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Book reviews from the week of April 4th

 


I had a fabulous week reading.  Even working more than I planned to this week, I managed to read 5 ARCs and a novella prequel.  Small towns, rock stars, and sports romance filled my kindle this week and I enjoyed them all.  I love a good romantic comedy and this week I had several.  Take a look and grab your next read from these new and upcoming releases.


Come to Me (Dare With Me #3) by J.H. Croix

ARC: Release Date- 4/13/2021

#SmallTown #Military #ARC

5 STARS

Gemma and Diego have a wonderful story that is written in first person from a dual POV.  It is set in the fictional town of Diamond Creek, Alaska.  I love Diego and his brotherhood with the men whom he served in the Air Force and now flies.  I love that he comes from a large and loving family and that his parents had a love story that shaped him.  I love his tender heart and I adore his looks: he is totally my type.

Gemma is starting fresh in Alaska.  I can tell you that after living in Alaska for 26 years, a lot of people go there to start fresh.  There were so many things I related to with Gemma’s story.  I remember being new to Alaska.  I remember how amazed I was the first time I went dip netting.  It is described so perfectly in this book.  I love how she finally fits in her new, small town in a way she never felt like she fit before.  I love the attraction she has with Diego and how fast they fall for each other.

This story packs heat and romance as they fall fast and hard for each other.   I love their connection and how even the physical means so much more from the start. I love that their black moment is really more grey as they get to know each other and their own feelings which have developed so quickly.  I love this story and the characters of this family and small town.  I cannot wait to read more.



Nashville Nights (Music City Lovers #2) by Julie Capulet

ARC: Release Date- 4/13/2021

#RockStar #NewAdult #WounderHero #HealingLove #ARC

5 STARS

This story follows Vaughn as he falls head over heels at first sight for Gigi.  Their story is written n first person from a dual POV.

Gigi is almost 21, a social work student, and more than a little innocent.  Vaughn (24) is the wild, playboy, drummer of a #1 rock band.  He lives his life on the edge.  He buries pain and regrets from his past in alcohol, drugs, and women.  He only wants to be numb.  Then he sees Gigi.

I adore love at first sight, and Vaughn falls hard.  There is no doubt that the physical attraction plays a part for both when they first meet.  I love that Gigi recognizes immediately that he has the power to break her heart and tries to protect herself.  I love her kindness, her empathy, and her intelligence.  I adore that they connect on a soul level immediately.  One of my favorite heroes is the man who is hurt and struggling and then healed by love.  Vaughn is definitely that.  I really appreciated his struggle, his pain, and his self-recrimination.  He realizes that he is trying to be numb, he just does not know what else to do.  I love the calm and peace that Gigi brings him.  I also appreciate that he is not instantly healed, and it takes time to get there. The heat in this book is smoking hot.  Their physical connection is intense.  Some scenes are near kindle melting as they come together. I really enjoyed their story, and I cannot wait to read Kade’s story next. If you like a Rockstar romance where the hero falls hard and fast, you will not want to miss this one.



I Pucking Love You (Copper Valley Thrusters #5) 
by Pippa Grant

ARC: Release Date 4/8/2021

#SportsRomance #Romantic Comedy #ARC

5 Stars

I pucking loved this book! It deserves more that only 5 stars.  I have been waiting for both Tyler and Muffy’s stories since they appeared as secondary characters in previous books.  I love that these two get together.  Their story is written in first person from a dual POV.

Tyler is the youngest of six children.  He is a successful hockey player, and he has a little problem he does not want to discuss.  Muffy is a little bit awkward, but I adored her lack of filter.  I understood her self-consciousness and her self-esteem issues.  She has the biggest heart, and she will do anything for someone she cares about.  This is how she winds up needing a date to a funeral.  And the fun begins there.  I laughed until I cried several times reading this book.  There are hot times, funny times, and some very romantic times.  I love the cameos from other character appearances. I love the positive appearances of the puck bunnies.  I love how protective Tyler is with Muffy and how he accepts and loves her for who she is.  I adore her friends and how they come to support her when she needs it.  I love the message of being the best you without being weighed down by the expectations of others.  The awkward heroine is one of my favorite types of heroine.  I absolutely loved this book.  It was exactly what I needed to read, and I highly recommend it.



Sweetened (Severton Search and Rescue #5) 
by Annie Dyer

ARC: Release Date- 4/14/2021

#SmallTown #EnemiesToLovers #RomanticComedy #ARC

5 STARS

Enemies to Lovers in Severton

This is book 5 of the Severton Search and Rescue series, but it can be read as a standalone.  It is written in third person from a dual POV.  Readers of this author will find that it overlaps both Shaken and The Partnership in the character timelines.

Jake is a charming., sometimes reckless man with a playboy reputation.  He is curls, muscles, and smiles on a hot farmer exterior.  I love that he is so determined to succeed on his farm and that he has such a kind heart and good sense of humor.  Lainey is starting her horse therapy business in Severton.  I love her wit, determination, and intelligence.  I adore that she can dish Jake’s wit right back at him.  There is a lot of humor as they pull some fantastic pranks on each other.  There is a lot of heat between the two characters who cannot stay away from each other.  Their attraction is fierce.  There are also some seriously romantic moments.  I love it when Jake decides he wants to make Lainey his.  He has a protective instinct for her that is extremely lovable.  I love that he sees really her, her strength, and that he helps build her up after the damage an idiot ex did to her self-esteem.

This book was everything I look for from this author.  Humor, hot times, a bit of suspense, and lots of family relationship fun are included n this wonderful addition to the Severton series.



The Rules of Friends with Benefits (Rules of Love #0.5) 
by Lauren Blakley

#SportsRomance #RomanticComedy #BrothersBestFriend #BillionaireRomance

5 STARS

This short novella is the prequel to The Virgin Rule Book.  It sets the stage for Nadia and Crosby’s friendship and the possibility of them becoming more than friends.  It is written in first person, and except for the last chapter, is from Nadia’s POV.

I love that Nadia is a powerful woman in a man driven world.  I love that her dad believed in her and made her dream possible.  I love that she is fierce.  And I adore the teasing friendship she shares with Crosby.  As a prequel, this novella is perfect in setting up the story for the book that follows.  Though The Virgin Rule Book can stand alone without the prequel, I really enjoyed having some background.



The Virgin Rule Book (Rules of Love #1) 

by Lauren Blakely

ARC: Release Date: 4/16/2021

#SportsRomance #RomanticComedy #BrothersBestFriend #BillionaireRomance #ARC

5 STARS

Nadia and Crosby become more than friends with benefits in this full-length novel.  It is written in first person from a dual POV.

I love Nadia. She is fierce and I adore that she is the billionaire in this book.  I love her quest for love.  I love that she is confident in who she is and does not change herself to suit the whim of some date.  I love that Crosby adores all the things about her that intimidate other men.  I love the attraction, passion, heat, and friendship between them.  I love their joking banter.  They are incredibly sweet together and I especially loved that communicate throughout the changes their relationship takes along the way.  Crosby is a hot athlete with a huge heart and a lot of self- doubt when it comes to relationships.  I love that he takes a chance with Nadia.  They have a wonderful HEA, and I cannot wait to see more of them in upcoming books of this series.


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