Category: Contemporary Romance

Leaving Yesterday by Zoe Dawson

Posted June 24, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Leaving Yesterday
Series: Laurel Falls #1
Author: Zoe Dawson
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 9, 2016
Publisher: Random House – Loveswept
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Laurel Falls, Montana, features spectacular mountain scenery—but it takes a rugged cowboy to convince one woman to slow down and enjoy the view.

Rafferty Hamilton doesn’t plan on putting down roots anytime soon. With her divorce final, the hotel heiress has left Manhattan behind to scout new locations for her family’s chain of resorts. Which is why it’s so frustrating to be stranded in Laurel Falls while a good-looking, slow-talking, Stetson-wearing mechanic takes his sweet time with her overheated coupe.

A decorated vet who paid his dues in Afghanistan, Trace Black can fix anything with an engine and get it revving—even Rafferty’s ridiculous sports car. He couldn’t say the same for the knockout driver, who looks like she’s never gripped a gear shaft in her life. Women like Rafferty don’t usually stick around in Laurel Falls, but Trace finds himself showing her everything his hometown has to offer before she cruises on down the road.

As the days pass, Rafferty finds herself charmed by the pace of life and the openhearted warmth of the residents. She’s even tempted to trust again—and it’s all thanks to Trace. He’s not the kind of guy she’s used to falling for, but he just might be the man she needs.

Read on for my thoughts on Leaving Yesterday. No true spoilers, promise.

Lost & Found Love by Laura Browning

Posted June 23, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Lost & Found Love
Series: Mountain Meadows Homecomings #2
Author: Laura Browning
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Lyrical Press
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Tabitha MacVie has come to Mountain Meadow to meet the sister she never knew, and find the family she longs for. What she discovers is a close-knit community determined to close ranks against the new art teacher, especially once she catches the eye of the town’s most eligible bachelor. Tabby tries hard to keep Joe Taylor at a distance. But staying away from the handsome preacher isn’t easy once he opens his arms to her….

Tabby is the answer to Joe’s prayers. Too bad the spirited beauty believes she doesn’t belong in Mountain Meadow—or with him. Still, Joe can’t resist offering her shelter against the local gossips, or giving her a strong shoulder to lean on when her family hopes are dashed. And when Tabby’s life is suddenly on the line, Joe will do anything to save the woman who stole his heart.

Read on for my thoughts on Lost & Found Love. No true spoilers, promise.

Secretly Hers by Jamie Beck

Posted June 22, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Secretly Hers
Series: Sterling Canyon #2
Author: Jamie Beck
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 21, 2016
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

On her thirty-first birthday, hopeless romantic Kelsey Callihan has all but given up on happily ever afters, which is why she agrees to a risqué proposition from Sterling Canyon’s notorious playboy, backcountry skier Trip Lexington. After all, every girl needs a little fun, and with Trip, there are no mixed signals or risks of a broken heart. And if his tips can help her land a husband in the process, all the better.

Trip couldn’t be happier with his secret, no-strings fling with sweet and sexy Kelsey until she calls it quits after meeting a man she believes could share her dream of marriage and family. His jealousy turns to outrage when he discovers that the man is his estranged half brother and lifelong rival.

Now Trip must decide whether the fire in his gut is due to sibling rivalry or something much more dangerous…like love.

Read on for my thoughts on Secretly Hers. No true spoilers, promise.

Before You by Kathryn Freeman

Posted June 21, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Before You
Series:
Author: Kathryn Freeman
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 21, 2016
Publisher: Choc Lit
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

When life in the fast lane threatens to implode …

Melanie Hunt’s job working for the Delta racing team means she is constantly rubbing shoulders with Formula One superstars in glamorous locations like Monte Carlo. But she has already learned that keeping a professional distance is crucial if she doesn’t want to get hurt.

New Delta team driver Aiden Foster lives his life like he drives his cars – fast and hard. But, no matter how successful he is, it seems he always falls short of his championship-winning father’s legacy. If he could just stay focused, he could finally make that win.

Resolve begins to slip as Melanie and Aiden find themselves drawn to each other –with nowhere to hide as racing season begins. But when a troubled young boy goes missing, everything is thrown into turmoil, including Aiden’s championship dream.

Read on for my thoughts on Before You. No true spoilers, promise.

Sin and the Millionaire by Lucy Farago

Posted June 18, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 2 Comments

Title: Sin and the Millionaire
Series: Women of Vegas #3
Author: Lucy Farago
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: February 2, 2016
Publisher: Lyrical Press
My Rating: 3.5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

At seventeen, Lizzy’s first love swindled her out of a small fortune in lottery winnings, and her own small business—forcing her to strip to keep loan sharks at bay. That’s what led her to Vegas. Now she’s agreed to cater a Valentine’s Day party for her friend and soon-to-be business partner, Duncan. What she doesn’t know is that the shy, wealthy tech wiz is secretly in love with her. Lizzy also doesn’t expect to be hauled in by the cops when the two of them are accused of murdering Duncan’s gold-digging (almost) ex-wife…

Lizzie should have learned the first time that mixing business with pleasure isn’t a good idea. For the record, she doesn’t sleep with friends. But as she and Duncan race to clear their names and find a killer, might they also discover they’re more than friends—just in time for the most romantic day of the year?

Read on for my thoughts on Sin and the Millionaire. No true spoilers, promise.

Bayou My Love by Lauren Faulkenberry

Posted June 18, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Bayou My Love
Series:
Author: Lauren Faulkenberry
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: March 7, 2016
Publisher: Velvet Morning Press
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Thirty-one-year-old Enza Parker is struggling to change the trajectory of her life. To prove to her overbearing father she can flip a house on her own, she takes on a project much too ambitious for her––and it puts her in the path of the most alluring man she’s ever met.

Enza plans to flip the house she inherited from her estranged grandmother, Vergie, in Bayou Sabine, Louisiana. As a child, she spent summers there until the day her mother—Vergie’s daughter—inexplicably left. Since then, Enza hasn’t let anyone get close to her.

Arriving in Bayou Sabine, Enza finds her house occupied by bedeviling firefighter Jack Mayronne. Enza has no intention of being a landlord, but Jack convinces her to let him stay––in exchange for helping her with repairs. With only six weeks to fix the house and sell, she’s determined to prove her father wrong––but she didn’t count on all the delicious ways Jack could distract her.

When Enza’s fling with Jack intensifies, she finds herself entangled with a vengeful arsonist from Jack’s past. As she reaches her breaking point, she must decide: Should she sell the house and leave her past in Bayou Sabine behind for good, or can she overcome her fears and build a new life there with Jack?

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

Jordan’s Return by Samantha Chase

Posted June 17, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Jordan’s Return
Series:
Author: Samantha Chase
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 7, 2016 (Print Edition) Original November 2011
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

WILL ONE SUMMER TOGETHER
All Jordan Manning wants is a quiet summer on the Virginia coast with her sons to recover from a near-fatal accident and an abusive relationship. Her plans to find a new direction for her future are turned upside down when she runs into the first man who ever broke her heart…and he’s determined to win it back.

BE ENOUGH TO HEAL OLD WOUNDS?
Rob Tyler thought he’d moved on, but when fate drops a second chance with his first love right in his path, his feelings rush back stronger than ever. Rob is determined to give Jordan the future they should have had years ago, but making up for past mistakes isn’t easy.

Read on for my thoughts on Jordan’s Return. No true spoilers, promise.

Reckless by Kimberly Kincaid

Posted June 16, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Reckless
Series: Rescue Squad #1
Author: Kimberly Kincaid
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Kensington Books – Zebra
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Zoe Westin may be a fire captain’s daughter, but feeding the people in her hometown of Fairview is her number one priority. Running a soup kitchen is also the perfect way to prove to her dad that helping people doesn’t always mean risking life and limb. But when she’s saddled with a gorgeous firefighter doing community service after yet another daredevil stunt, the kitchen has never been so hot.

Alex Donovan thrives on adrenaline, and stirring a pot of soup doesn’t exactly qualify. He’s not an expert at following the rules either, not even when they come from the stubborn, sexy daughter of the man who’s not only his boss, but his mentor. Determined to show Zoe that not every risk ends in catastrophe, Alex challenges her both in the kitchen and out. One reckless step leads to another, but will falling for each other be a risk worth taking, or will it just get them burned?

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

Montana Rebel by Debra Salonen

Posted June 16, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Montana Rebel
Series: Big Sky Mavericks #9
Autho:r: Debra Salonen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: January 24, 2016
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Source: NetGalley, Purchase Kindle Edition
Cover Description:

Don’t look down and don’t give up.

Justin Oberman‘s credo for living his adventurous–some might say death-defying–life to the max served him well until the unfortunate outcome of a climb made him walk away from the sport he loved. A lucrative new job offer could pave the way to a more traditional life in Marietta, Montana, where his two best friends have fallen in love with the women of their dreams. But settling down always seemed more daunting than Everest and not worth considering until a mysterious lady in red walks into his life on New Year’s Eve. Suddenly, that happily-ever-after stuff Flynn and Tucker have been raving about looks within reach.

The first fall is always the hardest.

Nikki Magnesson Richards has loved Justin Oberman most of her life. First, from the safety of her brothers’ old tree house. Later, with unrequited teen-age angst. Her poorly thought out attempt to get him to notice her cost them both dearly. Now, a dozen years later, her fairy godfather boss has orchestrated the most romantic meeting possible–the Big Sky Mavericks Masked Ball for Charity. A kiss at midnight with her very own Prince Charming isn’t too much to ask, is it? But what are two star-crossed lovers supposed to do when one kiss isn’t enough?

Read on for m y thoughts on Montana Rebel. No true spoilers, promise.

What Happens In Texas by Carolyn Brown

Posted June 15, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: What Happens In Texas
Series:
Author: Caroline Brown
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Published: June 7, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Cathy Andrew’s biological clock has passed the ticking stage and is dangerously close to “blown plumb up.” While her twin sister Marty thinks settling down with one man is just a waste of good cowboys, Cathy wants it all: the perfect husband, the baby, and a little house right there in Cadillac. But even as the town is laying bets on whose wedding will be next, Cathy doesn’t see happily-ever-after happening anytime soon.

Fortunately, Cathy and Marty have best friends who aren’t afraid to stir up a ruckus-and if it means Cathy’s got to bust out and set the town on its ear they’ll back her up-no matter how hot things get.

(Originally published as The Blue-Ribbon Jalapeno Society Jubilee.)

Read on for my thoughts on What Happens In Texas. No true spoilers, promise.

It’s In His Smile by Shelly Alexander

Posted June 15, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: It’s In His Smile
Series: Red River Valley #3
Author: Shelly Alexander
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 14, 2016
Publisher: Montlake Romance
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Miranda Cruz isn’t just the best darned waitress in town anymore; she’s Red River’s newest innkeeper. But first, she has to find the contractor who’s disappeared with her life savings so she can start renovations. Not so easy for a woman who never depends on anyone, especially a man. And when a gorgeous old flame shows up, the fire between them is reignited and threatens to send her dreams up in smoke.

Acclaimed environmental architect Talmadge Oaks returns home to Red River on family business. He plans to get in and get out quickly because a professional catastrophe is waiting back in Washington. When an unforeseen snag keeps him in Red River longer than expected, he finds himself entangled in the renovations of his late grandmother’s Victorian inn. Handy with a hammer, he offers to help the beautiful new owner, but his motives aren’t completely selfless. Will his secret demolish everything they are building? Or can their undeniable passion keep them together?

Read on for my thoughts on It’s In His Smile. No true spoilers, promise.

Winning The Billionaire by J M Stewart

Posted June 15, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Winning The Billionaire
Series: Seattle Bachelors #2
Author: J M Stewart
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 14, 2016
Publisher: Forever Yours (Grand Central Publishing)
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

When it comes to love, this billionaire is all business . . . Software mogul Christina McKenzie has loved billionaire Sebastian Blake since they were kids. So when Seattle’s most famous bachelor-and perennial playboy-finally asks Christina out, her fantasies kick into overdrive. Things become hot and heavy . . . but what’s she supposed to do when she starts to fall for him? Sebastian’s never been one to settle down, and Christina doesn’t want to be just another notch in his bedpost.

Sebastian knows that smart, kind Christina deserves better than him. But after the mind-blowing night they just shared, he’s ready to turn a sexy fling into the real deal. Keeping his freedom is one thing, yet keeping Christina in his bed-and in his life-is all Sebastian can think about.

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

Learning To Love by Sheryl Browne

Posted June 14, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 2 Comments

Title: Learning To Love
Series:
Author: Sheryl Browne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 14, 2016
Publisher: Choc Lit
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely places …

Living in a small village like Hibberton, it’s expected that your neighbors help you in a time of need. But when Andrea Kelly’s house burns down, taking all her earthly possessions with it, it’s the distant and aloof Doctor David Adams – the person she would least expect – who opens his door not just to her, but to her three kids and slightly dotty elderly mother as well.

Andrea needs all the help she can get, dealing with aftermath of the fire and in the suspicious absence of her husband, Jonathan. But, as she gets to know David and his troubled son, Jake, she begins to realize that maybe they need her help as much as she needs theirs

Read on for my thoughts on Learning To Love. No true spoilers, promise.

Tempting Mr. Wrong by Kerri Carpenter

Posted June 13, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Tempting Mr. Wrong
Series: Wrong Man #2
Author: Kerri Carpenter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: June 13, 2016
Publisher: Entangled – Lovestruck
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Lance Townsend craves freedom after years living a structured existence in the Army. But just as he’s about to start on his bucket list, Lance receives an unexpected request: check in on his goddaughter. The problem? The adorable little girl’s aunt is the one woman he’s never been able to forget.

Carly Quigley can’t believe her brother’s best friend, the man who jilted her years ago, is at her door. He claims her brother asked him to check in on her niece and their fixer-upper, but all either of them can focus on is their undeniable attraction. Carly knows Lance is counting down the hours to leave, which makes him the wrong man for her. Unfortunately, the wrong man has become oh-so-tempting.

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

Extreme Honor by Piper J. Drake

Posted June 12, 2016 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Extreme Honor
Series: True Heroes #1
Author: Piper J. Drake
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance
Published: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Forever
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

David Cruz is good at two things: war and training dogs. The ex-soldier’s toughest case is Atlas, a Belgian Malinois whose handler died in combat. Nobody at Hope’s Crossing Kennel can break through the animal’s grief. That is, until dog whisperer Evelyn Jones walks into the facility . . . and into Atlas’s heart. David hates to admit that the curvy blonde’s mesmerizing effect isn’t limited to canines. But when Lyn’s work with Atlas puts her in danger, David will do anything to protect her.

Lyn realizes that David’s own battle scars make him uniquely qualified for his job as a trainer. Tough as nails yet gentle when it counts, he’s gotten closer to Atlas than anyone else-and he’s willing to put his hard-wired suspicion aside to let her do the same. But someone desperate enough to kill doesn’t want Lyn working with Atlas. Now only teamwork, trust, and courage can save two troubled hearts and the dog who loves them both.

Read on for my thoughts on Extreme Honor. No true spoilers, promise.