Archive for the Category &raquo;Contemporary Romance &laquo;

Review: MARGOT’S LAWMAN by Debra Kayn

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy 2 Comments

Jan

153502818 From NetGalley:

It’s hard to keep a secret in the small town of Pike, Montana, but veterinarian Margot McDougal and sheriff Roy Lee Hanson managed to keep their relationship on the sly for months. Margot cares for Roy Lee, but the last thing she needs is to worry about local gossip while she’s busy running her clinic and dealing with the loss of her beloved father.

Roy Lee can’t wait to tell the world that he loves Margot. He respected her decision to keep their affair quiet?until now. It’s time for everyone to know Margot is his gal…especially Ryan Martin, her new assistant. He’s formed an attachment to Margot and Roy Lee is sure the city boy’s unexplained appearance in Pike means he’s up to no good.

Margot just wants to help Ryan fit in, and Roy Lee’s jealousy soon drives a wedge between them. A wedge that only increases when Margot is roped into Ryan’s secret, too…

37,000 words

MARGOT’S LAWMAN is a great contemporary romance. It felt like a snap-shot into the relationship between Margot and Roy Lee. They are already happily together and this story just shows a small glimpse. Margot and Roy Lee have been secretly together for a year and Margot is finally ready to come clean, but Ryan gets in the way. Margot and Roy Lee have to work through things before they can begin their future. MARGOT’S LAWMAN is a quick, sweet story.

the book girl gives MARGOT’S LAWMAN a 4/5

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Review: KISS ME, I’M IRISH Anthlology

Category: 4/5, Contemporary Romance, ebook, review copy One Comment

Jan

151034098 About the book:

The Sins of His Past by Roxanne St. ClaireFor one incredible night, Kendra Locke gave Deuce Monroe everything she had. Then he walked away without a backward glance to chase his big-league dreams. Now after one too many daredevil stunts, he’s back in his hometown ready to pick up where they left off—but Kendra has no intention of giving in so easily….

Tangling with Ty by Jill Shalvis

Dr. Nicole Mann, a child prodigy who graduated high school at the age of thirteen, has no room in her mind or her schedule for romance. But when the architect renovating her apartment turns out to have a charming Irish accent, all bets are off—and Ty Patrick O’Grady plans to use every trick in his book to stay in her life for good.

Whatever Reilly Wants by Maureen Child

Connor Reilly only has a few weeks to go in his “no sex for ninety days” bet with his brothers—and he figures no woman is safer to be around than his best friend, Emma Jacobsen. Until Emma shows up at a bar in a short skirt and high heels, and suddenly seems anything but safe!

KISS ME, I’M IRISH is a fun anthology featuring three previously released novellas by Roxanne St. Claire, Jill Shalvis, and Maureen Child. All three stories are fantastic.

The Sins of His Past, by Roxanne St. Claire, features one of my favorite tropes (best friends little sister) done a little differently. The hero and heroine have an emotional past and he’s finally wised up to know that he let something fantastic get away.

The characters in Tangling with Ty are full of spirit and kept me fully engrossed. I felt that they were a little different from the heroes/heroines that Shalvis has been writing lately and liked the difference.

Whatever Reilly Wants, by Maureen Child, has another one of my favorite tropes (friends to lovers). I absolutely loved the heroine - Emma. I also really liked that the characters undergo growth in the process of falling in love.

KISS ME, I’M IRISH is a fun anthology that will delight contemporary romance fans when it’s released in February.

the book girl gives KISS ME, I’M IRISH a 5/5

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Review: SCRUMPTIOUS by Amanda Usen

Category: 5/5, Anthology, Contemporary Romance, review copy 2 Comments

Jan

1396438341 about the book:

Tall, Dark, and Delicious

Joe Rafferty is just as mouthwatering as the food he cooks. But if he thinks he’s going to waltz in and take over her kitchen, he’s denser than a thick slice of chocolate-ripple cheesecake.

Marly has invested too much of her life in Chameleon to hand off the restaurant to someone else - especially a cocky-as-all-get-out superstar chef. But there’s no denying the man knows how to light her fire.

Question is: Can she have the sizzle without feeling the burn?

Scrumptious is a fast paced contemporary romance. I liked the concept and the characters, but it is so full of food details that I found myself bored. I didn’t care about what was being cooked, I cared about the relationship between Joe and Marly. I think that what could have been a great story gets lost under all of the restaurant jargon and talk of food. There were several sections that I skipped because it was all about what food they were cooking, etc.

the book girl gives SCRUMPTIOUS a 3/5

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Review: WILD THING by Robin Kaye

Category: 3/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy One Comment

Dec

136367035 About the book:

Whitewater-rafting guide Hunter Kincaid lands his dream job–guiding sportswear models through Idaho’s rugged wilderness for a photo shoot. When he meets Toni Russo, the goth New York manager of Action Models, there are enough sparks to set the forest ablaze.

When Hunter finds Toni’s book on how to marry the man of your choice, he studies it as a joke. Before long Hunter realizes he’s never cared enough for a woman to bother working this hard to get her. But the last man in the world this city girl wants is a Survivor Man wannabe…

This book worked for me on some levels and didn’t on others. Both characters are fully fleshed out and well written, but Toni’s “I hate nature” thing and her running away from Hunter over and over was a little much for me. On the other hand, I loved Hunter and his mountain man persona. He was willing to work so hard to win her over. His romantic tendencies made up for Toni’s pessimistic attitude for me. My favorite part of the book were the scenes featuring Hunter’s family. I really enjoyed Hunter’s brothers,sister, and grandfather. I can’t wait to read the siblings stories.

the book girl gives WILD THING a 3/5

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Review: THE BEST MISTAKE by Kate Watterson

Category: 3/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy One Comment

Dec

149319632 About the book:

When Lacey Billings gives her boyfriend, Ran, an erotic wake-up call in the middle of the night, she’s shocked to discover that the gorgeous man she’s kissing isn’t Ran…it’s his cousin, Rick.

Although Ran laughs off the mix-up, Lacey and Rick can’t stop thinking about the unexpected encounter, and they can’t escape the scorching flashbacks it’s aroused.

Ran doesn’t want an innocent mistake to ruin his relationship with his girlfriend or his cousin, so he proposes a solution. He wants the three of them to solve this problem the old-fashioned way, by sleeping on it…together.

This novella is HOT, HOT, HOT. I found the story unique and interesting. My only complaint is that I would have liked more. I wanted to know how the relationship between the three - Ran, Rick, and Lacey - evolved from her mistake and their night together to a committed relationship. There is a huge jump from one night to forever and the reader doesn’t get to “see” it happen. I will definitely be looking for more by this author!

the book girl gives THE BEST MISTAKE a 4/5

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Review: ONE PERFECT NIGHT by Rachael Johns

Category: 4/5, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, ebook, review copy One Comment

Dec

141968432 About the book:

Peppa Grant’s fellow employees may call their new CEO Mr. McSexy, but she’s also heard that he’s aloof and distant. Cameron McCormac certainly seems cold toward Christmas when she meets him at the company’s annual party…but he’s also the sexiest man Peppa has ever seen. And when he offers to forgive the damage she accidentally caused to his expensive car in exchange for accompanying him to his family’s holiday get-together, she agrees.

Cameron needs a date to the family party to get his matchmaking relatives off his back. Their chemistry is instant and undeniable, leading to an incredible one-night stand. But Peppa wants love and family, while Cameron’s only interested in temporary pleasure. When their relationship takes an unexpectedly serious turn, will he run the other way-or will he give love a second chance?

I really enjoyed this book. It has the feel of a Harlequin Romance. The chemistry between Peppa and Cameron is off the charts. Their romance progresses at a quick pace and even though there are obstacles in their way from the beginning I could foresee a happily ever after. I loved the writing style of the author. I will definitely be looking for more books by Ms. Jones in the future.

the book girl gives ONE PERFECT NIGHT a 5/5

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Review: SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS Anthology

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance, ebook, review copy One Comment

Dec

Three heartwarming holiday stories
to prove that love is the greatest gift of all

Kissing Santa Claus
NASCAR driver Logan Perrish returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, with love in his heart and a ring in his pocket. But can Sandy Jansen forget the past and give him a second chance? Or will Logan be spending another Christmas alone?

I’ll Be Home for Christmas
After ignoring the advice of Miz Miriam Randall, local matchmaker, Annie Roberts expects another hum drum holiday in Last Chance, South Carolina. But when a stray cat arrives in the arms of Army sergeant Matt Jasper, a calico named Holly just may be the best matchmaker of all.

O Little Town of Bramble
All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor, Samantha Henderson, comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl-next-door could be the girl of his dreams.

If you are a fan of the small town romances by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay, or Katie Lane you will love this Christmas anthology.

The Jill Shalvis story - Kissing Santa Clause - is set in her Lucky Harbor world. Logan, the ex-husband of Tara, and Sandy, the town clerk, are the main characters. It is a quick and steamy read. Logan and Sandy have great chemistry and the things Logan does to win her back are romantic and sweet. I give this story a 5/5.

I’ll Be Home For Christmas by Hope Ramsay is a very sweet read. Matt Jasper is a man with a terrible childhood and no happy memories of Christmas. Annie Roberts is experiencing Christmas her way for the first time. These two both need each other and come to realize quickly how perfect Christmas can be with the one you love. I loved the glimpses of the other Last Chance residents and really liked the emotion in the short story. I give this story a 4/5.

O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane was my least favorite of the three stories. It felt too short and unfinished. The main characters have a past connection, but the story still didn’t feel complete. The whole thing takes place in one night and I felt that there wasn’t any read resolution. It was a pleasant read, but not satisfying. I give this story a 3/5.

the book girl gives SMALL TOWN CHRISTMAS a 4/5

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Review: KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST by Susan Meier

Category: 4/5, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, review copy One Comment

Dec

136267137 About the book:

Shannon’s Christmas Wish List

1. A gorgeous billionaire to buy her store enter Rory Wallace—swoon!

2. The magic of Christmas Rory and his little girl need to know that it still exists.

3. Willpower because kissing Rory under the mistletoe would be a Very Bad Idea.

Shannon Raleigh can’t believe that both Rory Wallace and his little girl dislike Christmas so much and she’s determined to make her favorite season as magical as possible! But working with handsome Rory every day proves challenging, because Shannon finds herself longing for Christmas kisses with the man she can never have.

KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST is a sweet, romantic, and emotional holiday romance that will warm the readers heart. I really enjoyed this story. Shannon and Rory have both been unlucky in love. Shannon’s husband left her in a cruel way and Rory’s wife left him and his young daughter on Christmas Day. Neither was sure that love was something they would feel again. I loved the way Shannon and Rory get to celebrate Christmas through his daughters eyes. The little girl hates the holidays at the beginning of the book, but learns with Shannon’s help to embrace the magic of Christmas. There were parts in the book that had me tearing up and a few places that had me giggling. KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST is a fantastic holiday romance.

the book girl gives KISSES ON HER CHRISTMAS LIST a 5/5

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Review: HOLIDAY HIDEOUT Anthology

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance, puchased book 5 Comments

Dec

122653044 About the book:

The Thanksgiving Fix by Vicki Lewis ThompsonFinding Mr. Right is the furthest thing from Beth Davis’s mind when the Reno professor takes Thanksgiving break at a colleague’s Lake Tahoe cabin. Until Coinneach McFarland arrives to fix a suspicious leak. It looks like somebody’s playing matchmaker for two people sworn to stay single. But as things heat up, Beth is astonished to find she has discovered her soul mate just as she’d given up looking.

The Christmas Set-Up by Jill Shalvis

Competing architects Zoe and Jason have two weeks to come up with the design to win a coveted new project. But when a snowstorm strands them together at a secluded cabin, Zoe sees her chance to show Jason how she really feels. With romance blooming under the mistletoe, can she get the gorgeous Scrooge into the true Christmas spirit?

The New Year’s Deal by Julie Kenner

Five years ago, Cleo Daire and Josh Goodson said goodbye and went their separate ways. But first they made a promise to reunite. Now the ex-lovers are spending New Year’s Eve in a romantic cabin, where passion takes them by surprise and long-wished-for dreams can sometimes come true.

I enjoyed this anthology. The first story - The Thanksgiving Fix - was my favorite of the three. I loved the idea of a “magical cabin” that helps lovers find each other or find their way back to each other. It is well executed in all three stories. If you are looking for short reads that are full of steamy romance this anthology is the book for you.

the book girl gives HOLIDAY HIDEOUT a 4/5

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