(Review) Wallbanger ★★☆☆☆

Author: Alice Clayton
Series: Cocktail
Genre: Contemporary Romance
384 pages

The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly...

In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight... 

I wanted to love this book.  I really did.  It was third on the list of humorous romance books on Goodreads.  At first, I found it pretty funny.  But after a while it seemed like the author was forcing the funny.  Near the end I was getting fairly annoyed with it.  Especially the "O".  Dear God, if I see that again I'll lose my freaking mind!  Suffice it to say I had to force myself to finish the book and ended up skimming over the last few chapters just to see what happened.

In the beginning I really liked Caroline.  About halfway through she really started to get on my nerves.  Maybe it's because I've been reading so many m/m books but I felt like she was such a girl.  I wanted to tell her to man up and get over it already!  Stop being such a woosie.  Simon, on the other hand I really liked through the whole book.  Although I found the whole "harem" thing a bit extreme and unrealistic.  

My favorite part had to have been the night of the horror movie.  If you're going into this book because of the "hot" part in the description though, you'll be disappointed.  *spoiler*  There isn't any hot until almost the end of the book and then there's just too much at once.  I read the first bit and then skimmed to see what they were saying through the rest of it.  Like any normal humans can have sex that many times?  Give me a break.

I know I make it sound like I totally hated this book.  If I had I wouldn't have finished it.  I did like it for most of the book.  I think it was just too darned long!  I kept checking to see how much longer there was left in the book at around 70% and it was like looking at the time on a clock when you really want to leave somewhere.  It dragged on so slowly.  I had every intention of reading the rest of the books in the Cocktail series but by the end of this first book have changed my mind.  If those books are anything like this one I don't think I can handle it.

Favorite Quotes:

"You know those moments when everything is exactly the way it was meant to be?  When you find yourself and your entire universe aligning in perfect synchronization, and you know you couldn't possibly be more content?  I was inside that very moment, and fully conscious of it."

"It breaks my heart the way young girls pick themselves over, never thinking they're good enough.  You make sure you always remember, you're exactly the way you're supposed to be.  Exactly.  And anyone who says otherwise, well, poppycock!"

 

(Review) Can You Keep a Secret? ★★★★★

Author: Sophie Kinsella
Genre: Contemporary Romance
218 pages

Meet Emma Corrigan, a young woman with a huge heart, an irrepressible spirit, and a few little secrets: Secrets from her boyfriend: I've always thought Connor looks a bit like Ken. As in Barbie and Ken. Secrets from her mother: I lost my virginity in the spare bedroom with Danny Nussbaum while Mum and Dad were downstairs watching Ben-Hur. Secrets she wouldn't share with anyone in the world: I have no idea what NATO stands for. Or even what it is. Until she spills them all to a handsome stranger on a plane. At least, she thought he was a stranger.…Until Emma comes face-to-face with Jack Harper, the company's elusive CEO, a man who knows every single humiliating detail about her...  

From start to finish this was a hilarious book.  I've been trying to read Christmasy books but truthfully so many of them start out pretty depressing that I have a hard time continuing to read until the happy part happens.  So I was trying to find something else to read and thought of a book I had enjoyed recently called Chez Stinky.  I had started to read the second book in that series Fuzzy Logic and lost interest.  It just wasn't funny like the first one.  Then it hit me!  Look for funny books.  I got on Goodreads and found this list called Humorous Romance Books. Can You Keep a Secret is the top one voted by over 850 readers.  

I set out to find a light hearted funny book and I wasn't disappointed.  If I had to compare it to something I'd say at least at the start it's similar to the Bridget Jones movies.  I haven't read the books so I can't make a comparison to those.   She's a bit silly and as most women are today uncomfortable in her own skin.  She's lied to her boyfriend about pretty much everything and stays with him because everyone says they're the perfect couple.  She's bounced from job to job.  Her cousin has out-staged her in every way and her family treat her like a child because of it.

As the book progresses I grew to appreciate Emma's personality.  I was totally rooting for her and Jack.  Even knowing everything would work out in the end because duh it's a romance book I still felt her pain when things all went to hell.  I don't think I could have been as brave as Emma was.  I think I would have quit my job out of humiliation and never saw Jack again.  Wouldn't that have been a pity if she did?  I suppose you'll have to read it to find out!  

Can You Keep a Secret reminds us that being ourselves, especially around the people who are important to us, is the most important thing of all.  It's not a paranormal book, there's no exciting enemy or anything.  No steamy sex scenes or big overdeveloped plot.  It's not even part of a series... which usually is a deal breaker for me.  It's just a fun and intriguing book.  Emma, Jack and everyone else in the book are like anyone else out there and I can imagine it all happening in real life.  It was different for me as I don't read many contemporary romances or stand-alone novels but a welcome change to be sure.

Favorite quotes:

"It's like Julie Andrews said.  When the dog bites, when the bee stings ... I simply remember I have a boyfriend - and suddenly things don't seem quite so completely shit."

“I feel all agitated, like one of those snow globes you see resting peacefully on shop counters. I was perfectly happy being an ordinary, dull little Swiss village. But now Jack Harper’s come and shaken me up, and there are snowflakes all over the place, whirling around until I don’t know what I think anymore. And bits of glitter, too. Tiny bits of shiny, secret excitement.”

(Review) Shelter Mountain ★★★★★

Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
384 pages

For the second time in a year a woman arrives in the small town of Virgin River trying to escape the past.

John “Preacher” Middleton is about to close the bar when a young woman and her three-year-old son come in out of a wet October night. A marine who has seen his share of pain, Preacher knows a crisis when he sees one—the woman is covered in bruises. He wants to protect them, and he wants to punish whoever did this to her, but he knows immediately that this inclination to protect is something much more. Paige Lassiter has stirred up emotions in this gentle giant of a man—emotions that he has never allowed himself to feel.

But when Paige’s ex-husband turns up in Virgin River, Preacher knows his own future hangs in the balance. And if there’s one thing in the marines’ motto of Semper Fidelis—always faithful—has taught him, it’s that some things are worth fighting for.

(Review) Virgin River ★★★★★

Author: Robyn Carr
Genre: Contemporary Romance
386 pages

Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans...and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

This is #1 in A Virgin River Novel.

(Review) Candlelight Christmas ★★★★☆

Author: Susan Wiggs
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley- Harlequin
336 pages

A single father who yearns to be a family man, Logan O'Donnell is determined to create the perfect Christmas for his son, Charlie. The entire O'Donnell clan arrives to spend the holidays in Avalon, a postcard-pretty town on the shores of Willow Lake, a place for the family to reconnect and rediscover the special gifts of the season.

One of the guests is a newcomer to Willow Lake— Darcy Fitzgerald. Sharp-witted, independent and intent on guarding her heart, she's the last person Logan can see himself falling for. And Darcy is convinced that a relationship is the last thing she needs this Christmas.

Yet between the snowy silence of the winter woods, and toasty moments by a crackling fire, their two lonely hearts collide. The magic of the season brings them each a gift neither ever expected—a love to last a lifetime.

The Sheriff Catches a Bride ★★☆☆☆

Author: Cora Seton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley- One Acre Press

When county sheriff Cab Johnson gets a hunch, he’s learned to trust it, and his hunch tells him Rose Bellingham is in a peck of trouble. Bad enough he’s in love with her, bad enough she’s already engaged to Jason Thayer. He’s got to figure out what she’s hiding before he loses her for good.

Rose can’t stand one more person meddling in her business, even if that person is a handsome, eligible sheriff. She’s been controlled for far too long. But since her fiancé’s father is both her boss and landlord, she can’t dump Jason until she’s got somewhere to run. She’s found the perfect place: a patch of forest outside town. But with Cab watching her every move, she’s hard pressed to finish her hideaway so she can make her escape. Meanwhile, she’s not the only one with problems. Can she find a way to help her friends, too?

Just when Cab solves one mystery, more pop up. Where does Rose keep disappearing to? What’s wrong with Mia Start? Why is Hannah Chatham lying to her fiancé? At least he’s let Rose know he’s interested. And if he’s not mistaken, she’s interested, too.

Rose’s hideaway is perfect, until her friends invade it to escape their own troubles. Can she trust them to keep its whereabouts a secret? Does she want to hide from Cab anymore? Now that Jason’s out of the picture, is it safe to follow her heart?

When two unexpected visitors arrive with secrets of their own, Chance Creek must brace for its deadliest night ever. Can Cab figure out the connections between all the mysteries fast enough?

Or will Rose and her friends pay the ultimate price?

The Sweetest Thing ★★★★☆

Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Contemporary Romance
348 pages

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control-especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

Happy New Year Baby Fortune ★★★☆☆

Author: Leanne Banks
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley- Harlequin
224 pages

Lullabies and cowboys? USA TODAY bestselling author Leanne Banks kicks off the new Fortunes of Texas continuity with a story of a single mom and the sexy rancher who sweeps her off her feet!

As she rings in the new year in Horseback Hollow, Texas, single mom Stacey Fortune Jones tries to count her blessings. She has an adorable baby girl, Piper; supportive parents; good friends. Best of them all is Colton Foster, her longtime neighbor from the ranch next door. He always seems to be around when she needs him. Trouble is, she may be starting to need him a bit too much.

She's off-limits, Colton keeps telling himself. The tall, muscular rancher turns to mush every time he sees Stacey. But falling for his little sister's best friend seems wrong on so many levels. She's on the rebound. She's got a baby. She's...complicated. What's a big-hearted cowboy to do?

Chance Creek Books 2 & 3

If you are wondering why only books 2 and 3... It is because I read book 4 first for the Clean Our Your E-Reader Challenge.  Then I read book 1 but never got to books 2 and 3.  When I saw there was a tour stop open for the Chance Creek Series I jumped at the chance. (no pun intended)  To view the reviews for book one The Cowboy's E-Mail Order Bride and book four The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire just click the links!

★★★★☆

If you read The Cowboy's E-mail Order Bride then you are familiar with Jamie and Claire.  Jamie is the ranch hand that grew up with Ethan and Claire is obviously Ethan's sister.  In the first book she is really snotty to everyone.  In this book we discover why she has such a bad attitude but at the same time the attitude wore on me.  She also struggles with her mothers past and her interior design business.  I really liked Jamie and the story was very good.  Basically Jamie bets Claire that she can't stick around and help with the trail rides.  She bets him that he can't flirt with the guests.  More of Rob's practical jokes show up in this book too and I find myself looking forward to them.  Especially since his book is next.

★★★★★

Yay Rob's book!  Now in this book we get to see why Rob is such a practical joker and we learn more about Morgan.  The half sister that is discovered in The Cowboy Wins a Bride.  I really enjoyed this book from start to finish.  I found Morgan charming and Rob to be a lot more than he had seemed to be in previous books.  I have to say this book ties with book four for my favorite.  I hope that Cora Seton writes more Chance Creek books.  I think the best parts of this book (of course) were the practical jokes.  But the irony was most of them were not played by Rob but on Rob and Morgan.  The end was great.

BLURB:

The Cowboys of Chance Creek Box Set, Books 1 – 3

Ethan Cruz, Jamie Lassiter and Rob Matheson have been friends since they were kids, and they’re about to get each other in a whole lot of trouble—women trouble, that is. When a practical joke kicks off a series of romances, the Cowboys of Chance Creek will never be the same.

Includes:

The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride (Book 1)

When Ethan Cruz finds himself with an e-mail order bride he never asked for, he’s ready to send her right back where she came from—just as soon as he gets to know her a little better. When Autumn Leeds answers a plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century, but when she reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length while she writes a scathing article on the subject disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.

Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her exposé – she might be carrying his child. Can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?

Can a love based on lies last?

The Cowboy Wins a Bride (Book 2)

All Jamie Lassiter wants is to marry his best friend’s sister and settle down for the rest of his life in Chance Creek. He’s saved his money, bought into the Cruz Guest Ranch and he’s ready for that wedding, but Claire Cruz is nowhere to be found. Claire’s too busy leaving Montana behind to care about cowboys or their wedding plans. She’s got plans of her own – a trip around the world. She’ll go as soon as she buys her tickets and she doesn’t care if she ever sees Chance Creek again.

Desperate to change Claire’s mind, Jamie proposes a bet: give him six weeks to convince her to marry him. If he can’t, he’ll pay for her round-the-world tickets himself. Claire can wait six weeks if it means free tickets and a chance to get a little revenge on a man who once broke her heart. She’s got only one stipulation: Jamie can’t touch or flirt with her – or any other woman – while the bet is on.

Now Jamie’s on the run from a bevy of cowboy-groupie ranch guests, and Claire’s learning she cares about the ranch – and Jamie – more than she dreamed possible.

Maybe it’s time to lose that bet. As long as Jamie loses it first.

The Cowboy Imports a Bride (Book 3)

Rob Matheson doesn’t know how much longer he can keep up the tough-guy act. As his buddies get married one by one, he’s left with the sinking feeling he lost more than his dreams when he traded them for a thick skin. Now Rob’s father has issued a challenge – he’ll give 200 acres to the first of his four sons to wed. Could this be a chance to become the man he really wants to be?

Morgan Tate’s worked for years to climb the ladder to a top job at Cassidy Wineries, but Duncan Cassidy, the boss’ son, always stands in her way. Now he’s issued an ultimatum; marry him or he’ll make sure she never works in the wine industry again..

Rob offers Morgan a proposition – marry him and split the land. Now they’ve got sixty days to fall in love, and a passel of family and friends determined to keep them apart. Will it take the biggest practical joke of all to convince the world – and themselves – that they’re truly meant to be man and wife?

Now Available – The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire (Book 4)

Bella Chatham will lose everything – her veterinary practice, her animal shelter, and even her home – if she can’t find another source of income, fast. So when her best friend signs her up for the hot new reality television show, Can You Beat a Billionaire, Bella accepts the challenge and hopes against hope she can win the ten million dollar prize. If she doesn’t, it’s bye-bye pet clinic and shelter, bye-bye Chance Creek, Montana, and hello to marriage to the billionaire for a year!

Evan Mortimer, billionaire, can’t believe he’s reduced to competing in a television contest to win a wife. Unfortunately, it’s the only foolproof way to secure his position as head of Mortimer Innovations. At least he’ll be able to dump his “spouse” at the end of the year; he’s much too busy to be tied down to a country bumpkin cowgirl.

As the contests heat up, so do the sparks between the contestants. Will either of them remember in time that it’s not who wins or who loses – it’s how they play the game that really counts?

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.

Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a neglected one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. Visit http://www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, contests and other cool events!

Website: http://www.coraseton.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoraSeton
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoraSeton

Cora will be awarding a $100 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

Unlikely Angel ★★★☆☆

Author: Genie Gabriel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Goddessfish Promotions
210 pages

A child psychiatrist running from violence and a former bodyguard grieving the wife he couldn't save form an unlikely alliance to rescue her kidnapped children. In a crumbling mine tunnel on Christmas Eve, their lives depend on a mutt rescued from the streets, a determined mother and an Unlikely Angel.

EXCERPT:

Two weeks before Christmas, Mitch decided he had waited long enough.
“Come on, mutt.” Mitch grabbed his coat and a pair of work gloves. “Let’s go find the twins.”

Gabe bounded to his feet and bumped the doorknob with his nose. He sniffed and marked around the yard while Mitch pulled the Ferrari out of the garage. As soon as the dog jumped into the car, Mitch drove to a lot selling Christmas trees. He selected one that would fit nicely in Julia’s small apartment and strapped it to the top of the car.

The mutt hung his head out the window, riding in silent watchfulness until the apartment building was in sight. “Woof!”

“You have to be quiet or we’ll get caught smuggling you in.” Under cover of the falling twilight and a bushy evergreen tree, Mitch and the dog walked quickly toward Julia’s apartment.

As soon as Julia opened the door, the dog pushed inside and sniffed out the twins, quickly falling back into their game of hide and seek. Within seconds, the twins’ giggles let Julia know the dog had found the children.

“I brought a tree.” Mitch stood the evergreen upright.

“I see that.” Julia bit her lip as she walked around the tree. “Nice choice. Bushy all around.”

“I had three picky sisters who trained me in the fine art of Christmas tree selection.”

Julia smiled. “They trained you well.”

Love for the Holidays ★★★★☆

http://youtu.be/UNVyuN88VEQ or embed code:

Anthology
Authors: Noelle Adams; Rachel Curtis; Samantha Chase; Zoe York
Genre: Contemporary Romance
583 pages

From fake relationships to secret affairs to best friends falling in love, everything changes at Christmas.

This holiday bundle includes five stories, from steamy to sweet, including two new, exclusive stories from New York Times bestselling authors.

HOLIDAY HEAT by Noelle Adams – After being hit with heartbreaking tragedy, Carrie has thrown herself into a hot, secret relationship with Matt. With Christmas approaching, she realizes she might want even more from her sexy, damaged artist, but the boundaries around their relationship make anything deeper than sex impossible. A new, steamy romance.

MISTLETOE BETWEEN FRIENDS by Samantha Chase – Lily and Cam have been friends all their lives, and their relationship has never been romantic. But when they pretend to be dating so they can spend the holiday with their families in peace, they realize their fake romance might actually be real. A new, sweet romance.

THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE by Samantha Chase - Spending the night trapped by a blizzard in a romantic Christmas cottage with the man she’s loved for years has Lacey wondering if fairy tales really do come true. A sweet romance.

EIGHT CHRISTMAS EVES by Rachel Curtis - One Christmas Eve, Cyrus Owen, the over-indulged teenage son of a wealthy businessman, finds ten-year-old Helen on the side of the road. Eleven years later, he is desperately in love with her. This is how it happens... A mostly sweet romance.

WHAT ONCE WAS PERFECT by Zoe York – For Laney, the worst part of returning to her hometown for Christmas is confronting Kyle, the man who broke her heart twelve years ago. When they rediscover their perfect chemistry, Kyle has to convince Laney to let him back into her heart. A steamy romance.


First, let me say that this anthology exceeded my expectations by far. These aren't short stories... they are more like short books or novellas. Normally with anthologies I can read each story in one sitting, but with Love for the Holidays that wasn't the case. It took me 3 days to read all 5 stories! Now that's an anthology for ya! If you are looking for some holiday stories to read I would highly suggest Love for the Holidays. Especially since it's only 2.99!  (Beginning on December 11, Love for the Holidays will be on sale for just $.99!)

★★★★☆

Holiday Heat:

It's a great title because this story is hot!  It's a really touching story about two people that meet after tragedy has destroyed them emotionally.  I loved both Carrie and Matt.  After meeting at a group therapy session they decide to have a steamy affair.  Neither thinks it will go any further than cheap hotel rooms until it does.

★★★★★

Mistletoe Between Friends:

I also loved Lily and Cameron.  They have been best friends their whole lives and have decided to keep their mothers from introducing them to a lineup of terrible dates to pretend that they are dating instead.  But they have to make it look real.  Which means kissing under the mistletoe and much more.  The only problem is once they realize that they feel more than friendship they are afraid to ruin the friendship by saying so to each other.  The ending really had me laughing!

★★★☆☆

The Christmas Cottage:

Ugh another story with my name.  Reading this drove me nuts, not sure how people with really popular names can stand it.  Lacey has to go to the cottage to get everything perfect for her bridezilla best friend.  Ean has decided to go to the cottage to get away from work for a bit.  They weren't expecting each other and end up snowed in.  I loved the parts with just Lacey and Ean but whenever the story involved the upcoming wedding I just got annoyed.  It was a good story altogether though.

★★★★★

Eight Christmas Eves:

This was a very unique story spanning 12 years time.  Each chapter was another Christmas Eve in the lives of Helen and Cyrus, starting with the day that they meet.  When I started this story I really didn't know where it was going.  But by the end I was ready to bop Cyrus on the head with something.  I haven't read anything like this and so I am giving it 5 stars because it is so different and kept me up reading.

★★★☆☆

What Once was Perfect:

The story was cute and I liked Laney and Kyle but it wasn't anything great.  They were practically engaged in college when he broke it off.  They meet back up 12 years later during Christmastime and the sparks are still there.  But they live 5 hours apart and don't know how they can make it work.  There's a lot of insecurities on both sides because of the way things ended.

Buy links:

Beginning on December 11, Love for the Holidays will be on sale for just $.99!

Amazon

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All Romance eBooks

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A Cowboy for Christmas ★★★★☆

Author: Lori Wilde

Genre: Contemporary Romance

384 pages

It's Christmastime in Jubilee, Texas, but Lissette Moncrief is having a hard time celebrating . . .

Especially after she accidentally smashes her car into Rafferty Jones's pick-up truck. Yes, he's a whole lot of handsome—from the tips of his boots to the top of his Stetson. But he's no Christmas present. Lissy's not about to let herself get whisked away by his charming ways and words . . . only to watch him drive away in the end.

But what Lissy doesn't know is Rafferty's in town just to meet her—and to give her a share in a windfall that doesn't rightly belong to him. At first, he just wants to do his good deed and get out. But one look at this green-eyed beauty has him deciding to turn this into a Christmas to remember . . . making promises he's determined to keep—whether she believes in them or not.

Starry Night ★★★★★

Author: Debbie Macomber
Genre: Contemporary Romance
256 pages

’Tis the season for romance, second chances, and Christmas cheer with this new novel from Debbie Macomber.

Carrie Slayton, a big-city society-page columnist, longs to write more serious news stories. So her editor hands her a challenge: She can cover any topic she wants, but only if she first scores the paper an interview with Finn Dalton, the notoriously reclusive author.

Living in the remote Alaskan wilderness, Finn has written a mega-bestselling memoir about surviving in the wild. But he stubbornly declines to speak to anyone in the press, and no one even knows exactly where he lives.

Digging deep into Finn’s past, Carrie develops a theory on his whereabouts. It is the holidays, but her career is at stake, so she forsakes her family celebrations and flies out to snowy Alaska. When she finally finds Finn, she discovers a man both more charismatic and more stubborn than she even expected. And soon she is torn between pursuing the story of a lifetime and following her heart.

Filled with all the comforts and joys of Christmastime, Starry Night is a delightful novel of finding happiness in the most surprising places.

Kissing Under the Mistletoe ★★★★☆

Author: Bella Andre
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Audiobook
400 pages

For Mary Sullivan Christmas is, and always has been, about family. And this year is no different. As she awaits the arrival of her eight children and their partners at the cottage in Lake Tahoe, she hangs the ornaments that they made for her over the years. Each decoration brings with it a tide of memories, all of which she holds dear to her heart. But when she comes across the oldest ornament, the one her beloved husband, Jack, gave her on their very first Christmas together, Mary is immediately swept back to the first days of their whirlwind romance, to the love that would be the foundation on which they built the family she is so proud to call her own.

Join the Sullivans this Christmas for a story that explores the wonder of the holidays, the meaning of family and a love that transcends time.

Sempre ★★★★☆ | #COYER Book Review

Author: J.M. Darhower
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Young Adult
Source: NetGalley- Gallery Books
530 pages

Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco had vastly different childhoods. Haven, a second-generation slave, grew up isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege, never having to answer for anything he did.

Both now seventeen, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide, making them question everything they ever believed. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.
     So much happened in this book I'm not sure where to start.  This book encompasses so much.  It's not just about human trafficking.  It's not just about the mob.  It's definitely not just any young adult romance.  I feel silly saying it but I had a hard time starting this book.  I was expecting something set in South America and that there would be a lot of violence in the book.  There was some violence but the story of Haven and Carmine make up for it in spades.  There were so many twists, turns and surprises in this book it blew my mind.  I found myself getting anxious thinking my gosh what can happen next?  By the end I was so totally engrossed with the book that I read for 4 hours straight to finish it.

     Haven was born a slave.  I thought since reading the synopsis that since she was a slave this book was set in another country because we aren't supposed to have slavery anymore in America.  The book starts out in California where haven has lived for her 17 years.  Just as there are all kinds of other illegal activities after reading this book I can believe that there are still slaves.  That thought is very upsetting.  Haven has spent her entire life secluded from the outside word.  Her views on things are sometimes very funny in their simplicity.  Haven gets taken from the house in California and her mother at the beginning of the book and is taken to a new house in North Carolina to live with the DeMarco's.  She has to adjust to a whole different life and her journey was interesting to read.

     There are 2 DeMarco sons.  Dominick and Carmine.  Dominick is your regular high school student.  Carmine is just a mess, there's no nicer way to put it.  He's seen some terrible things in his 17 years and in addition to that is considered a mafia prince.  He drinks and does drugs a lot.  He gets into fights with everyone.  But he can't understand why Haven doesn't like him.  The changes in Carmine once he decides to be nice to Haven and try to get her to like him are great.  The relationship between Haven and Carmine is one of the best I've read in a book considered Young Adult.

     Why do I say the book is "considered" Young Adult?  Well, it might be categorized as that since they are technically both 17 and then 18 in the book but there is drinking, drugs, sex and violence in this book.  I would say that it should be considered New Adult despite their ages.  The topics that this book covers are something that I'm not sure that many teenagers would be able to understand or enjoy.

     When the book finished I thought to myself huh I think there could be a second book... and there will be.  Apparently Sempre is book one of the Forever series.  Book two is called Sempre Redemption and I'm sure it will be even more action packed than the first book.  Its publication date on Goodreads is December 23rd.

Picking a few favorite quotes has been difficult with this book.  I highlighted a lot!

Favorite Quotes:

"Colpo di fulmine.  The thunderbolt, as Italians call it.  When love strikes someone like lightning, so powerful and intense it can't be denied.  It's beautiful and messy, cracking a chest open and spilling their soul out for the world to see.  It turns a person inside out, and there's no going back from it.  Once the thunderbolt hits, your life is irrevocably changed."

"The girl who had never been able to call her life her own taught a boy who had the world at his fingertips exactly what it meant to live."

  

The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire ★★★★☆ | #COYER Book Review

Author: Cora Seton
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: NetGalley
286 pages

Bella Chatham will lose everything – her veterinary practice, her animal shelter, and even her home – if she can’t find another source of income, fast. So when her best friend signs her up for the hot new reality television show, Can You Beat a Billionaire, Bella accepts the challenge and hopes against hope she can win the ten million dollar prize. If she doesn’t, it’s bye-bye pet clinic and shelter, bye-bye Chance Creek, Montana, and hello to marriage to the billionaire for a year! 

Evan Mortimer, billionaire, can’t believe he’s reduced to competing in a television contest to win a wife. Unfortunately, it’s the only foolproof way to secure his position as head of Mortimer Innovations. At least he’ll be able to dump his “spouse” at the end of the year. He has no intention of getting hitched for life.

Bella doesn’t expect her adversary to be handsome – or funny, or compassionate – but Evan’s all three, and he’s proving a tough competitor, too. When they end up sharing a tent – and a sleeping-bag – her body betrays her with a longing so deep it cuts her to the core. Still, this cowgirl must stay strong. If Evan uncovers her secret fears, he’ll use them to win the contest – and then he’ll own her for a year. She’ll be out of luck, out of cash, and stuck being Mrs. Mortimer until he kicks her to the curb. Too bad she can’t decide which is worse – winning the show and losing Evan forever, or losing the show and only being his temporary wife.

Evan can’t believe he’s falling for the one woman who doesn’t want him. This cowgirl’s not impressed by his money, his name, or his inability to sleep in a tent with her for an entire night, but every look and touch she gives him sends his desire through the roof. With a director determined to use his claustrophobia to make him look like a fool, and an adversary so sexy he can hardly see straight, he’ll need all his savvy to come out on top. Too bad he’s going to lose no matter how this show turns out. If he beats Bella, he’ll destroy the first woman he’s ever loved. If he doesn’t beat her, it’s bye-bye Mortimer Innovations.

Will either of them remember in time that it’s not who wins or who loses – it’s how they play the game that really counts?