Showing posts with label Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Romance. Show all posts

Monday, December 5, 2011

Wicked Games


Wicked GamesWicked Games by Jill Myles
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An odd read for me.... I'm still not exactly sure how I feel about it.  I liked the first three-quarters of it, but the last 1/4 wasn't as strong and almost felt as though the author had hit her page limit and needed to wrap it up quick.  I'd be interested to hear what other readers thought and if this is standard operating procedure for this author.


View all my reviews

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

It's Summer Reading Time! Book #1

It's no secret, I LOVE summer reading time. Sitting in a comfortable chair, letting the sun tan my skin, waves gently rolling on the lake, kids frolicking nearby, perhaps a nice cold adult beverage easily at hand.....

Don't get me wrong, I love spring, fall and winter reading time too... but summer holds a special place in my sun starved heart!

Recently I scored a reviewers trifecta from PTA (not the school parent organization) and todays book is the first one I read in my most recent shipment....




Anthology Title: More Than Words, Volume 7

Compassion Can't Wait by Carly Phillips
Someplace Like Home by Donna Hill
What the Heart Wants by Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Fiction/Romance - Inspriational stories inspired by real people and real organizations
Pages: 352 (Paperback)
On Sale: March 29, 2011

Indiebound Link

Synopsis:
Each and every one of us has the ability to effect change—to make our world a better place. The dedicated women selected as this year's recipients of Harlequin's More Than Words award have changed lives, one good deed at a time. To celebrate their accomplishments, some of our bestselling authors have honored the winners by writing stories inspired by these real-life heroines.
In Carly Phillips's Compassion Can't Wait, two high school sweet hearts are reunited years later, as if by fate, and discover that if you believe in yourself and each other, anything is possible.
Donna Hill's Someplace Like Home tells the story of how one woman's dream becomes reality, as three special people learn that it's never too late to form a loving family.
In Jill Shalvis's What the Heart Wants, an honorable man must learn to forgive himself to regain the trust of the dedicated teacher who is the love of his life.

My Take:

I really enjoyed these short stories from some of my favorite authors. All excellent stories based or inspired by real people who are heroines in the community. A fantastic selection for the beach, treadmill, or curled up on the couch it should come with a warning to pack tissues though.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

TBR - Yours To Keep

I received an email from those book loving book reviewing contemporary loving bloggers this week (that would be Sarah from Smart Bitches and Jane from Dear Author) alerting me to a book they both loved, a rare occurrence indeed! When the planets align and they both recommend a book I know that I need to take note & get shopping...

Save The Contemporary -



















Title: Yours To Keep
Author: Shannon Stacey
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Pages: Ebook
On Sale: June, 2011

Synopsis:
Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancĂ©. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.

Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are…
It's the 3rd book in the series so I'll be starting at #1...
















When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.
Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town—and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.
He proposes an outrageous plan—for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.
But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

The First Husband

As someone who reads more books in a year than some people read in a lifetime I have become more and more selective about which books I recommend to friends and family. If I recommend every book I enjoy I’m likely going to overwhelm people with my suggestions; now I only recommend the best, and even then I’m selective about what I recommend to whom. The First Husband, is one of those gems I’ve told everyone about.



Title: The First Husband
Author: Laura Dave
Publisher: Viking
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Pages: 256 (hardcover)
On Sale: May 12, 2011


Synopsis:
Annie Adams is days away from her thirty-second birthday and thinks she has finally found some happiness. She visits the world's most interesting places for her syndicated travel column and she's happily cohabiting with her movie director boyfriend Nick in Los Angeles. But when Nick comes home from a meeting with his therapist (aka "futures counselor") and announces that he's taking a break from their relationship so he can pursue a woman from his past, the place Annie had come to call home is shattered. Reeling, Annie stumbles into her neighborhood bar and finds Griffin-a grounded, charming chef who seems to be everything Annie didn't know she was looking for. Within three months, Griffin is Annie's husband and Annie finds herself trying to restart her life in rural Massachusetts.

My Take:
Smart, funny, poignant and sweet; The First Husband is an insightful and heartfelt look into the quest of finding oneself, ones’ home, and The One.

I didn’t even know where to start with a review of this amazing novel; I couldn’t find a single word to fault. I enjoyed it so much, from the very first page, that before I was half way through I was telling every reader I know to put it on their own Must Read list. And, when I finished, I closed the book, held it tight, and told my husband that it wasn’t a good book, it was/is a great book. This is one you’re going to want on your bookshelf so order your copy today!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Already Home

Sometimes when there is a lot going on around me, with me, I like the option of turning off my own drama and taking up with someone elses. I'm sure the therapists of the world are diagnosing me as an avoider as I type... my response:
What's your point?
Sometimes it's nice to check out, realize that maybe your problems & issues aren't the worst ever....




Title: Already Home
Author: Susan Mallery
Publisher: Mira
Genre: Fiction/Romance
Pages: 368 (softcover)
On Sale: March 29, 2011

IndieBound Link
Authors Website

Synopsis:
After nearly a decade as a sous-chef in a trendy eatery, Jenna is desperate for a change. She's supported her ex-husband's dreams for so long that she can't even remember her own. Until she sees a for-lease sign near her parents' home and envisions her very own cooking store.

Her crash course in business is aided by a streetwise store manager and Jenna's adoptive mother. But just as she's gaining a foothold in her new life, in walk her birth parents—aging hippies on a quest to reconnect with their firstborn.

Now Jenna must figure out how to reconcile the free-spirited Serenity and Tom with her traditional parents, deal with her feelings for a new love interest and decide what to do about her ex's latest outrageous request. In the end, Jenna will find that there is no perfect family, only the people we love….

My Take:
A fairly quick read for me with an enjoyable storyline and plot. Some of the dialog seemed a bit too perfect and I did feel emotionally manipulated a bit when it was all done, but I think when you pick up a Susan Mallery book you have to expect to shed some tears. The characters were fun to get to know, although their surface wasn't scratched nearly enough. I would be interested to read another book based on the secondary characters of Dragon(fly) and Violet.
On a personal level, the reminder that there is no perfect family came at a pretty good time as I posted on Tuesday.