The Duke and Miss Christmas by Amelia Grey

Posted October 17, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: The Duke and Miss Christmas
Series: The Heirs’ Club of Scoundrels #2.5
Author: Amelia Grey
Genre: Regency Romance, Christmas Romance
Published: October 13, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Crispin, the Duke of Hurst, has never met a woman he couldn’t handle–until he’s hit over the head with a basketful of mistletoe by a young lady who mistakes his intentions. When he gets into a tussle with her–and she can hold her own–Crispin knows he has finally met his match.

Miss Gwen Prim is mortified that she attacked a duke, but even more concerning is the way her resolve melts when she’s near him. She’s never felt this way about a London gentleman in her life. And with the magic of Christmas in the air, she may end up with a proposal she didn’t expect.

Read on for my thoughts on The Duke and Miss Christmas. No true spoilers, promise.

Lethal Game by Julie Rowe

Posted October 17, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Lethal Game
Series: Biological Response Team #2
Author: Julie Rowe
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Thriller
Published: October 12, 2015
Publisher: Carina Press
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

As the nation’s youngest virologist and hematologist, Captain Sophia Perry has always been one step ahead of her peers. But there’s one thing she can’t beat—cancer. She wants to make a difference in the time she has left, so when she’s sent to investigate a breakout at a Syrian refugee camp, she goes, saying nothing of her diagnosis. But saving the masses isn’t easy when the man tasked to protect her is so irresistible.

Communications Sergeant Connor Button is back on active duty after a deadly explosion, but he doesn’t feel whole again until he meets Sophia. Assigned to keep her safe, he’s prepared to die for her, but for the first time in months he truly wants to live—if only she wasn’t so determined to put them both in danger.

With a secret to keep and nothing to lose, Sophia is determined to find the source of the breakout at any cost. Violent attacks on the camp convince her that someone wants her to pay dearly. But as Sophia’s health deteriorates, Connor must find a way to help her defeat her enemies before her body defeats her.

Read on for my thoughts on Lethal Game. No true spoilers, promise.

Seducing Seven by MK Meredith

Posted October 17, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 2 Comments

Title: Seducing Seven
Series: What Happens In Vegas #9
Author: MK Meredith
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 12, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Loveswept
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

He bet on logic. She bet on love.

Romance author Seven Michaels believes in love to her very core. She has to–not only for herself, but for her readers. So when luxury salesman Blake Turner insults not only her books but the people who read them, Seven’s ready to throw down. How dare a playboy like Blake insinuate romance lovers are full of crap?

He wants proof? Fine. She bets Blake she can make him fall for her by using the rules in her latest novel before the end of the convention, or she’ll denounce love in front of all her fellow authors and fans at the Romance Lovers Convention ball. A dangerous game to be sure, but humiliating Blake is worth the risk.

But when Seven realizes she’s the one who’s being seduced, she’s no longer sure who is playing whom…or whether she’ll have a career when the bet is over.

Read on for my thoughts on Seducing Seven. No true spoilers, promise.

Christmas With The Billionaire Rancher by Mandy Baxter

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Christmas With The Billionaire Rancher
Series: Billionaire’s Club
Author: Mandy Baxter
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas Romance
Published: October 13, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

There’s nothing Nate Christensen hates more than a golddigger. Nate wants to stay away from all the women who want his money. That is, until he meets the sexy, beautiful Chloe Benson, who lights a fire in his blood that only the most passionate nights can ease…

Chloe cannot get enough of Nate-she’s never felt more wild with desire in her life. The only problem is, she needs Nate’s money. True, it’s for a very worthy charity…but is their passion enough to still Nate’s fears that she’s only wants him for how big his bank account is?

Read on for my thoughts on Christmas With The Billionaire Rancher. No true spoilers, promise.

Hot Toy by Jennifer Crusie

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Hot Toy
Series:
Author: Jennifer Crusie
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas Romance
Published: October 13, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Mayhem ensues under the mistletoe as a determined shopper grabs the very last hot toy action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the middle of a real-life spy game and in the arms of a sexy secret agent.

Previously published in the anthology Santa, Baby, HOT TOY is now available as a standalone e-story for the first time!

Read on for my thoughts on Hot Toy. No true spoilers, promise.

Love Me Tender by Ally Blake

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Love me Tender
Series: The Cinderella Project #2
Author: Ally Blake
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 12, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

It was love at first sight…

When her Papa loses his job, indomitable Serafina Scott insists it’s her turn to take care of him – meaning landing a well-paying job…and fast. Which is how she ends up working for the Cinderella Project, a high-end matchmaking business, even though she’s certainly no expert on affairs of the heart. Until she meets Murdoch, the gruff builder restoring her extravagant new work place. He’s inscrutable, infuriating, and gorgeous…

Convincing them was a whole other matter.

Murdoch finds Sera confounding…and luminous. But beneath her firecracker exterior, she is dangerously soft-hearted, and the last thing she needs is a broken brute like him.

While Sera does her best to convince Murdoch that they are a match made in heaven, Murdoch makes it his mission to prove her wrong. Will it come down to who’s the most convincing…or who’s most willing to be convinced?

Read on for my thoughts on Love me Tender. No true spoilers, promise.

Return of the Jerk by Andrea Simonne

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Return of the Jerk
Series: Sweet Life in Seattle #2
Author: Andrea Simonne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 17, 2015
Publisher: Liebe Publishing
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Steamy and fun, an irresistible story of one woman’s obsession and the jerk-like object of her unrequited love…

Wedding cake baker Blair Thomas loves her life. Her business is thriving, her Seattle condo has a great view of the water, and her refurbished ‘65 convertible Mustang “Isadora” is the coolest car ever. She barely even thinks about that jerk she married five years ago. The one who abandoned her after four months of marriage. The one who left a note on her pillow saying, “See you later, babe.”

Seriously, who does that?

So what if she was once obsessively in love with him. He’s her best friend’s older brother and for years he barely even knew she was alive. He never loved her, and he only married her because of a drunken mistake. At least she’s over him.

Definitely over him.

The only problem is Blair never got around to divorcing him so technically they’re still married. And after five years of traveling the world—Nathan “Road” Church—has finally decided to come home. He arrived on Blair’s doorstep this morning, and now he’s in her bathroom taking a shower. The nerve of him! Oh, and did I mention he’s still hot? Blair doesn’t know what to do.

The jerk has returned.

Read on for my thoughts on Return of the Jerk. Notrue spoilers, promise.

The Bargain by Jane Ashford

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Series / 0 Comments

Title: The Bargain
Series: The Duke’s Sons prequel
Author: Jane Ashford
Genre: Historical, Regency Romance
Published: Reissued 2014, Original 1997
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

A scientifically minded nobleman:

Lord Alan Gresham is the sixth son of the Duke of Langford and, as such, has been allowed to remain at Oxford to pursue his scientific studies. When the prince regent asks him to debunk the “ghost” of a dead actress haunting Carlton House, he cannot refuse, and is forced back to the Society he deplores. But upon meeting the daughter of the alleged ghost, his calm, logical investigation is disrupted.

Learns the breathless chemistry of desire:

Ariel Harding doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she’s determined to investigate this haunting. Her mother recently committed suicide, and Ariel is desperate to find the reason. She’ll work with Alan because he has access to Prinny’s resources, but she never dreamed she’d make a perilous bargain with a man who’s as maddeningly arrogant as he is confoundedly attractive..

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

It’s Ho-Ho-Ho Read – a – Thon Time

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance / 0 Comments

hohohorat_2015 You know it’s right around the corner, right? Do you have your list made yet? Come on, you know what I’m talking about – it’s time for Christmas stories… and that means it’s time for the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-Thon. Have you signed up yet?

Jennifer at The Book Shelfery and Kimberly at Caffeinated Book Reviewer are hosting this fun event. So, go – shoo – get signed up for one of the most fun Holiday events in the Book World… well, in my humble opinion anyway. 🙂

The rules are simple and the fun is huge and contagious. The Sign Up Page is super easy to follow and sign up on… then sit back, plan and let the Christmas Story Fun begin.

Look, I’m the first to admit that the holiday season is hectic and frantic – so why not find a few moments to relax with a good Christmas, winterish story and enjoy the experience.

I hope to read about your favorite Christmas stories real soon. Merry Christmas Reading to all.

A Royal Christmas Gift by LuAnn McLane

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: A Royal Christmas Gift
Series: Happily Ever After
Author: LuAnn mcLane
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas Romance
Published: October 12, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Prince Royal Nicholas Worthington is devastated when he learns that his monarchy is being used as a tax haven for the wealthy and drug runners. To protect his people, he flees to Alabama and poses as Nick Worth, an inspector for the National Historical Society.

Anna Lee is floored when Nick Worth shows up on her doorstep to give her grant money to restore her home. She’s charmed by the handsome inspector with his European accent and takes him up on his offer. The two week restoration project turns into something much more, but Nick fears that his presence could put his southern beauty in danger.

As Christmas Eve approaches Nicholas must decide if he can put the woman he loves at risk or disappear from her life forever…

Read on for my thoughts on A Royal Christmas Gift. No true spoilers, promise.

Blog Ahead Update

Posted October 16, 2015 by Marsha in Discussion Post / 2 Comments

So we are at just about the halfway point in Anna and Kimberly’s October 2015 Blog Ahead event.

How you doing so far? It’s a great way to get a bit ahead of your scheduled posts – that breathing room is priceless.

I am a little bit behind from where I’d wanted to be at this point… had a family emergency last week and that wrecked a lot of stuff. I could still read and take notes, but was nowhere near my computer to write anything up.. so doing some catching up on just about everything right now. Ah well, it’s life ya know? And in the end, it’s all good – at this point in the Blog Ahead event I’ve got sixteen (16) posts scheduled for my planned Christmas Romance daily reviews. And honestly, if that’s as far as I get, I’d be good with that since it’s a huge help come November and December. But I’m going to go for the full 31 and hopefully the plus as well.

Since I’m ahead on the Christmas stuff, I’m going to switch gears a bit and tackle the November NetGalley reviews. It would be such a relief to have a cushion for weeks like last week when all my good intentions flew out the window. And while no one enjoys family emergencies, it was a good wake up call on several levels. I keep thinking if I could only get a little bit ahead, then I’d not be so overwhelmed when there are a lot of reviews due on one particularly heavy launch day – we’ve all seen those 24 books released on one day. Yeah. I’m a fast reader, but even I have my limits ya know? 🙂

So my plan for the remainder of this October 2015 Blog Ahead event is to get ahead on my NetGalley reviews and if there’s time maybe toss in a couple more Christmas reviews. I’d love to make goal of course, but now with a wiser attitude I’m looking to keep plugging along creating a habit of being ahead of the game from this point onwards. If I can accomplish that, I’ll be content with whatever number shows up on the last day of October.

If you haven’t joined in it’s not too late – anything scheduled ahead is a help that’s a fact. Go over and check out the Blog Ahead Challenge from herding cats & burning soup and Caffeinated Book Reviewer.

Some Girls Don’t by Amy Andrews

Posted October 15, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Some Girls Don’t
Series: Outback Heat #2
Author: Amy Andrews
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 6, 2015
Publisher: Tule Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Local television reporter Selena Durrum is in Jumbuck Springs for three days. Get in, see her grandmother, give her speech, and get out. Her career is about to hit big and she can’t afford any distractions. Especially not her childhood sweetheart…

Jarrod Weston, rural firefighter, isn’t worried about seeing the woman who’d done a midnight runner on him fifteen years earlier. It was a long time ago and he’s moved on with his life… right?

But neither of them were ready for their still potent attraction and the heavy pull of unfinished business. But then Selena gets offered the opportunity of a lifetime and once again has to choose between love and career… Will she go with her heart, or her head?

Read on for my thoughts on Some Girls Don’t. No true spoilers, promise.

Her Accidental Husband by Ashlee Mallory

Posted October 15, 2015 by Marsha in Contemporary Romance, Series / 0 Comments

Title: Her Accidental Husband
Series: The Sorensen Family #2
Author: Ashlee Mallory
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: October 12, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Bliss
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Payton Vaughn’s trip to Puerto Vallarta for her friend’s wedding was her big escape from her ridiculously overbearing mother–oh, and that little matter with her cheating fiancé. Now, her flight’s been cancelled, and she’s crammed into a tiny car with the gorgeous-but-irritating best man.

Viva la road trip from hell…

Cruz Sorensen doesn’t have time to babysit some spoiled socialite, even if she is the future daughter-in-law of the man who could change the fortune of his family’s company. He has no business getting to know her better—not even for all the tequila in Mexico…until they wake up with grande-sized hangovers as man and wife.

Now Payton and Cruz must decide if they’ve reached the end of their journey…or the beginning of a new adventure.

Read on for my thoughts on Her Accidental Husband. No true spoilers, promise.

Wolf From The Past by N. J. Walters

Posted October 15, 2015 by Marsha in Series / 0 Comments

Title: Wolf from the Past
Series: Salvation Pack #4
Author: N. J. Walters
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Published: October 13, 2015
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
My Rating: 5 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

Playing dead is easy. Living is hard.

Sylvie LaForge Dubois knew coming back from the dead wouldn’t be easy, but facing her brother and his friends is harder than she imagined. The way Gator Rollins watches her every move makes her decidedly uneasy and excited.

After surviving a forced mating to the abusive Andre Dubois, having a rugged, dangerous werewolf like Gator sniffing around her is scary and thrilling at the same time. She never imagined she’d want another man, but her bone-deep attraction to Gator is too strong to fight.

Gator never got a chance to tell Sylvie he loved her before she was mated with another and, well, died. Now that she’s back, there’s nothing he won’t do to protect her.

Once word gets out, Sylvie’s former pack will be coming for her. No one leaves the Louisiana pack, especially not a female werewolf. But Gator’s determined that this time he won’t let anyone or anything get between him and Sylvie, even if she can’t decide if his touch makes her want to jump his bones…or run for the hills.

Read on for my thoughts on Wolf from the Past. No true spoilers, promise.

Christmas at Evergreen Inn by Donna Alward

Posted October 15, 2015 by Marsha in Christmas Romance, Contemporary Romance / 0 Comments

Title: Christmas at Evergreen Inn
Series: Jewell Cove #3.5
Author: Donna Alward
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas Romance
Published: October 13, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
My Rating: 4 stars
Source: NetGalley
Cover Description:

When a December Nor’easter roars up the eastern seaboard, Jewell Cove cop Todd Ricker spends his day off being a Good Samaritan to stranded holiday travelers. But when the roads close and Todd can’t make his way home, he discovers that the Evergreen Inn is full up. Until another Good Samaritan opens her doors and offers him a place to stay…

Lainey Price is not looking forward to Christmas, but just because she’s not filled with the holiday spirit doesn’t mean she’s going to turn Todd out into the stormy night. Even if it means offering the handsome police officer the couch in her tiny cottage. But when the weather takes a turn for the worse, the two are snowed in for a wintry evening by the fire. With Christmas only a few days away, can Todd convince Lainey to open her heart to the season…and love?

Read on for my thoughts on Christmas at Evergreen Inn. No true spoilers, promise.