Tag-Archive for &raquo; Contemporary Romance &laquo;

Review: Bending the Rules by Susan Andersen

To find out more about the series/author:

Sandra Hill

Category: 2009 New Author Challenge, 5/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance One Comment

Jul

rules From the back of the book:

He could be her fantasy man-if he could just lighten up…

Tall, dark and intense, Detective Jason de Sanges excites all kinds of fantasies in Poppy Calloway. But when she suggests the three teens caught spray-painting a Seattle neighborhood be given art-related community service and he just wants to see them pay - all bets are off.

With the men in his family always in and out of the slammer. Jase was raised in foster care. He knows what it takes to walk the line. And his number one self-imposed rule? Avoid his hunger for sexy, irresistible Poppy, who challenges him on everything. But it’s a vow that’s getting harder and harder to keep…

This is the second book about a threesome of friends who inherit a house together. (CUTTING LOOSE was the first book) In BENDING THE RULES Jason meets his match in Poppy, the free spirited daughter of hippies. Poppy sees the good in people, even when they have done something wrong. Jason is her opposite, he sees what becomes of people who are on the wrong side of the law everyday in his job as a detective and in his own family. These two but heads every time they are near each other, but there are also explosions of attraction that neither one understands. I loved this book. I think I even liked it better than CUTTING LOOSE which I really liked. I can’t wait until we get Ava’s book!

the book girl gives BENDING THE RULES 5/5!

To find the book:

Review: Start Me Up by Victoria Dahl

To learn more about the author:

Susan Andersen

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, susan andersen Leave a Comment

Jul

start-me-up From back of book:

Lori Love is yearning for something more

Lori had always planned to get out of tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado, but when her late dad left her his beloved auto body shop, she’d stayed. Now, according to her crazy best friend, Molly, what Lori needs is some excitement, in the form of hot, no-strings-attached sex…and lots of it.

Quinn Jennings has buildings on the brain - not love and romance. A serous architect, he’s delighted to discover that Lori is willing to skip dating protocols and head straight for the sheets. And aided by the steamy books on Lori’s bedside table, he’s busy indulging both of their wildest fantasies. But when life in Tumble Creek takes a dangerous turn for Lori, Quinn’s protective instincts kick in.

Suddenly he cares. More than either of them ever expected…

There isn’t much I can say about the book except for GO BUY IT NOW!!! I haunted the bookstores while on vacation hoping that I could find the book early. I found it the Saturday before we came home and started it that night, finishing it the next morning on our LONG drive home. It was so worth driving my husband crazy looking for it! I love the way that Victoria Dahl writes dialogue and has her characters interact. There were several places that I was laughing out loud and had to explain what was so funny to my children. (Not always easy to do when you are laughing at something that happens in a intimate moment.) There was also a moment that made me tear up. I love when a book makes you feel a variety of emotions and this one does. I have already pre-ordered Ms. Dahl’s next book, One Week as Lovers, and can’t wait for her next Tumble Creek book, Lead Me On (2010).

the book girl gives START ME UP a 5/5! (This one is definitely going on my keeper shelf!!)

to find the book:

Review: True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson

to find out more about the author:

Victoria Dahl

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, start me up, Victoria Dahl Leave a Comment

Jul

true-love-and-other-disasters from the back of the book:

Disaster Number One: MEN

Hard knocks and hunger taught Faith Duffy not to believe in love. Still, when she married her very wealthy - and very old - husband, she became the perfect wife. And then he went to that big bank in the sky, leaving Faith with lonely nights, a pile of money, and a total mess of a pro hockey team. Heck, Faith doesn’t even watch hockey!

Disaster Number Two: PASSION

But most of America and half of Canada is watching Ty Savage. His lethal sex appeal and deadly right hook make him the favorite of fans. For most of Ty’s life, he’s dreamed of winning the Stanly Cup. The last thing he needs is a bimbo messing up his plans.

Disaster Number Three: LOVE

Faith loathes Ty on sight, but she can’t stop thinking about him all day…and night. Then a moment of temptation ends with Faith in Ty’s bed, and she begins to see there’s more to him than sex appeal. Ty discovers there’s far more to Faith than beauty and billions. But a relationship with Faith is impossible, and falling in love - that would be a disaster.

I usually love Rachel Gibson’s books, but this one just didn’t really do it for me. I didn’t really connect with Faith and found Ty to be a jerk. As far as the plot and writing it was good and not the reason I didn’t like the book. There was just something about the two main characters that I didn’t like.

the book girl gives TRUE LOVE AND OTHER DISASTERS 3/5!

to find the book:

Review: All of Me by Lori Wilde

for more about the author:

Rachel Gibson

Category: 3/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, rachel gibson, true love and other disasters Leave a Comment

Jul

all-of-me From the back of the book:

Can two broken hearts become one?

Attorney Jillian Samuels doesn’t believe in true love and never, ever wished for happily ever after. But when a searing betrayal eaves her jobless and heartbroken, a newly inherited cottage in Salvation, Colorado, seems to offer a fresh start. What she finds when she arrives shocks her: The most gorgeous and infuriating man she’s ever met is living in her home!

Tuck Manning was a gifted architect who left a sky-rocketing career to care for his dying wife. But the life he’s made for himself in this quiet town is turned upside down when Jillian appears on his doorstep. tuck won’t go without a fight, and the two resolve to live as roommates until they can untangle who owns the cottage. Yet as Tuck and Jillian’s day - and nights - heat up, they realize more than property rights are at stake…and that sometimes, salvation comes when you least expect it.

This is the last book in the Wedding Veil Wishes series by Lori Wilde. I have to admit that I didn’t really care for Jillian in the previous three books. Her cynical take on love and marriage put me off, but it was good to read her falling in love and learning to be whole. Tuck is still getting over the loss of his wife and feels the same way about love that Jillian does - it just isn’t for him anymore. These two have chemistry from the very beginning and obviously were meant for each other. The writing is great, with conversations flowing and the plot moving along at the perfect pace. I was sad to see this series end. My only complaint about this book was the other characters from the previous books, Jillian’s friends, weren’t in the story much. I missed the friends interactions with each other. But, it was very realistic. As friends get married and start families it is hard to stay in touch the way they do when single. I can’t wait for the next book by Lori Wilde.

the book girl gives ALL OF ME 4/5.

to find the book:

Review: Love at First Flight by Marie Force

to learn more about the author:

Lori Wilde

Category: 4/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, Lori Wilde, wedding veil wishes Leave a Comment

Jul

love from the back of the book:

Juliana isn’t looking for love…

When she meets Michael, sitting next to her on the plane. Juliana’s been dating Jeremy for ten years. But he’s hedging about marriage, and Michael promises to give her everything she’s ever wanted in a relationship…

Michael’s supposed to be getting married…

But he’s drawn to Juliana in a way he never was to his beautiful but manipulative fiancee…

When they get off the plane, Michael and Juliana can’t tear themselves apart. But with desperate exes who won’t let go, love at first sight is tested beyond endurance…

From the description on the back of the book, I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book. I’m not a fan of books with adultery, but this book doesn’t have any. Both Juliana and Michael are single when they get together. I loved the chemistry between the two characters. Marie Force writes characters that feel deeply and make the reader feel deeply. I felt the same way when I read her first book, LINE OF SCRIMMAGE. In with the love story, there is also a plot line that revolves around Michael’s job as an attorney. His job and how he handles the big case gave a lot of insight into what he was really like and I felt gave a clearer picture of who Michael was. I can’t wait for more by Marie Force!!

the book girl gives LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT 5/5!

to find the book:

Review: Trouble in High Heels by Leanne Banks

to find out more about the author:

Marie Force

Category: 5/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, Love at First Flight, Marie Force One Comment

Jun

trouble-in-high-heels From the back of the book:

Heiress Lori Granger looks like a million bucks - and is famous for giving much of her fabulous fortune away. But her generosity has outstripped her checkbook, and not even her glamorous image and come-hither eyes can save her now. Certainly not with Jackson James in the picture…Hired by her dad’s estate to control her spending, this CPA with linebacker shoulders and gray flannel suits invades her space, insults her dog, and refuses to loosen his grip on her trust fund. Worse, he seems immune to her charms - unless she’s close enough to kiss. Not a man to cross the line with a client, even when the attraction is hotter than a pair of Lori’s highest slingbacks, Jackson agrees to help her find a husband to fulfill a condition of her father’s will. Yet sharing her dreams with him makes Lori wonder: Could this infuriating Mr. Straight be the one to make them all come true?

This book is the third in the trilogy about a group of sisters who grew up apart and came back together as adults. The first two books were published in 2003, so there was quite a wait for this one. I did read the first two in the trilogy when they first came out, but couldn’t really remember many of the details. So, this book would work as a stand alone also.

At first, I didn’t really like Lori. She seemed incredibly spoiled and clueless about money. That isn’t really who she is, and soon I was rooting for her to get her inheritance so she could continue to support all of her charities. Jackson is an admirable character. He knows what he wants and isn’t about to let any heiress get in his way. These two are perfect for each other, even though they don’t know it. I really enjoyed reading this book.

the book girl give TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS 4/5!

To find this book:

Review: Too Good To Be True by Kristan Higgins

to find out more about the author:

Leanne Banks

Category: 4/5, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, romance One Comment

Feb

too-good-to-be-true When Grace Emerson’s ex-fiance starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she’s seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone…exactly unlike her renegade neighbor Callahan O’Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.

Whoa. No. Callahan O’Shea is not her perfect man! Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so…right?

Kristan Higgins is one of my favorite authors. Her books always take me on a roller-coaster of emotions. There are parts in this book that are laugh-out-loud funny and parts that are heartbreakingly sad. The characters are all realistic. Grace is put in the position of having to act happy and over her ex-fiance, which she really isn’t, so that her younger sister wouldn’t feel guilty. I think that many sisters would do the same thing, I know that I would. Her “boyfriend” is just a way to get everyone to leave her alone and not pity her. Callahan O’Shea is one hot man. Even with a less than perfect past, he is a man any woman would be lucky to fall in love with. The two characters dance around their attraction and it is a fun dance to read. I can’t wait for more by Kristan Higgins!!

To find the book:

Review: Flirting with Temptation by Kelley St. John (new author challenge)

More about the author: Kristan Higgins

Category: Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, Kristan Higgins, Too Good To Be True One Comment

Feb

flirting She’s playing it cool.

Wild child Babette Robinson doesn’t do relationships, but she does have a knack for helping other people with theirs. When she opens her own match-mending business and dubs herself “The Love Doctor,” she becomes the biggest name in Birmingham. She even attracts the attention of socialite Kitty Carelle, who hires her to fix her broken engagement to Jeff Eubanks - Babette’s ex!

He’s turning up the heat.

Three years ago, Jeff and Babette’s chemistry was off the charts, but though she basked in his sexy charm and wicked wit, she couldn’t commit to a deeper relationship. Convinced that all women have wandering eyes, Jeff issues a challenge: He’ll do as Babette asks and talk to Kitty, if Babette abstains from all flirting for one whole week. With Jeff doing his best to make her melt in his arms, will this sassy vamp be able to save her business? And after seven tempting nights, will she want to give up the man she once tossed away?

This was the first book I have read by Kelley St. John, but it won’t be the last. I loved it. The book is a sexy, fun read. Babette is a character that is completely real. Most people are better at fixing other people’s problems than their own. My only problem with the book was that I found the fact that Babette took Kitty’s case unethical. But, in the context of this story it works. I just had to suspend reality a little bit, but that’s what books are for - a break from reality. The sparks between Babette and Jeff really fly and I was rooting for them to get over their past and move on together in the future. My favorite parts of the book were those with the senior citizens that trade “Love Doctor” help in exchange for cooking lessons. I also loved Babette’s Granny Gert.

To find Flirting with Temptation:

Review: Talk of the Town by Karen Hawkins (New Author Challenge)

Find out more about the author: Kelley St. John

Category: 2009 New Author Challenge, Contemporary Romance Tags: Contemporary Romance, Flirting with Temptation, Kelley St. John Leave a Comment

Feb

talk-of-the-town From the back of the book:

Do Blondes Have More Fun?

Newly divorced Roxie Treymayne is dying to find out. After years of being the perfect Southern lady, all she ended up with was a cheating husband. So she goes bombshell blond, gets a provocatively placed tattoo, and prepares to live it up as a Bad Girl. But then her mother falls ill…and Roxie is forced to return to Glory, North Carolina.

He’d Love to Know.

Once the town bad boy, Nick Sheppard is now Glory’s highly respected sheriff. When the hot blonde he stops for speeding turns out to be formerly prim Homecoming Queen Roxanne Treymayne, Nick doesn’t quite know where to look - though he’d like a much closer one at the tattoo peeking from her shorts.

But It Takes Two to Tango

Roxie and Nick had a steamy fling in high school, but a love affair between a Southern princess and a boy from the wrong side of the tracks was doomed from the wrong side of the tracks was doomed from the start. Now they have a second chance. Can they get it right? Or will they just end up…the talk of the town?

I have never read any of Karen Hawkins historical romances, but have heard good things. Since I am on a contemporary romance kick I decided to try her new book, Talk of the Town. I loved it. The book is sexy and funny. I love how nothing is very serious in the book, just a fun, light read. Roxie seems to have reverted to a bad teenager, avoiding her mother and trying to get with a guy she doesn’t think is any good for her. Nick has shed his bad boy past and is now the law in Glory. The role reversal between these two makes their relationship very interesting. I can’t wait to read more by Karen Hawkins!

To find the book click on one of these links: