Book Review – Hidden Hearts

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Book Review, Hidden Hearts, Lovestruck Librarians series, Olivia Dade

Hidden Hearts

by Olivia Dade

AN ADMIRER WITH A SECRET . . .

Mary Higgs could be the poster girl for the buttoned-up librarian. She follows the rules. Stays ʼtil closing. Her kindness and dedication to her patrons is legendary. But those patrons have no idea what she’s typing to the mysterious shut-in who emailed the library needing a library card three months ago . . .

When the elusive Miles O’Connor shows up, he’s no invalid. A year ago, he was the gleaming, ab-sational star of the small screen. Then came the accident. Now he’s a wounded recluse with a pizza habit and fears so unshakable that only the thought of losing Mary to an online date could lure him out of his cabin.

Soon their email rapport has turned into weekends on the couch, watching tearjerkers and driving each other insane with red-hot makeout sessions. But as the desire grows and their horizons expand, the life that brought them together might not be enough for either of them . . .

“Love is never out of reach for the librarians of the Nice County Library System . . . Sarah’s charm and humor are perfectly suited to a beach read.” —Publishers Weekly on Ready to Fall

I absolutely LOVE the way that Dade handles Miles and his issues.  There’s a lot of understanding there for what he is going thru, has gone thru, and will face in his future.  She gave me a lot to think about and I think that is always a sign of a well-done book.  I also think that she gave Mary and her problems a fair shake as well.  Her’s may not have been as dramatic as Miles’s but they are just as impactful and she needs to address them before she can make a life she truly enjoys.

The romance between the two is super sweet and relatively low key.  There’s very little angst there, instead it is humorous and touching and expands slowly as they two get to know each other.  My only complaint, and it is because I really enjoyed these two so much, is that the ending was a little abrupt.  I would really have liked to have an epilogue or one more chapter just so I could have gotten a touch more of their HEA 🙂

Book Review – Ready to Fall

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Book Review, Lovestruck Librarians series, Olivia Dade, Ready to Fall

Ready to Fall

Lovestruck Librarians series

by Olivia Dade

Elementary school teacher and part-time librarian Sarah Mayhew has the perfect plan: show off her cycling skills at her school’s bike retreat and attract her oblivious coworker in the process. Her end game? Fall in love. Only one problem: she needs to find someone to teach her how to ride a bike pronto. But when she catches sight of Chris Dean’s gorgeous physique, her best laid plans are about to go off track . . .

Chris is not looking for a girlfriend. He’s getting over his last one by focusing on his bike repair business. So when a feisty, sexy schoolteacher urges him to help improve her cycling skills, he does it strictly for the money. He vows he won’t repeat history, even for a blonde bombshell like Sarah. But when the two find themselves alone on the road, they can’t help taking a detour straight into each other’s arms . . .

I have to admit that Sarah is a hoot and a half.  She’s funny, sassy, cute and fun.  She runs her mouth but never in a mean spirited way and she just cracks me up.  But I also love how much Chris understands her and sees why she says & does these things … although that doesn’t stop him from having his own issues that cloud their interactions occasionally.  He was burned horribly by his last relationship and he’s a little hesitant to get involved again, especially with someone who is up front about the fact that she’s trying to win another guy.

There’s confusion and a little heartache though I like that Dade doesn’t focus on it.  The story is about these two spending time together and falling for each other, but their hang-ups cause for a few misunderstandings and hesitation along the way.  And while the romance between the two happens a little fast, Ready to Fall is vastly fun and entertaining.  I had a ton of fun reading Mayday and this one, so I’m definitely putting Dade on my go-to author list.

(Oh, and in case you are a returning reader we have seen this one before.)

Spotlight – Ready to Fall

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Lovestruck Librarians series, Olivia Dade, Ready to Fall

Just last month we say another of Dades Lovestruck Librarians in Mayday and after enjoying that one so much I’m definitely ready to get my hands on this one!

*****

Ready to Fall

Lovestruck Librarians series

by Olivia Dade

Blurb:

Elementary school teacher and part-time librarian Sarah Mayhew has the perfect plan: show off her cycling skills at her school’s bike retreat and attract her oblivious coworker in the process. Her end game? Fall in love. Only one problem: she needs to find someone to teach her how to ride a bike pronto. But when she catches sight of Chris Dean’s gorgeous physique, her best laid plans are about to go off track . . .

Chris is not looking for a girlfriend. He’s getting over his last one by focusing on his bike repair business. So when a feisty, sexy schoolteacher urges him to help improve her cycling skills, he does it strictly for the money. He vows he won’t repeat history, even for a blond bombshell like Sarah. But when the two find themselves alone on the road, they can’t help taking a detour straight into each other’s arms . . .

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Fall-Lovestruck-Librarians-Olivia-ebook/dp/B015VA3MQC

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ready-to-fall-olivia-dade/1122713762?ean=9781616509408

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Olivia_Dade_Ready_to_Fall?id=siSeCgAAQBAJ

Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Ready-Fall/Olivia-Dade/Q396449332?id=6300597355308

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/ready-to-fall/id1052731132?mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/ready-to-fall-3

*****

Excerpt:

Sarah had been talking nonstop for at least twenty minutes. Chris hadn’t said much in response, but she didn’t seem offended. From what he could tell, she didn’t require much in the way of audience participation.

“I figure there’s about a fifty-fifty chance I’ll die along that canal.” Tilting her head in thought, she drummed her fingers along the edge of the table. “If I do, please attend my funeral. Tell the crowd I died doing what I loved most—chasing after an eligible guy. Of course, I’ll also have died doing what I hated most. Namely, riding an accursed form of transportation in sweaty clothes while fighting that [w]itch Mother Nature.”

Good thing she was hilarious. If she wasn’t, he’d probably have donned his safety headphones about fifteen minutes ago.

She pointed an admonishing finger his way. “At the service, don’t tell my dad you’re the one who taught me to ride. He might blame you for my untimely demise, especially if he sees this shop. My guess? He’ll assume you tampered with my bike. Largely because your front room looks like the hideout of a crazed loner.”

He bit back yet another grin and snuck a glance at her, marveling once again at how relaxed she seemed. As soon as he’d brought her back to his workroom, she’d boosted herself up onto one of his work benches and sat to watch him adjust her bike. Her natural, open smile had returned. And then she’d started talking. And talking. And talking.

For some reason, she looked completely comfortable up on that bench. Almost as if the two of them had spent pleasant evenings here dozens of times before.

To his surprise, he was enjoying himself too. More than he had in months. Maybe years.

It was all very odd. The sight and sound of her in this room—a place he’d used for solitude since first opening the shop—should bother him. Should make him regret bringing her here. And on some level, he was bothered. On some level, he did regret bringing her here.

Not because he wanted her gone. Because he didn’t.

*****

Author Info:

While I was growing up, my mother kept a stack of books hidden in her closet. She told me I couldn’t read them. So, naturally, whenever she left me alone for any length of time, I took them out and flipped through them. Those books raised quite a few questions in my prepubescent brain. Namely: 1) Why were there so many pirates? 2) Where did all the throbbing come from? 3) What was a “manhood”? 4) And why did the hero and heroine seem overcome by images of waves and fireworks every few pages, especially after an episode of mysterious throbbing in the hero’s manhood?

Thirty or so years later, I have a few answers. 1) Because my mom apparently fancied pirates at that time. Now she hoards romances involving cowboys and babies. If a book cover features a shirtless man in a Stetson cradling an infant, her ovaries basically explode and her credit card emerges. I have a similar reaction to romances involving spinsters, governesses, and librarians. 2) His manhood. Also, her womanhood. 3) It’s his “hard length,” sometimes compared in terms of rigidity to iron. I prefer to use other names for it in my own writing. However, I am not picky when it comes to descriptions of iron-hard lengths. At least in romances. 4) Because explaining how an orgasm feels can prove difficult. Or maybe the couples all had sex on New Year’s Eve at Cancun.

During those thirty years, I accomplished a few things. I graduated from Wake Forest University and earned my M.A. in American History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. I worked at a variety of jobs that required me to bury my bawdiness and potty mouth under a demure exterior: costumed interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg, high school teacher, and librarian. But I always, always read romances. Funny, filthy, sweet–it didn’t matter. I loved them all.

Now I’m writing my own romances with the encouragement of my husband and daughter. I found a kick-ass agent: Jessica Alvarez from Bookends, LLC. I have my own stack of books in my closet that I’d rather my daughter not read, at least not for a few years. I can swear whenever I want, except around said daughter. And I get to spend all day writing about love and iron-hard lengths.

So thank you, Mom, for perving so hard on pirates during my childhood. I owe you.

Kensington website: http://www.ekensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/33043

Author website: http://oliviadade.com/

Twitter: twitter.com/OliviaWrites (@OliviaWrites)

Facebook: facebook.com/OliviaDade

*****

Giveaway:

ebook Ready To Fall

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e4be888279/

*****

Book Review – Mayday

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Book Review, Lovestruck Librarians series, Mayday, Olivia Dade

After this, I’m so ready to move to a small town to be their librarian … I can only hope I have such fantastic stories to tell 🙂

*****

Mayday

Lovestruck Librarians series

by Olivia Dade

Blurb:

Helen Murphy loves her supportive family, her close-knit circle of friends, and her part-time job at the library. What she doesn’t love: the fact that she’s a thirty-six-year-old near-virgin who lives in her parents’ house. Eager to move out and reclaim her independence at long last, she’s determined to get the library’s new Community Outreach Coordinator position. Even if that means working side-by-side with the one man she desperately wants to avoid—Niceville’s ambitious mayor Wes Ramirez, who happens to be her only previous lover, and the source of her greatest humiliation…

Wes needs to make up for his disastrous one-night—actually, make that one-hour—stand with deliciously nerdy librarian Helen. As they plan the city’s upcoming May Day celebrations together, he’ll try to prove he can do better, in bed and out. It may take every bit of his creativity and determination, but their budding romance has already gone down in flames once . . . and he’ll be damned if he’ll let Helen go a second time.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mayday-Lovestruck-Librarians-Book-2-ebook/dp/B013ZNGZW0

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mayday-olivia-dade/1122536585?ean=9781616509378

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Olivia_Dade_Mayday?id=Ld5fCgAAQBAJ

Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/Mayday/Olivia-Dade/Q672234296?id=6300597355308

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/mayday/id1039679614?mt=11

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/mayday-17

The Kensington website: http://www.kensingtonbooks.com/book.aspx/32306

*****

Excerpt:

“I see that the library sent a representative to discuss the history and symbolism of May Day, but I never got a message confirming the name,” Wes said. “So if anyone’s here from the library, please feel free to come to the front and make your presentation.”

That Helen rose from her seat didn’t come as a shock to him. Given her lack of willingness even to look his way, he didn’t think anything other than professional necessity would have driven her within fifty feet of him. She made her way to the front, her eyes focused on the podium rather than him. Only when she arrived and he failed to move out of her way did she raise her gaze.

“Excuse me, Mayor Ramirez,” she said, her voice firm.

He couldn’t locate a single iota of warmth in her tone. Certainly not the kind of heat he felt standing only inches away from her.

“Wes,” he said.

“Excuse me,” she repeated. “I need to get to the podium.”

He didn’t budge. “Please call me Wes, Helen.”

Now he could feel heat emanating from her, all right. But not the heat of affection or desire. No, the heat he sensed came from fiery rage.

Her soft lips firmed, and she flicked a dismissive glance at the microphone he was blocking with his body. Rather than pushing past him or calling him by his first name, she instead turned to face the crowd from where she stood. “Good evening!” she shouted. “I’m Helen Murphy, and I’m a part-time adult reference librarian at the Downtown Niceville Library!”

He turned away before she could see the grin he couldn’t stifle. What a firebrand. He was pretty sure if he read her mind right about now, he’d hear something along the lines of, Screw your microphone, Mayor Ramirez. And screw you too.

Once he had his face under control, he turned back to her. “Here,” he said, interrupting her introduction and moving away from the podium.

“Why don’t you use the microphone?”

“Thank you, Mayor Ramirez,” she said.

“You’re welcome, Helen,” he answered, and then took a seat directly in front of her.

*****

Review:

It’s going to sound like I didn’t like this book, but that is SO far from the truth 🙂  Dade delivers a sweet, small-town romance with great characters, entertaining interactions, and an easy-to-read voice.

A couple of things did bother me, though.  I think that Helen’s expectations of her initial hookup with Wes are a little unrealistic.  Luckily Dade has her recognize this and it helps to make her a little more normal.  She seems to think that it is the start of something grand but she has a 5 minute conversation in a bar (with a man that doesn’t even know her name) and then they are off to bed.  It is hurtful when things go sour so quickly but it isn’t all that unexpected.  Wes does recognize that he messes up and tries to make up for it, but only after he’s got himself straightened out, which I think is admirable.

At that point, they are thrown together to work on a project and Wes wants to have another chance.  Unfortunately for him, Helen is hurt and not willing to risk her heart again.  Luckily for him, though, he’s able to charm her into trying to be friends.  Here’s my other complaint – I really wish we’d been given a glimpse of their interactions during those 2 months.  There are a few references but I feel like I missed out on something by not seeing that part.  They develop a deepening relationship that we don’t get to experience and their interactions we do get are so much fun that I want even more.  I want to be there for the funny stories and the charming moments, getting a chance to see them fall for each other.

Having said that, the rest of Mayday really made me happy.  I like that Wes took his time to woo her, even if Helen didn’t realize that was what he was doing.  I also like how real the characters felt – with insecurities and difficulties that made them even more human.  We get their disastrous first encounter, followed by a not much better re-introduction, and then the struggle to figure out if they can make their lives somehow fit together.  It’s totally a real life thing – two people who have feelings for each other but with their own hopes, dreams, & baggage.  Is it possible to make them work or are they fated to part ways?

(Even though this is the third book in the series, this one can stand on its own … although, with a few hints here, I’m definitely curious what trouble the other librarians got into while falling in love.)

*****

Author Info:

Olivia Dade grew up an undeniable nerd, prone to ignoring the world around her as she read any book she could find. Her favorite stories, though, were always romances. As an adult, she earned an M.A. in American history and worked in a variety of jobs that required her to hide her bawdy interior under a demure exterior: Colonial Williamsburg interpreter, high school teacher, academic tutor, and (of course) librarian. Finally, though, she realized the call of the hussy could no longer be denied. So now she writes contemporary romantic comedy with plenty of sex, banter, and nerdery. When not writing, she cooks alongside her husband, dabbles in photography, and tries to hide her collection of throbbing-intensive romances from her curious daughter.

http://oliviadade.com/books/

*****

Giveaway:

ebook copy of Mayday

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e4be888272/

*****