Review: Resisting Cupid by Carol Rose

Author - Carol Rose
Genre - Contemporary Romance
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (22p.)
Rating - 2/5 stars

Emma reluctantly returns to Cupid, Texas, stealing time from her career as a television journalist, to be her high school best friend's maid of honor. The four months of her brief, youthful marriage to Tucker, her high school boyfriend, had been fiery in lots of ways. She can't quite forget his kisses, even though she's tried. To her chagrin, she sees Tucker at the wedding rehearsal since his brother is the groom. Just as hot as he was before, Tucker's still the hunky guy she married right out of high school, but now he's a medical doctor. Emma's shocked to discover they're still married. She'd thought Tucker took care of the matter, but he tells her he never got a divorce. They're still married and Tucker isn't sure he wants a divorce. He still has feelings for Emma.

She has to decide if the flames between her and her husband deserve another shot.

• Review •
RESISTING CUPID didn't do it for me, unfortunately. It wasn't that it was badly written or anything, it was just very bland. I couldn't sympathize with the characters because they weren't really fleshed out. I didn't know them or get what their problem(s) were, so I just didn't care about them or their happiness. I also struggled understanding what the big deal from their past was that was so bad that it caused them to separate in the first place.

Oh well. At 22 pages and free, I can't really complain. Like I said, this wasn't a bad book, just pretty bland and a little too flat for my tastes. If it had been a full length or novella where there was more room to expand on the past conflict and back stories of the characters and current growth and fixing what was wrong/had happened, RESISTING CUPID probably would have been knocked out of the ballpark. Coulda, shoulda, woulda…

Cover musings:

This isn't the same cover as the one I have on my copy, but I much prefer this lighter one. Still cheesy looking but at least it isn't dark like my copy.

★★

Review: Too Darn Hot by Pamela Burford

Author - Pamela Burford
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (144p.)
Rating - 4/5 stars
Read the excerpts

Rule Number One: Never mix business with pleasure. New York restaurant reviewer Lina Holland learned that lesson by watching her beloved mentor self-destruct, and she's not about to make a similar mistake, even if the chef and owner of the restaurant she’s secretly reviewing is the most sexalicious hunk who ever seared a T-bone. It's not enough to be scrupulously impartial, she must avoid even the merest whiff of favoritism. Date a restaurateur? She can't allow herself to even think about it. Okay, she thinks about it, but that's all. Really!

Chef Eric Reid is a widower struggling to raise twin boys and keep his fledgling Long Island restaurant afloat long enough for word of mouth to lift it out of the red. Little does he suspect that the intriguing new customer groaning in ecstasy over his bourbon pecan tart is none other than the legendary Lina Holland, the reviewer whose thumbs-up could spell the difference between colossal success and the extermination of his lifelong dream. No one in the industry knows what Lina looks like, but he's convinced she's a brash, zaftig shrew who applies her makeup with a putty knife. When he finds out how wrong he is, the fun really starts!

Throw in a buttinsky roommate, a lecherous ex-husband, bribery by chocolate, and the fishing excursion from hell, and the result is, well, too darn hot!

• Review •
TOO DARN HOT was a great read. I enjoyed almost every aspect of my time spent with it. There was great tension between the H/h, a quirky side character that made for decent comic relief, excellent pace. The story was believable even if a bit predictable and very dated. Although, I really wish I had gotten more of the romance between Eric and Lina. I liked these two and I was disappointed being left out of the joys of them falling in love.

Basically, all the reader is shown is them meeting, sniffing around each other for a few weeks and then having sex. Jump ahead several months (4 iirc) and they're madly in love and quickly approaching the 'Big Misunderstanding' and subsequent resolution/HEA. I didn't see that love play out and grow, so I find it hard to believe at the end. For that reason, despite giving a decent grade, I won't be adding this book to my keeper shelf for future rereads. I look for romance in my romances and don't feel TOO DARN HOT delivered on that front.

Cover musings:

Hate it. But it's been my experience that Pamela's hideous covers contain really good reads.

Favorite moment:

- When Eric brought Lina breakfast… Silly and fun and cute.

★★★★

Review: Impact by Tiffinie Helmer

Author - Tiffinie Helmer
Genre - Contemporary
Series - Wild Men of Alaska
Format - Ebook (50p.)
Rating - 5/5 stars

He’ll fight anyone or anything to get her back.

Alaska State Trooper Skip Ozhuwan has waited five years to reunite with Wren Terni, the woman he’s always loved. Flying back home for his sister’s wedding with only him and Wren in a chartered bush plane guarantees he’ll have her undivided attention.

Ever since Skip arrested her five years earlier, Wren vowed never to lay eyes on him again. She’s gotten sober and made a life for herself that she’s proud of. Seeing Skip now throws her into a tailspin.

When the plane crashes, forcing them to battle a violent arctic storm, outwit predators, and dispose of a dead body, they must find a way to get past their differences if they are to survive to have a future together.

That is if they don’t kill each other first.

• Review •
Excellent read! I loved this short story so much. Great characters, location, humor. I especially loved being in Wren's POV. She's a funny, funny girl! I couldn't ask for much more. Very pleased with this, and was very entertained as well. I'd read it again, and I can't wait to read the other books in the series.

The only thing that kind of bothered me was Wren's name… I kept misreading it as When on my tiny phone, which was a pain each time :(. Damn eyes playing tricks on me! Unfortunately, that was the sole reason I didn't add IMPACT to my favorites list. But you still can't go wrong with this quick shorty and I recommend it to those who like second chance romances with a satisfying HEA. This is definitely a permanent fixture on my digital Keeper Shelf!

Cover musings:

Love it. It imparts a strong sense of adventure for me and has a yummy guy to drool over. Win.

Favorite moment:

- When Skip needed help with the zipper… Was definitely a lol moment!

★★★★★

Review: The Dating Game by Jessica Morse

Author - Jessica Morse
Genre - Contemporary Erotic Romance
Series -N/A
Format - Ebook (77p.)
Rating - 4/5 stars
Read an excerpt

Protecting your heart is the hardest part of the game.

Camille and Ethan are kindred spirits: busy professionals with no time for the demands of typical relationships. They devise an arrangement that suits her busy schedule and satisfies their lust for each other. When real feelings develop between them, can either one move past the rules of the game to take a chance on something just as exciting and even more risky?

• Review •
THE DATING GAME wasn't a bad book despite some of the complaints I had. In fact, I really liked it a lot. I didn't think I would though because the first 5 chapters were pretty average. Nothing "wow"ed me and I thought it might turn out to be a 2 or 3 star read. But chapter 6 and on was great and I'm glad I stuck with it. One thing is for certain, a strong suspension of disbelief is required. Almost everything that happens in this story is just way too convenient.

Characters were pretty good, pacing and story is great and was nice to see other aspects to it besides just sex and everyone thinking about sex. I felt the balance between the erotic storyline and the contemporary romance was perfect. For that reason, I'm interested in trying more books from this author. A couple of the complaints I had were a lack of Ethan's POV. It's written in 3rd person but from Camille's side for the whole novella. I would have loved to know what Ethan was thinking and feeling and am quite disappointed. To a lesser extent, I also had problems with the lack of a HEA (only a HFN) and the plethora of spelling errors such as…

"You damn game started it a cab, Ethan—" (p.70)

Spelling mistakes such as this one just left me with a dumbfounded look on my face most of the time. Whoever the author hired to read her books before they go "live" needs to be fired. This is an example of just one of the many, many, many mistakes too. O_o All that aside, I truly enjoyed this novella and would happily read it again.

Cover musings:

Meh. It's pretty bland. At least the people are how I imagine the characters to look, sort of, which is always nice.

★★★★

Review: Heartfire by Karen Rose Smith

Author - Karen Rose Smith
Genre -Contemporary
Series - Search For Love #5
Format - Ebook (190p. on Kindle)
Rating - 2/5 stars

Tessa Kahill, renowned journalist who travels the world, is falling in love with her best friend's husband all over again. A rocky road, a man and woman who are searching for love and a little boy who holds his own secret. They could become a real family if they all become vulnerable and honest with each other. A heartfire has been burning for years. Will it lead to everlasting love?

• Review •
I can't believe I finished reading HEARTFIRE. I kept expecting it to get better, but it did the opposite and only got worse as I continued reading. I'm very disappointed with this book and can't recommend it. The first half of the book was decent, I thought it was a cute story with a Leave It To Beaver vibe to it. The tension between the H/h was pretty good as well. There's no smexy times at all though. Until the last 10% or so I was pretty indifferent about the characters, neither liking nor disliking them. The end showed how stupid and spiteful they were though.

There was also tons of redundancy in this novella. Definitely not something I like. Progression is a good thing, People! I got tired of seeing the H/h regurgitate their issues over and over again to each other with no resolutions. That should have been my first sign that this book just wasn't going to work for me. And the end was just really bad. Very abrupt and tidy… sunshine, lollipops, and unicorn farts, anyone? Had this been a physical book, I would have thrown it at the wall, then directly into the recycle bin. But I just growled at my nook and told the receptionist at the dentist office after she gave me a strange look, "Do not get this book!!! It is soooo bad!" The only thing I liked was how well the author wove the story. What can I say? It's a well written book that sucks you in and you never realize how shitty it really is until you're nose deep and that's all you can smell…

Cover musings:

That's one scary looking cover. Really, really scary…

★★

Review: Return To Pearl Island, Bonus Chapters by Julie Ortolon

Author - Julie Ortolon
Genre - Contemporary
Series - Pearl Island Trilogy
Format - Ebook (103p. on Nook)
Rating - 2.5/5 stars

Dear Reader,

This ebook is my gift to fans of the Pearl Island trilogy who own the stories in print. When I released Falling for You, Lead Me On, and Don't Tempt Me as ebooks, I added a bonus chapter to each one so fans can see what’s happening today at the Pearl Island Inn.

If you haven’t read the series, this ebook can read as three short stories to give you a taste of this award-winning series. Titles include Falling for You, Lead Me On, and Don't Tempt Me.

Best,
Julie Ortolon

• Review •
This book was a cute revisit to Pearl Island, but kind of unnecessary in my opinion. I really liked revisiting Rory and Chance. Their story was the most interesting and enjoyable. I gave them 4 stars. For Allison and Scott I felt the story was enjoyable but unimportant. Kind of boring honestly. I gave that one 3 stars though. For Jackie and Adrian's part of the book, I was very disappointed. All the facts were skewed (son was 5 at the top of the stairs, then 6 at the bottom… Rory was a redhead then a blond in about the same amount of time, year's between the main stories and the bonus chapters were inaccurate, etc.) I really disliked the final installment in this book, so I gave it 1.5 stars.

So, like I said in the beginning, this book is rather unnecessary. Maybe had I liked the series better as a whole, I may have enjoyed these bonus chapters more, but I just found them to be a waste of time. I don't recommend them, even if you've read the other books in the series.

★★½

Review: Don't Tempt Me by Julie Ortolon

Author - Julie Ortolon
Genre - Contemporary
Series - Pearl Island Trilogy #3
Format - Ebook (331p. on my Kindle)
Rating - 3/5 stars
Read an excerpt

WHEN AN IRRESISTIBLE MAN…
Adrian St. Claire, the sexy chef at the Pearl Island B&B is as tempting as the dishes he serves. In fact, he’s never had a woman tell him no—until his family needs help searching for a legendary heirloom on the sunken ship in the island’s cove. To find the treasure they need the help of a woman whose family history is as linked as theirs to the island’s romantic past.

MEETS AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN…
As the owner of the Pirate’s Pleasure, Jackie Taylor is far more interested in running her cruise ship along the Texas coast than chasing tales of lost booty, and even less interested in tangling with a man who collects female admirers just by walking down the street. On top of that, helping the St. Claires could dredge up secrets she’d like to remain buried.

THE CHASE IS ON.
Enticed by Jackie’s resistance, Adrian soon has something more than treasure hunts and casual flirtation in mind… and he’s not a man who takes no for an answer. But will they each have the courage to risk their hearts for the greatest treasure of all—falling in love?

• Review •
DON'T TEMPT ME started out excellently. I'm talking '5+ stars and making room for a physical copy on my keeper shelf' excellent. For a little more than half the book I was captivated and in love, I had issues but they seemed so petty that I just turned a blind eye to them. But from about 56% onward it started going downhill quickly until I was tempted (heh) to DNF within the final 10-15%. By the time I read the final word I hated the book.

What I hated the most was the characters. Especially Jackie, whom I never did truly like. There's absolutely zero growth with her. She's as awful at the end as she was in the beginning. But Adrian did start out with some potential. I couldn't stand how much he was constantly having to placate Jackie and her fears/insecurities throughout the story though! I was getting frustrated by all the ways he bent over backwards for her and she was too self-absorbed to really see it. And when she did see it, she denied it and his love. To dramatic effect as well when she got physically ill when he said he loved her. Really?! Adrian sums up Jackie pretty accurately here though…

"…you're a goddamned coward without enough backbone to stand up for yourself!" (p.306 location 4328 on Kindle)

I couldn't have said it any better myself. Unfortunately, he stays with her! So, yeah. I feel he's a first-class fool who's TSTL. I was completely disappointed with DON'T TEMPT ME. While there was good things, especially in the beginning, I wish I had never read this book. Thankfully I only borrowed it from lendle. One thing I will say though, is this book has the best smexy scenes in the whole series. Very hot stuff indeed. Is it enough for me to recommend? Nope. Although, if you've read the rest of the series, you may as well read this one for completions sake.

Favorite moments:

- When Adrian gives Jackie her first baking lesson… So hawt. I could get behind baking with an instructor like that!

★★★

Review: Lead Me On by Julie Ortolon

Author - Julie Ortolon
Genre - Contemporary
Series - Pearl Island Trilogy #2
Format - Paperback (328p.)
Rating - 3/5 stars
Read an excerpt

Inside every nice girl is a naughty woman dying to get out!

WHEN A WOMAN WHO IS WILLING…
Allison St. Claire has the face of an angel. That's part of the problem. She also sells quaint tea sets in the gift shop at Galveston's Pearl Island Inn. It doesn't exactly scream sexy! Years of having men treat her like a little sister is enough to drive a healthy woman crazy! Especially when a gorgeous hunk checks in and fails to recognize that Allison's more than willing. She's ready...

MEETS A MAN WHO ISN'T LISTENING…
Frustrated author Scott Lawrence is hoping to get lucky in more ways than one. A little fun in the sun with a beautiful woman may be just the inspiration he needs to cure his writer's block. No fuss. No commitment. But a 'good girl' like Allison? No way!

THEN IT'S TIME FOR ACTION.
When Allison makes her move, every bachelor bone in Scott's body tells him to swim for safety. But stronger instincts prevail, and the heat climbs higher than the temperature on the Texas Coast. Now a four-letter word called love could turn a sweet spring diversion into the most unexpected and complicated fling of their lives.

• Review •
LEAD ME ON was an okay read. It started out with a bang and I was expecting to add another book to my favorites list, but it seemed to fizzle out in the middle. The characters as well seemed to fluctuate. I started out loving Allison and not caring about Scott and by the end the opposite was true. But at least they were fleshed out well enough for me to have such passionate opinions on them. Basically though, I'm just kind of "blah" about the whole book.

Don't get me wrong, there were some really good things about LEAD ME ON as well. Writing is excellent, I especially loved the history/romance of Jack and Marquerite. It builds on a lot of what we learned in the first book of the series (my review of the 1st book can be found here) as well. For that reason, the books in this trilogy really don't work well as stand-alones in my opinion. There's so much history divulged that doesn't really recap.

Ultimately though, I just couldn't get excited about this book (real life has more to do with that than the quality of the book though). I enjoyed it yes, but I'm glad to move on. I've already started reading the final book in the series and hope to have that review up next week. Along with the bonus chapters reviews.

As a small aside, I apologize for not posting a review in awhile. There has been a death in the family that I took a little harder than I thought I would, and I haven't been able to get excited about anything… even reading. That's the reason for my neglect of commenting on other blogs too :(. The funeral is tomorrow and I'm really hoping things go back to normal afterwards.

Favorite moments:

- Scott and Allison's first kiss in the gift shop… Smoking hot
- Chloe and Scott's dive when he imagined Jack's last moments… So moving and heart-wrenching
- When Allison begins teasing Scott while cleaning his room… Provocative and funny

★★★

Review: Niko's Stolen Bride by Lindy Corbin

Author - Lindy Corbin
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - eBook (146p.)
Rating - 4/5 stars

Faced with the fiasco of her cancelled wedding, Kara wants to hide from the world while her heart heals. A day trip aboard the yacht leased for the honeymoon cruise sounds like the perfect escape. If only the captain hadn’t turned out to be the man she’d practically begged to kiss her after her failed bachelorette party. A rebound relationship with the handsome Greek should be the furthest thing from her mind, shouldn’t it?

Niko Maragos has spent more time in meetings than on the decks of his family’s ships in recent years, but after he dances with Kara, he’s eager to captain the yacht to Key West. To ensure that she can’t return to her ex-fiancé, he steals her away. His plan to get Kara in his bed seems fail-proof, until pirates attack…

• Review •
I enjoyed Niko's Stolen Bride a lot. Aside from a few spelling errors, it was a well told story that pulled me in and got under my skin. There was a nice humorous tone, it was understated and sweet, one that worked very well in this book. Lindy Corbin is an author I look forward to reading more of in the future. Niko and Kara were decent characters too, if a bit immature. Niko could be overbearing at times, but there were moments where he was incredibly sweet and tender, especially at the end that ultimately won me over. Kara was a character I could empathize with for the most part, but there was a scene at the end I found to be rather degrading and pathetic though.

"Please, Niko, give us a chance. I'll move to Greece to be near you. We can learn to be friends, date, move in together. I'll do whatever you want, whenever you're ready." -Kara (p.143 on Nook)

Overall, this was a great book. (It even drew some misty-eyed moments out of me at the end!) I loved the descriptiveness of the Bahamas and the yachts. I could picture everything so clearly! Made the book feel like an escape to one of my islands that I hold so dear. Like going home. I'd say 55% of my grade is based on nostalgia. But Niko's Stolen Bride is a great read that is perfect to enjoy in a lazy afternoon… quick, easy and satisfying. I recommend this book to those looking for a quick escape read that takes you to tropical lands, and a romance that focuses less on sex and more on falling in love. ♥

★★★★

Review: Needing Nita by Norah Wilson

Author - Norah Wilson
Genre - Contemporary
Series - Serve and Protect #3.5
Format - Ebook (130p.)
Rating - 4/5 stars

Attorney Nita Reynolds is hot for Det. Craig Walker, but he's given up asking her out. She doesn't date cops… until a doctor's call makes her re-examine her priorities. Believing she has a brain tumor like the one that killed her father, she vows to make love to Craig Walker while she still has her full faculties. By the time the doctor realizes he's mixed up the scans, she's in way too deep.

~ What I Liked: The great characters! Even though there wasn't much back story on them, they were fleshed out very well. I got to know and like them based strictly on their personalities. I was rooting for them and so happy when they got their HEA!

I also loved the subtle humor. It felt so natural. Along with the romance, that despite happening fast, was so believable. The writing was choppy at first, but quickly evened out and became enjoyable. Honestly, this is more of a "what didn't I like?!" So, let's get to that.

~ What I Didn't Like: My biggest issue was the intimacy between the H/h was too soon. Granted, it wasn't first thing to start the story, but was close enough. It seemed like they weren't ready, and since I didn't know them well enough yet, I wasn't either. It was very lukewarm. It would have been—and was—a ton better had they bonded/chatted over drinks or a meal first. As it is, it came off very forced and contrived. Not sexy at all.

~ Final Analysis: A really great story. I thought it was a quick, sweet and sexy treat. The rocky start is greatly eclipsed by a wonderful middle and finish. I'm satisfied with it and will gladly send it to my "keeper" shelf.

★★★★

Review: Double Dare by Rhonda Nelson

Author - Rhonda Nelson
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (268p.)
Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Runaway bride Louisa Honeycut is looking for a quick escape when she passes the Double Dare, Inc sign and the slogan "Are you ready for the time of your life?" seems like divine intervention. Sheltered by her overbearing father, Louisa has years of catching up to do and can think of no better person than gorgeous Sam Rawlins to show her. Is she ready for the time of her life? Hell, yes.

~ What I Liked: I absolutely loved the humor in DOUBLE DARE. This was a fun and quirky off-the-wall read that, for the most part, was very enjoyable. I also liked the pacing. As the story started, I really liked the main characters Sam and Lou… but not for long unfortunately.

~ What I Didn't Like: I didn't care for Lou by the 25% mark. And I didn't feel she was deserving of a HEA. She was too selfish and childish to appreciate it IMO. Sam was a little better, but I thought he was a tool ultimately. Now, what I really really didn't like (and was a huge tipping point in regards to the lower grade) was the atrocious editing. I have never seen such a horrible display of improper word usage before. Whoever the author used to proofread DOUBLE DARE needs to be fired… or something, because this was seriously B.A.D. Not at first, but certainly in the last 35%. For that reason, I'll probably be a little apprehensive about trying anything from this author again. And finally, the ending seemed too abrupt and way too tidy. Sam and Lou will probably need divorce lawyers before their one-year anniversary.

~ Final Analysis: DOUBLE DARE was enjoyable despite the negatives. It was a nice escape, that had me laughing out loud several times. Light-hearted, fast-paced and a good story. Had it been properly edited, I feel it would have been an easy 4 or 5 stars.

★★★½

Review: Stuck With You by Trish Jensen

Author - Trish Jensen
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (216p.)
Rating - 4.5/5 stars

*Source: Netgalley*

As lawyers on opposing sides of a messy divorce case, Paige Hart and Ross Bennett ought to have kept matters purely professional, yet Paige and Ross came to loathe each other with an intensity that was strictly personal. The bad blood between them takes on an unexpected new dimension when the infuriated pair is forced to share a hospital room, when they’re quarantined after being exposed to the rare and highly contagious Tibetan Concupiscence Virus that’s reputed to shift sensual desire into high gear.

When symptoms (which a nonmedical person might mistake for pure and simple lust) start showing up way ahead of schedule, the lawyers’ objections to each other are overruled — and they enjoy every minute of it. But, after the doctors declare that the disease has run its course, Paige and Ross are still feverish with a longing for one another that they hope will never be cured. When the verdict comes in, will they be sentenced to life — in love?

• Review •
What a great read! I enjoyed STUCK WITH YOU so much. It was silly, quirky, funny and cute. A great book that I could just get lost in. It didn't  require tons of thought, it's a simple light-hearted story that had me giggling almost non-stop. I also loved Ms. Jensen's voice so much. I need to get my hands on her backlist pronto!

The characters were endearing, believable, and easy to relate to. Paige and Ross were great together, but I have to admit the way Paige treated him at the end kind of made me want to slap her. It didn't last long though! All was forgiven. There's also the bonus of the side characters Rachel and Nick's reunited lovers romance that I—normally—wouldn't care for, but was balanced with the main plot perfectly. So in essence I got two great romances! Win!

Overall, I'm thrilled with this book. The pacing is great, the writing is excellent, I couldn't ask for much more. I loved the snappy one-liners, and the general humor of the story, especially the hospital scenes! This was a feel-good read from start to finish, and even with a windchill putting temps into the negative digits outside, I was warm and happy inside with this book!

★★★★½

Review: Cool Shade by Theresa Weir

Author - Theresa Weir
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (@258p.)
Rating - ♥ 5/5 stars ♥

Maddie Smith has never been one to hang around any place too long. After losing her job as a late-night disc jockey, she has little reason to stay in Tucson. When she receives a message that her estranged sister has disappeared, she figures she might as well go to Nebraska and see what's up with her unreliable sibling. There she learns that her sister is linked to the mysterious Eddie Berlin, a recluse and a very sexy guy. Maddie takes a personal interest in Eddie as she searches for clues about the disappearance of her sister.

Meanwhile, Eddie is shouldering problems of his own. The former manager of a pop star killed by a crazed fan, Eddie feels responsible for the singer's death, and as a result, he hasn't wandered off his own property in more than four years. Still, he is attracted to Maddie, experiencing feelings he thought he would never know again. A stolen tape of a recording made by the late rock star and other clues bind the couple together. It soon becomes clear that these two deserve each other, and when they finally feel comfortable with the fit, they find they are greater as a pair than they could ever have been as individuals.

• Review •
I fell in love with COOL SHADE almost instantly! It was dripping with witty humor, intrique, and amazing story telling. It has claimed the title of Most Favorite Read Ever for me. It's hard to review since I was so captivated by the story that I didn't take many notes… and the ones I did take were gushy "squee" types. I did have a couple minor issues that were eventually eclipsed by the story itself though. Mainly some dialog tagging, or lack thereof, that caused some confusion at one point. And at the end there was a flashback to Eddie's past that I felt was too long. It challenged the pacing a little bit, but thankfully when the flashback ended the pacing resumed at it's normal speed.

I love these characters so much! Maddie was sarcastic, tough yet soft, and generally portrayed in a believable manner. Eddie was enthralling. One minute he was insanely hot, and the next he was just a man with real issues. I never understood the whole "wounded hero" thing before… I get it now though! Eddie still manages to come off as an alpha man in almost every situation. Together Maddie and Eddie are just electrifying. From the moment they meet the sparks fly, and the tension is palpable. Above that though, is the way they compliment each other. I love them as a couple and rooted for them from the time in the weeds to the HEA.

Overall, I loved this book a lot and can not wait to read again. I'm hoping to get this in hard copy for my bookshelf soon. When I first saw this free at amazon, I almost passed it up because of the cover… but I saw a review where someone had said it was a romance, so I figured I'd give it a try. So glad that I did!

♥★★★★★♥

• Favorite Quote •

She squirmed. "Put me down!"
When he didn't comply, she kicked her feet, a pitiful, limp-ankled, virgin in distress flutter-kick kind of thing. ~Maddie

Review: Dear Cupid by Julie Ortolon

Author - Julie Ortolon
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (@320p.)
Rating - 3/5 stars
Read an excerpt

Once upon a time, there was a redhead named Kate Bradshaw who naively thought Happily Ever After was just a heartbeat away. One kid, one divorce, and a stack of bills later, Kate isn't necessarily a candidate for Man-Haters Anonymous, but she's not winning any points with the love-struck readers of her Dear Cupid advice column either. If she's going to keep her job, she needs a man to remind her that romance can be fun. Someone attractive. Someone easygoing. Someone with whom she can polish her rusty flirting skills — and absolutely nothing more. Enter Michael Cameron…

One might think a drop-dead handsome movie animator would have no problem marrying himself off. As Kate soon discovers, one would be sorely mistaken. A little too attached to his shabby bachelor pad couch and rumpled Hawaiian shirts, Michael is counting on Kate to turn him into husband material and find him a wife. But little does Kate know that this is just Michael's plan to convince her to give love a second chance and to look for the future Mrs. Cameron in the most obvious place of all: the mirror…

• Review •
I enjoyed DEAR CUPID. It was a fun, silly, quirky, colorful read. It had moments of absurdity but it worked for me somewhat. The writing was great and was the strongest trait of the book. Pacing and dialog were both very good too. I was sucked into this story and even though it was predictable in some aspects it was still a fun "escaper" for me.

The characters were alright, but Kate was very annoying and that, unfortunately in a round-about way, reflected on the whole cast. While I tried to like her, I just couldn't get past some issues that bothered me on a personal level. Mainly with the choices she makes in raising her son. By the time the conflict starts gathering steam, she hit the TSTL territory for me. Also my dislike for her eclipsed any feelings I may have had for the others. The rest of the cast was just kind of… there. Even Mike was just average.

I also had trouble buying into the romance. I couldn't believe someone would go to the lengths that Mike did to be with Kate after a 2 minute or so initial meeting. And nothing is shown to prove there's anything besides a physical attraction between the two. Overall though, I was happy with DEAR CUPID. It had just the right amount of humor and pace that kept me turning the pages. Along with the smexy times! :p This book is a perfect, mindless "beach" read. It worked well for me to read during the crazy holiday season.

★★★

Review: All I Want For Christmas by Liliana Hart

Author - Liliana Hart
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Ebook (105p.)
Rating - 1/5 stars

Naughty or Nice
A blizzard leaves Kate Carson stranded in Chicago on Christmas Eve. When she finds she’s without a place to stay for the night, billionaire Derek Worth tempts her with an offer she can’t refuse, and she finds out it’s a lot easier to stay warm being naughty instead of nice.

A MacKenzie Christmas
Grant MacKenzie is ready to settle down and start a family. The only problem is the one woman he’s interested in doesn’t seem to be ready for the long haul. But fate lends Grant a helping hand in getting exactly what he wants under his Christmas tree.

• Review •
Since this book had two short stories in it, I'll review each seperately, then the book as a whole. First up is NAUGHTY OR NICE. While it started out great with good writing and decent descriptions, it quickly went downhill. Kate and Derek meet and it was at that point I should have cut my losses and walked away. But I didn't… The plot was weak and lame, the characters were TSTL, the dialog was okay though. There was spelling and editing errors. And I find it hard to believe no one caught the name mistake…

The twist at the end infuriated me. And, unfortunately, it's not the first time I've seen it. And then after that epicfail the story gets dragged on longer. I'm upset with myself for reading this one…

★

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The second story up is A MACKENZIE CHRISTMAS. This one was just slightly better than the first. The only point that made it more enjoyable was the humorous moments. The characters were okay aside from Annabeth and Grant who were TSTL. But Annabeth has the added bonus of being depressing. Yay me.

The ending was so unbelievably lame, cheesy and corny. Like with the first story, I should have walked away. *Headdesk*

★½

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Overall, I was highly disappointed with myself for reading ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS, even though there was HEA's all around, I wasn't happy at all. I felt the best points in both stories was the pacing and dialog. But it's not good enough to recommend based on that, this book is a waste of time, even if it is short.

★

Review: 2000 Kisses by Christina Skye

Author - Christina Skye
Genre - Contemporary
Series - SEAL and Code Name #1
Format - Paperback (374p.)
Rating - 2/5 stars
Read an excerpt

A year 2000 computer glitch got her $1 million and a cowboy—and the wildest adventure of her life…

P.R. whiz Tess O'Mara is burned out. She's looking for a change. Something wild and crazy. The year 2000 has arrived. And that's when the trouble begins. A computer glitch has deposited one million dollars into her bank account. Problem is, it's somebody else's money, somebody who's willing to kill to find it—and Tess has already spent a big chunk of it on a new wardrobe and a powder-blue Mercedes convertible. Suddenly Tess is running for her life, as fast and as far as she can go…

…until she reaches the sleepy desert town of Almost, Arizona. Sheriff Jake McCall, a dead ringer for Mel Gibson, is there to catch her as she careens into town and collapses from heatstroke in his arms. Jake's prepared for anything—except the spoiled city slicker with trouble in her wake. The last thing he expects is to fall for her. But as danger tracks Tess to her door, something unexpected happens that will transform two very different people, and one dusty, dead-end town, forever…

• Review •
2000 KISSES didn't do it for me, and it's such a shame because Christina Skye is usually a hit more than a miss. But this book is definitely low-man on my list. The whole thing seems contrived. I'm not led to believe something, I'm told to believe it so to speak. The plot had potential but was just so forced and unnatural. The pace was super slow in the beginning that I almost DNF. I was bored. The writing and dialog though were enjoyable enough to keep me reading.

The characters weren't that great either. Tess is the classic TSTL woman. She reminded me of the bimbos in those slasher movies from years ago which led to many wallbanger moments… T.J. wasn't too bad until the end, but then he must have been hanging out with Tess too long, because by the end I wanted to throttle him too. They certainly make a good couple in theory. Not in practice though since everything between them seemed forced and fake. I would have given the romance part 1 point but it was a touch easier to believe at the end, so I raised it a point.

Overall, I can't recommend 2000 KISSES unless you are like me and want to read it based on the fact you've read almost all the authors other books. While the writing was decent, I feel it could have used another read through by someone, because it felt like there was several missing scenes that made following what was going on confusing. I kept checking page numbers thinking my book was missing pages. It wasn't. Also I think a more appropriately named title would be How Convenient That… since I said that so much during my reading the book. It was annoying after awhile. Despite the plot holes I did enjoy the writing enough so that I didn't DNF the book.

★★

Review: It Must Be Love by Rachel Gibson

Author - Rachel Gibson
Genre - Contemporary
Series - N/A
Format - Paperback (371p.)
Rating - ♥ 5/5 stars ♥
Read an excerpt

Undercover cop Joe Shanahan's bad luck hit bottom the morning he stared up into the face of sexy suspect Gabrielle Breedlove. She'd blown his cover---brought him down with a can of hairspray---and now his new assignment was to pose as her boyfriend. But spending as much time as possible with the utterly irresistible New Age beauty caused unexpected complications. To make matters worse, his matchmaking sisters are picking out china patterns.

Joe's brooding good looks and T-shirt-straining muscles might be easy on the eyes, but how could Gabrielle be attracted to a straight-laced detective who's determined to find evidence to arrest her? Still, he invades her dreams and when they share a transcendent lovemaking experience, Gabrielle knows it must be love.

• Review •
OMG! I loved IT MUST BE LOVE so hard! The pacing was good, the plot was totally believable. There was a slight moment during the conflict at the end where I came close to deducting a point but in the end I didn't. It was when Gabrielle sat by the phone waiting for Joe to call… but that was her and expected so no point deducting for it. And I have to say that the conflict had me worried that there wouldn't be a HEA. I know, I had a brainfart, what can I say?

I love, love, love Joe! He's perfect. Sweet, considerate, sexy. He certainly qualifies for my book boyfriend! Gabrielle is another story… she's a kook. Strange, high-strung, over-reactive, dramatic, ditzy, and not very bright. But she seems perfect for Joe, so I couldn't really nitpick on her. And her personality lends to most of the comedic moments in the story… at least she wasn't annoying or TSTL for me. The romance between Joe and Gabrielle was great. It came off naturally with lots of sexual tension adding to the believability.

Overall, everything about IT MUST BE LOVE was excellent. It was a fun, sexy, well-written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was left with the happy vibes from an emotionally satisfying read! Definitely a new favorite that I highly recommend. Rachel Gibson is probably my most favorite author and this book is one of the many reasons why! Happy reading, everyone!

♥★★★★★♥

• Favorite Quotes •

He looked into her green eyes and thought he detected a glint of humor, but he wasn't sure. It could just as easily be a spark of dementia.

≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈

Joe certainly didn't seem concerned with his own enlightenment, but he did seem more intelligent than the average muscle neck. Then he raised his arm, bent his head, and sniffed his pit.

≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈ ♥ ≈

Joe radiated raw, masculine energy and was about as calming as a nuclear blast.