4/5, Contemporary Romance, ebook, review copy

About the book:

Jill Michaels prides herself on one thing: being independent. That is until her daughter gets into an elite school, and she needs money more than ever. It seems her fairy godmother—aka her deceased Grammy—has granted that wish in the form of one-fourth of her estate. The only catch? She must be married by her thirtieth birthday. In two months.

Aaron Collins is fresh out of the army and back in town to help his father’s failing business. When he runs into Jill at a hotel where she’s attending a single’s mixer, he makes sure she doesn’t make it past his room and into another guy’s arms. When he hears about her predicament, he has a plan: they’ll get married and keep it a secret. And maybe have a little sexy fun until he leave towns for his new job.

But letting go of the woman of his dreams may be harder than Aaron could have ever imagined.

My Thoughts:

I loved this book! Jill is just trying to keep it all together and Aaron seems like the answer to her prayers. Aaron doesn’t want to be part of an “us”, but he can’t stand the tired, hopeless look he sees in Jill’s eyes when she doesn’t think anyone is looking. Aaron is the ultimate sexy, alpha male. He sees a problem and instantly wants to fix it. Jill is an independent single mom who has done just fine on her own, but the cracks in the foundation are starting to show. She doesn’t want her daughter to miss out on anything that is available to her, but between her private school and extra-curricular activities she is breaking the bank.

The chemistry between Jill and Aaron is off the charts. I loved the way he slid so easily into her life and fell in love with Jill and her daughter. FALLING FOR THE FAKE FIANCE is a sweet, sexy romance.

Rating:

the book girl gives FALLING FOR THE FAKE FIANCE a 4/5

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3/5, Contemporary Romance, ebook, puchased book

About the book:

Charlie Davenport is the bad boy of British sports – and third in line to the throne. He’s a beast on the courts, and a wild animal in bed (according to all the tabloids). Girls are lining up for chance at his crown jewels, and when I stumble into the wrong Wimbledon dressing room and catch a glimpse of his game, set, AND match, I can see why.

So what’s a little good luck kiss between f̶r̶i̶e̶n̶d̶s̶ strangers?

I know better than to get involved with a bad boy like Charlie. But now he’s on a winning streak, he thinks I’m his lucky charm – and you know what’s luckier than a kiss?

Everything.

Suddenly, I’ve got paparazzi on my trail, exes coming out of the woodwork — and you don’t know ‘cutthroat’ until you’ve seen a pack of hungry socialites set loose near the Royal Family.

I’m in way over my head, and even worse – I’m falling in love. Can this American girl win her Prince Charming? Or will we both crash out of the championships in flames?

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book. It is funny, sweet and sexy as hell. Charlie is the black sheep member of a royal family. He doesn’t care about much of anything except having a good time. His tennis career is good enough to get him to Wimbledon, but he doesn’t actually expect to win anything. Emmy is on an adventure and being a refreshment girl at Wimbledon is just the beginning.

This story reminded me a bit of the movie, Wimbledon, starring Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst. Emmy becomes Charlie’s lucky charm – both on the tennis court and in his personal life. I liked the way Emmy is able to get Charlie to think differently about his future and his relationship with his family. Emmy is also able to get others to take Charlie seriously.

If I had one complaint about the book, it is that Charlie gains a lot from his relationship with Emmy, but Emmy doesn’t. Of course she is having lots of hot sex with a bad boy, but her relationship with Charlie actually causes more problems for her – paparazzi and Charlie’s discarded women. I felt that this relationship wasn’t such a quite equal and I wanted Emmy to get more and be more than just Charlie’s arm candy.

Rating:

the book girl gives ROYAL PLAYER a 3.5/5

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5/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy

About the book:

Soft-spoken and shy Hannah Fisher is determined to make the man she’s loved her entire life finally see her as a woman. With the help of a makeover, a new mission—Operation Find My Happy—and the convenient forced proximity of a tour bus, she vows to win her best friend Deacon’s heart.

Former bad boy and current fiddle player Deacon Latrell has the world at his fingertips: a new gig with a famous band, plus his best friend on tour as his son’s nanny. Life couldn’t get much sweeter. Now if only he could stop imagining kissing the daylights out of his childhood BFF…

With one friend set on pushing the boundaries and the other afraid to rock the boat, one thing’s for certain—their story would make one heck of a country song.

Each book in the Country Blues series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1: You’re Still the One
Book #2: The Nanny Arrangement

My thoughts:

I’m a sucker for the best friends to lovers story. The love between Deacon and Hannah is obvious from the very beginning of the book, but Deacon doesn’t notice Hannah in that way. Or does he? I loved Deacon’s slow realization that he feels more than just platonic love for Hannah.

I loved the connection between Deacon and Hannah. Their friendship that had evolved through their teenage years to their mid-twenties.

The secondary characters, including Deacon’s sweet son Max, are an important part of the story.  Deacon is worried about being a good father to Max and a good member of his new band. He knows that Hannah is necessary to both working out. His son is in love with her and his band mates and their wives instantly bring her into the group. Deacon is afraid that if he crosses a line with Hannah, that is getting harder and harder not to cross, then everything in his world could go to hell.

The Nanny Arrangement is the perfect book to read while sitting out by the pool.

Rating: 

the book girl gives The Nanny Arrangement a 5/5

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5/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy

About the book:

Love blogger Kate Bell is finished with men—especially the hot ones. Of course her only chance to save her career requires snagging an interview with the man who literally wrote the book on love, reclusive and super-sexy relationship expert Jake Wright. Who happens to be her boss’s brother.

The last thing Jake Wright wants is to be dragged back into the spotlight as a bachelor for his sister’s dating website. But when a sweet and sexy blogger crashes onto his island in the middle of a storm worse than his love life, keeping his hands off proves to be a challenge—especially when they’re stuck sharing the same bungalow.

Each book in the Smart Cupid series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 Breaking the Bachelor
Book #2 Unexpectedly His
Book #3 One Little Kiss

What I thought:

I loved this book! The characters are brilliant and sexy.

Kate is really bad at picking men, so she has given them up. New Kate is going to focus on her career and not having to return to Ohio and run the family business. It is imperative that she gets the interview with Jake (who happens to be her boss’s brother).

Jake wants nothing to do with being a Smart Cupid stud or being interviewed by Kate. Weather, a sexy bikini, and a meddling sister/boss bring these two together and the sparks immediately fly.

I really liked the way that Kate is able to change Jake’s perception of romance and the way Jake restores Kate’s faith in true love. One Little Kiss is sexy, sweet and has a perfect happily ever after ending.

Rating:

the book girl gives One Little Kiss a 5/5

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Holiday

I celebrated Mother’s Day early with my mom. I took her to see  Kristin Chenoweth concert on the 6th as her Mother’s Day gift. We had a blast!

Happy Mother’s Day!

5/5, Paranormal Romance, puchased book

About the book:

WOMAN SEEKING VAMPIRE:
Likes to keep things casual
Absolutely no poetry
Zero romance required.

Silver Harris is over clingy men—maybe men altogether. But when she shares a toe-curling kiss with a sexy Irish vampire on New Year’s Eve, she wonders if maybe it’s human men she’s fed up with. Silver turns to the popular vampire dating site, V-Date, only to discover that vampire men are just as unimpressive as their mortal counterparts. And her mysterious hottie? He’s nowhere to be found.

Can’t a girl catch a break?

Logan Byrne can’t get that sassy redhead—or that kiss!—out of his head. When his boss assigns him to spy on V-Date, he meets Silver again. Turns out, the police are recruiting humans to snitch on vampires through the dating site. As the snark and sparks fly, feelings between Silver and Logan deepen. But, when old demons resurface—literally—Logan isn’t sure he can shield either of them from the dangers that have been lying in wait for centuries.

What I thought:

I really enjoyed Dating the Undead. This book has a unique take on vampire mythology – vampires are out of their coffins. In a world where vampires are roaming the streets just like everyone else, Silver decides that since dating human males have turned out to be such a bust, she might as well try dating vampires. I loved Silver’s attitude about Logan, love and life. She isn’t a wilting flower and calls Logan out on his “stalker” activities. Logan is just what you want a sexy, vampire to be. He occasionally speaks with a heavy accent that makes Silver weak at the knees and when they kiss she a rainbow of colors.

Dating the Undead is funny, sexy and has a great twist ending. I would recommend this to anyone who likes lighthearted paranormal romance.

How I rate this book:

the book girl gives Dating the Undead a 5/5

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3/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy

About the book:

For Pippa Turner there’s only one place to go when her life self-destructs on national TV—home to Ghost Falls, and her heavily perfumed, overly dramatic, but supremely loving grandmother, Philomene. If anyone will understand how Pippa’s hit makeover show was sabotaged by her vengeful ex, it’s Phi. But she’s not the only one who’s happy to see her—and Pippa can’t help but wonder if Matt Evans, her gorgeous high-school crush turned Phi’s contractor, is game for a steamy close-up…

Matt owes his whole career to Phi and her constant demands to embellish the gothically ridiculous house he built for her. Getting to see red-headed, red-hot Pippa is a bonus, especially now that she’s no longer the troublesome teenager he remembers. He’s willing to stay behind the scenes while she gives her own life a much-needed makeover, but not forever. As far as he’s concerned, their connection is too electric to ignore. And the chance to build something lasting between them—before she can high-tail it back to Hollywood—is going to the top of his to-do list…

My thoughts:

Positively Pippa is a cute book, but I just couldn’t connect to the main character. Pippa comes home after her ex-boyfriend sets her up and she looses her job. Throughout the whole book she is trying to get her show back and doesn’t seem to care about the effect her leaving would on her grandmother, Phi, or Matt. Although Matt tells her that their relationship is short-term and he’s okay with her regaining her previous life, it kinda felt to me like she was using him and his long-time crush to make herself feel better. I did love the character of Pippa’s grandmother, Phi. Phi is fabulous. The relationship between Matt and Phi is sweet. Matt is sexy as hell – a man who takes care of his family (no matter how crazy they drive him) and Phi, a diva past her prime who loves him and helped him in a time when he really needed it.

The writing is funny and sexy. I liked the plot and the relationship that grows between Pippa and Matt. I just wish that I could have connected to Pippa more.

How I rate it:

I give Positively Pippa a 3/5

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2/5, Paranormal Romance, review copy

About the book:

Raised in a strict religious cult since she was a young girl, Jenna has no connection to the outside world beyond vague flashes of memory that seem to be from another life. Memories she clings to when the cult leaders discover her extraordinary ability to heal—and punish her. Years held captive and forced to do the cults bidding have turned Jenna into a meek, timid woman…or so they think. In truth, she is merely biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to escape.

When a terrified young woman tries to steal the SUV of Devereaux Security’s toughest recruit, Isaac’s anger quickly turns into a strange sort of protectiveness for the beautiful, bruised stranger. But when they are caught in a firestorm of bullets and Isaac is hit, he’s sure the end is near, until Jenna touches him and closes his wounds. As he tries to bring Jenna to safety, she refuses to tell him what danger haunts her or how she healed him, but Isaac vows to do whatever it takes to gain her trust…and her heart. Because with just one touch, Isaac knows he wants Jenna to be his—forever.

What I thought:

Just One Touch is the fifth book in the Slow Burn series. I have read the previous four and think that you should read the series in order to really get the full story.

Based off of my feelings for book 4 in this series, With Every Breath, I was a little weary of reading this book. However, Isaac’s story is one I’ve been interested in since his part in the previous books. The relationship between Jenna and Isaac seems out-of-place. I know that as readers we do a fair amount of suspending reality, but I can’t think of single instance where being hunted down would lead to sexy-times with a man who is practically a stranger. In addition to that she is badly malnourished and hurt, but he finds her the sexiest thing ever and wants her instantly. It just seemed too over-the-top to believe.

Another thing is the repetition of the characters thoughts. It seemed like every few pages we were once again finding out how Isaac or Jenna felt about something. This has been an issue the whole series and I was hoping that the inner dialogue would be less in this book.

I think it is time to break-up with this series and just enjoy the author’s other books.

Rating:

I give Just One Touch a 2/5

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iBooks

 

4/5, Contemporary Romance, review copy

About the book:

CEO Aiden Kelley’s life of billionaire extravagance is flipped upside down when his ex shows up with a ten-year-old she claims is his. Totally out of his element and losing the control so integral to his success, he needs help. To top it all off, the only constant woman in his life, his executive assistant, has given notice just when he needs her help to survive his newfound fatherhood.

Chelsea Houston is an executive assistant, not a nanny. The only person more clueless about kids is her boss. Helping him on a daddy-daughter road trip is her last task before he’ll accept her two weeks’ notice and she can be free of the infuriating man she’s had a crush on for longer than she’d admit.

Aiden’s carefully ordered life has never been so disorganized, and he’s suddenly tempted by the things he thought he could never have. Things like love and family. Who knew chaos could be so damn fun?

Each book in the The Billionaire Dynasties series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
Series Order:
Book #1 The Penthouse Prince
Book #2 The Irish Prince

My Thoughts:

The Irish Prince takes the reader on an emotional journey with both the romance and the relationship between Aiden and his daughter.

Aiden is unsure of himself as a parent and it has thrown him for loop. He has worked his whole life to be in complete control of every situation and when he struggles with that control he has Chelsea to help him. She is the one person he can count on in any situation, but Chelsea is tired of being his executive assistant. She wants more than finding random women’s underwear in her office and having to field calls and visits from those same women when they are inevitably pushed aside. This trip to the Grand Canyon with Waverly is the end of her working relationship with Aiden. She is done! Only Aiden isn’t ready to let her go and her wanting to leave him is making him see Chelsea in a new light.

The relationship between Aiden and Chelsea develops quickly once there is a timer on her leaving his employment. They both find themselves wondering “what if” and wanting to explore the chemistry between them. I liked that although they had worked very closely to each other for years, that Aiden and Chelsea had never taken their relationship in another direction. That it was professional between them and stayed that way until the trip to the Grand Canyon.

I also loved the humor of Chelsea and the awkwardness of Aiden as he explores his feelings for Chelsea and at becoming a parent to Waverly. It is the perfect balance.

How I Rate This Book:

I give The Irish Prince a 4/5

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Random Stuff

It’s finals week and my brain is mush. I haven’t read anything for fun in over a week and if I have to look at any more international economics reviews I might lose it.

I’m very much looking forward to the summer when I can read what I want for at least three months! I have quite the tbr list ready.