Category: 3-Stars

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Book Review: Kneel Down (Nailed Down Book 3) by Chelle Bliss & Eden Butler

 Kneel Down

(Nailed Down Book 3) 

by Chelle Bliss & Eden Butler

Amazon US / UK / AU / CA / B&N  

 

My job as a SEAL was to go in and save the day.
But even heroes fall. Even heroes make mistakes.

My only saving grace was Gin Sullivan.
My knock out best friend who wasn’t afraid to tell me the truth even when it hurt. She’d pick me up when I was wallowing in my own stupidity.

It wasn’t hard for me to fall for her.
Any man would.
She was beautiful.
She was smart.
She was everything I’d ever wanted.

I had plans to tell her that, squash the pinning we’d both done for two years.
But a bullet to the gut silenced me and Gin got tired of waiting.

Now I have a new mission, one that I can’t fail:
Do whatever it takes to make Gin mine forever.

Other books in the standalone Nailed Down Series:
Nailed Down – Book 1
Tied Down – Book 2
Kneel Down – Book 3

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quote:

 

Words always get in the way. They did. Somehow, it was the words we didn’t say that injured the most. It was the silence that kept us from what we want.

 

 My Review:

 

I struggled to finish this one, not that the book was bad, it just wasn’t aligned with or palatable to my personal taste as constant conflict just isn’t my jam. The angsty storylines were missing the critical element of wit and levity that I had come to expect from these talented authors and instead appeared to be a repetitive cycle of 90% conflict, reticence, and forfeiture. I also failed to connect with the painfully stubborn and annoying morose characters, I found them exasperating. However, for readers who have a proclivity for angsty and quarrelsome tales with a few sizzling scenes of hot steamy sex, this would be a quick and tasty treat.

Meet the Author

USA Today bestselling author Chelle Bliss currently lives in a small town near the Gulf of Mexico. She’s a full-time writer, time-waster extraordinaire, social media addict, and coffee fiend. She’s written over ten books and has two series available. She loves spending her free time with her boyfriend, 2 cats, and her hamster.

Before becoming a writer, Chelle taught high school history for over ten years. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Technology and a bachelor’s in History. Although history is her first love, writing has become her dream job and she can’t imagine doing anything else.

http://chellebliss.com/

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Book Review: Forgiven (Nash Brothers #2) by Carrie Aarons

 FORGIVEN is available for purchase now, and it is the second book in the Nash Brothers series! For a limited time, you can get the first book in the series, FLEETING, for 99 cents! You can follow Carrie for exclusive updates about the series.

Forgiven by Carrie Aarons

 Nash Brothers, #2

AMAZON

Book Blurb:

In a split-second, a car crash killed almost everything between them. Ten years later, can one accidental ride fix tattered spirits, uncertain futures, and broken hearts?

Lily Grantham has always done what she’s been told. The daughter of a senator, she grew up as the good girl of Fawn Hill, and carried that torch right on through to adulthood. Her only wild streak? Bowen Nash. She loved that boy since the day they laid eyes on each other, and it nearly ended them both. A decade later, and Lily still can’t move on. Even if Bowen has made it clear he doesn’t love her anymore.

Bowen Nash never wanted the life he’s trapped in. Destined for baseball fame and the love of his high-school sweetheart, that existence vanished in the flip of an old pickup. Now, he’s stuck in the town that produced his worst nightmare. Pretending to hate Lily Grantham guts him day in and day out. But to protect her from the ultimate secret, it’s necessary to break his own heart each time they pass on the street.

They’ve been fighting fate for as long as it’s been chasing them. And now, time is up.

Add the book to Goodreads

 

My Rating:

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

“How do you feel about pink?” Penelope asks our bride. “The same way you feel about spring break with all three of your kids at home.” Presley chuckles, taking a sip of her champagne. Our resident mother warrior shudders. “Don’t even joke about that. It’s like surviving a nuclear fallout. There is cereal and poop and Legos everywhere.”

 

He couldn’t locate that thing with a flashlight and a search and rescue team at his disposal… I don’t understand what’s so difficult about it. We have a button, right at the top, full of nerves. It literally sticks out just for them to find. Some men, I swear!

 

Books never stopped calling, they didn’t act like a jerk, and they certainly were there in all times of need. Yeah, I’d rather spend time with my favorite characters than people any day of the week.

 

I didn’t even really care about politics. It was all a bunch of stuffy old men in suits arguing about where money should go.

 

She’s gotta be whip-smart. And she looks like she could either hand me my balls or take real good care of them.

 

  My Review:

 

I had greatly enjoyed the vivacious feel and levity to Fleeting, the first book in this series, but my enthusiasm did not hold up with this sequel. However, it could well be my issue as unfortunately, the author decided to utilize several of my least favorite tropes, which had me sighing and rolling my eyes; why do authors recycle these tiresome angsty themes, why?

 

Nor were the main characters all that appealing to me, Lily was essentially missing a backbone and sold herself out with a smile for her corrupt political family, I am rather amazed the poor girl could walk and sit up straight being without a spine and all. Bowen had been surly for a decade while being blackmailed with a supposed dark secret – a secret that seemed hardly worth the effort and inadequate for the purpose. But worse than that, his behavior toward Lily was vile and deplorable; I would have given him free neutering service had he talked to me that way.

 

My respite from complete and total exasperation was provided by the continuing storylines and amusing banter with and between the secondary characters. I enjoyed the story once the secret was outed and the heavy curtain of angst was lifted. I’m hoping book three brings back the joy with a more authentic and entertaining premise.

 

What Reviewers Are Saying about the Nash Brothers…

“So what do I need to do to find a quaint little town like Fawn Hill? And some Nash brothers? Because good golly Miss Molly I am in love with everything here!” -The Book Branch

—————-

PURCHASE THE PREVIOUS BOOK IN THE SERIES

Read it for FREE in Kindle Unlimited

————————-

AUTHOR INFORMATION:

Author of romance novels such as Red Card and Privileged, Carrie Aarons writes books that are just as swoon-worthy as they are sarcastic. A former journalist, she prefers the stories she dreams up, and the yoga pant dress code, much better.

When she isn’t writing, Carrie is busy binging reality TV, having a love/hate relationship with cardio, and trying not to burn dinner. She lives in the suburbs of New Jersey with her husband, daughter and dog.

 

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Book Review: Worth the Wait by J.B. Heller

 

Worth The Wait 

(Alpha One #2)

by JB Heller

Amazon US / UK / CA / AU 

Some secrets shouldn’t be kept…

Being with Ellie is easy. She’s fiery, brilliant, gorgeous and knows her way around an engine. I knew the moment I saw her, fire flashing in her green eyes, that she was it for me. We fit together perfectly, her outspoken nature complementing my reserved one.
I’ve never been so at peace, so absolutely content. There’s only one thing that could ruin it all, my past. There are things I haven’t told her, things she needs to know. But I’m not the only one who’s been keeping secrets, and it’s all about to surface in the worst possible way.
I can’t lose her, not when I only just got her. Protecting people is what I do, it’s more than my job, it’s my sole purpose in life. It’s why I joined the military then became a bodyguard.
The man threatening what’s mine obviously doesn’t value his own life, because nobody messes with my family and walks away unscathed.
Worth the Wait is a sizzling standalone novel in the Alpha One Protection romantic suspense series. If you like sexy alpha men, free-spirited women, and shocking plot twists, then you’ll love JB Heller’s danger-riddled romance.

 

**Book two in a series of interconnecting standalones.

My Rating:

 

 

Favorite Quotes:

 

I was smiling because you make me happy, you crazy little gremlin. That’s all… Can’t a man enjoy your company without it being creepy?

 

“No swearing near her,” I snap. “Her brain is like a sponge. She’ll remember that shit.” Paco glares at me, “You just said shit.” A frown creases my brows. “I’m workin’ on it.”

 

 My Review:

 

I am conflicted in how to rate this one; it was a mixed bag for me. I enjoyed the first half of the book which was equal parts humor, sizzle, and angst while delving into the blossoming relationship of Zak and Ellie, a feisty pint-sized female mechanic who was an apparent turd magnet with an unpleasant relationship history and alarmingly poor taste in men. It was no wonder Ellie was questioning her good fortune and a bit distrustful in hitting the jackpot with Zak, her current love interest, who had been outstandingly patient with her smart mouth, quick temper, and outlandish antics and was exceptionally gentle with her despite his large size. Zak was extremely thoughtful had a complicated history and a large, tender, and generous heart.   Midway through the storyline changed and became increasing more convoluted and difficult to follow until it skidded off the rails into OTT land and I was approaching DNF territory. I stuck with it out of curiosity and was rewarded with a return to the lighter tones of levity and steam before ending in a satisfying HEA.

Author JB Heller

 

Website

Goodreads

JB Heller is an average Aussie housewife in her early 30’s with a wicked sexy imagination. JB and her family live in Central Queensland, Australia on a mini farm of sorts, surrounded by animals.

She writes both romantic suspense and contemporary romance with a healthy splash of wit. You’ll love her dashingly handsome alpha hero’s and their feisty counterparts. Then swoon over her beautifully damaged, and flawed characters.

Most day’s JB can be found glued to her laptop, taking advantage of school hours or trolling Pinterest for her next potential muse. And when she needs a break from the voices in her head she indulges in one of her favorite past times, reading or binging on Netflix.

Want to know more about JB? Check her out, you’ll be guaranteed a good laugh if nothing else.

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Book Review, Giveaway: DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS by Denise Swanson

DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS

by Denise Swanson

 

 Amazon | B&N | Kobo  

 

From New York Times best-selling author Denise Swanson comes DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS, the second installment in her Delicious Love series. It takes one dedicated wildlife veterinarian, plus an impossibly handsome nightclub manager to prove that love always wins. Fans of Jill Shalvis, Bella Andre, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips will devour this sweet and sexy romance.

 

Synopsis:

 

Marco Thorne was hired by Club Wilde’s owner to open up the newest, most outrageous venue yet. He is absolutely certain that he can handle all the competition Las Vegas has to offer until his overbearing boss contracts with Lions and Tigers and More sanctuary to have live exotic animals present in the jungle-themed club. Still, he has no choice but to go along with his boss’s idiotic scheme, even if he thinks it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard.

Dr. Sage DeSantis’s entire life is devoted to keeping the animals under her care in the sanctuary healthy and happy. After the sanctuary’s owner announces that he’s renting out some of Sage’s babies to Club Wilde, she’s sickened that they will once again be exploited.

 

When Marco and Sage meet, the chemistry between them nearly knocks them off their feet. Although they both have experiences in their past that make them leery of love, and Sage is determined to guard her heart, Marco is all in. But will Marco be able to convince Sage to give them a chance?    

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

You’re perfect. I like women with a little meat. Bones are for dogs.

 

By noon, she was ready to do something rash—like clean the bathrooms or iron the stack of clothes that had been sitting in the laundry basket for at least a couple of years.

 

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and the only cutlery in my parents’ house was stainless steel. He’s beef Wellington and I’m a microwave dinner.

 

Smokey needs to be tranq-ed so his handler can give him an enema. Apparently he hasn’t shit in the woods lately.

 

My Review:

 

I was drawn to the premise of this one and while the interesting ideas were all there and the storylines were easy to follow with hits of humor and sizzle, the execution was just not my cup of tea.   It wasn’t badly written, just a bit too tropey for my taste.

 

 

Enter to win a signed set of Delicious Love books + $15 Amazon Gift Card!

Nine will win DANGEROUSLY DELICIOUS ebooks!

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About Denise Swanson:

New York Times Bestseller author Denise Swanson was a practicing psychologist for twenty-two years. She writes the Delicious Love and Change of Heart contemporary romance series, as well as the Scumble River, Devereaux’s Dime Store, and Chief-to-Go mysteries. Her books all feature small-town heroines with lots of heart.

 

Denise’s books have been finalists for the Agatha, Mary Higgins Clark, RT Magazine’s Career Achievement, and Daphne du Maurier Awards. She has won the Reviewers Choice Award and was a BookSense 76 Top Pick.

 

Denise Swanson lives in rural Illinois with her husband, classical composer David Stybr.

 

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Book Review, Giveaway: Costa del Churros by Isabella May

Costa del Churros

by Isabella May

Goodreads

Amazon  /  B&N

 

The rain in Spain doesn’t mainly fall on the plain…

Brits abroad Belinda, Julia, Laura, and Georgina need more than the sweetness of churros with chocolate dipping sauce to save them from their unsavory states of affairs.

Cue Carmen Maria Abril de la Fuente Ferrera, the town’s flamboyant flamenco teacher! But can she really be the answer to their prayers?

One thing’s for sure: the Costa del Sol will never be the same again.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

I suppose you are another pair who keep Gwyneth Paltrow and the sad food of deprivation in business?

 

Oh… you’re scared, admit it. A woman with a heavenly figure like you, petrified to show it off, and here’s me willing to jiggle my bits in front of an audience.

 

“Is this some kind of early mid-life crisis?” He furrowed his brows to study her, confusion washing over his face, as if his wife had suddenly upgraded to version 2:0 and he failed to recognise her new format.

 

Money was merely an exchange of energy and she had no reason to hide from her good fortune. Joy was the meaning of life, after all, hadn’t Carmen also taught her that much?

 

No matter how much divine inspiration Carmen had bestowed upon them, in the end, each of them had their own path to follow. And sometimes that meant sticking two fingers up to the rules, embracing rebellion and kicking ass.

My Review:

 

I loved the premise as well as the creativity and humorous storylines, but much of the delightful cleverness of Ms. May’s writing flew right over my head, as I felt lost with so many unfamiliar British social and pop cultural references. I am sure if I were British I would have been laughing aloud.   But as I am not, I was wearing out the Wikipedia and translator on my Kindle and seriously toying with the idea of a DNF at 20%.

The colorful and dubious main cast of characters featured four initially annoying and/or pampered British women living in Spain with personalities and behaviors ranged from exasperating to repellent, and a magical/psychic dance instructor who changed their life paths. I was proud for sticking with it. Ole’! and was quite satisfied with the ending, but I continue to take considerable issue with the first half of the book.   But, score! I have 2 new additions to my Brit List with the realization that “digestive biscuits” are actually just cookies (duh – I knew Brits called cookies biscuits but had thought digestive biscuits must be a medicinal product); and “numpty” which Mr. Google tells me is informal British for a stupid person, hiss – that is me today… I’m a numpty for not previously catching on to digestives being just another cookie.

Author Bio –

Isabella May lives in (mostly) sunny Andalucia, Spain with her husband, daughter and son, creatively inspired by the sea and the mountains. When she isn’t having her cake and eating it, sampling a new cocktail on the beach, or ferrying her children to and from after-school activities, she can usually be found writing. As a co-founder and a former contributing writer for the popular online women’s magazine, The Glass House Girls – www.theglasshousegirls.com – she has also been lucky enough to subject the digital world to her other favorite pastimes, travel, the Law of Attraction, and Prince (The Purple One). She has recently become a Book Fairy, and is having lots of fun with her imaginative ‘drops’! Costa del Churros is her third novel with Crooked Cat Books, following on from the hit sensations, Oh! What a Pavlova and The Cocktail Bar.

Social Media Links –

www.isabellamayauthor.com

Twitter – @IsabellaMayBks

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/IsabellaMayAuthor/

Instagram – @isabella_may_author

Giveaway 

Win a signed copy of The Cocktail Bar

(Open Internationally)

 

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then I reserve the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will be passed to the giveaway organizer and used only for the fulfillment of the prize, after which time I will delete the data.  I am not responsible for dispatch or delivery of the prize.

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Book Review: Designer You by Sarahlyn Bruck

 

Designer You

by Sarahlyn Bruck

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Paperback: 278 pages
Publisher: Crooked Cat Books

Pam Wheeler checked every box: Happy marriage? Check. Fantastic kid? Check. Booming career? Check.

So when her husband dies suddenly and their DIY empire goes on life support, Pam must fix the relationship with her troubled and grief-stricken daughter and save the family business.

Pam and Nate were a couple who just couldn’t get away from each other, sharing not only their bed, but also a successful lifestyle empire as DIY home renovators, bloggers, podcasters, and co-authors.

When Nate dies in a freak accident, Pam becomes a 44-year-old widow, at once too young and too old—too young to be thrust into widowhood and too old to rejoin the dating pool.

Now the single mother of a headstrong and grief-stricken teenager, Pam’s life becomes a juggling act between dealing with her loss and learning how to parent by herself. On top of all that she also must reinvent herself or lose the empire that she and Nate had built so carefully.

It is time for Pam to seize the opportunity to step up as a mother, come out from behind Nate’s shadow, and rise as the sole face of the Designer You brand, and maybe, possibly, hopefully, find love again.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

She was sick with rage and fear that Nate had the audacity to be dead on today of all days. Insensitive jerk. Just the idea of getting up on stage by herself made her stomach cramp and she’d been in and out of the bathroom during the entire flight.

 

Pam thought her entire outfit didn’t cost half as much as the shoes the hostess was wearing. At once, she felt too young and unsophisticated, like the kid at the adult table at Thanksgiving who longs to be back at the kids’ table with her younger cousins eating turkey in front of a Disney cartoon.

 

She wasn’t sure what hurt more, the casualness with which Grace could just fling insults at her or the fact that so often those insults were based in truth.

 

Nate himself would never fade, but those little details would start to get fuzzy in the same way any memory blurs over time. She clung to the impossible wish that she could hold onto everything about Nate, save it all onto a disk or a thumb drive, and whenever she wasn’t sure about the details of an experience she’d had with him, she could pull it up on her laptop and experience that trip, that meal, that birthday, all over again.

 

My Review:

 

I grew increasingly restless as I pushed through this book – it really wasn’t to my taste. I should have stopped reading and pushed this one in the DNF pile. The premise had promise and while there were a few glimmers of entertaining observations, I found the overall execution to be mundane and morose. I kept waiting for the story to improve and sadly, it just never did. While it wasn’t bad, it was just middle of the road, real-life humdrum type of okay.   The characters were exasperating and annoying and weren’t people I could care for or about, nor were they endearing to me, as the mourning widow seemed to have bailed on everything except finishing her deceased husband’s projects. Her priorities were askew and in particular, she wasn’t parenting and selfishly leaving her grieving teenaged daughter fending for herself and growing increasingly resentful, defiant and obnoxious, and making extremely poor choices.   Like many neglectful parents, instead of seeking help or providing consequences, she threw money at it and little else until it was too late. By the time the mother finally gained some insights and their relationship had started to turn around, the story stopped. And I truly mean it just stopped, without an ending, which is something I find particularly irksome. But maybe it is just me, as this story seems to have tripped several landmines in the field of my pet peeves.

 

About Sarahlyn Bruck

Sarahlyn Bruck writes contemporary women’s fiction and lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter. She is the author of Designer You, published by Crooked Cat Books on August 31, 2018. Sarahlyn teaches writing and literature at a local community college and also coaches writers for Author Accelerator.

Designer You is Sarahlyn’s debut, and she is hard at work on her next book. Want the latest updates? Follow along for news, events, and announcements at sarahlynbruck.com. You can sign up for her monthly newsletter there, too.

Connect with Sarahlyn on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Book Review: BACK TO YOU by Claudia Burgoa

Back to You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #2

Amazon  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

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Synopsis:

 For the first time in his life, Wes Ahern has encountered something—someone—he can’t fix. Not with his hands, his words, not even with his love. 

His head tells him Abby had to get out of Colorado to heal from the nightmare that nearly took her from him. To mend her wounded body, piece her broken spirit back together, and find out who she is behind the mask she felt forced to wear.

His first instinct was always to protect her. Still is. But as he faces his own pain, an agonizing realization dawns: that while he needs her more than his next breath, the best place for her may not be with him. Because while he always had her back, the secrets they kept—even from each other—have the power to destroy them.

When their paths cross again, will their souls still recognize each other?

Note: Back to You is the conclusion of the Chaotic Love Duet. Often dark and sometimes jarring, this book also contains references to childhood trauma, rape, kidnapping, and PTSD.

 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

He never plans on settling down with anyone. Sterling should come up with a warning. A tramp stamp, not for sale, samples only.

There’s a part of my heart that’s incomplete. You have it.

My Review:

 

After the taut suspense and heinous cliffhanger from Begin With You, I was most anxious to dive into Back to You before my tiny cranium deleted the salient details to make room for something else. But… Holy Angst-Fest Batman! I was bitterly disappointed and wanted to throw my precious Kindle against the wall then murder a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. I was in agony and seriously considering a DNF after several hours of reading a story that continued to circle the same painful memories and regrets. The doleful storyline was mired in despair and going nowhere… I know many of my book friends enjoy a good chewy tale of woe, however, for me, listening to someone’s detailed misery on a repetitive loop is just not a palatable form of entertainment. After whining to my fellow readers on FB, I was assured it would be worth my while to continue, and it kinda was, however, the tedium and hefty negative imbalance were too much to overcome. I guess I was just lucky someone answered me… and that my wine rack was empty.

The storylines were laden with insightful observations and emotional tension while tilting heavily to the Land of Distress with over-servings of conflict, debilitating anxiety, chronic waffling, disabling guilt, and self-doubt. The romance was far and away on the back burner with nary a lip-lock until 80% in, but once the obstinate Abby’s ice finally thawed, it was steam heat for the final 20%. I enjoyed Wes’ ten-date plan and marveled at his patience, generosity, and thoughtfulness. The ending was a welcome shot of HEA and I relished the inclusion of therapy dogs. Helpful tip – it is always a smart choice to add in precious animals.

 ——————–

Begin with You by Claudia Burgoa

Chaotic Love, #1 – Available Now

Amazon  |  Nook  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

Add the book to Goodreads

—————————–

AUTHOR INFORMATION:


Claudia is an award-winning, international bestselling author. She lives in Colorado working for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. And a wonderful husband who shares her love for all things geek. To survive she works continually to find a purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact.

 

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Book Review: The House at Saltwater Point by Colleen Coble

 The House at Saltwater Point

by Colleen Coble

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Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 3, 2018)

The dangerous beauty of Lavender Tides is harboring secrets that reach around the world.

Ellie Blackmore is making a name for herself as a house flipper. But when her sister Mackenzie disappears, Ellie can’t focus on anything but uncovering what happened. Her only clue is the bloodstain on the deck of Mackenzie’s boat. Ellie knows her sister isn’t on the best of terms with her ex-husband, Jason, but he wouldn’t kill her—would he?

Coast Guard intelligence officer Grayson Bradshaw believes Mackenzie faked her own death after stealing a seized cocaine shipment. The problem is convincing Ellie, who seems to view him as the true enemy.

Both Ellie and Grayson want truth, but truth—and family—is often more complex than it first appears. From international terrorism to the peaceful lavender fields of Puget Sound, The House at Saltwater Point is a thrilling race to uncover the truth before it’s too late.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

You know I’d do just about anything for you. Well, other than give up coffee. I wouldn’t do that for anyone.

Life wasn’t one long ribbon of known events. There were frayed areas he didn’t understand…

 My Review:

While the premise sounded promising and I do enjoy a diminutive and feisty hammer-wielding heroine, this story goes in So-So – Not Bad But Not Good pile. Maybe it’s me but I just wasn’t feeling it. I never experienced that rapturous, swept-away, plugged-in connection to the story or characters. And I missed that. I like feeling that on-edge prickle of tension and hypothesis generation when reading a well-written thriller.

The initial mystery did pluck at my curiosity, however, there were far too many implausible elements that I couldn’t get past or wrap my head around. For instance, despite one of the ringleaders consistently eluding law enforcement and earning “phantom” status, his current crew appeared to have been one of the most inept in ISIS’s history, as they were repeatedly unable to corral a tiny, unarmed, and incredibly naïve woman in a small town.   And in spite of a known terrorist cell operating in the area, there was no law enforcement presence beyond the Elvis wannabe small-town sheriff and his deputies. The Coast Guard investigator offering his assistance was there looking into a different matter involving a drug heist. Hurrah for the Coast Guard, but the FBI/CIA rated several embarrassing black eyes in this one. I did derive immense satisfaction from Hammer Girl putting her trusty tool to good use, the little gal proved herself capable of more than blogging about home improvement and flipping houses.

About Colleen Coble

Website | Facebook | Twitter

USA Today bestselling author Colleen Coble has written numerous romantic suspense novels including The Inn at Ocean’s Edge, Twilight at Blueberry

 

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Book Review: The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck

 The Love Letter

by Rachel Hauck

 

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Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 12, 2018)

#TheLoveLetter,tnzfiction #NetGalley

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations.

Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career.

When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.

Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years, and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.

Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Chloe never understood how one could simply fall out of love. Was it an open window, a trap door?

 Hollywood is getting tired of me. I’m fifty-seven going on a hundred. I refuse to have plastic surgery and… I refuse to play one of those horny old cougars who makes a fool of herself by falling for some hot thirty-something who only has one thing on his mind.

 My Review:

While the premise sounded interesting, I struggled to remain engaged with this book, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Written with two timelines that were 240 years apart, both storylines involved a young couple of ancestral heritage bucking authority and yearning to establish a romantic relationship during a turbulent period. Both timelines were overflowing with heartbreak, grueling disappointments, angst, stress, despair, and conflicts of every sort – which again,  not my favorite tropes.  As such, my frustration and dissatisfaction were entirely self-inflicted – I chose poorly. There was considerably more religious spirituality than I was expecting and I couldn’t seem to invest or connect to but a few of the characters as I found most of them rather shallow and tedious. Several storylines seemed to lack cohesion – or maybe I just got lost. I probably should have stopped with a DNF but was ultimately glad I continued as despite my disappointment and frustrations with the author’s choices, I needed closure and in due course, I did enjoy the ending, although I doubt it would be an easy read for anyone, nor was it an HEA all the way around.

About Rachel Hauck

Rachel Hauck is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA TODAY bestselling author of The Wedding Dress, which was also named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times and was a RITA finalist. Rachel lives in central Florida with her husband and pet and writes from her ivory tower.

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Book Review: Misadventures with a Rock Star by Helen Hardt

Misadventures with a Rock Star

by Helen Hardt

Add to your TBR

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2tusRUi
Nook: http://bit.ly/2F5B6bo
iBooks: https://apple.co/2q5vXdk
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2GwPNZ7
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2tuF1fR


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Synopsis:


Heather Myles isn’t exactly thrilled to accompany her groupie roommate to an Emerald Phoenix concert. The aspiring screenwriter would rather be home with a good book. After Susie pleads with her, though, Heather relents. What the heck? Maybe a change of scenery is just what she needs to combat her desolation over getting turned down by yet another small production company.

After the performance, Jett Draconis, lead singer and guitarist for the band, isn’t up for the party scene. He’s grown tired of being mauled by horny devotees…until an auburn-haired goddess catches his eye. Though she initially rebuffs his advances, he’s determined not to take no for an answer. Sparks erupt between him and Heather, but Jett knows better than to fall in love. A secret from his past could destroy him—and everyone close to him—if he does.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

Susie was my roommate and a good friend, but she was a notorious rock and roll groupie. The woman had a pube collection, for God’s sake. She’d sworn me to secrecy on that one. She hadn’t needed to bother. Who the heck would I tell? Pubic hair didn’t regularly come up in conversation. Also, keeping locks of rock stars’ gorilla salad in zippered bags made me kind of sick. I’d turned her down when she offered to show it to me.

 My Review:

 

There were parts in this book that were so hot my kindle seized. There were other parts that had me groaning with annoyance and wanting to throw my beloved kindle at a wall. The book wasn’t bad; it just wasn’t my preferred blend of stewed aromatic beverage. But for those of you who enjoy the rock-star fantasy or incendiary erotic rock-star sexcapades with a side order of a waffling semi-relationship – then this would be the book for you. There were lots and lots of carnal and licentious acts, some rather unpleasant and uncomfortable BDSM, and mentions of various types of lascivious activities with multiples, which I personally categorize as sharing without caring. I enjoyed the other Misadventures but I’m saddened to say that this one wins the spot of my least favorite to date. Sigh.

 

Misadventures with a Rock Star live event 4th June

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Meet The Author

#1 New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance and erotica, she’s a mother, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.

 

Buy Links for all Helen’s Books: http://www.helenhardt.com/book/
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