Book Review: Save The Date by Monica Murphy

Save The Date by Monica Murphy is a stand alone contemporary romance.  Caroline Abbott loves her job—helping engaged couples pick out the perfect save the date cards and invitations for their dream wedding. Working at Noteworthy means she has to deal with the occasional bridezilla, but Caroline’s always up for the challenge. Until one particular bridezilla walks into the stationery store who’s fiancé happens to be the boy Caroline shared her first kiss with. Alexander Wilder is all grown up now, helping run his family’s successful luxury hotel chain, and is somehow even better looking than she remembers. When Caroline just happens to catch Alex’s fiancée half naked with another man well, of course she has to tell Alex. Of course, he breaks off his engagement. And of course, the ex-bridezilla has gone completely bonkers. At least Caroline has her friends to save her from crazy ex-fiancées. But she also has the sudden interest of…Alex? Caroline knows they share a connection, but is he on the rebound? Or after seeing her all these years later, does he really want something more?

Save The Date is a romance that had me grinning and cringing in turn. I liked Caroline's character, and how hard she worked to be independent with still having a good support systems of friends and owning her fears of the future. Alex is a workaholic that I liked seeing admit what he needed and wanted out of life while still working to keep his family happy. The interactions between the two were sweet, sometimes snarky, and generally fun to read. I loved Caroline's friends and wish we all had a tribe of chosen family like that. I thought the twists and turns of the story were well written- and individually very believable. I found myself very engaged and had trouble putting the book aside a few times when I needed to- like to go to sleep at night. I enjoyed the read and think many others will as well. I just hope Murphy gives some of Caroline's friends happy endings pf their own.

Save The Date is a sweet romance with hints of a second chance romance and some sibling's friend- but never really gets lost in either. I liked the honesty and twists in the story. I am really glad I read it and will be reading more from the author.

Book Review: Forgotten Love (Bound By Love) by J.M. Davies

Forgotten Love is the first book in the Bound By Love series by J.M. Davies. I’m an ex-Navy SEAL. A wounded warrior with a hard-ass exterior and a checkered past to match. All I care about is my outdoor survival business—teaching others the skills they need to survive in the face of danger. But fate has a wicked sense of humor. From out of nowhere this brunette-beauty with the easy smile and doe-eyes walks into my life…and it’s not the first time. Summer doesn’t remember me. But she’s the one I can’t forget. I know that she’s in danger, and I’ll gladly give in to every protective instinct I have when it comes to keeping her safe. There’s a reason fate sent her my way for a second time. Only, this time…I won’t fail her.

Forgotten Love is a nice start to a series, introducing a good selection of secondary characters that I want to know more about. I liked Summer's character, she had grit and even though she was fighting through some serious things, which made her feel weak, she did what she had to do in order to survive. I disagreed with some of her choices, but could understand them and felt like they were all in character for her. Rafe has just as many issues, if not more than Summer, and is fighting through them in his own way. Like Summer, I did not always agree with the choices he made- although they all fit in his character and I could understand them. I really liked some of the secondary character and want to follow Nicki's future, and what happens with Rafe and his crew in the future. I did not like that a great deal was dumped on the reader at the very end, leaving me with questions, so many questions, about what is going to happen next. Oh, and fair warning for those that prefer romance with little to no sex, this is not that book. There is a great deal of heat in this book, and if you do not like an alpha male in that context then be forewarned- because there is a significant amount of that to be found. 

Forgotten Love is a good contemporary romance with plenty of heart and heat.

Book Review: Revving Her Heart (Blacke Brothers) by Cadence Von

Revving Her Heart is the first book in the Blacke Brothers series by Cadence Vonn. After the sudden death of Allison Lorde's father in a motorcycle accident, she vows never to love a man who rides the beastly machines. But when a memory from her past rides up on his bike, looking all bad-boy sexy, the sweet promise of a shared kiss long ago makes it difficult to deny his steamy seduction. Nick Blacke's number one passion is motorcycles until the gangly girl he'd kissed as a teen shows up with womanly curves that beckon to be explored. She seems eager to let him and even embraces his penchant for kink, but when he wants more, he realizes revving her engines might be easier than revving her heart.

Revving Her Heart is a contemporary romance with a lot of heart. Allison is dealing with the loss of her father, and a less than loving relationship with her mother. She is trying to come to terms with it all when Nick comes back into her life.They each have their own fears and doubts, but Al's seem to be much heavier to bear, and sometimes cut the deepest. I also like that they really had some struggles but in the end compromised and worked things out like adults rather than just ignoring the issues that might cause issues down the road.  I liked the banter and connection between the pair, although even with their history I do think some things moved more quickly than I expected. However, I really enjoyed the story as a whole. I do need to say that there were a couple moments that I had to go back and reread previous pages because I missed how they got to a certain location or in mentioned outfits, sometimes giving up and just going with it. This is definitely a book with plenty of heat, and exploration of some kink. So, if you prefer your romance without some serious sex scenes, then you might want to skip this. The heat starts fairy early and regularly makes itself known. I really liked the secondary characters, and want to see how Nick's brothers find their own happy endings, not to mention Hailey and Rebecca. So, while I enjoyed but did not love this read, I do find that I like the author's voice and want to continue reading about whatever might happen next.

Revving Her Heart is a good romance, and I can see a great deal of potential for this series. I will definitely be giving the next book a read.

Book Review: A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman

A Duke Like No Other by Valerie Bowman is a second chance, historical romance. General Mark Grimaldi has sacrificed everything for his military career, working his way through the ranks without the benefit of a nobleman’s title. Now, his years of dedication are about to pay off—with an offer for a prestigious promotion to Home Secretary. There’s only one condition: Mark must be married. Aside from the small matter of not actually wanting to be wed, Mark faces another troubling problem: he already has a wife. Nicole Huntington Grimaldi has spent ten contented years in France without her husband—and without regret. When Mark asks her to return to London and play the part of his beloved wife, she sees her chance. But neither of them is prepared for news that will throw Mark’s future into chaos…nor the undeniable desire they’ve rekindled. Maybe happily-ever-after can happen the second time around 

A Duke Like No Other is an engaging romance with dynamic characters. Nicole s lonely and wants someone to love her completely. Her estranged husband does not seem up to that task- so she tries t protect her heart while aiming for a child that will. Mark is an emotional mess trying to be strong and stoic- denying every attachment and emotion. Together again in order to reach their separate goals they are stuck dancing around family obligations and emotion in order to protect themselves. I liked the mystery aspects, and the combination of Mark and Nicole getting to know each other again and reliving the past was well balanced in the larger story. I greatly enjoyed the banter and the cast of secondary characters. As I was reading I often found myself grinning in the joy of the read and in reaction to some of the character's interactions. The book was simply fun and delightful reading, and I will continue reading books from this author.

A Duke Like No Other is a second chance story that I enjoyed. The trope is not my personal favorite, but it was well done and I loved the characters. 

Book Review: Rock Legend (Nothing But Trouble) by Tara Leigh

Rock Legend is the second book in the Nothing But Trouble series by Tara Leigh. I have not read the first book, but think other newcomers will be able to jump into the series as easily as I did. 

Most people know Landon as the drummer for Nothing but Trouble. Depending who you ask, he is also a playboy, a loner, the life of the party, a screw-up, or according to my fans, "The Sexiest Rock Star on the Planet." It's a reputation that has been earned behind my drum kit and behind closed doors. No one thought foster kid Landon Cox would become famous. Infamous, maybe. Notorious, probably. But successful? Never. No one except Piper Hastings. But he had to make a choice and picked fame and fortune over Piper, and spent every damn day since pretending there were no regrets. Now fate's dropped Piper back into his life and it could be a second chance. But while he is ready to give her a few great nights, he is not quite sure he can give Piper a future.

Rock Legend is a second chance romance and a redemption romance. Landon drinks too much, parties too much, and makes extra big mistakes. Leaving Piper when offered an opportunity with hs band was his biggest mistake- and neither him or Piper are sure they can ever go back now that they are thrown together.  I thought both characters were well written and complex, and I liked some of their interaction. I really like for Landon's issues were handled, never sweeping them under the rug or making them easily solved. He had his demons to face, and he had to make the chose to do so. I thought that was real and emotionally genuine. I liked Piper for the most past, particularly when she is on the job or with others. I do have to admit that I found her to be annoying on occasion, and I often felt that she needed to stick to her guns more in certain situations. While I enjoyed the book as a whole, I was a little let down with her character and she was really the only thing that I I did not consistently enjoy. 

Rock Legend is an entertaining and engaging read with plenty of emotion, growth, and action to keep readers turning pages. I will admit that at first glance I thought it was part of a different series, which is why I picked it up.

Book Review: Rescuing Rayne (Delta Force Heroes) by Susan Stoker

Rescuing Rayne is the first book in the Delta Force Heroes series by Susan Stoker. While it is connected to her previous series, it stands up wonderfully on its own.  As a flight attendant, Rayne Jackson is used to cancellations, but she never dreamed her latest would lead to a whirlwind tour of London with a handsome stranger, or a life-altering night in his bed. One evening is all the enigmatic man can give her, and Rayne greedily takes it, despite suspecting it will never be enough.  Heading home after another extreme mission, Keane "Ghost" Bryson hadn't planned to seduce someone during his layover, but Rayne is too sweet to resist. Being a Delta Force member means lying to protect his identity, which is unfortunate, considering Rayne seems made for Ghost, right down to the tattoo on her back. For the first time in his life, regret fills him as he slips away the following morning. Both are shocked when, months later, they meet again—under the worst possible circumstances. Seems fate has given them a second chance…if they can survive the terrorist situation they're in. If Rayne can forgive Ghost his lies. And if Ghost can trust Rayne to be strong enough to endure the secrets and uncertainty that come with loving a Delta Force soldier. 

Rescuing Rayne is a contemporary romance with plenty of action and the realities of healing after being in bad situations. I liked Rayne's character, she is sweet and strong at the same time. While she looks for the good she is more than capable to dealing with things if they go wrong, but does not take unnecessary risks- most of the time. A one night stand with Ghost her exception. When bad things do happen, she does what she needs to in order to survive. Keane, or Ghost, had to lie about his real name when he met Rayne, but when a horrible twist of fate trows them together again he wonders if she can forgive the lies, and deal with the missing information that is bound to happen in a relationship with a Delta Force member. I liked how they talked through the issues, and how hard Ghost worked to earn her trust- and even though he made mistakes was as honest as he could be about everything. The secondary characters and team mentality was a nice part of the book, and I loved seeing how the guys banded together to help each other- and anyone that a member of their team cared about. 

Rescuing Rayne is a solid suspenseful romance, with secondary characters that had me wondering about how they would find their own happy ending. While the book did not wow me, I am looking forward to reading more. 

Book Review: Claiming Grace (Ace Security) by Susan Stoker

Claiming Grace is the first book in the Ace Security series by Susan Stoker. For Logan Anderson, moving on from a traumatic past means moving back to his hometown of Castle Rock, Colorado, to start a personal-security business with his brothers. But it’s not long before Logan runs into Grace Mason, his best friend from high school and the woman who never answered his letters during his Army years. Grace was pleasantly surprised to see Logan return to Castle Rock, despite their falling-out ten years ago. Everyone always assumed they would end up together, including Grace, who had eyes only for him. But as Logan eventually escaped their town, Grace got pulled further into her family’s controlling grasp—and farther away from the man she loved. Now, united by scars both visible and not, the two must fight to free Grace from the suffocating hold of her family. But the Masons won’t let go easily—and they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the couple apart.

Claiming Grace is a romance that takes some serious topics (like physical and emotional abuse) and frames them in a way that helps readers understand the toll it can take on people, and connect with the characters. I think Grace and Logan are well described and multilayered. At no point was anyone just a victim, or hero. The only people that were one dimensional were Grace's parents, who were pretty much pure evil. I like that Logan and Grace both went through a full range of emotion, and while some of their connection seemed easy, part of that was clearly because of their history. I found that while some of the danger and action seemed over the top, the way I have seen people treat others in the world lately has me fully believing that there are people capable of this kind of scheming and abuse. I liked that the secondary characters were also more than placeholders, and I would love to see more about Felicity, Cole, and Brad as the series continues on, even though I know they are not the stars of any upcoming books. 

Claiming Grace is a god start to a new series, which I fully expect to continue tackling abuse and emotionally scarred characters. I just might continue this series, in fact I just downloaded the second book Claiming Alexis which I am likely to read soon.

Early Book Review: Where I Need to Be (McKenna) by Jamie Hollins

Where I Need to Be is the third book in the McKenna series by Jamie Hollins. It is currently scheduled for release on July 18 2017. While I have read the previous books and enjoyed them greatly, you can read them each as a stand alone and still enjoy the read. 

When heroin stole James Foley’s wife and destroyed his marriage, he poured all his energy into raising his young son and running his auto garage. There’s no room in his life for anything else until Megan McKenna walks into his shop. He finds it impossible to resist the sexy school teacher. After an ugly divorce, Megan lost her home, her job, and a big chunk of her self-respect. With her posh lifestyle now a memory, she starts over by indulging in an unexpected fling with a hard-bodied mechanic.  What begins as something casual turns into something meaningful. But how can their relationship survive when it’s built on half-truths?  James and Megan soon discover that being honest with themselves is just as important as being honest with each other. Only then will their relationship fire on all cylinders.

Where I Need to Be is a great contemporary romance of people initially unwilling to take another chance at love given no choice once their hearts are involved. James is doing the best he can for his son with the help of his father, but suffers with self doubt and guilt about time spent away from his son at work or socially. Megan is just trying to get her life back in gear after her ex-husband cheated and then took all the money and friends in the divorce. She is just happy to still be teaching and that the marriage is over- however still feels like she failed to make it work. When the pair meet- and their marital statuses and attraction are discovered to be mutual a relationship is formed. I like that they talked things through, like their expectations of the relationship, like adults. However, I was a little annoyed with Megan's reluctance to talk to her family, I honestly expected her to talk to her brother at least (mostly because of the previous books) even if she was not ready to deal with the rest of the family. I thought the situations and realism of the story was engaging and had me turning pages well past my bedtime. I liked the characters, and was glade to see the epilogue which offered a nice glimpse into the future for all three books in this series. 

Where I Need to Be is another winner from Hollins, and I cannot wait to see what they write next. A special thanks to the author, who helped me out why my NetGalley request was initially denied, helping me get the instant gratification I was craving. 

Book Review: Rake's Redemption (Wind Dragon's MC) by Chantal Fernando

Rake's Redemption is the fourth book in the Wind Dragon's MC series by Chantal Fernando. I have not read the previous books in the series but was able to fully enjoy the story. Those that have read the other books will get more out of the story because of their prior knowledge of the characters and the conflicts and interrelationships. 

Rake is known for being up for anything, in and out of the bedroom. He’s wild, he’s deadly, yet behind his womanizing facade, Rake hides the pain of losing his first love, Bailey. He hasn’t loved anyone since, and doesn’t think he ever will. Seven years after their split, Rake and Bailey run into each other at the MC’s favorite club. Old wounds resurface, secrets are spilled and passionate feelings are awakened. But they’ve each done things to hurt the other, hurt them too badly to get over it—haven’t they? Only when Bailey’s connection to Rake puts her in danger from another Club member does he realize that there’s nothing he won’t do to protect her—and claim her as his once again.

Rake's Redemption is a complex second chance story. Rake and Bailey parted on bad terms, and when they unexpectedly run across each other those hard feelings rise hard and fast. However, it takes a long time for the conflict that broke them up as high school sweethearts seems to take forever to come to light. I like that Bailey has a small support system and where her daughter is while she is alone is actually explained- too often in romances featuring a single parent the kid is just magically with a sitter that they really cannot afford or that we never meet. I also liked that the characters are complex, even the secondary characters. No one is completely good or bad, rather shades of gray like real people. Although, I have trouble getting past the motorcycle club culture as it is represented in this subgenre- mostly because everyone I know that rides (even those in clubs) are law abiding and spend most of their 'club' time raising money or participating in charitable things rather than dealing in violence and turf wars. I do not doubt that there are, or have been, groups like this and appreciate the suspension of disbelief- but I just cannot do it.

Rake's Redemption is a solid second chance romance with endearing characters. Although, I think I have discovered that the Motorcycle club/ outlaw romances are just not my thing which made getting lost in the story a little harder. Those that love the subgenre will adore the series.