Book reviews from the week of September 27th

This was a 5 STAR week for me.

Jingle Balls Anthology by 20 authors

 #Anthology #RomanticComedy

5 STARS

Twenty authors contributed short stories that focus on raising money for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. Each story is tied to Testicular Cancer Awareness through Jingle Balls, Silent Auctions, survivor HEAs, and more. An excellent value and all for a great cause. Included is “Ball Sacked” by Christina Hovland. This short story ties into the Mile High Matched series and follows Anna Dvornakov. As the only girl in a family of rowdy brothers, Anna is attending the Juingle Balls Ball which is a fundraiser that includes a bachelor auction to raise money for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend is one of the bachelors being auctioned. Drake is a pro football player who is at the auction to try and win back the girl he lost. When Babushka gets involved, things are guaranteed to not go as planned. Shenanigans happen, and this becomes a night neither will forget. This was a very funny short story that I enjoyed immensely. All of the stories are very good and just the right size to read in the busy holiday season. The Duchess Deal (Girl Meets Duke #1) by Tessa Dare #HistoricalRomance  5 STARS This book was recommended by some reading friends, and I have been looking forward to reading it. It is written in third person from a dual POV. The bedroom is open door and the humor is fabulous. I was hooked into this book on the first page, and I must say that is a rare occurrence. I love a strong heroine, and Emma is definitely strong. At the same time she has a soft heart that has been broken several times, yet she has not allowed that to harden her optimism. Ash is the perfect grumpy, wounded hero. I love his dry sense of humor when Emma brings it out of him. He has so many insecurities resulting from his disfigurement and previous rejection and I love that Emma sees past the surface and sees the wounded heart of the man under the scars. I love that she challenges him at every turn, forcing him out of his shell. I love that she meets his challenges in the bedroom full on and the chemistry between these two is outstanding. I especially loved when they open up to each other and share their emotional wounds and their dreams. I really love that Ash is so possessive and protective of Emma before he even realizes that his feelings have become involved (despite his best grumpy efforts.) The characters are well-developed, the writing is superb, and the pacing of the story is just right. I enjoyed the secondary characters and their roles in the story, especially the friendship they bring to Emma and then to Ash. I really loved this book. I will be reading more of the series and definitely will be reading more of this author. Voyeur (Voyeur #1) by Fiona Cole #TabooRelationship #ProfessorStudentRomance 5 STARS Wow! Where do I begin with this one? This is written in first person from a dual POV, which is critical to understanding the thought processes of both Cal and Oaklyn. This is a student-professor taboo romance, but it is also so much more. This is a book that deals with voyeurism and exhibitionism, but it is so much more. Oaklyn is a student who is much more mature than her 19 years. She is determined, brave, and a very hard worker. The author does a good job of making the reader understand why Oaklyn takes a job at Voyeur, and also of the character's mixed emotions about her job. I also loved that some humor is incorporated into the story as Oaklyn comes to grips with her new reality. Callum has a painful past that is gradually revealed through the story. The author allows the reader to have a full understanding of why Cal has become a regular at the club. He is broken, damaged, and extremely vulnerable when he finally bares his past to Oaklyn. I love the closeness he feels with her, and the friendship they form. I adored the way she works to support him and to understand his limits. I love that he wants her enough to pursue healing and push past his limits to be with her. This book packs a five alarm fire worth of heat. The emotions between Cal & Oaklyn in their relationship, and as they overcome their many obstacles are intense. I have never read a book quite like this one. I am seriously impressed with the way the author handles some extremely difficult topics while still building the relationship between Cal and Oaklyn to get to their HEA. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. Orientation (Benchmarks) by Kate Canterbary #MMRomance #WorkplaceRomance 5 STARS This novella is a swoon-y MM romance spun off from the Walsh series and it is book 2 of the Benchmark series. It is written in first person from dual POV and covers almost a year in time. Max is the muscle mountain of a guy who teaches PE and has a heart of a teddy bear. He has survived the heartbreak of a cheating ex and is looking for a relationship where he doesn't have to sacrifice himself to be in it. Jory is the perfect nerdy new science teacher. He has the neat clothes and the weird ties and the anxiety of a perfectionist. They are absolutely perfect for each other. They both experience an instant attraction and Max feels an immediate need to care for and protect Jory- *sigh.* They have some heat and lots of feelings packed into this adorable story leading to a wonderful HEA. ARC of Evergreen (Callaghan Green #9) by Annie Dyer - Release Date: October 22nd #HolidayRomance 5 STARS Evergreen is part of the Callaghan Green series and it is not a standalone. You must read the other books in the series to get the full impact of this one. It is written in first person from multiple POV. The Callaghan family has grown with many family members finding love over the past couple of years. They all gather at Marie and Grant’s for a big family Christmas. There are more things than the holidays celebrated as we catch up with each member of the family. We also get to meet and get to know the Green cousins, setting up future books that are sure to be exciting. I love that we finally get to see inside some character’s thoughts that we have not been privy to before. Grant and Marie’s thoughts on their growing family, their relationship and their memories were sweet and enlightening. I loved being inside Seph’s head for the first time and knowing him from more than his family’s observations and speculation on his thoughts. This book sets up his upcoming book perfectly, transitioning him to a place where he is truly ready for love. There are several surprises in this book, that I will not spoil. This is the perfect holiday read this year, and if you don’t read it you are sure to regret it. The book moves along nicely with humor, sentimental emotion, and includes heat from the Callaghan couples. The warmth and love between the family members felt real and was very touching. It left me wanting more of this family and their stories as I am fully invested in them. I completely recommend this book.