Oh, yall. Loving Irish was an interesting read. It's not too often you have a character that's an alcoholic and working their steps.
The Gist: A decade after a misunderstanding blew up their teenage romance and left them devastated Ian and Hallie...are having to deal with each other and the past since his brother and her best friend are get hitched. And...they're less than thrilled over this turn of events.
Oh these characters. They were something.
>>Ian is a man trying to fix everything he's done for the past decade. Addiction, hitting rock bottom, accepting he needed help, going to AA meetings and making amends to those he'd hurt over the years. I liked him. He's got a good heart and trying his best to be a better healthier person.
>>And Hallie. Well her life has become a shitstorm. A cheating spouse, starting over as a single mom, broke after paying off her ex's debts. She's got some strength to her dealing with everything and not giving up. Trying to make the best of a horrible situation. Girlie can hold a grudge, though. Lordy!
>>I loved her kid, too. It was sweet seeing her and Ian bond. Seeing her deal with her dad abandoning them. With being angry at her mom and them finding a way to heal. I did think every now and again she was a bit too "old" for 4 but she was a cute addition overall.
>>The romance was slower going since Hallie is nursing a serious hate-on where Ian is concerned. But I enjoyed watching them slowly work through the past-- lordy teenagers are idiots-- and as Ian made amends by helping restore her small cottage and getting it livable for her and her daughter. And goodness once everything was revealed.
Overall, Loving Irish was a good read. I liked the characters, liked seeing them work through the past and deal with the present. There was some heat once things got going and a lot of sweet tender moments, too. An overall win! Yay!
Oh, yall. Loving Irish was an interesting read. It's not too often you have a character that's an alcoholic and working their steps.
The Gist: A decade after a misunderstanding blew up their teenage romance and left them devastated Ian and Hallie...are having to deal with each other and the past since his brother and her best friend are get hitched. And...they're less than thrilled over this turn of events.
Oh these characters. They were something.
>>Ian is a man trying to fix everything he's done for the past decade. Addiction, hitting rock bottom, accepting he needed help, going to AA meetings and making amends to those he'd hurt over the years. I liked him. He's got a good heart and trying his best to be a better healthier person.
>>And Hallie. Well her life has become a shitstorm. A cheating spouse, starting over as a single mom, broke after paying off her ex's debts. She's got some strength to her dealing with everything and not giving up. Trying to make the best of a horrible situation. Girlie can hold a grudge, though. Lordy!
>>I loved her kid, too. It was sweet seeing her and Ian bond. Seeing her deal with her dad abandoning them. With being angry at her mom and them finding a way to heal. I did think every now and again she was a bit too "old" for 4 but she was a cute addition overall.
>>The romance was slower going since Hallie is nursing a serious hate-on where Ian is concerned. But I enjoyed watching them slowly work through the past-- lordy teenagers are idiots-- and as Ian made amends by helping restore her small cottage and getting it livable for her and her daughter. And goodness once everything was revealed.
Overall, Loving Irish was a good read. I liked the characters, liked seeing them work through the past and deal with the present. There was some heat once things got going and a lot of sweet tender moments, too. An overall win! Yay!...more
Oh goodness. Helm does know how to give you down to their bones fucked up and broken characters and make you ache for them. Keep Me, Cowboy was a short read but one full of feels as a family is forced to face how messed up they've become over the years and tries to piece their lives back together.
The Gist: 10 years earlier Cole left town and the girl he loved. He thought he was doing the right thing at the time but now that she's forcing him to come back to town and face his family (the one she wishes were her own) and her? Well, he's realizing maybe he hadn't had it right all those years ago after all.
"I don't know who I am. All I've ever done is look for family, and no one wants that from me. So, I don't know who to be."
These two. Man they made my heart hurt. Jess is a former foster kid who has only ever wanted to fit in and be part of a family but is finding out that maybe the family she thought she fit with and tried so hard to be a part of the past ten years...doesn't see her the same way. She's sweet and earnest and just lovely. And Cole. Well he's spent his whole life feeling like an outsider in his own family. Never good enough. Never right. So he bailed instead of sticking it out. It hurt watching them both deal with their feelings and trying to figure out who they were all these years later. To themselves and each other. And how they fit with the family that was breaking their hearts, as well.
The romance is heartbreaking, too. So much hurt and frustration between them. So many lost years. But they were sweet together and I loved watching them heal and find each other again.
All in all, Keep Me, Cowboy was an emotional read. Not just with the romance but the family behind them as well. Seeing them own up to the years of not listening to one another, not sharing their feelings or really acting like a family. Seeing them all try to put the past behind them and move on to something better and whole. Things aren't perfect when everything ends but there's hope and change happening and it's a heart warming thing to see.
Oh goodness. Helm does know how to give you down to their bones fucked up and broken characters and make you ache for them. Keep Me, Cowboy was a short read but one full of feels as a family is forced to face how messed up they've become over the years and tries to piece their lives back together.
The Gist: 10 years earlier Cole left town and the girl he loved. He thought he was doing the right thing at the time but now that she's forcing him to come back to town and face his family (the one she wishes were her own) and her? Well, he's realizing maybe he hadn't had it right all those years ago after all.
"I don't know who I am. All I've ever done is look for family, and no one wants that from me. So, I don't know who to be."
These two. Man they made my heart hurt. Jess is a former foster kid who has only ever wanted to fit in and be part of a family but is finding out that maybe the family she thought she fit with and tried so hard to be a part of the past ten years...doesn't see her the same way. She's sweet and earnest and just lovely. And Cole. Well he's spent his whole life feeling like an outsider in his own family. Never good enough. Never right. So he bailed instead of sticking it out. It hurt watching them both deal with their feelings and trying to figure out who they were all these years later. To themselves and each other. And how they fit with the family that was breaking their hearts, as well.
The romance is heartbreaking, too. So much hurt and frustration between them. So many lost years. But they were sweet together and I loved watching them heal and find each other again.
All in all, Keep Me, Cowboy was an emotional read. Not just with the romance but the family behind them as well. Seeing them own up to the years of not listening to one another, not sharing their feelings or really acting like a family. Seeing them all try to put the past behind them and move on to something better and whole. Things aren't perfect when everything ends but there's hope and change happening and it's a heart warming thing to see.
I've really enjoyed Beck's books and had such a good time with book one-- Emergency Engagement. And LOVED book two-- Emergency Delivery. It was one of my favorite reads this year.
Emergency Attraction and I, though? Well, yall, we did not get along. No, ma'am. We sure did not. The Gist: It's been 10 years since things fell apart between Shane and Sinclair. He went off to join the Marines and by the time he was able to get in touch she decided she didn't want to hear from him anymore because he'd not contacted her soon enough. And so they went on to lead their separate lives. Now he's back in town for a job he's determined to set things right between them.
Yeah. So this one didn't work for me. I didn't connect with either character or feel like we ever got to know them. I totally fell in love with the previous characters but these I was just meh over and never felt giddy over them. I didn't like their drama, either. Or the heroine's tendency to slap the hero whenever she was pissed or how she'd run away when she didn't like how things were going. I didn't feel the chemistry between them either. And, lord, you'd think after all these years they wouldn't be stupid enough to NOT use condoms or even talk about protection... but they were. *hangs head* That's pretty much when I was done with them because they just didn't learn anything since their teen years. The whole thing just fell flat.
I've really enjoyed Beck's books and had such a good time with book one-- Emergency Engagement. And LOVED book two-- Emergency Delivery. It was one of my favorite reads this year.
Emergency Attraction and I, though? Well, yall, we did not get along. No, ma'am. We sure did not. The Gist: It's been 10 years since things fell apart between Shane and Sinclair. He went off to join the Marines and by the time he was able to get in touch she decided she didn't want to hear from him anymore because he'd not contacted her soon enough. And so they went on to lead their separate lives. Now he's back in town for a job he's determined to set things right between them.
Yeah. So this one didn't work for me. I didn't connect with either character or feel like we ever got to know them. I totally fell in love with the previous characters but these I was just meh over and never felt giddy over them. I didn't like their drama, either. Or the heroine's tendency to slap the hero whenever she was pissed or how she'd run away when she didn't like how things were going. I didn't feel the chemistry between them either. And, lord, you'd think after all these years they wouldn't be stupid enough to NOT use condoms or even talk about protection... but they were. *hangs head* That's pretty much when I was done with them because they just didn't learn anything since their teen years. The whole thing just fell flat.
Oh my gosh. Yall! These two were so much fun! Childhood frenemies. Meddling mamas. Sass, snark, squirm-worthy heat. Gah, yes! Completing the Pass was a total win.
The quick of it is that sometimes life is a bitch and the person you least want to help you weather the storms turns out to be the one person that's exactly what you need. So's the case for Carri and Josh. She's dealing with an ill father and having to uproot her life in another state to come home and help with him. And Josh is dealing with huge changes at work as he's suddenly pulled from second string quarterback to leading the team in the coming season. Stress galore and a desperate need for an escape kinda have them reconsidering all their past gripes with each other. Maybe.
Seriously. I loved these two together. They revel in giving each other hell and throwing a good zing. They're fun and just made me laugh as they drove each other nutty and then had the horror of suddenly starting to feel something...nice about the other. lol There were some hilarious moments, some really sweet and whew the heat was delicious! They definitely have chemistry and all that snarky sassiness flying between them so translated to yummy things once they hit the sheets.
I liked them as people too and getting to see them on their jobs and dealing with real life. Time on the field with the other footballers and learning how to deal with the media and fans suddenly turning all eyes on Josh. And with Carri struggling between needing/wanting to be home to help with her dad but also needing to be home and dealing with the life she'd created in another state--I totally related to that since I've had that battle before. It all really brought their characters to life and gave them a well rounded feel.
I really loved that they were there for each other when life really got hard. There's a lot of light hearted fun in this one but there's also some pretty serious stuff on the home front and I just loved them as they fought to survive it all.
All in all...yes! Murray did it again. Hilarious, heart warming and make-you-fan-yourself hot! Bring on the next!
Oh my gosh. Yall! These two were so much fun! Childhood frenemies. Meddling mamas. Sass, snark, squirm-worthy heat. Gah, yes! Completing the Pass was a total win.
The quick of it is that sometimes life is a bitch and the person you least want to help you weather the storms turns out to be the one person that's exactly what you need. So's the case for Carri and Josh. She's dealing with an ill father and having to uproot her life in another state to come home and help with him. And Josh is dealing with huge changes at work as he's suddenly pulled from second string quarterback to leading the team in the coming season. Stress galore and a desperate need for an escape kinda have them reconsidering all their past gripes with each other. Maybe.
Seriously. I loved these two together. They revel in giving each other hell and throwing a good zing. They're fun and just made me laugh as they drove each other nutty and then had the horror of suddenly starting to feel something...nice about the other. lol There were some hilarious moments, some really sweet and whew the heat was delicious! They definitely have chemistry and all that snarky sassiness flying between them so translated to yummy things once they hit the sheets.
I liked them as people too and getting to see them on their jobs and dealing with real life. Time on the field with the other footballers and learning how to deal with the media and fans suddenly turning all eyes on Josh. And with Carri struggling between needing/wanting to be home to help with her dad but also needing to be home and dealing with the life she'd created in another state--I totally related to that since I've had that battle before. It all really brought their characters to life and gave them a well rounded feel.
I really loved that they were there for each other when life really got hard. There's a lot of light hearted fun in this one but there's also some pretty serious stuff on the home front and I just loved them as they fought to survive it all.
All in all...yes! Murray did it again. Hilarious, heart warming and make-you-fan-yourself hot! Bring on the next!...more
Such a cute cover! Wrapped Up In You was an okay read. Did I love it? No. Did I like it? Yep. Seems to be the trend for me with Shalvis the last few wSuch a cute cover! Wrapped Up In You was an okay read. Did I love it? No. Did I like it? Yep. Seems to be the trend for me with Shalvis the last few which is a bit disappointing.
The Gist: Kel is in town for a few weeks helping his cousin with security while he's on administrative leave after an injury and the man realizes he has a thing for spicy tacos and the fiery woman who makes them. Troublesome for sure.
Alright. So the bad stuff out of the way first. I'm REALLY tired of all the man bashing. That's the main thing that stuck in my head after reading this one. I'm tired of heroines and their girlfriends constantly going on about men suck, men are assholes, men are scum, liars, etc. And tired of the man always being the one to grovel or apologize even when they're not totally at fault. He should 100% trust when she doesn't 100% trust. It's just boorish and I'm sick of it.
My other issue was Kel's mom. She cheated on his dad for a couple years before he died, then promptly abandoned her young kids when he died and shacked up and married the guy she cheated with. And everyone's like Kel you need to get over it and be nice to her. Fuck. That. You don't abandon your children especially after they've lost their father and then come back once they're grown and get an easy do-over. The reasons for both were lame in my opinion, too, and just meant to excuse bad behavior of yet another woman and put a man in the "shame on you" category. So...grrr!
Whew okay that's out of the way.
The good stuff.
I loved Kel! He's one of those guys that has a quiet intensity about him. He's been hurt in the past but he's a good man who does what's right and has a steady patience about him that's so dang sexy. He's not in a rush. He'll get where he wants to be he's just gonna wait for you to beg him to be there. He was definitely the highlight of the book.
Ivy was okay for the most part. She is a very hard worker and a determined soul. Pulling herself out from nothing and going after her dreams. That's all pretty awesome. And she's a cook which is fun. I had some frustrations with her on trust. She has issues because of her family especially her brother who's scummy. He's destroyed her trust. But then she keeps trusting him whenever he shows up. And then the people she SHOULD trust she hides things from them and lies to them. Which was an entirely moronic situation in my opinion.
The romance was okay, too. I liked them together as a whole. They balanced each other out nicely with his steady patience and her higher strung neurotic self. Had nice chemistry and heat. They both had some trust issues but it seemed like his were harped on more than hers though hers caused more issues.
Overall...an okay read. Which is disappointing from a Shalvis book. The last couple just have missed the mark for me. I wish she'd go back to the Lucky Harbor vibes really and stop with the man bashing. That's getting old. Especially when the men in question are pretty amazing and the women rocking just as many flaws (yet you never hear the heroes going on how women are the scum of the earth)...more
Second Chance Cowboy was an okay read. I enjoyed it even if I had a couple quibbles along the way.
The Gist: 8 some years ago Larissa high tailed it oSecond Chance Cowboy was an okay read. I enjoyed it even if I had a couple quibbles along the way.
The Gist: 8 some years ago Larissa high tailed it out of town doing the classy thing and breaking up with her boyfriend via text. Now she's coming home to mend fences before she starts her life over in yet another city. Matt? Poor lug that's along for the ride.
I liked Matt. The guy doesn't have an easy life. He's managing two large ranches after his father died and trying to survive his baby sister's wedding planning and he's nursing a long ago broken heart, too. He's a good guy and hard working. Larissa. I did appreciate she was going about fixing the past. I thought her reasoning was pretty dumb for her running originally but I didn't hate her in the least.
The romance was okay. I love the second chance trope and seeing them together was nice. It missed on a few points for me and I thought she needed to grovel a bit more before he was like oh okay no worries on all that.
Overall Second Chance Cowboy was entertaining but not quite memorable. Okay for when you need a quick read one night. ...more
Aw Christmas in the country. A Very Country Christmas was adorable!
The Gist: A quiet Christmas for two suddenly has 8 more people, a3.5stars, 1.5 heat
Aw Christmas in the country. A Very Country Christmas was adorable!
The Gist: A quiet Christmas for two suddenly has 8 more people, a ton of food, a herd of dogs and a lot of crazy that Lottie has to wrangle.
I enjoyed Lottie and Rory. She's such a sweetheart. She had planned just a quiet holiday with her fiance but then kept collecting people who needed a bit more Christmas spirit in their lives. She throws herself all in to everything and was just a cute heroine. And Rory. Well he may seem a bit distracted and like he's not paying proper attention to things but he's got a good heart, too, and is very sweet and thoughtful in his own way.
The romance was an ongoing one. They're already engaged, actually. It was more just a continuation of their relationship as they go through a holiday together.
Overall, it was cute. I enjoyed meeting the couple and their crazy friends/family. Sweet to see them all there for Christmas together and enjoying time together. Food, traditions, some funny moments and sweet ones. I enjoyed it and would like to read more from the series. ...more
Dirty Work was a cute second chance novella. A fixer upper house and a dirty bargain between recent exes...handywork for orgasms. Mmhm.
I liked Fiona Dirty Work was a cute second chance novella. A fixer upper house and a dirty bargain between recent exes...handywork for orgasms. Mmhm.
I liked Fiona and Jake. They're both a little stubborn in admitting their feelings to themselves but they were nice characters and people. Easy to get along with.
It was a cute romance or rekindling. They'd had a dumb fight and broke up but really did love each other just didn't know how to fix things or if the other even wanted them still. The naughty bargain was rather fun. A good in for fixing things up. Things do get nicely steamy and I enjoyed seeing them grow up a bit and figure things out.
Overall, a fun read. It's quick and a little dirty and just right for an evening in. 3 stars, 3 heat ...more
Fresh in the Kitchen was a cute friends to lovers romance in a yummy setting.
The Gist: Aubrey and Thomas both have an issue. She desperately needs a Fresh in the Kitchen was a cute friends to lovers romance in a yummy setting.
The Gist: Aubrey and Thomas both have an issue. She desperately needs a date to her sister's wedding and he needs a buffer between him and his daddy during an awards banquet. So Aubrey is like hey! be my fake boyfriend! And Thomas is like omg I've wanted to be her real boyfriend forever so I'll take what I can get!
I liked Aubrey and Thomas. They're both talented-- she's a bartender at the restaurant where he's head chef. They're dedicated to their work and best friends. Both are just easy to like and be around.
The romance was slow going since, well, she has no clue he wants more and he's too chicken to say he wants more. lol He's a little bit of a beta hero I guess. A little alpha pops out now and again but not often. Things are kept pretty PG as they work together and head out to family events together.
Overall it was a cute read. It could have had a few more layers and I would have liked more heat but overall not bad at all. I liked the restaurant setting, too. ...more
Well, the heroine was an idiot and needed to be taken out by a freak giant octopus eating human accident but other than that Heat of 2.5 stars, 3 heat
Well, the heroine was an idiot and needed to be taken out by a freak giant octopus eating human accident but other than that Heat of the Night was fun.
The Gist: On the run from her family who's upset her Selena decides she needs to spice things up for the night and hook up with a stranger from the bar, gets herself knocked up and then tries to run from that, too.
Alright. So Evan was a good guy mostly. He had one bad reaction that lasted 12 hours but other than that he's a good guy. He's a firefighter and goes all in when once he's set his mind to something. He's determined, too. Selena, though. Lord. She's a brat. With her family and her relationship. If she doesn't get her way and people don't change their entire lives for her...she cuts them out. She's irrational and just obnoxious most of the time. Though she's a good painter at least.
The romance. Yeaaaaah. I was serious about that giant octopus eating her and leaving the hero a (view spoiler)[ single daddy in need of a sweet nanny to help care for his baby (hide spoiler)]
Alright so my big issue was the heroine (view spoiler)[ She gets pregnant and decides that the hero can have nothing to do with the baby because...he's a firefighter. That's her reason. She's not going to subject her baby to the trauma of having a firefighter daddy so he can just pay child support and never meet it. She also writes off her brother who is in the military because he's deploying and he might die so she's going to have nothing to do with him or speak to him again because he wont quit and get a safe job (hide spoiler)] I just nope.
So, yeah. Heat of the Night was mostly a miss because of the heroine but it was an easy read and I liked the hero and some of the side characters so might be willing to try another. ...more
Oh my word. You ever meet a couple and you like them. They're decent people. Fun to be around. But all you can think is thank the fuc3.5 stars, 3 heat
Oh my word. You ever meet a couple and you like them. They're decent people. Fun to be around. But all you can think is thank the fucking starts you two paired off and took each other out of the dating/gene pool?! Yes. That would be Aiden and Melissa. Bless their wackadoodle hearts. lol
The Gist: A hotel and casino are forming a partnership and there's a lot of lead up work which brings Aiden--who owns the hotel with his siblings-- and Melissa-- who works for the casino up close and personal in more ways than one. If they can just get on the same page.
Oh lawdy. Aiden and Melissa. They're both hard workers and good at what they do. Though he's a bit of a wild child who's not always proper and likes to have a good time and Melissa's a bit uptight and by the book.
Now the romance. Oh my gosh. Yall. These two were a freaking handful. They just could NOT get on the same page. They both want to strip each other naked and do filthy things but when he was all woohoo! she was all...wait, we shouldn't do this! Then by the time he finally gave up she was like well why the hell doesn't he want to fuck me silly?!! And by then he was pissed as all hell. Until she finally felt crushed and like maybe she'd misread things and he really wasn't into her and by then he was like I should just get over myself since she's wanting to have a go.
And oh my god. Over and over these two would bicker and fight and fuck and rinse and repeat. smh I wanted to shake them both until they fell out on the same side. lol I didn't feel a strong falling in love with them since they spent more time at odds than with each other but they fit well with each other with their crazy ass selves. lol
There's a little woo-woo happening, too. Aiden can wield the weather and when he's broody, well, the skies are, too. He can also cause orgasms from another room. From another floor of the hotel even! Kinda fun, though, I did think he skated the line of acceptable behavior now and again with that consent-wise.
Overall, though, it was a fun read. A little rough and not too deep but fun. Even if it took me nearly a week to read it. More me than the book on that last bit, though. ...more
Get a Clue was entertaining, though. A little mystery, a lotta snow, a hunky naked man in your hotel roCover lies! Cover lies! There is no puppy! lol
Get a Clue was entertaining, though. A little mystery, a lotta snow, a hunky naked man in your hotel room when you arrive. I mean. #score
The Gist: Cooper and Breanne both need an escape. Him from his job. Her from being jilted at the alter. Problem? Well, they've both been booked for the same lodge, the staff is all squirrely, there's like 8,000 feet of snow and now... a dead body in the cellar. Lordy this vacation.
Cooper and Breanne were both fun characters. He's a city cop who's feeling burned out by love and by work. Good solid man with a little wicked streak but honorable and steady. A good protector for sure. Breanne, well, the girl's been left at the alter...again. She's DONE with men. lol She was entertaining. Has some quirks and a vivid imagination and goes all flaily now and again but I enjoyed her quite a bit.
The romance was more I need to jump you real bad but it was fun as well. Some bickering and teasing and some nice steam once things settled in. I liked how they worked together, too.
Now a little different from Shalvis's norm but there was a murder mystery element since Breanne kinda stumbles on a body in her search for comfort-wine. lol And of course they're stuck in the middle of nowhere in a blizzard with no power, 4 suspicious but endearing employees and, well, a dead body that needs 'splain. I did really like the whole staff even though they were a spot odd and Shalvis had me guessing what really happened and who did it. A little twist in there, too.
Overall, a pretty good read. Fun characters and setting, a little mystery, a cozy love den for two quirky but lovely individuals.
Charmed by the Cowboy was cute with a side of drama.
The Gist: Sometimes you're out being all manly and cowboying and then you find y3.5 stars, 2 heat
Charmed by the Cowboy was cute with a side of drama.
The Gist: Sometimes you're out being all manly and cowboying and then you find yourself a baby goat. A baby goat in a red gown. And then your manly self is trotting around carrying a baby goat in a red gown trying to find said baby goat's human mama. Quite the way to meet your new neighbor.
Cooper and Beth were nice. He's all sexy cowboy with a heart of gold and a protective streak a mile wide. And Beth is pretty solid, too. She's a goat in clothes photographer. lol She makes calendars of them. She was nice. Resourceful and ready to make a go of her new life. I liked them both.
The romance was minimal unfortunately. They were good together and had chemistry but really more of the book was spent with them dealing with their perspective stalkers and fall out from them. I wish that had taken a little more of a back seat to their romance. It was just a trickle then a boom I love you. Not my favorite type in a story.
Overall, though, Charmed by the Cowboy was an easy read. Perfect for a hot summer evening when you just need a cowboy quickie with a side of dressed up baby goats. ...more
Well the cover is what snagged me. But the story kept me entertained, too!
The Gist: Holly has had a thing for Cash since they were ki3.5 stars, 3 heat
Well the cover is what snagged me. But the story kept me entertained, too!
The Gist: Holly has had a thing for Cash since they were kids. But her best friend had a drunken fling with him years earlier and wound up pregnant and married to him. After he's widowed and Holly returns home, well, the temptation is there but there are too many secrets in their way.
I liked Holly and Cash. They were both hurt quite a bit by his wife/her best friend who was a pretty selfish chick. Both have some trust issues and lots of hurts and they keep piling on as the past comes back to haunt them. I liked them, though. He's an awesome daddy and good guy. She's smart and has a way with animals.
Their romance was a little slow. The temptation and chemistry there but all the other issues there, too. It took them a while to sort things out and get over themselves. A bit of steam, a bit of frustration, a bit of sweetness. It was a nice mix though I wish the romance had been a little more.
Overall, Saving the Sheriff was a good read. I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the siblings find their matches. ...more
Whew. Sucks having to go back home after over a decade when no one there has known if you were dead or alive. And now there are all the feelings you'vWhew. Sucks having to go back home after over a decade when no one there has known if you were dead or alive. And now there are all the feelings you've tried not to fee this whole time.
The Gist: Jackson left town as a teenager when his father beat him and kicked him out. He decided to vanish. Left everything behind and it's been over a decade since he's had any contact with anyone other than one auntie who's been sworn to keep his life secret. But she's called him home and he has to face friends and family who've had no idea if he was alive or dead all these years. Including the girl he used to love who married his best friend shortly after he left and is hiding one whopper of a secret.
Jackson and Veronica. Okay. Jackson had a terrible childhood. He made something of himself after he left, though. He's stoic and isolated and I felt for him. He was a broken child when he ran and kept people at arms distance ever since. It was hard watching him try to mend fences and deal with his emotions. He's a great guy, though, and I loved watching him with Veronica's kids.
Veronica? She was okay. I had some struggles with her personality and the whole you're good enough to fuck but not keep thing. She's had a hard life as well, though, and is a hard worker and does her best. So I didn't hate her. I just wanted to shake her now and again.
The romance was okay, too. They had a childhood connection. Were first loves. First heartbreaks.
There was a little suspense as he dealt with a leak at his company though it was somewhat easy to figure out.
My big issue was that his father was abusive and everyone just brushed it off and were like you shouldn't have run, you should mend fences. I'm sorry. No. If you beat your child and throw them out no one should be defending you or acting like the child (even if grown now) should get over it. That really irked me. And none seem surprised that was why he left just you should have come to xyz for help and a place to stay. Ahhh!
Overall. An okay read. Not fantastic but not terrible. Had some good elements but nothing that's too incredibly memorable or makes me want to shout you neeeeed to read this now!! Ah well. ...more
His Best Friend's Sister is a fast read and overall cute but good gracious this heroine needed to be shaken.
The Gist: Zack's been half in love with hHis Best Friend's Sister is a fast read and overall cute but good gracious this heroine needed to be shaken.
The Gist: Zack's been half in love with his best friend's sister since basically ever. But Laurel has been off limits. The whole friend thing. Then she was married thing. But a drunken night...on her part...has him coming to the rescue and finally gives him the chance to tell her how he really feels.
Zack is such a good guy! Oh my gosh. He's successful and kind. Has the patience of a saint and is just one of those guys who does the right thing, loves those around him and that you want to spend time with. Unless you're Laurel. Who is a trial. She's been hurt in the past by an ex and because of it she just will not give Zack a chance and is a pain in the butt. Stubborn and ridiculous and making way too big a deal out of her past and using it against Zack. She was not my favorite person. I didn't hate her but she came real close there in the middle to needing a rogue carriage to run her ass over.
The romance was slow since, well, Laurel. Poor Zack. I would not have blamed him for moving on and finding someone else who could admit they wanted him, too. They finally got there somehow. There's some steam but not a ton. The chemistry. Eh. Not amazing. More relying on having known each other forever and the comfort of that.
Overall, it was a cute read mainly because of Zack who is doing whatever he can to get his girl. He was also incredible with her two kids. It was just so sweet on that front. ...more
The Gist: Noah and Kit have known each other for ages and things were getting intimate until he screwed it up in a glorOh my. Rock Redemption, indeed.
The Gist: Noah and Kit have known each other for ages and things were getting intimate until he screwed it up in a glorious way and ruined their friendship. Now, though, a stalker on the loose, dealing with family and career issues they're going to have to get up close and personal with each other. Even if it is all just pretend.
Kit and Noah. Goodness. Kit has the patience of a saint and is much more forgiving a person than I am. Noah. He's a broken man. His childhood shattered him and he's never dealt with it in a healthy way. So he fucks up. And he fucks up badly. Your heart breaks for him, though. He does do some things right and it's lovely and seeing him try and overcome his past has you rooting for him. And Kit. Like I said. She's a tough one. She puts up with a lot but isn't a doormat, either. She's strong and talented and has a heart of gold.
The romance is slow moving because, hello the fuck up he fucked up. It was bad, yall. I really was okay with him getting hit by a rogue carriage for a while. But as things go along and they have to deal with each other there's a sweetness to them. Chemistry but kept PG for quite a while. I did wind up absolutely loving their romance and how they formed a life together despite the challenges.
There's some drama as well. Both have things that they're dealing with. His childhood and how he copes with it. Her with a stalker and her career being on a precipice. It added a good bit of drama and excitement though the big reveal on her issue was a bit guessable.
Overall, fantastic read. Compelling and heartwarming. I enjoyed their journey and seeing how hard they both worked to overcome their troubles and find a good life together. ...more
I've been loving Lauren Landish this past month and even though I don't love dual author books I decided to give Inked a try. Eh. I2.5-3 stars, 3 heat
I've been loving Lauren Landish this past month and even though I don't love dual author books I decided to give Inked a try. Eh. It was okay. Far from special, though.
The Gist:
Alright, so, Madeline and Zane. They were okay, though, honestly, I had to look up their names not even an hour after reading it. Zane was the bad boy tattoo artist. A bit pushy and involved with the mob but good guy under it. Madeline is the broken hearted college student. She's rather bitchy and rude for no good reason. One guy breaks her heart so treat all of them like scum? Oooookay. Other than that she wasn't horrendous. Just bland, I guess.
The romance was basically her hating on him and him promising not to give up. A few sex scenes sprinkled in eventually. There really wasn't any development on the romance side.
Now, there was a lot of ridiculous. Him being connected to the mob and them using his store as a front. He's all I need to protect Maddy from that life...so let's constantly hang out at my parlor until she accidentally sees them unloading drugs into the shop? (which in itself was stupid since the shop was used to launder money and they had a warehouse where they packaged/dealt with the drugs but okay). Because that's brilliant? lol And the mob apparently lives in fear of him even though he can't shoot for shit and trips over his own feet when danger arrives? Again...ooookay.
I don't know. It was lackluster and ridiculous. It wasn't the worst thing I've read...I did manage to finish it. But will I read more? Nope. I like Landish so can only assume it was the co-writing. Which doesn't make me want to check out the other author either.
Everyone else loved it, though, apparently. I felt it was less than mediocre. Also cum vs come about drove me insane. ...more
Sometimes a girl's focus is her cupcake. Sometimes real frosted cupcakes from a bakery. Sometimes a naughty one that hot new guy is gonna take care ofSometimes a girl's focus is her cupcake. Sometimes real frosted cupcakes from a bakery. Sometimes a naughty one that hot new guy is gonna take care of and frost himself. Mmhm.
The Gist: Last thing Charlotte wants or needs is a man. She's focused on her new business and besides men aren't worth the hassle. Too bad the SEAL returning home to help his family has set his eyes on her.
Lance and Charlotte were fun. He's a good guy. Home to help the family business after a lifetime of being a SEAL. Rocking some good looks and a big heaping of protective instinct. He's a cutie for sure and trying to figure his new life as a civilian out. Charlotte is figuring things out, too. She's a bit of a cynic and one serious worker --she's opening a bakery. Creative and determined and a bit of a flight risk where her heart is concerned.
I really liked the two together. They could be sexy and sweet and sometimes just flat out cheesy and silly. They definitely had the heat happening. And things do get delightfully dirty.
There was a nice mix of drama as she gets her bakery up and running and they also deal with the series big bad and issues there coming to a head. A bit over the top but it was still fun. I did think things with her family were a forgotten thread for the book. They were such an issue and then just...not.
Overall a fun read!
The series as a whole was pretty good. Some cheesy/icky set things-- like bits oozing or "splitting the heroine in half he's so big" kind of thing. And they're all absolute morons who fuck people they've just met without a condom. But other than that things were good. ...more
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