and bid higher!—because no one comes close to local hero Gabriel Morales.

Molly Dekker hates being the town charity case, but when her son Josh is seriously injured she has no choice. She lets her best friend organize a bachelor auction to help pay her massive bills and make Josh’s life more comfortable. She can’t bid on any of the men, but a surprise bidder gives her a gift she never expected: a date with the man who saved her son’s life—the only one she’s in danger of losing her heart to.

Former Air Force pararescueman Gabriel Morales made a career of flying to the rescue, until a tragic helicopter crash stole more than his livelihood. Being auctioned off like a slab of beef isn’t in his recovery plan. But one look, one touch and one night unlocking Molly’s pent-up passion makes him realize how badly he needs to be rescued…and how badly he wants to rescue Molly right back.

Will Molly and Gabriel’s never-quit attitude have them rushing head-first into love? Or will Gabriel’s secret pain stall their relationship before it can get off the ground?

Read on for my thoughts on One Night With Her Bachelor. No true spoilers, promise.

Review: In Bed With The Bachelor by Megan Crane

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

Title: In Bed with the Bachelor
Series: Montana Born Bachelor Auction (bood 5)
Author: Megan Crane
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 20, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley

Story Blurb:

Our latest bachelor has enough family in Marietta to qualify as an honorary native, but hails instead from Seattle, WA, which is where he’ll fly you for a glamorous weekend on the shores of the sparkling Puget Sound. Jesse Grey will treat you the way a local boy turned construction tycoon should: five star accommodations, gourmet dinners, and celebrated Washington wines. We just can’t promise he’ll smile much. Or at all.

Sold to the highest bidder!

Jesse Grey, notorious bachelor and one of Seattle’s foremost construction tycoons, has been roped into participating in the Marietta Bachelor Auction thanks to an expertly executed guilt trip laid out by his family.

Michaela Townsend already has a fiancé and certainly doesn’t need another man in her life. So when her family buys her surly, sexy Jesse at the auction and wrangles him into driving her from Montana to Seattle, she’s appalled yet disturbingly attracted.

As far as Jesse is concerned, Michaela is forbidden fruit. Even though he knows her fiancé isn’t all he seems, Jesse would never take what didn’t belong to him. But how long can he resist the one woman he shouldn’t touch?

Read on for my thoughts on In Bed With The Bachelor. Not true spoilers, promise. Read More