Happy Weekend!
This week I read three ARCs and one book that has been on my TBR for months. The ARCs will all release within the next week and would be excellent additions to your TBR. All of my reads this week were enjoyable, low-angst romance. "All It Takes" is a different take on single parent/shared parent tropes when Tiffany and Wes inherit guardianship of the cutest little boy. "Starting Back" offers a romance with mature main characters in their 40's. Don't think that cuts the heat level though, because that would be incorrect. "Not As Planned" gives readers book four in this series of female friends similar to the Sex and the City ladies. I adored Noelle and Grant's journey to forever and I think you will too. Finally, I was able to read Nadia Lee's "My Grumpy Billionaire" which has been on my kindle since it released in August. One reason it has taken so long to read is because it is a longer book to squeeze in between an overwhelming number of ARCs I have been reding this last several months. Now I have it read just in time, because the next book in that series released last week. Maybe it won't take me quite as long to get to it as it did to read this one.
Hopefully my reviews will help you find your next great read. Happy reading!
All It Takes (Light My Fire #7) by J.H. Croix
ARC: Release Date- 01/24/2023
#Firefighter #SmallTown #ARC
4 STARS
Book seven in the Light My Fire series of interconnected
standalones can definitely be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an
alternating dual POV.
Wes returned home to Willow Brook, Alaska to help his
mom. He was able to get a position with
one of the hot shot crews and still be there to help his mom recover from
surgery and assist her with her animal shelter.
Tiffany recently returned home to Willow Brook and is the office manager
for a vet practice run by her friend Alice.
It turns out they are both godparents of a little boy who comes to them
after his parents are lost in a car accident.
They become co-guardians of the cutest little boy ever, named Ross.
Though Tiffany and Wes knew each other in high school, they
are just now getting to know each other and they both like what they find. Thrown together to help Ross, they find sparks
flying between them. There are steamy
moments as they give into the physical attraction. The emotional connection takes a little
longer. Tiffany, in particular, has some
baggage she needs to put behind her to get to her HEA. Wes is constant and open with his emotions,
leading to the HEA they and Ross need.
This was an enjoyable read.
The small-town dynamics, the dangers of Wes’ job, and the emotional
baggage Tiffany must sort through keep the story interesting. Ross is the best. I fell in love with that kid, who is so much
older than his years. I love some of the
Alaskan references, like to dip netting, that are completely accurate. It made me a little homesick. This was a
wonderful addition to the series.
Starting Back by Stephanie Rose
ARC: Release Date- 01/25/2023
#SingleMom #Firefighter #FirstResponder #Fling #SmallTown #ARC
5 STARS
Written in first person from an alternating dual POV, this
standalone ends with a HEA.
I first saw Kristina when I read “An Unexpected Turn.” In that book she is Jake’s sister who is in a
marriage that is not working. When this
book begins, Kristina is recently divorced and admits that her marriage was
over long before it became legally official.
She takes a vacation to the Florida Keys. It was supposed to be a kid-less trip with
her best friend, but when her friend gets the flu, she ends up vacationing
alone. At least, until she ends up
talking to the hunky bartender.
Leo hasn’t grown roots in any one place. He can’t explain the intense draw he feels
toward the beautiful woman at the bar.
He just knows he needs to know her.
I love the way they communicate from the beginning. They own their embarrassing flubs and enjoy
each other’s company. Their chemistry is
hot and seriously combustible as they spend Kristina’s short vacation
together. I love that Leo teaches
Kristina that she deserves so much more than what she had settled for in her
marriage. I love the way he cherishes
her and takes care of her.
When Leo ends up in Kristina’s small town, he knows he needs
to pursue what felt like a whole lot more than a fling. Convincing her to take a chance on him takes
only a little work. I absolutely loved
Kristina’s daughters; especially the little one. She bonds with Leo in the sweetest, most
perfect way. I love how she sees more
than they think she does and doesn’t hesitate to call them out on it. Her
observations made me laugh more than once. I also love the relationship and trust that
Leo builds with Chloe, Kristina’s teenage daughter. I appreciated his patience and his commitment
to Kristina and her girls. There were
some sweet and some funny moments along the way.
This was a steamy read with lots of moments that I loved. Funny, sweet, romantic, and realistic: I love how they handle their relationship in a mature manner with very little angst. This is one to read again and again. I loved it.
#SingleMom #ARC
5 STARS
Book four in the Ladies Who Brunch series can be read as a
standalone and ends as a HEA. However,
because these four ladies are incredible friends (sisters really) and have a
long history together, readers will find the most enjoyment reading the entire
series in order. This book is written in
first person from an alternating dual POV.
This series is an ode to womanhood, to friendship, and to
found family. This book takes it one
step further and becomes an ode to motherhood.
As Noelle becomes a mother and the other ladies are moving that same
direction in their relationships, the reader gets to experience all the ups and
downs that come with becoming a mother.
There are times when Noelle breaks the fourth wall, speaking directly to
the reader. Her anxiety, fear,
victories, guilt, and all the other emotions she feels are out there and very
real to my experience as a mom. I love the
support her friends give her and that she is able to return to them in this
book.
Grant is probably my favorite hero of the series. A fox with a little silver sprinkled in is a
definite YES for me. His meet-cute with
Noelle is going to go down as one of my all-time favorites. He is a gentleman from the beginning.
When they meet a second time, he realizes not to let this chance get away. The relationship he forms with Scarlett, Noelle’s baby, is ovary-melting. A hot man being good with a cute baby is real perfection. I love his immediate need to take care of Noelle. I love that he sees her and appreciates her strength while still giving her a chance to be a woman and not just a mom. They have some sizzling chemistry that burns up the page. I love the way fate intended them for each other. I appreciated that they must overcome a few hurdles, some baggage, and some communication lapses. This was a beautiful read that I don’t want to give any spoilers on. There are moments when I shed a few tears and moments when I laughed. It was an excellent way to wrap-up the four ladies HEAs. Now they just need to help Jeffrey.
CW: Discussions of infertility
Book two in the Lasker Brothers series can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in first person from an alternating dual POV. This is a longer read than some at 376 pages and nearly 80 chapters.
Griffin is a college professor with interesting family dynamics. Sierra is a recently divorced CEO of a sex-toy company. The universe throws them together for a one-night stand that neither one can forget. Fate keeps bringing them together and they form a friendship that becomes more.
Sierra is a confident woman with some family drama and an ex that she is better off without. I love her fierceness and appreciated the commitment to her company and her employees. Griffin is overwhelmed by the protectiveness he feels toward Sierra. I love the relationship he has with his brothers. The friendship he forms with Sierra is fun. And when it becomes more, there are lots of steamy moments.
This started out kind of slow for me, only picking up the pace at about 20%. The prologue introduces readers to Sierra as she learns that she is pregnant. The next 40% or so of the book is a flashback leading up to that moment. The characters were likable, but some of the secondary characters were more cartoonish and ridiculous. It seemed a little forced to generate comedic moments. I love the idea of someone who believes herself to be infertile getting pregnant with triplets from a condom break. This is one of those against-all-odds stories where the unlikely becomes possible. Overall, I enjoyed the book. Griffin's father is ridiculous, but I enjoy the dynamics between the brothers.
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