I had a fantastic week full of family series and ARCs. I was even able to fit in a paranormal book for a reading challenge. You cannot go wrong with any of my reads this week. There is a little something for everyone with these pick. They are either available now or releasing in the coming week. You can find buy and preorder links to all of the new and upcoming releases on my New Releases and Coming Soon pages on this blog.
Out of the Blue by Kathryn Nolan
ARC: Release Date- 5/14/2021
#SecondChance #sportsromance #BodyguardRomance
#RomanticSuspense #ARC
5 STARS
“Our love story was always meant to be.”
Serena and Cope are everything! Their story is written in first person from a
dual POV.
I really enjoyed Serena’s character. She embraces the joy of living her life to
the fullest. Though she has had events
in her life that made her angry, she has learned to channel that anger into a
positive force. I loved her focus, her strength of character, and her zest for
life. She is courageous and determined
to be her absolute best and to make a difference in her sport and in the world. Cope is a big heart in a lethal looking
bodyguard suit. I loved him so much! I
loved his sense of humor and his protective nature. The way he loves Serena made my heart
melt. I loved reading as he learned to
face his fears head-on and accept that life lacks a certain amount of control.
This is a special second chance romance. Though they were apart, they never let go of
each other in their hearts. They are
brought back together through a series of events. I adored when they recognize that that they
have both grown and changed over the time they were apart. I was especially pleased when they both put
in the work to trust each other and communicate in ways they never did
before. The author does an excellent job
of demonstrating the decisions necessary for the couple to move beyond past
hurts to a brighter future. They have and intense and passionate relationship,
and the book delivers some high heat scenes that demonstrate the connection
between Serena and Cope and the intensity of their feelings for each other.
This is a beautifully written book. The characters are likable, well-developed,
complex, and have strong motivations to change the world. Their love story
captivated me completely. There are so many layers to the story, I was
completely engaged from beginning to end. The secondary characters were
interesting and important. I really hope
we will get to see some of them again and maybe even read of their
happily-ever-afters. I am sure I will
read this one many times and find new layers with each read. Romance readers seriously need to read this
book.
While You Were Texting (Digital Dating #2)
by Delancey Stewart & Marika Ray
ARC: Release Date- 5/17/2021
#SmallTown #FamilySeries #FakeRelationship #RomanticComedy #ARC
5 STARS
This clean rom-com is set in the small town of Solano
Springs. It is written in first person
from a dual POV.
I adored Hannah. She
is figuring out her life with a fresh start in a new town. I love how Linc intrigues her with his
pottery frogs and his many bad dates. I
love that she understands Linc and has patience for him when he struggles to
find the words. Linc is an absolute
sweetheart. I love that he isn’t
completely confident. I love that he
sometimes struggles with social cues, yet he recognizes and tries to overcome
that. His inner monologues to himself
just melted me.
They both have some insecurities to overcome on the way to
their HEA. I love that they learn to
communicate with each other in a forthright and honest way. I love the romance between them. Readers will adore the grand gesture in this
one, I know I did. Linc reminds me of my
son, and I can only he hope he is lucky enough to someday find a girl like
Hannah. This was a thoroughly enjoyable
book that made me smile and swoon. I would
love to see this made into a movie and I hope someone is shopping it around.
This one is a keeper.
(On a side note, my hubby had insomnia and I read a few
chapters to him and he absolutely loved them.)
My Vegas Groom (Greene Family #3) by Piper Rayne
ARC: Release Date-5/18/2021
#SmallTown #RomanticComedy #AccidentalMarriage #FamilySeries
#SportsRomance #ARC
5 STARS
Nikki and Logan meet one night after his MMA fight in Las Vegas
and wake up married the next morning. Their story is written in first person
from a dual POV.
Nikki doesn’t believe in marriage and has definite trust
issues. Logan is a fighter at the top of
his game who appreciates that Nikki is different from the other women he has
met. When they wake up married, he is
willing to give it a shot. But Nikki
runs home to Sunrise Bay, Alaska. Logan follows
her and eventually convinces her to get to know him and see if they can make a
lasting relationship.
I loved Nikki and I enjoyed getting to know more about what
she and her siblings experienced before Marla and hank got together. I loved her relationship with her mom. I really adored Logan. There is nothing better than a big, scary-looking
guy with a soft, squishy, teddy bear heart.
I loved that he was all in from the beginning. I loved his acceptance of their situation and
his persistence to win Nikki over. He is
a truly swoon worthy hero.
This was a fabulous addition to the Greene Family saga, and
I look forward to the rest of the books in the series.
Chasing Her Fire (Bailey Brothers #5) by Claire Kingsley
ARC: Release Date- 5/20/2021
#SmallTown #FamilySeries #EnemiesToLovers #ARC
5 STARS
“She’d gone from the woman I loved to hate to the most
important person on the planet.”
I fell in love with the idea of Logan and Cara when they
would fight with each other from the beginning of the series. I knew that beneath that animosity there was
a fire fueled by something other than hate.
There are some surprises woven into their story that I will not spoil; so,
I am going to do my best to let you know the things I loved without ruining the
experience of discovery for the next reader.
Their story is written in first person from a dual POV.
Cara has always been fiery, sassy, and protective of those
she loves. I adored getting her side of her
sisterly love relationship with Grace. I
loved getting to know about her past, her family, and her baggage. The author took her character from one I
really enjoyed, to one I truly loved.
Logan has always been the jokester.
He has questionable fashion sense and an incredible dictionary of
broisms that have always made me laugh. I have always loved that he was secure
in himself and didn’t really care about societal expectations. I really enjoyed seeing the softer side of
him in this story. All the Bailey men
are amazing and have big hearts and I really loved getting to see Logan’s in
this book. I also loved getting to see
inside his relationship with Levi. I
love the twin connection and the respect and love they have for each other
despite their differences in personality.
Logan and Cara have a passionate love story. There is a lot of heat between them in
everything from arguments in public to private times in the bedroom. I really appreciated that it took time to let
down their defenses and expose vulnerabilities to each other. I swooned completely at the tenderness and
depth of love and respect they develop in their relationship. I am telling you now: This book has ALL. THE.
FEELS.
As always, I adore Gram.
I loved seeing the Bailey family together with their girls. I especially enjoyed seeing Asher: healed, tender,
and happy with Grace. (I’m not crying, you’re crying.) The small-town characters
are amusing, the squirrels cause typical trouble, and the mystery of the
Haven-Bailey feud continues. Readers are
given a few more clues and I am looking forward to the final answers and Levi’s
HEA in the next book.
Rhett and Leah’s story is written in first person from
multiple POV. In addition to Rhett and Leah,
the reader will get a few chapters from the perspective of Rhett’s father, Tex.
I love the grumpy hero thing. And Rhett is the perfect grumpy hero, Leah
comes into his life without his permission, and without her having all the
facts. I love their banter, but I love
Leah’s stubbornness and her backbone even more.
She takes what Rhett throws at her and ups the ante. (There is a scene that involves bull sperm
collection that was very, very funny.) Leah is smart, confident, and
loving. I adore the relationship she
forms with Rhett’s daughter, Joey. There
is so much to love! And that kid is 5
going on 30- so sassy. I just loved
her. Rhett is such a good dad. I really enjoyed getting to know him and what
makes him such a gruff cowboy at times. I loved that he had his mom and dad and
his ranch family to support him and Joey.
I really appreciated his straight talk and take no-crap attitude.
The story packs a lot of heat, though many might consider it
a bit of a slow burn. There are several
funny moments. It is not as funny as
some other books by this author duo, but it is certainly one of the most
romantic. There are some seriously
romantic scenes in this book. Fireworks
on a blanket, dancing in the moonlight, and a swoon-worthy grand gesture were
all there to melt my heart into a puddle of goo. The bonus epilogue is especially heart-warming,
and we get a glimpse of Jake Holley, Garrett, and Lauren from the other single
dad books. I enjoyed the ranch setting
and the aspect of the city girl getting her first ranch experience immensely. Rhett is a real cowboy on a working modern ranch,
and it was fun and interesting to read about that lifestyle. Honestly, it makes me ant to be on a ranch a
bit. If you like grumpy heroes, cowboys,
strong heroines and an extra-cute kid, do not miss this one. You will love it.
I am voluntarily leaving this honest review after receiving
an advance reader copy of the book.
Protected mate (Catamount Lion Shifters #1) by J.H. Croix
#Shifter #Paranormal #RomanticSuspense #InstaLove
4 STARS
I really enjoyed this shifter romance. It is book one in a series, ends with a HEA, and is a standalone. It is written in third person from a dual POV.
I loved Dane and his love for his friends, family, and community. he falls for Chloe at first sight. They have an immediate and intense attraction to each other. Chloe has been revaluating her life choices by taking months to hike the Appalachian trail. I love that she immediately trusts Dane. I love that she doesn't freak out when she learns his secret and that she accepts him for all of who he is.
I love the way the author put together the story of how the shifters evolved and how Catamount became what it is today. Often in shifter romance, that part of the story is not as well developed. I love the elements of danger and mystery and I look forward to reading more of this series.
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