Read This Book…At Any Price
Contemporary Romance / June 11, 2015

Geeky women everywhere, rejoice!  I’ve found an author who manages steam, humor AND Firefly references all between the covers of one book!  (I know, right?!)  Want to know more? Of course you do… If you’ve ever despaired of finding a book with a heroine who knows Malcom Reynolds from The Doctor and can manage troll agro in an MMORPG, fear not!  Brenna Aubrey has got your back with book 1 of her Gaming the System series, At Any Price.Mia Strong, a well-known gaming blogger with a ton of debt and medical bills, decides to auction of her virginity to “make a statement” about women’s control over their own bodies and futures…and also to stay afloat and pay for medical school.  She is not prepared for Adam Drake, software prodigy and gaming company CEO, or the loophole he finds in her auction rules. In Mia, Aubrey has created an amazing balance of independent woman, geek, and hot heroine, and her character execution is flawless.  There are just enough (properly used!) techno/gaming terms and geek references for a natural and believable girl gamer without going over the top.  Computers get Mia almost as hot as Adam does, which is as it should be for…

More Love for Pine Harbour:  Love on a Spring Morning
Contemporary Romance / June 1, 2015

Ryan Howard is still reeling from the death of his wife and struggling to hold life together for himself and his three kids.  When Holly Cresinski (aka, actress Hope Creswell) walks up to his door and into his life, a girlfriend is the last thing on Ryan’s to do list.  But Ryan teaches Holly to do things for herself and, despite the guilt he has over the feelings, he can’t deny his attraction to her.  Can Ryan and Holly overcome lies, guilt, betrayal, and fear and find their way to happily ever after? Read on for my review! “Could a town look kind?  Because Pine Harbour did.” If you’ve read the first two books in this series, Love in a Small Town and Love in a Snowstorm (read my review here), you know that this, Holly’s first impression of Pine Harbour, is so very true.  I absolutely love the world that Zoe York has created in Pine Harbour, and I really kind of want to move there now (Hey Zoe, can we make that happen?).  Love on a Spring Morning doesn’t disappoint in carrying forward the beauty and homey-ness of Pine Harbour established in the first three books.   “Milk to drink.  No complaints, no whining, or I’ll…

Kissed by Carla Krae
Contemporary Romance / May 19, 2015

KISSED by Carla Krae My rating: 4 of 5 stars *I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.* I’ll admit, best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. Throw in a sexy British accent and bad boy attitude, and the result is pretty freaking steamy. I loved the characters and found them to be reasonably and believably developed. And I may have fallen more than a little in love with Jake. The one thing that detracted from the story was the wonky timeline. The first part of the book, where the groundwork is laid, was a bit confusing as timing went. It also felt very much like the author was trying to quickly lay out the history between the characters and couldn’t decide how best to do it or the rate at which to move time. I also was not a big fan of the ending. I felt like it really left us hanging, and not in a good way. In a “did part of the book get cut off”, looking for torn our pages kind of way. That being said, I’ll likely pick up the next installment in the…

Indiscretion: Volumes 1-4

*I received this set from the author for review purposes, however, all opinions are my own.* **This review contains language that some might find offensive. However, if you cannot read the review, you should not read the books.**First, let me say that there are a LOT of things I love about Elisabeth Grace. From the first line of her stories, her sense of humor and potential as a writer are impressive and apparent. I laughed out loud, multiple times, and I thought there was a lot of promise to the plot and characters. If you are a fan of decent plot with lots of sex, then this is likely an excellent choice for you. Despite the humor and plot, I found the sheer amount of random sex to be obnoxious and distracting. I REALLY wanted to follow the development of the story, but instead, the two main characters were constantly getting naked. I’m also not a huge fan of the crude anatomical terms, but I’m aware that it’s a personal preference and can look past it if story quality permits. However, there were some beautifully romantic scenes that were, for me, ruined by the random insertion (pun completely intended) of “cock”,…

Guarded Passion (Wyatt Brothers Book 3)

I loved the ideas in this book, and it was an easy, quick read. There were lots of great moments of humor, and the ending made me happy. I don’t feel, however, like I ever really got to connect with the characters. I liked the story, but they never felt real to me. I would have liked to see more chances to really connect with the characters and become immersed in their story and struggles. I also often felt like the love scenes were awkward. There were occasional crude anatomical terms thrown in for the multiple “close calls”, but no actual sex scenes until the end of the book, and it seemed like the author was torn on how to approach them. All in all, this was a good, quick fun read, which can be read as a stand alone without reading the first two in the series. You can get your copy of Guarded Passion here! *I received this book from the author for review purposes, but all opinions are my own.*

Surf & Surrender: Summer Love Series Book 2
Contemporary Romance , New Adult / April 28, 2015

Sawyer broke Quinn’s heart 4 years ago when he disappeared without a word. Quinn moved on with her life–or at least she thought she had, until she rescues Sawyer’s little brother at the beach and realizes that the Carson family is back in town. Will Quinn surrender her heart once more to the man who shattered it so long ago, or will she hold the pieces close and protect herself at all costs? I wish I could rate this higher than 5 stars! I thought I loved the first book, Rock & Release, but it was nothing compared to how amazing Surf & Surrender was! The writing was, as expected, superb, and the characters were completely relatable. I also found the characters in this volume of the Summer Love series to be less angsty and a bit more mature. At times, I even forgot I was reading a New Adult. Though I’m normally not a fan of first person POV, I really didn’t find it to be bothersome in this book. Riley Edgewood is a master storyteller, and there wasn’t a single moment when I wanted to put this book down. In fact, I think I might have cried a little when I realized I…

Rock & Release: Summer Love Series Book 1

This book made me feel ALL the feelings. I laughed, I cried, I wanted to scream and throw the book…and the love scenes? Go ahead and grab a seat in the walk-in freezer, because man oh man! Cassidy is reeling after the loss of her brother. Her parents are unreachable, lost in their own grief, and Cassidy just wants to lose herself in something fun and entirely untouched by her brother’s memory (unlike the summer internship she has lined up–which was supposed to be her brother’s). So, on a whim, she drops her internship and takes a job at a bar, where she finds more than she bargained for in Gage. I’ll admit, there were times that I hated Cassidy and her boneheaded decisions. And I’m normally not a fan of first person books, BUT I think the point of view and excellent writing made it really easy to connect with Cassidy. So even when I wanted to punch her in the face, I still felt for her. If you’re looking for a well-written NA that will wring you out and leave you wanting more, this book by the fabulous Riley Edgewood is absolutely the book for you!4 thumbs up! (Big toes…

Troubles and True Love

*I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review, but all opinions are my own.* “It adds a certain je-ne-say-whatsit…”  —Buck Inebriated idiots, murderous mobsters, fraught families, sexy sergeants, and loads of laughs–this book’s got it all. Clio and Sean–a woman with a sketchy past and a member of the Guard–seem like polar opposites. He follows (and enforces) the law, and she has a history of breaking it. Sometimes, though, love is above the law. The question is, will their burning attraction and growing feelings be enough to overcome their heavy pasts and the gangster holding a tab on Clio? “I love you,” he said, and meant it with an earnest intensity he’d never experienced before.  “Now dry your eyes and don’t get shot.” Of all the Ballybeg men, Sean is my absolute favorite. Maybe it’s the uniform, or maybe it’s the quiet strength and sharp wit–whatever the case, he just does it for me. And Clio is absolutely real and relatable, and I admired her spunk and strength in the face of adversity.  Keane crafts their romance with a nice realism and lack of mushiness that suits a somewhat jaded policeman and…

Wonderfully Weighty RomCom/Mystery

After falling head over heels for Ballybeg in Love and Shenanigans, I was both stoked and a little scared to read Love and Leprechauns (I skipped Love and Blarney, #2 and a stand-alone novella). I loved the world and Zara Keane‘s writing style so much in the first installation that I was afraid the next full novel wouldn’t live up to the first.  But let me tell you:  this one was just as good! The setting of this installation is the same Ballybeg as in Love and Shenanigans (read my review here), but the hero and heroine, Jonas and Olivia, are quite different from Fiona and Gavin–and from each other. We meet Olivia and Jonas in Love and Shenanigans, but we really get to know them in this book.  Jonas is a single father and writer, struggling to balance his writing career with parenting a special needs child.  Olivia dreams of starting a cafe and obtaining financial independence from her abusive husband.  When Jonas has the space Olivia needs for her business, and rent money from Olivia can help keep Jonas’s boat afloat, the two warily join together and sparks fly!  But can new feelings overcome past hurts? I loved the artful blend…

Fresh, Fun & Fantastic RomCom!

If you’re looking for a fun romance with a little mystery, lots of laughs, and sexy Irishmen, you should definitely pick up this first installment in Zara Keane‘s Ballybeg series. The heroine, Fiona, is a supremely likeable and “real” character.  She’s not model thin or fashionable, and she doesn’t give a feck.  When she’s wrangled into the wedding party (in chartreuse, no less!) for her snotty cousin, and discovers that the groom, Gavin is, in fact, already married (to HER!), Fiona’s life is thrown for a loop. Follow along as Fiona and Gavin navigate the curves, rises and dips (pun totally intended) of the road to love.  Will they hang on until the end, or will roadblocks stop them in their tracks? I literally laughed out loud from the beginning.  Keane’s writing is fresh, and her portrayal of Irish culture masterful.  Why are you still reading this review?! Buy the book and read it now (I’ve even put a handy little link to the book on Amazon just below)! You won’t regret it.  And if you do, you’re an eejit. Love and Shenanigans (Ballybeg, Book 1) (The Ballybeg Series)