Friday, May 27, 2016
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Review: "Wish List" by Belinda Williams (Contemporary Romance)
Wish List (#4) by Belinda Williams Publisher: Momentum Books - Moonlight Series: City Love The Boyfriend Sessions (#1) The Pitch (#2) Modern Heart (#3) (Affil Links) Genre: Contemporary Romance Publication Date: May 26, 2016 (Affiliate links) | |
Description from Publisher: Could the wrong man on paper be the perfect man in real life?
Cate Harmon likes lists. While this may serve her well as a financial planner, her girlfriends think that creating a checklist for her ideal man is going a step too far. But she has one, and she's sticking to it. Cate has always dreamed of starting a family and settling down and yet she's the only one of her close knit friendship group still unattached. But that doesn't mean she's going to lower her standards. Enter Dave, a reformed bad boy with gorgeous hair and eyes the wrong color. Dave doesn't tick any of the boxes on Cate's list. It's unthinkable that she would develop feelings for him, and yet ... Cate finds herself being drawn to Dave in a way she's never felt before. Will Cate confront the reasons behind her list? Or will she risk losing a man who could be better than any list she could ever dream up? | |
My Rating:
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Heat Rating:
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I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.com for an honest, unbiased review. My opinion is my own. So, I liked this. Surprising depth and even some darkness (primarily with Cate's family - they are definitely toxic!). Cate's character was likable, but there were things about her that put me off. For instance, I didn't actually get the impression that she was as much of a romantic as everyone claimed. That may be because this was the first book in the series that I have read and it's the 4th. It was disappointing to me that Cate found out about Dave's wealth so quickly and the timing for that reveal wasn't great. She does more open to dating him soon after that, which doesn't dissuade you from thinking that she is a snob. I wanted her to find out about his wealth AFTER falling for him. Dave was a bit too gruff for my tastes, though I did like him as well. The thing I liked most was how he treated people, generally being happy to help in any way that he could. The issues that came to light about his dad and how they were dealt with felt melodramatic. The tension between the two was great though, and I liked them as a couple. They seemed to be well-matched. I do wish this had more of a focus on her list, as it seemed to imply in the description. I had been under the impression that she was going to actually have a list that she took too seriously that included things like a certain eye color. Mostly, she wanted a rich guy who was successful and that's what she got. There wasn't a love triangle, despite the fact a few dates with a guy who "checked several boxes" were mentioned. I didn't ever believe that she cared much for James. Overall, this was a nice read and likely a good ending to this series. |
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Review: "Never Let Go" by Allison B. Hanson (Contemporary Romance)
Never Let Go by Allison B. Hanson Publisher: Kensington Books - Lyrical Shine Series: Blue Ridge Romance When Least Expected (#1) Nick of Time (#2) (Affiliate Links) Genre: Contemporary Romance Publication Date: May 24, 2016 (Affiliate links) | |
Description from Publisher: Riley Fisher doesn't have time to chase after men. As a single mother working two jobs, she barely has time to eat or sleep. But a girl has needs. So when handsome veteran Sam Brooks asks her out, she decides she deserves some R&R. She doesn't expect anything else from him—after all, he's hardly the type to get serious.
Sam came back from Afghanistan lucky to be alive, despite PTSD that hits whenever he lets down his guard. His therapist told him to forget about relationships. When he meets Riley, he's not planning on breaking the rules. She's cute, petite, and a total smartass—not even his type. But she's hard to forget. Especially once he runs into Riley and her toddler on a rustic mountain getaway and sees what he's missing. Her kid makes him laugh all day. And Riley makes him burn all night. Too bad a relationship is impossible. But they can enjoy the attraction. It's not like they're going to fall in love… | |
My Rating:
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Heat Rating:
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I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.com for an honest, unbiased review. This in no way influenced my review. My opinion is my 100% own. What an unexpectedly deep and heartwarming story! This is so much more than I thought it would be. It starts as a romance of a couple, but quickly becomes a love story of a FAMILY. The little boy, Luca, is wonderfully adorable. It's not always easy to write chils characters, but Hanson did so with so much heart and Luca is just so real. You also can't help but sympathize with Sam and Riley. They both have so much baggage, but are both trying to do the best they can with it. I liked that they are so open about their feelings and expectations, and that it wasn't a miscommunication that cause a rift. The issues that they have, Sam with PTSD from being deployed to a war zone, and Riley having to deal with a jerk ex-husband, are very genuine contemporary issues. Because of this, my heart broke at the climax, fearing things wouldn't work out like I wanted them to. I hadn't realized that this was a part of the "Blue Ridge Romance" series until partway through, but it wasn't really necessary to read the others - this really is standalone. The supporting characters all play their parts wonderfully. Most notably, I enjoyed the unusual, but not improbable, way Riley's ex-mother-in-law, Anita, who chose her ex-daughter-in-law over her a-hole son. Considering the focus on the family over the couple, I might classify this in more of the Womens Lit genre than romance, but I think this is still something your average lover of contemporary romance will thoroughly enjoy. |
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Review: "The Accidental Boyfriend" by Maggie Dallen (Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit)
The Accidental Boyfriend (#2) by Maggie Dallen Publisher: Lyrical Press Series: Chance Romance The Accidental Engagement (#1) (affil.) The Accidental Elopement (#3) (affil.) Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit Publication Date: May 24, 2016 (Affiliate links) | |
Description from Publisher: Holly Sinclair is ready to have it all. She's even found her Mr. Right--a steady, reliable guy who just needs a little convincing. Now all the former wild child has to do is free herself of her very inconvenient attraction to Jack Everett. Not only does the notorious playboy and tabloid king seduce her at her sister's wedding, he follows her to Paris! Suddenly, Holly is alone with Jack in the most romantic city in the world--and his family is leaping to the wrong conclusions…
The world's most infamous bachelor has finally met his match. If Jack was the type to settle down, Holly would be the woman of his dreams. There's just one hitch: Holly actually believes she wants to marry Mr. Oh-So-Boring. Intent on proving that she deserves someone better, Jack finds himself playing the role of the perfect boyfriend…a little too well. If he's not careful, he might just lose this game--and his heart. | |
My Rating:
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Sexiness Rating:
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I received a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.com for an honest, unbiased review. My opinion is my own. Let me start out by saying that I really like Jack, the male lead here. I had read "The Accidental Engagement" before reading this, and even with just the small glimpse you get of who he is, you can't help but like him. In this book, you get to know him for more than just an intelligent playboy and see him for who he actually is: a sweetheart who is also funny and sexy. This story has one of my favorite type of male leads: the guy who sells himself short and doesn't realize how awesome he is. I suppose that's referred to as the "beta male." I am a sucker for underdogs, so this really works for me! His humor and sweetness conjured up the image of James Marsden. I felt Holly wasn't quite as developed as Jack was, so I mostly rooted for them because I liked Jack so much and they seemed like a good fit. She's still a solid character that is very likable, however. She felt, amusingly enough, similar in disposition to Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," but with more sass. The sexual chemistry was electric between these characters, and the way their romance grows really works. There was no doubt that a solid foundation of friendship is built first and the bonding is sweet. There were many 'moments' between them that will make you smile, and the heat between the characters is all the better for it. I was impressed with the fact that Maggie Dallen chose her catalyst for wanting to "settle down" to be a miscarriage (worth noting here that it is merely mentioned and is unlikely to make anyone uncomfortable). As common as miscarriages are, they rarely come up and it was nicely handled here. All of that said, this does seem a bit predictable and while this can easily be read as a standalone novel, the reader will get more out of this if the first book is read. And, having read the first, that wouldn't be a hardship. ;) I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of the contemporary romance/romantic comedy genre. I look forward to the next book of the series! |
Friday, May 20, 2016
Review: "Conflicted" by Ruby Black (Contemporary Romance)
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