Shot of Sultry

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A Sultry Springs novel, Book Review, Macy Beckett, Shot of Sultry

Macy Beckett welcomes readers back to Sultry Springs, Texas.  In Sultry with a Twist, she introduced us to June, Luke and all their friends and family.  Now we’re back, this time with Luke’s sister, Bobbi, and Luke’s best friend, Trey.  Bobbi is a documentary film-maker, but a scandal has ruined her career.  Now her only way back is to work on a sleazy dating reality show filmed in her brother’s small home town.  A chance to fix her reputation is very important to her and she can’t afford to be distracted by her brother’s oh-so-sexy friend.  Trey has an opportunity to clear the Other Than Honorable discharge from his military record by spending two years doing private security in Dubai.  But when Luke asks him to help watch over Bobbi while she’s in town, Trey may find it hard to keep his promise, and his hands off his best friend’s little sister, until the end of the summer.

I absolutely could not put this book down – in fact, I read it in just a day.  Bobbi was only a mention in the fist book, but Trey played a prime role and he was one of my favorites in a long list of well-loved characters.  I’m so thrilled he got his own story.  He has that standard romance novel issue of commitment issues, but he has his reasons.  He’s had almost no examples of a good marriage – pretty much only Luke & June – not only has he had a couple of unfaithful girlfriends, plus Luke’s first wife, but his own dad has been cheating on his mother for years.

Bobbi has her own issues.  She had a less than typical upbringing – an addict mother who cared little about food, hygiene or clothes for her young daughter.  When her mother died, she ended up in foster care and then adopted by two wonderful men.  But by that time she had quite a few scars from spiteful children.  She may still struggle with feelings of adequacy but not as much as she struggles with her intense attraction to Trey.  And together they are witty, funny and quite sexy.

As much as I loved the extended cast in the first Sultry Springs book, I could not get enough of the supporting characters in A Shot of Sultry.  Trey has a wonderful teen who is spending a community service stint working for him and the relationship between the two is so sweet, in a guy kind of way.  The quirky guys working on Bobbi’s documentary crew add a touch of hippie charm to Beckett’s small Texas town zaniness.  But the best is by far Sherriff’s deputy Colton.  He’s quite the womanizer but he’s got problems of his own and I absolutely cannot wait to get to the bottom of them in Surrender to Sultry coming in August.

A Shot of Sultry is that perfect mix of charm, humor and warmth.  The characters are quirky and fun, with the perfect mix of banter and heart, and quite a bit of heat to keep things spicy.  If you are looking for a steamy book on those hot summer nights, Beckett is your go-to-girl.

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The House that Love Built

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Beth Wiseman, Book Review, The House that Love Built

In The House that Love Built, Beth Wiseman brings her readers a touching story about learning to love again and finding both faith and family.  Brooke Holloway has always lived in the small Texas town of Smithville.  She married her high school sweetheart, only to lose him too young.  Now she’s raising their two kids and running the family’s hardware store.  Owen Saunders came to town purely out of spite.  He’s fresh out of a bitter divorce and has bought the kind of house his ex always talked about having, only he realizes that it is more house, and work, than he needs.  Still in love with his ex, he befriends Brooke and her kids but makes it known that he isn’t ready for anything more.  Which is fine with Brooke, she can’t imagine replacing her husband and her son is definitely not ready to see a man in her life.  But as they spend more time together, their attraction builds.  Are they ready to let the past go and move on with each other?

There is a large cast of characters involved in this story and all of them are compelling.  In addition to Owen and Brooke, Wiseman introduces us to Brooke’s mother and estranged father, Owen’s uncle Denny, the town’s screw-up Hunter, his grandmother and his drug addict parents.  The best part of this story is how it’s about all of these characters learning to forgive where forgiveness is needed, give second chances, and love one another.  I think Hunter touched my heart the most.  He’s had such a rough life for one so young and there are parts of his story that brought tears to my eyes.  All of them are dear to me, but he is the one I fell for the hardest.

The House That Love Built is billed as a love story but it is so much more – it’s about finding a place in the world you can call home and realizing that family is more than the people you are related to.

The Love Shack

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Beach House No. 9, Book Review, Christie Ridgway, The Love Shack

Christie Ridgway delivers more sun, sea and sexiness with The Love Shack, the final installment of her yummy beach-themed series.

Gage, like his brother Griffin from Beach House No 9, is a media correspondent in the Middle East.  But where Griffin writes about his war experiences, Gage takes amazingly evocative pictures of some of the harsher realities of life.  He’s in Crescent Cove to decompress from a bad experience and to spend time with Skye, whose letters got him through so much.

Skye, who has been a bit player in all of the stories, finally gets her own book and we find out exactly what has happened to make her so tense.  Having Gage around does a lot to help her feel more secure, but it will also break her heart when he leaves.  They rely on each other, both knowing it is temporary, but not counting on wanting so much more.

As with the other books, there is a secondary love story between Teague (who also appeared in Beach House No 9) and his best friend, Polly.  Being the B plot, it is a little bit shorter, but it is no less emotional.  I don’t think we got a good read on Teague when he first appeared, but Ridgway does a fantastic job of providing a heart-warming resolution to his romantic woes.

The Love Shack gives us complex, damaged characters who have to deal with a lot.  They are compelling – pulling on your heart strings and making you sigh with both happiness and sorrow (and maybe wanting to thump them on the head a time or two).

With this series, it is such a treat to have so many related characters who have their own issues but mesh so well together.  They make for an engaging and captivating group, who end up feeling like old friends.  Which means that readers of the previous books will love the updates on all the characters – almost everyone makes an appearance in this story and those who don’t are mentioned.  (I think that is my favorite part of a romance series, getting that update of everyone’s HEA life.)

I really enjoy Ridgway’s books – full of scrumptious men and sassy women, with intriguing problems to overcome.  If you haven’t already, go pick up Beach House Beginnings, Beach House No 9, and Bungalow Nights.  This series is the perfect excuse for relaxing in the shade and reading all day, so pull up a chair and enjoy.

Smooth Sailing

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Book Review, Lori Wilde, Smooth Sailing, Stop the Wedding!

When an ex tells Jeb Whitcomb he’s nothing more than an irresponsible playboy, he sets out to prove her wrong. She promises him one year to show her that he can be a better man. After a year of celibacy helping put to rights an island devastated by a hurricane, Jeb is stunned to find out that his ex is getting married to someone els and he has four days to get to Florida to stop the wedding. Nurse Haley French is also helping on the island. She doesn’t exactly see eye to eye with Jeb but she decides to relax and enjoy herself at his going away party. Both are surprised when she’s accidentally a stowaway on his trip to Florida. With nowhere to go to get away from each other, will they be able to ignore the attraction that has been simmering between them?

I’m not sure why it took me so long to read this book. I really like Lori Wilde’s stuff and this one was no different. Jeb is fantastically fun. He’s a little lost and a whole lot conflicted, but he’s earthy and honest and sexy. He is trying so hard to be a better person, although as far as I can tell there really wasn’t that much wrong with the old one. Yeah, he was a little self-centered, well who isn’t. But now he’s looking outward and seeing where he can help. Granted he’s doing it for a selfish reason, to win back a girl, but that doesn’t mean the changes aren’t for the good and won’t last. He’s a great fit for Haley. He needs someone to remind him to be more giving occasionally and she definitely needs someone to remind her to loosen up. She’s a workaholic who tends to be a little stuffy and prudish. She’s forgotten what it is like to be young and have fun, which means that Jeb is the perfect person to remind her. The conflict brewing while they fight their attraction is well thought out and works with what we learn about the two. The time they spend on the boat is the perfect opportunity to learn more about each other and most importantly about themselves.

Smooth Sailing is the perfect summer read – full of sun and sea and oh-so-sexy characters – it’ll complement your fruity drink wonderfully. So pull up your chaise lounge, put on your sunglasses, and lose yourself in this entertaining beach read.

 

Taking Shots

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Book Review, Taking Shots, The Assassins series, Toni Aleo

Review is now available below.  And don’t forget to enter the contest here!

Taking Shots is the first book in Toni Aleo’s sexy hockey series.  Photographer Elleanor Fisher loves the Nashville Assassins, so she’s thrilled to have the opportunity to do publicity shots …. and stunned to have caught the eye of her favorite player, super-hot Shea Adler.  Elli can’t believe that someone like Shea could be interested in someone like her.  Shea’s tired of his playboy lifestyle, ready to find someone settle down with, and he’s floored by super-sexy Elli.  Can he convince her that his feelings are real?

Elli was in a serious relationship that left her devastated.  He was only interested in her money, not her, and he broke her – cheated on, lied to, and abused her.  But this was just one in a long line of people who mistreated her.  Even her mother and siblings beat her down emotionally, so it isn’t any surprise that she has very low self-esteem and serious doubts about her appeal.  Shea has a serious battle in front of him to convince her that he isn’t like her ex and that he can be trusted.  I really enjoyed getting to know both Elli and Shea.  She is sweet and spicy, but with some long-standing issues.  He is charming and fun, willing to take on Elli and all her baggage, knowing that she is worth it.

But this book absolutely tied me up in knots.  I’m cruising along, thinking that these two were finally getting it together – they’d had their issues but they seemed to be working it out and moving toward an HEA.  Then I see this “They were in love, and nothing would ever come between that”.  Oh, red flag!  With about 100 pages left to go, this is the point I realize I should have paid more attention to all of those flashing signs introduced earlier because they were going somewhere I probably wasn’t going to like (yes, yes, they are obvious but I was just hoping for something different to happen), so I put down the book and walked away for a little bit (not in a bad way, but because I was so invested in their relationship that I knew it was going to break my heart).  I’m very happy that I came back.  Although it hurt to have this one last conflict between them, the resolution made me smile.  Yes, they both are a couple of idiots with too much pride (mostly Ellie) but when they are together they can melt the rink ice.  It made all the difficulty worth it to see them happy together.

For lovers of sports romances, Taking Shots is a must read.  And you’ll be ecstatic to know that this is part of a series so you’ll get to see more of Shea and Elli later, along with new sassy heroines and the sexy athlete heroes that love them.

Hockey Hop is on!

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Empty Net, Romance at Random, Taking Shots, The Assassins Hockey Hop, The Assassins series, Toni Aleo, Trying to Score

Romance at Random is bringing you another wonderful giveaway.  Click here (or on the picture) to enter.  You can also find other places to enter by visiting here.  Good luck!  (Oh, and be sure to come back later for a review of the first book, Taking Shots.  It made me laugh and cry and just little bit angry …. visit again soon to find out why.)

Extreme Love

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Abby Niles, Book Review, Extreme Love

In celebration of the Extreme Love giveaway going on now, please check out the review below.  A link to the contest can be found here or in the box on the right.  Enter now – the contest ends on 4/30.

Caitlyn Moore has no idea why MMA fighter Dante Jones would be interested in her.  Yes, she’s lost a lot of weight but she’s still heavy and a guy like him could get any girl he wants.  Dante is intrigued by the voluptuous redhead who seems to be fighting her attraction to him.  But with the biggest fight of his career in just two months, can he afford the distraction?

Wow!  Extreme Love is a scorcher. Dante is all alpha and he’s not afraid to put every tool he possesses to use in trying to win Caitlyn’s attention. So let’s stop right here – do you like masterful, take charge, chest thumping (but oh-so-seductive and sexy) romance heroes?  No?  Then this book is SO not for you.  Dante goes after what he wants with everything he has – both in the cage and in the bedroom.  He’s built, determined and willing to fight.  When he lets that primal part of himself free, it is decidedly HOT.

Dante is instantly drawn to Caitlyn’s innate goodness and innocence, which is tinged with a little bit of sass.  She’s hard-working and sincere in everything she does but she is understandably cautious.  She’s been obese for much of her life and, although she’s lost 80 pounds, she still isn’t in the same league as the skinny groupies that are usually found hanging around fighters.  Being overweight and self-conscious, Caitlyn does not have much of a dating history.  So given her inexperience with men, even average men, she is no match for someone like Dante.  With her history and her insecurities, it is very understandable why she would be out of her comfort zone and resisting his advances.  But Dante is definitely not going to give up.

Not everyone is going to like that, which is fine.  But if this is your scene, you are going to devour Extreme Love.  And with other hottie fighters for Niles to choose from, I am so hoping to see more stories soon.

Bungalow Nights

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Beach House No. 9, Book Review, Bungalow Nights, Christie Ridgway

Christie Ridgway always puts me in the romance mood.  Her stories have just that perfect blend of emotion and sizzle, heart and heat, that make you feel good.  Army Medic Vance Smith made a promise to a dying officer – he would spend a month with the man’s young daughter and do all the things the man hoped to do with her when he returned.  Only the young daughter turns out to be a very sexy woman.  There are all sorts of reasons the two should not get involved, but will their hearts listen?

Vance views himself as the screw-up in his family.  He’s the one that was a little more wild and a little more daring than the rest of them.  But the army turned him into a fantastic medic, someone who is caring, compassionate, and cool under pressure.  He’s changed since his wilder days but he still has a lot to discover about himself, and some stubbornness to get rid of, before he can feel like he can be a part of his family again.

Layla has always been the “good little soldier.”  The stoic kid who had to share her dad with the U.S. Army.  Having her mom leave her when she was young and then living the army brat lifestyle with its constant moving, she learned early that to not get too attached to anything or anyone.  She also learned to live with the idea that her dad my not come home one day.  Now that idea is a reality and she has to accept that fact.  And decide whether she can let go of those past lessons and give her heart to someone with the idea that they may actually stick around.

One of my favorite parts of Ridgway’s series is the secondary romance.  In this one Vance’s cousin had a one night stand six years ago with a family friend, only to leave town the next day for college.  With Addy also at Beach House No. 9, this is his perfect opportunity to make amends.  But she doesn’t make things easy for him.  Even if Baxter didn’t have his life all mapped out and it isn’t time yet, now or then, for a serious relationship, Addy doesn’t believe that a guy like him could ever be with a guy like her.  I love the way these two take a second look at each other and themselves, evaluating their lives to decide if they might need to make changes to be happy.

For Layla and Vance, Addy and Baxter, their month at Beach House No. 9 is a time of love and learning, of forgiveness and letting go, trust and faith.   If you are looking for that perfect book (series actually) to kick off your summer, run out and get Bungalow Nights (and its predecessors – Beach House Beginnings and Beach House No 9).  You’ll quickly be drawn into a world of sun, sea, surf and love.

Darius

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Book Review, Darius, Grace Burrowes, Lonely Lords

A penniless second son, Darius Lindsey has been seeing to the pleasure of ladies for coin, but he’s getting more desperate every day.  Then he receives a most unusual request – William Longstreet has lost both of his sons and his first wife.  Now the aging Lord needs an heir.  If Darius can get the new, and young, Lady Longstreet pregnant, all of his financial problems will be over.  But can Darius resist the pretty young wife and find a way out with his heart intact?

I was a little hesitant about reading Darius.  I wasn’t sure how appealing a whore of a hero would actually be … oh, how I underestimated Grace Burrowes.  As is right, the story is mainly about the man it is named after.  We are given Vivian’s side too but the heart of the story is all Darius.  He is an amazing man – a good man who has to do questionable things.  And he does these desperate things without completely giving up his honor, solely for the people he loves and is responsible for.  He’s a strong man, but one that needs the love and attention that only a woman who loves him can provide.  He’s dedicated to his family and staff, and those are the people that he sacrifices so much for.  We’re given hints and innuendo to what he suffered (and his siblings suffer) at the hands of his father, with just enough details to make it heartbreaking.  We’re also shown exactly what he has to do to earn his keep and the fact that he is treated in such a way, after everything he does for others, just breaks my heart.

This is the first in Burrowes’s “Lonely Lords” series and I am very much looking forward to the rest.  Keep an eye out because there will be a review of Nicholas, the next book, here in the next handful of weeks.  Readers will get a peek at what is coming as Nicholas marries Darius’s sister in Darius.  Nicholas looks to be just as touching a character as Darius and I can’t wait to find out.

Surprising Lord Jack

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Book Review, Duchess of Love, Sally MacKenzie, Surprising Lord Jack

Frances Hadley wants her dowry, since she never plans on getting married.  Why should she when the men in her family have abandoned the women in their lives.  First, her rake of a father left her mother and his children, hopping from woman to woman.  Then her brother ran off to London when he finally came of age, leaving Frances in charge of the estate.  If that’s the way men behave, she doesn’t need one.  But she does need to look like one to get to London and get access to her funds.  Jack Valentine escapes his mother’s annual house party, a not-so-secret matchmaking attempt for her unwed sons, after one too many pushy lady decides he make a good husband.  Enough is enough, so he heads for London only to have to put up at a crowded inn for the night.  When the innkeeper asks Jack’s help in escorting the young man sharing his room to town, Jack agrees.  Can Frances keep her identity secret from Jack long enough to get to London?

I had such fun reading Surprising Lord Jack.  Both Jack and Frances are lively, entertaining characters and their banter was humorous, without moving into a mean or negative vein.  Frances has issues trusting men after her experiences with her father.  Her realization that not all men are the same was very satisfying and MacKenzie handles the development with a deft hand.  It’s not an overnight thing and Jack has to earn her trust slowly but, being a good romance hero, Jack is up to the challenge.  He’s smart, charming and handsome.  More importantly, though, he has a wonderful family, who has instilled in him a strong sense of honor and the capacity to love.  He also has a need to help the less fortunate, which brings into play a bit of intrigue involving a serial killer preying on prostitutes and a few scandalous ladies of the Ton.  It gives the story an edge of danger and mystery, although the majority of the story revolves around Jack, Frances and their friends and family.

Full of humor and heart, with interesting characters and emotional stories, I recommend Sally MacKenzie’s books to anyone who enjoys historical romances.  This is actually a part of her “Duchess of Love” series but I don’t think readers have to have read the first book, Bedding Lord Ned, although the aftermath of that book is shown in this one – Surprising Lord Jack pretty much picks up right away but with enough of the details given that new readers can keep up.  Personally, I find MacKenzie’s books so engaging and well-written, and I absolutely adore all the members of Jack’s family, that I will be picking up a copy of Ned’s story at the first opportunity.  And I’m very much looking forward to her next book.  There’s another brother, Ash, and his story looks like it’s going to be a doozy.