I had trouble writing this review. I first read Second Chance Summer when it first came out (summer of 2015) and had vague memories of enjoying it, but I blow through so many books when I’m at the beach that the details don’t really stick with me. I signed up to review it because I already owned the book and had a sense that I’d enjoyed it, and would therefore enjoy reading it again. Alas, … Continue reading Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis →
This was part of a double Harlequin edition and part of their Nocturne sequence. At first I thought perhaps I was in a story slump since I had some initial issues getting into the story, but on the second re-read, I found it thrilling, fun and exciting. Lexi Haven is a world renowned photographer and seems to have it all together. She is in Marcari to help her best friend who is planning the wedding of … Continue reading Possessed by a Wolf by Sharon Ashwood →
T/W: past rape/sexual assault; slut-shaming The experience of reading this book was like dating a really hot guy. In the beginning all I saw was the potential. And the sex? Yes, please! I overlooked his flaws and knew it likely wouldn’t be long-term, but who cared because I was up late at night with his scorching hot kisses and nothing else mattered. A+! Some time went by – I had to sleep at some point … Continue reading Once Pure by Cecy Robson →
The stock blurb for this book is misleading in several ways, so here’s a more accurate version: Thirty-five year-old Siobhan “Sugar” Malloy, co-owner of Sugar and Spice Café and a part-time burlesque performer, is “treading emotional water,” reluctant to get involved with anyone due to some emotionally damaging events in her past—especially a handsome younger man who seems to have his life together. Responsible, hardworking, and dedicated to his career, Charlie is immediately attracted to … Continue reading Sugar by Seressia Glass →
Sugar is a novel about Siobhan Malloy, a 35 year old woman who co-owns a cafe/bakery with her best friend in a small town. And that’s where the cliches end. Siobhan is unique – she’s a recovering addict who has fought hard for the normalcy she has now. She also dances in a burlesque show as a hobby and likes to stand out with her retro sense of style. Charlie is a younger man, a … Continue reading Sugar by Seressia Glass →
Trigger warning: mentions of violence. Maxwell Derring, Earl of Dane hates the poor. They’re lazy, stupid, immoral, and “barely human.” He blames them for his father’s death—not because a poor person shot or stabbed his father, but because somebody robbed one of his father’s houses, and two weeks later he died of pneumonia. Now, you might be thinking, as I did, that that seems a very weak and specious chain of logic for deciding to … Continue reading Earls Just Want to Have Fun by Shana Galen →
This was my first book by Elizabeth Hayley. I never heard from this author before but I chose this book mainly because the hero is a cook. As a former cook myself I like to read books about cooks – does anybody do that? Like lawyers or teachers or spies? You know, you want to see if they got it right. Only me? Well, so here I go. The story is about Tim and Quinn … Continue reading Just Say Yes by Elizabeth Hayley →
So military romances. Eh. Kinda burned out on them. All those super secret black ops teams that not even the government knows about? After a while they started making my skin crawl, because borderline criminal behavior and a license to kill with no over sight what-so-ever? NOT SEXY. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve read my fair share, or more, of these books, but reality kept nudging in and now? Nope nopenopenope. Set that quibble … Continue reading Target Engaged by M. L. Buchman →
I picked this book because it’s rare that I strike out with the first in a series and keep going with another installment. Once bitten, twice shy, you know? But while I didn’t enjoy the first book, I have enjoyed a couple of the author’s novellas, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for an experiment: giving series with a disappointing first book another shot. I am a firm believer in ditching books … Continue reading Facing Fire by HelenKay Dimon →
I was not familiar with the Fatal series or Marie Force going into this, but the description looked like it had a bunch of my personal catnip: ass-kicking lead woman, romantic thriller, political elements. (I love reading/watching totally off-the-rails versions of DC. Except House of Cards. Don’t get me started on how much I hate House of Cards.) Anyway, the book opens in medias res, as it were, and it’s immediately obvious that some serious … Continue reading Fatal Frenzy by Marie Force →
I didn’t receive a 2016 RITA® Reader Challenge review for this book, so I’m compiling quotes from reviews online and using the grade average from Goodreads as a substitute. This book has a 3.78 average, which I’m interpreting as a B+. And here are the review quotes, linked to the original sources: Sybil aka Lala wrote: …I loved the way the book was written. From the start you’re thrown right into all the confusion and you’re … Continue reading Altered by Marnee Blake →
