My Brother's Forbidden Friend (Greene Family #9)
by Piper Rayne
ARC: Release Date- 10/04/2022
#BrothersBestFriend #SmallTown #FamilySeries #ARC
5 STARS
This was the perfect couple to wrap the series.
Book nine in the Greene Family series can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA. That
said, Chevelle and Cam appear in the other books of the series and readers will
get the most enjoyment from reading the series in order. It is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
I knew Chevelle and Cam would have a doozy of a story, yet I
was unprepared for the emotion they made me feel. Chevelle has had so much guilt over her
mother’s death. Cam has always been
there and there have been many times when they antagonized each other. They have some fabulous pranks on each other
in this book that made me laugh out loud. There have also been times when they
have supported each other. Their
attraction to each other has been fierce and it was only a matter of time
before it needed resolution. I love the
heat between them. Though, emotions are
often fully in front of the physical. Cam is incredibly protective and
supportive of Chevelle. She challenges
him and encourages him to pursue his dreams.
Their love story is sweet and hot as they each grow and move past the
things that have held them back as individuals.
Then, they are able to become the couple they were meant to be.
This has been a fantastic family series and I have enjoyed
all the characters and the town so, so much.
I am thankful the author has promised a follow up novella for the
holidays. I am also super-excited for
the new series coming next year. This is
definitely a family series worth reading and this book wraps it up to
perfection.
The Romance Rehearsal (English Gents #3) by Annie Dyer
ARC: Release Date- 10/06/2022 (Early Release- 10/04/2022)
#SecondChance #Fling #ARC
5 STARS
This is book three in the English Gents series, but it can
be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
This story follows Maven Green, who was recently promoted
from assistant director to director of a stage production in London’s West
End. As she deals with the challenges
that promotion presents, she faces another with her leading man. That man, Anthony, was her summer love before
college. He is also the one she never
got over. Twelve years have passed, but
their chemistry still burns bright.
Anthony is an actor on stage and TV. He is the oldest son of a Viscount and has
some family drama he needs to attend to.
He finds himself falling for the woman in the present who was the girl
from his past: his first love. Anthony
has some things to get through to get his HEA.
I love the friendship he and Maven share and I adore the chemistry
between them.
Second chance books are not always my favorite, but I found this love story very sweet. I appreciated that when they split in their youth it was without drama and that it was a summer love fling that had an expiration date as they moved onto the next stage in their lives. They needed to be more mature to move forward with the love they both still feel as adults. There are flashbacks from both POV to their summer fling as well as accounts of events in the present. I loved how beautifully those are arranged and tie the story together in a cohesive way. This was a wonderful read and I recommend it.
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#FriendsToLovers #SmallTown #FamilySeries #Virgin #ARC
5 STARS
Book three in the Hellman Brothers Series can be read as a
standalone and ends with a HEA. There
are overlapping characters from other books set in Auburn Hill, AKA Hell, and
readers may get the most enjoyment from at least reading this series in its
completion. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Callan is now my favorite Hellman brother. He is a cinnamon roll hero and an all-around
nice guy. When doors close, he is bossy
and dominant. I absolutely loved him. I adored how he has loved Cricket from the
friend zone for several years while being her best friend. He has some issues
from his father’s abandonment of the family that he must work through. I loved the vulnerability of his character
that was mixed perfectly with his strength.
His protective and sometimes bossy nature with Cricket was a joy to
read.
Cricket is a sweetheart with a backbone of steel. She has a new medical diagnosis that she
needs to learn to live with early in their story. As a young woman turning 24, and an only
child to doting parents, she is learning to stand on her own at the same time
she falls in love with Callan. I love
how strong she is when she decides to stand up for herself. I love the support she has through her
girlfriends. I really love how
adventurous she is with Callan once their relationship changes to become more
than friends.
Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I also love a nice guy, and Callan is perfect. The small town is full of quirky characters that I adored seeing again. This steamy rom-com was the perfect read. I loved it.
Theirs For The Night by Julie Capulet
ARC: Release Date 10/06/2022
#InstaLove #MFM #Virgin #ARC
5 STARS
This standalone MFM romance is written in first person from
multiple POV and ends with a HEA.
Mia is just turning 20 and has rolled with every punch life
has thrown her. This lands her in a broken-down
car, just across the Texas border. When
two hot cowboys pull up in a red Mustang convertible, she gladly accepts the
ride. Little did she know that the ride
would change her life forever.
Yes, there are some steamy MFM scenes. Yet, there is also an amazing MF love story
between this naïve young woman and the alpha male who falls hard and fast for
her. Blake and Cooper are such opposites,
and Mia is swept along in a tide of lust and freedom when they first meet. Things get to a melt-you-kindle level of
hotness.
Ultimately, I was impressed at the romantic, protective, adoring love story that unfolds. It has a little bit of a Pretty Woman vibe, but only in that Mia has nothing and her hero can give her everything. I don’t want to spoil the story, but I will say it is a love story I did not expect. I loved this steamy story.
#BrothersBestFriend #SurprisePregnancy #OppositesAttract
#FriendsToLovers #SmallTown #Novella #ARC
4 STARS
This spin off novella from the Bad Boy Bakers series can be
read as a standalone and ends with a HEA.
It is written in third person from a dual POV.
I love that Hadley and Cash are so different. They complement each other in a beautiful
way. This quick read with some steamy
moments follows them from where they have been getting serious to a HEA. To get there, they first must have a
conversation with Hadley’s brother Holt.
Along the way they face a huge surprise, and they must decide what their
future will look like.
This was a quick read with likable characters and an emotional story line. There is some very frank discussion regarding women’s reproductive rights issues during this story. I felt like the topic was handled well and I appreciated seeing both Cash and Hadley’s POV during their decision-making process. I loved the addition of Hadley and Cash to this series and their HEA was sticky sweet.
5 STARS/ Audio: 5 STARS
I started this book in audio and finished it as an eBook. Jason Clarke and Kit Swann give a phenomenal performance that completely pulled me into this story. Their ability to create different voices for characters within their portions of the book blew me away. Talk about incredible talent! I couldn't stop. Meanwhile, my house got cleaned and I got groceries: multi-tasking for the win.
The story itself is completely engaging. There are elements of suspense and danger. There are many hot scenes. There are even a few scenes that made me laugh out loud. Secondary characters are full and interesting. I love the support and friendships Addy has found in the country.
Addy is turning around a Virginia vineyard. She is strong and determined. As the story continued, I came to appreciate her strength, even in her most vulnerable moments. She is a survivor who chooses to keep on going, regardless of the drama that follows her. I love how she accepts Crew, his past, and his present without judgement.
Crew. Wow! What I can I say except I fell hard for this guy. He is tough, intelligent, protective, and uber-HOT. I love how he is with Addy. I appreciated that he opens up to her as much as he can given the limitations of his job. I loved his friendships with his team. He is an amazing hero and I really appreciated the fun moments, especially with the cows.
I loved this and I am dying to read more of this series.
4 STARS/ Audio: 5 STARS
This is my second book by this author and the second book in the Rock Point series. It can easily be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV.
Bella is a paramedic and the baby of her family. Jasper is a FBI field agent, and his boss is Bella's brother, Damien. Circumstances and murders in the small town make it necessary for Jasper to spend time ensuring Bella's safety. Their attraction is strong and they bring heat to the page when they give in to it. I loved how protective Jasper is of Bella and how she allows herself to be vulnerable with him. I love her strong and independent spirit and I really appreciated the struggle she has as the youngest of a tight-knit family. I loved the mystery and the elements of danger in the story. I also appreciated how the author gently handles Bella's mental health and depression. The author adds a lot of detail to the setting of the story. Though we related to the places mentioned, there were times when I felt like there was too much detail given to various places and businesses. Overall, we were fully engaged in the story and enjoyed listening to it together as the mystery was unraveled.
I chose this audiobook because it is set in Durango, Colorado, where we live. I hoped it would hold my hubby's attention on a road trip and it did. The narrators did a fantastic job bringing the story to life. Teddy is one of my favorites. Cynthia was new for me, but I loved the flair she brought to her parts of the story. This was an excellent audio that held our attention over a very long drive.
The Lady's Disgrace (Marriage Mart Mayhem #3)
by Callie Hutton
Narrated by Sienna Frances
#MarriageOfConvenience #Historical #Audiobook
3.5 STARS/ Audio: 4 STARS
I listened to the audiobook of this one. It is my first book by this author. It can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in third person from multiple POV.
I liked both Joseph and Abigail as characters and I appreciated that they each had very different feelings about their marriage of convenience. I liked how much Joseph dotes on Abigail from the beginning. I loved the heat between them, especially when Abigail admits that sharing the marriage bed is better than she thought it would be. There is an underlying danger plot that lands Abigail in trouble several times: maybe a little too much before it gets sorted out. The whole thing could have been a lot less of a problem if the couple had communicated better and I found that a bit frustrating. Overall, it was an enjoyable story set in 1815 London and countryside.
Although the audiobook uses only a single narrator, I felt like she completely captured the story and even added to it. I never felt like I missed the male narration of the story though I do usually listen to duet narration. I would rate the narration a solid 4 stars.
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