Synopsis

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes baby in a baby carriage. Just not necessarily in that order. . . .

Braxton: I should probably be dead or in jail right now. Instead, thanks to some tough love, I worked my ass off and now I own a string of tattoo parlors throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yet the one thing I’ve always wanted—a family—still seems out of reach. When my best friend gets married, I’m just hoping to blow off some steam with the super-hot maid of honor. But after Cara Thompson tracks me down to tell me she’s pregnant, she’s more surprised than I am when I tell her I’m all in.

Cara: For the first time in my life, I’m living for myself—not for my parents and their ridiculous expectations. I gave up on my MBA, dropped out of the Ivy League, and moved to Portland to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. And what’s the first thing I do? Get knocked up. For a tatted-up sex god, Braxton Henley seems way too eager to “be there for me.” Is this guy serious? Maybe. He sure is patient. Because he won’t back down until I admit what I know in my heart: that our one night stand might’ve led me to the one.

Review

If you’re looking for a sweet and easy read, one that flows well and has just the right amount tension, then KNOCKED UP is for you. It has an enjoyable story, likable and honest main characters, a believable conflict, a sweet resolution and finally, a HEA for Braxton and Cara.

However, I do feel it’s important to point out that the man on the cover looks nothing like Braxton should, who is described as having tattoos that cover his entire torso and arms, from his neck to his knuckles. It’s probably something the author can’t control, but the couple on the cover should look somewhat similar to how they’re described on the inside.

KNOCKED UP is told in dual POVs and while it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. From memory, this is an entirely new set of characters that are in no way connected to the first book.

Knocked Up (Crazy Love # 2)

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Crazy Love Series

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Synopsis

He’s the hottest player in Major League Baseball, the most notorious playboy in all of Manhattan…
And my fake fiancé for the next three months.

I was drunk-dialing my ex the night I met him.

Six-three, sexy as sin and so incredibly rude I could smack the asshole smirk right off his face. Long story short, we got off to a bad start. But when the tabloids interpret our sparring as Drew Maddox “groveling” with a “mystery brunette,” his agent presents us both a proposal:

Shacking up as a couple this summer.

It’s an alleged “win-win.” I need to prove to my ex that I’m fine. Drew needs to prove to his team that he’s stable. Thanks to his on-field brawling and never-ending lady drama, Drew Maddox has suddenly found himself on the trade block – which means he needs a fast, easy way to show the team that he’s settled down.

Hence this fiance thing.

Our fights are real, our kisses are fake, and thanks to the nonstop heat between us, I’m starting to mix up all my signs. But whether it’s real or fake, there’s one thing I do know:

I’m already addicted.

Review

HOTHEAD is the first book I’ve read from Stella Rhys and, given how much I enjoyed it, it probably won’t be my last. The story was engaging and kept me turning the pages from beginning to end.

I really liked Evie. She was sweet and had a kind heart, but she could also dish out some attitude when the situation called for it. She was definitely too good for Mike, her douchebag of an ex-fiance. The only time she disappointed me was in one scene when she didn’t fight like I thought she should have. She just walked away from those who had hurt her and I felt like that didn’t give her the closure she needed and deserved.

I liked Drew as well, who was very blunt and honest about his opinions. I found it refreshing, even though it was sometimes hard for Evie to hear. He spent quite a bit of this book being an asshole, but when you learn how he’s been hurt and betrayed over the years, it’s no wonder he’s an asshole. 

HOTHEAD is told in dual POVs and comes with a HEA for Drew and Evie. It could use some proofreading, as there were quite a few instances where a sentence was missing a word. While it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Though I will say that while reading, I did wish I’d known the histories of the other couples brought up in this book. HOTHEAD is book 4 in the Irresistible series, so maybe I’ll go back to the start to get better acquainted with everyone.

Hothead (Irresistible # 4)

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Irresistible Series

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Synopsis

How many times can you be unlucky in love before you decide it’s not luck, it’s you?

I’m in love with someone else. With her ex-groom’s words still ringing in her ears, Clare Franklin flies off alone to her would-be honeymoon. Forced to accept not everyone gets that happily ever after she’s always dreamed of, she’s done with men. Until she gets tangled up, quite literally, with one sexy veterinarian.

The only thing Dr Deacon Montgomery wants is to share his surgical expertise and get back to his two year old twin daughters. But, the connection he feels with Clare highlights just how alone he really is and makes him wonder if he can be more than doctor and daddy.

Long talks and moonlit walks under the rustle of palms has Clare thinking maybe she gave up on love too soon. Until one phone call from home changes everything.

Review

If you’re a fan of sweet, single-parent, second-chance romances, LOVE AT LAST is for you.

I liked Clare and how she took a chance on Deacon after being dumped at her own wedding. It also takes guts to go on your honeymoon alone, knowing you’ll be surrounded by happy couples everywhere you look, and not let it get you down. I loved Deacon. Absolutely loved him. He was honest and sincere, and what you see is really what you get. I loved his relationship with his twin daughters, as well as the effort he went to to reconnect with Clare. He felt they had something special, and he was not afraid to put himself out there for her.

So why only 3? Well, because while I liked it, I didn’t love it. I felt that certain parts of the story dragged on, while other parts of the story felt rushed and therefore anti-climactic. But mostly I think my issue was that I just wasn’t in the right frame of mind to be reading this particular story when I did. I believe that if I had been in a better mood, I would have found LOVE AT LAST more enjoyable.

Love At Last

My Rating:  

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Synopsis

Delilah hates me. But I’m going to marry her anyway. Delilah is different. Quiet. Reserved. Smart.
But she doesn’t want anything to do with me.
So, of course, I have to have her.
She’s got the sultry librarian look, full lips, all those curves, I can’t get enough.
I’ll convince her to be mine. Just one night. And I never fail.
But I’m her new boss. And if anyone at the office found out about our one night stand, we would both be ruined.
So we’ll keep it to one night of passion.
Then we’ll go our separate ways.
That was the plan anyway.
But now I can’t let her go.
Because she’s carrying my babies.
All three of them.
And I won’t let her do this alone. 

Review

Deliah is one of those wallflowers that you immediately connect to and want her to find her true love and place in life.  As a reader, I felt every emotion as the author took us on her journey to happy ever after.  Her anxiety and the way she protected herself yet still shone in her professional life spoke to me on a personal level.

Triplets Make Five is such an easy and light read and will make you smile and believe in true love and happily ever after.  This has all the elements of romance that enable you to believe in magic and beautiful moments, that men see beyond the facade and to the true person.

The flow of the story is perfect and kept me engaged and the supporting characters provided more light-hearted moments and helped cement this couple.  Deliah’s parents were strange and I actually thought they had ulterior motives but then they just disappeared which made me happy.

Preston was a great character, he was alpha but also respectful of Deliah and slowly pulled her walls down.  I appreciated that he acknowledged her integrity and how smart she was on a professional level and respected that.  I would have loved to have had a chapter on work finding out about their relationship and all those employees that just overlooked Deliah and the wonderful person she was.

A wonderful surprise was the extra stories with this book, there are eight other romance stories to enjoy.

Triplets Make Five

My Rating:  

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Synopsis

Rachel Hart and Bodie Wright are nothing more than teammates. As mercenaries for hire with the elite Jameson Group, they have each other’s backs in the most dangerous of circumstances. But after a mission gone deadly wrong, Rachel does something she’s never done before. She crosses the professional line and takes comfort in Bodie’s arms.

One night of passion turns their lives upside down with a pregnancy neither of them expected, and one that Rachel was too terrified to ever want. Bodie, however, is a family man through and through, and he’s determined to raise their child alone if necessary.

The only common thread Rachel and Bodie have is their membership at The Wicked Horse, a sex club that lets them both fulfill their dirtiest fantasies with each other. As they become more intimately entwined, the strong, steady man with a heart of gold makes Rachel question everything she ever thought she knew about herself. Their wicked nights together make them so much more than teammates and Rachel is about to discover the choices she thought were the most difficult are actually the easiest ones to make.

Review

I have to admit, I was a little unsure about how I’d like WICKED CHOICE.  A friends-to-lovers romance with an unexpected pregnancy thrown in sounded great.  It was the fooling around at a sex club on top of that, that I was unsure about.  After finishing the story, I felt the same way.  I loved the romance side of this story, but not the club scenes.

Okay, that’s not entirely true.  There was one club scene between Bodie and Rachel that I really liked.  The scenes I didn’t like were the ones that took place in front of their coworkers.  I just couldn’t get my head around believing Rachel’s coworkers—men that she leads and commands—could see her as anything other than a sexual plaything after watching Bodie dominate her right in front of them.  On purpose!  This was the only part of the entire story that I didn’t like.

I liked Rachel, who is strong and doesn’t take shit from anyone, but I also liked that she could let go with Bodie and really let him in.  As weird as it sounds, I enjoyed watching her struggle with her decision not to raise their child because she didn’t want to give up the job she loves.  I think I liked it because while she struggled, she was always honest and was never afraid to talk about her feelings.

“I think you would be a fantastic mother. Our child will lose so much without you in its life.”

I liked Bodie, although I had a hard time with his name and kept wanting to call him Brodie instead.  I loved that when Rachel told him she was pregnant, he immediately stepped up to the plate and was willing to be their child’s sole parent since Rachel didn’t want to be a mother.  He was an all-around great guy, calm in any situation and would put his child before anyone or anything else.  In short, he’s a catch.

WICKED CHOICE is told in dual POVs and comes with a sweet HEA for Bodie and Rachel that left me smiling.  It’s also the introduction to a spin off series that will launch in early 2019 that is being written by Sawyer and another author.  It will focus on the members of the Jameson Group, and I’m hoping through that series we’ll see more of Bodie and Rachel, and we’ll hopefully find out if it’s a boy or a girl.

Wicked Choice (Wicked Horse Vegas # 4)

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Wicked Horse Vegas Series

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Synopsis

She has nothing…

Rain Minear has fantasized about finding herself in Joe Moffat’s arms for years. It’s just her luck that the night it finally happens, he’s carrying her into the emergency room. It’s Joe who steps up to help her when a tragedy brings her life crashing down. He gives her a place to stay, helps her get back on her feet, and even tries to save her Christmas, though he’s never cared for the holiday. But he’s far too ethical to sleep with a member of his staff, holding her at arms length despite the long-simmering attraction between them.

He has everything…

Haunted by ghosts from the past, Joe Moffat moved to Scarlet Springs to repay a debt. He’s struggled for years to keep his hands off Rain. She’s the general manager of his brewpub, and he is not that kind of boss. But, oh, she turns him on. More than that, she has the biggest heart of any woman he’s ever known. He’d do anything to see her smile again, even put up a Christmas tree and listen to carols, things he normally never does.

A season that changes two lives forever…

When a Rocky Mountain blizzard leaves them snowbound and alone together for days, they can no longer ignore their feelings for one another. As their passion turns to something deeper, it becomes clear to them both that this will be the most important Christmas of their lives.

Review

Luckily, the author didn’t mention in the blurb exactly how long Joe and Rain had secretly been in love with each other, because if she had, I probably wouldn’t have read it.  Why?  Because I’d just finished reading another book where the main characters were secretly in love with each other for twenty years, and it left me very frustrated.  Thankfully, and despite that similarity, CLOSE TO HEAVEN was a nice, easy and enjoyable read.

I liked Joe, who moved to Scarlet Springs two decades ago to try and pay back the town for his great-great-grandfather’s misdeeds.  He’s a very wealthy man, but he’s down-to-earth and he doesn’t act like he’s better than everyone else just because of his money.  The only thing that bothered me was his main reason for not pursuing Rain.  There’s a big difference between using your position of power to take advantage of women in your employ, and taking what is being freely offered by a woman in her thirties.  

I liked Rain, who’s been working for Joe since she became a single mother at seventeen.  She’s been in love with him since almost the beginning, but she never made a move because she was afraid of being rejected.  What I liked most about her is that she truly did not care that Joe was rich, and that she finally got the courage to put herself out there in her attempts to gain Joe’s attention.

An interesting part of the story was the reading Silas’ journals, where we learnt how despicable Joe’s great-great-grandather truly was, as well as the history of the town and its descendants, who still live there to this day.  You’ll be surprised by how much hate you’ll feel for a man who’s been dead for a century.

CLOSE TO HOME is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone.  It comes with a beautiful HEA for Joe and Rain, and is a nice addition to the Colorado High Country series.

Close To Heaven (Colorado High Country # 5)

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Colorado High Country Series

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Synopsis

Dr. Trisha Norbit is flat on her back in a hospital bed, pinned under a really big New Species male. Though drugged out of his mind, he promises her ecstasy and is determined to deliver—but hospital staff intervenes. 215 is a man Trisha will never forget. But, when she meets him again at Homeland…he doesn’t even remember her!

The nosy new doctor wants to know all about the breeding habits between humans and Species. Slade proposes a hands-on education but she’s not interested in a one-night stand. He can’t offer more because he’s haunted by the memory of a woman he once tried to claim. He’s shocked when he realizes they are one and the same. He’s blown it—she’ll never give him a chance now.

But, when her life is in danger, he’s the only one who can save her. As they flee through the wilderness, their desire ignites and cannot be denied. Hot sex, on the run, has consequences that are even more dangerous and will change their lives forever.

Review

SLADE is the second book in the New Species series and, after reading FURY last month for the first time in a few years, I thought I’d keep going with the series.  My plan is to re-read and review one book in the series per month, so hopefully by the end of 2018, I’ll have the entire series reviewed on our blog.  Maybe by then there’ll even be a new addition to the series and I’ll be ready for it.  * Hint hint, Ms Dohner *

We met Trisha and Slade in the previous book, and there was quite a bit of tension between them every time they were in the same room.  In this book, we find out what’s behind that tension, but we also find out that while they “hate” each other, neither can deny their attraction.

“Don’t ever walk into my house again. What would you have done if I’d still been in the shower?”
“Walked in there to tell you they needed you at the center and handed you a smaller towel than you had on. Maybe a hand towel. Or a washcloth.”

Trisha is the lead doctor at Homeland, but her job isn’t going as well as she had hoped.  She wanted to treat New Species and learn more about them, but since they’re mostly non trusting of humans, she’s been relegated to treating other humans instead.  I felt bad for her, because you know that she really cares and just wants to help them.  Slade is pretty crude, and a lot of the problems between him and Trisha could have been solved if he wasn’t afraid to have an adult conversation.  But you can’t help but feel sorry for him because he kept ruining his chances with Trisha every time he opened his mouth.

SLADE is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone.  That being said, I think these books will be best enjoyed by reading the entire series in order.  Be warned, there is an attempted rape scene which may be a trigger for some readers.  Despite that scene, I found SLADE to be a lot more humorous than the previous book; the banter between New Species was more joking and at ease, and I absolutely loved the ending.

Slade (New Species # 2)

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New Species Series

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Synopsis

No last names. No life stories. Those were the rules.

Once upon a time a cocky, copper-haired tourist sauntered into Zara’s bar. And even though she knew better, Zara indulged in a cure for the small-town blues. It was supposed to be an uncomplicated fling—a few sizzling weeks before he went back to his life, and she moved on.

Until an accidental pregnancy changed her life.

Two years later, she’s made peace with the notion that Dave From Brooklyn will never be found. Until one summer day when he walks into her coffee shop, leveling her with the same hot smile that always renders her defenseless.

Hockey star Dave Beringer has never forgotten the intense month he spent with prickly Zara. Their nights together were the first true intimacy he’d ever experienced. But the discovery of his child is the shock of a lifetime, and his ugly past puts relationships and family out of reach.

Or does it? Vermont’s countryside has a way of nurturing even tortured souls. The fields and the orchards—and hard won love—are Bountiful.

Review

The first thing I have to say about BOUNTIFUL is that the cover is beyond hot.  I can’t remember the last time I wanted to lick a cover, but this one is so gorgeous I find myself wanting to lick it every time I see it.  Yum!

Moving on, BOUNTIFUL is a lovely story about Dave and Zara, who shared a hot and enjoyable month-long fling two years ago.  A fling that involved not sharing personal details and then resulted in a pregnancy.  Dave has not been able to get Zara out of his mind since he left, so two years later and during his off-season, he returns to town to see her, only to learn that he has a daughter, Nicole.

Dave and Zara are both strong characters, but because of what they experienced growing up, they believe there are certain parts of their lives where they are not worthy or good enough, but in very different ways.  It was nice watching them come together and get the happy ending neither of them dreamed was a possibility.

I really liked Dave’s sister, Bess, as well as Zara’s twin brother, Benito.  While I don’t see them together as a couple, I hope both of them get their own books.

There were a couple of threads in this story that I felt were not tied up.  Most of Zara’s family treat Dave pretty badly, and we never find out if they changed their attitudes towards him.  Also, Zara mentioned several times that she had ruined the great romance of Benito’s life when they were younger, but we never got the story behind that.  With the introduction of Zara’s large-ish family, I wonder if her brothers will get stories of their own, and perhaps that’s why these two threads were left hanging.  Time will tell.

BOUNTIFUL contains characters from Sarina’s Brooklyn Bruisers series, but you don’t need to read that series to enjoy this story.  Honestly, I don’t even remember Dave from the Brooklyn Bruisers, even though I’ve read all three books.  BOUNTIFUL is told in dual POVs and comes with a happy ending for Dave, Zara and Nicole.

Bountiful (True North # 4)

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True North Series

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Synopsis

play·boy
ˈplāˌboi/
noun
a wealthy man who spends his time enjoying himself, especially one who behaves irresponsibly or is sexually promiscuous.
Synonyms: socialite, pleasure seeker.

Noah
I have it all, money, looks, and any woman I want.
Till I meet her and my universe is knocked on its ass and she wants nothing to do with me.

Kaleigh
My motto: never date the same man twice. I have less chance of breaking my heart that way.
Till my eyes land on the only man I’ll break my rule for.

She thinks she can run. That I’ll let her get away.

He thinks he can handle a woman like me.
He has no idea.

A man who has it all needs one thing and one thing only. A temptress.

Watch me Tempt the Playboy.

Review

After reading and enjoying TEMPT THE BOSS, I was really looking forward to reading TEMPT THE PLAYBOY, but sadly I didn’t enjoy this one anywhere near as much as I did the previous book.

The first 75% of this book takes place in the same timeline as the first book, so when the scenes from the first book also included Noah and/or Kaleigh, we see those scenes duplicated in this book.  If I had bought this book, I’d be very angry at paying for a story that, for the most part, is a replica of the first book just told in different POVs.

I also noticed a few mistakes throughout the story that really bugged me, because they’re all simple mistakes that should have been caught.  Noah tells his assistant to take the next day off because he’ll be in court all day, but then he spends the entire next day in his office.  Noah invites himself to one of Kaleigh’s yoga sessions, and the next day he’s telling his friends that he’s going to be joining her for goat yoga, but Kaleigh never mentioned that it was goat yoga.  At the beginning of the book, Noah is talking about how excited he is that Luca will be starting at the firm, but several weeks later and towards the end of the book, Luca speaks up in a meeting and Noah has no idea who he is and asks him for his name.

Finally, I didn’t like Noah much at all.  I think he was written to be funny, but I thought he was nothing more than a pig.  He talks about women and his conquests in a way that I found absolutely disgusting.  The final straw was when he was complaining about how he was once tied to a chair and couldn’t masturbate while watching two women have sex…in front of Kaleigh and her parents.  He could be sweet at times, and I loved how eager he was to impress Kaleigh, but he annoyed me for most of the story.

So what did I like about it?  I liked Kaleigh and her quirky ways.  I laughed out loud at the scene where she was trying to cook for Noah for the first time.  She failed spectacularly and it was hilarious.  I also loved the proposal while they visited New York, which was beautiful and very well done.

TEMPT THE PLAYBOY is told in dual POVs, and as with the previous book, there was a lot of unnecessary repetition with the POV switches, which I found irritating.  TEMPT THE NEIGHBOR is the next book in the series and will be about Luca, the new associate at Noah’s firm, but at this stage I’m not sure if I’ll read it.

Tempt The Playboy (Tempt # 2)

My Rating:  

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Tempt Series

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Synopsis

Lucas Fournier is only serious about one thing: hockey. The league’s fun-loving charmer, Luc is always up for a good prank or a great lay, and he has no intention of settling down. But being traded to the Carolina Cold Fury—and to play alongside his big brother, Max—is no joke. With another title in sight, the last thing Luc wants is to let his new teammates down. To succeed, Luc will need to keep his head in the game and the most . . . er, demanding member of his anatomy in check. But when temptation hits, Luc hits back harder.

Museum curator Stephanie Frazier has always put business before pleasure, which just about explains her nonexistent sex life. But when Stephanie meets Luc at a champagne-fueled gala, she finds herself flirting like crazy—and going home with the uninhibited athlete. For one night, she learns what passion is all about. She just never counted on the little surprise Luc leaves behind. And that’s when things really start to get . . . interesting.

Review

I’m going to start my review by saying that I love Sawyer Bennett, so it sucks to give her a low rating, but I just can’t rate LUCAS any higher than 3.  Apart from the scorching hot sex, I just didn’t feel the connection between Lucas and Stephanie, and I couldn’t get my head around the type of sexual non-relationship they were trying to have.

I really liked Lucas and he’s the reason I rated this as high as I did.  There were a couple of times where he was a dick, but for the most part he was a level-headed guy with an amazing personality.  He’s nice, friendly and caring, and he’s a monster in bed.  Who can’t get down with that combination?

Stephanie, on the other hand, frustrated me to tears.  No doubt she’s a survivor, but that’s the only thing about her I liked and respected.  I was clearly not in the mood to listen to her constantly complain about how her shitty childhood affects her ability to connect with people to this day.  But what really annoyed me was that Lucas, being the great guy he is, spent the entire book trying to boost her up and showing her that he cared about her…and she never believed him.  But when a fairly new acquaintance tells her just once that she’s good enough, she suddenly believes it and is grateful that she finally has someone who believes in her.  That was a serious WTF moment for me and really cemented my dislike of her.

LUCAS is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone.  The epilogue is told in Van’s POV and it sets us up for his book, which will be next.  Like Lucas, he’s new to the team and while we didn’t see a lot of him in this story, what we did see was a guy who was very rude, keeps to himself and who doesn’t seem very likeable.  That being said, he has me intrigued so I will be definitely be reading his book.

Lucas (Cold Fury Hockey # 8)

My Rating:  

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Cold Fury Hockey Series

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