Book reviews from the week of September 6th

Grumpy Fake Boyfriend by Jackie Lau 

#FakeRelationship

4 STARS

Will agrees to pose as Naomi's fake boyfriend for a long weekend with three other couples including her ex. Soon, emotions become all too real. This is complicated by Will's friendship with Naomi's brother, Jeremy. This is written in first person with a dual POV. Will is definitely an introvert. As a matter of fact, he reminds me a lot of my adult son. That ultimately gives me hope that he too can have a HEA someday despite his preference to stay home alone. Naomi is bubbly and social and I loved her confidence. I really enjoyed this book. It was my first time reading this author, but I felt like the characters and plot were tight. There was some humor as the characters bantered back and forth. There was also plenty of heat. I enjoyed the cultural references of Naomi and her friends. I love seeing a diverse character group in a book, and this one doesn't disappoint. I look forward to reading more by this author. Real Deal (Single Dad's Club #1)  by Piper Rayne  #SingleDadsRomance 4 STARS Marcus is 10 years older than Cat, and they have met before. Now she is his camp counselor, he has a daughter, and he cannot resist her any more. Cat has grown up a lot since she first met Marcus. I liked her, and her soft heart. Marcus is not always a very nice guy. He is a control freak, and yet he often says the absolutely worst thing. There were times when I really wanted to smack him. Lily, his daughter, is sweet and full of light and energy. I loved reading how much Marcus loved her, and it allowed me to see his softer side. I liked the setting and the other guys in the Single Dad's Club. There is heat and some angst in this one as they work through baggage to get their HEA. Dirty Talker (Single Dad's Club #2) by Piper Rayne #SingleDadRomance 4 STARS Dane takes his womanizing seriously. He is convinced that settling down is not for him. Ava is busy getting her bakery opened and successful so she believes that a friends with benefits arrangement could be perfect. Once she discovers that there is another side to Dane that few see, she knows she is in trouble. This story is written in first person from dual POV. I loved Ava. She is like a lot of us who believe we can settle for less than we deserve- until we can't. Dane really doesn't believe he has more to give her- until he does. His son, Toby, is adorable and he too falls for Ava. I love the relationship that Dane and Toby share. I love how quickly Ava falls for Toby and for Dane. I love the chemistry and heat between them- very hot. I love that they make each other better. I really love their HEA. This was a very enjoyable read for me. Sexy Beast (Single Dad's Club #3) by Piper Rayne #SingleDadRomance #BrothersBestFriend 4.5 STARS Garrett is the bear of a man who is quiet, stoic, and has a soft heart underneath. He is one of my favorite types of hero. He has been raising his 12 year old daughter alone since his wife died during childbirth. Charlie is smart, confident, educated, and has had a crush on Garrett since she was a young girl. He is her brother's best friend. I loved the faith that Charlie has in Garrett to overcome his fears and risk love again. I love that Garrett feels so protective of Charlie. The heat and the feelings between these two are phenomenal. I appreciated how real their feelings and challenges felt. I loved what a good dad Garrett is to Sydney. This was my favorite book of the series. This book brings, heat, humor, and romance that brought tears to my eyes. It was a very enjoyable read. Mine Until Moonrise (Lost Harbor, Alaska #1)  by Jennifer Bernard #EnemiesToLovers #SingleMomRomance 5 STARS This is my first book by this author. I was very excited to find a book set in Alaska and written by an author that lives there. After I lived there for 26 years, I have often found myself disappointed with books set in Alaska as they do not often get some basic aspects of living there correct. That was not the case with this novel. The author completely understands what living in a small harbor town feels like. I also appreciated her knowledge of boating and survival on the water in Alaska. The whole book left me more than a little homesick to revisit some of my favorite Alaskan haunts and remembering many good times of the life we had there while raising our family. Lucas is the perfect kind of grumpy fisherman hero. But there is more to him than meets the eye. I love that he has good character, a streak of protectiveness, and innate leadership authority with other locals. I also appreciated that he is struggling with the aftermath of his father's death. I liked that the author let him walk through the difficult emotions that are present when grieving a parent when the parent child relationship was difficult at best. His belief in Megan and his willingness to banter with her was fun to read. Megan and her adorable prodigy daughter, Ruby, have started over in Alaska to run a nature/birding charter. I love that Megan is a loving mom who wants her child to experience a full, well-rounded life and not just a good education based on books alone. I have witnessed many kids in Alaska having some of the experiences that Ruby has in the story and found it heartwarming (though they may be foreign to parents in a lot of other places.) I appreciate that Lucas helps Megan find her self-confidence and that he sees her as tough from the beginning. Their sparring and verbal banter is delightful and the chemistry between them is off the charts. This book contains moments of humor, a little drama, and some heat. It is written in third person from dual POV. I look forward to reading more in this series and more by this author who took me on a very enjoyable journey back to Alaska. Yours Since Yesterday (Lost Harbor, Alaska #2) by Jennifer Bernard #FriendsToLovers #RockStarRomance #SecondChanceRomance 5 STARS I loved reading Zoe and Padric's story. This is a book about childhood friends-reunited-to-lovers. It is written in third person from dual POV. Zoe does everything for everyone else before herself. She has put off dreams and given up on love after some bad luck in the romance department. Padric and Zoe were best friends until they were 15. After they were separated by a move, Padric grew to be an international music star. His return to Lost Harbor at a pivotal point in his career is eventful and life changing. I loved the humor in this book. Zoe's family is loud, energetic, and passionate- leading to some funny and poignant events. I love the friendship that Zoe and Padric share, their knowledge of how to read each other is such a treat. There is some drama, some mystery and some heartache along the way to their HEA. But Padric realizes what is important to him in his life. Zoe learns to take some chances, and to put her own happiness at a higher priority. This series is a real joy for me and I cannot wait to read more.