Review of Challenged (A Changing Krysset Novel Book 1) by Kate Carley

Accepting the challenge is the first step!

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense

Book Length (Est.): 331 pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

One devastating lie set the course for Sophie Lancaster’s life. Can one earth-shattering phone call change it?

Jackson Cooper certainly hopes it won’t—at least not permanently. For the past twenty-one years, Sophie has avoided coming home and now has the nerve to show her face, purely for the reading of her grandfather’s will—that thought alone is enough to have Jackson grinding his teeth in molar-cracking frustration.

But Grandpa Ray’s final request, a life-changing challenge to save the family’s resort, pairs Jackson with this woman who makes his blood boil—in more ways than one.

With Jackson’s vow to honor his dear friend and Sophie’s promise to prove her worthiness to a grandfather she barely remembers, they set off on a yearlong adventure. Can they learn to work and live together, forging a new bond built on respect and a common goal?

Can they rely on each other without giving into their growing desires? Just as the sizzle of attraction between them heats up, the challenge becomes a dangerous and deadly game when outside forces threaten their resort, their budding relationship, and their very lives.

With their future hanging in the balance, will they survive the challenge?

Mindy’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Sophie Lancaster works a job that is sucking the life right out of her. Out of the blue she receives a phone call that will change her entire life path and bring some unanswered questions about her family. Sophie is in a rut when it comes to her job and dreams. She receives news that her grandfather has died and she needs to be present for the will reading. The crazy thing is she thought her grandparents passed away many years ago.

Jackson Cooper has spent his entire life at the resort that he calls home. Now that the owner has passed away he is not sure what the future is going to hold. Especially since Ray’s long lost granddaughter has been found. And Jackson can’t help but hold a grudge against his childhood friend that left her family in the dust.

Sophie and Jackson are given a challenge to keep the resort in the family. They must work together for a year and bring in a wealthy profit to keep the resort as their own. They will accept the challenge but have to get past all of the obstacles that everyone seems to put in their way. The only thing they are trying to avoid is the growing desires they have for each other.

This was a refreshing read for me. I love the chemistry Jackson and Sophie have for each other. They have loved each other since they were just children and you can’t run from that. Not when the future has already started.

 

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

Review of Spooning Daisy (An Otter Bite Romance) by Maggie McConnell

Can’t Fight Fate’s Plan

 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length (Est.): 316 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

It’s a long way from Seattle to Otter Bite, Alaska. But if one woman can survive the trip–and the locals–she just might find what her heart has been searching for.

Her mango chutney is exquisite; her blueberry sauce is to die for. But right now, Chef de Cuisine Daisy Moon is a woman without a kitchen–and without a fiancé. Unceremoniously dumped from her place of business and her relationship, Daisy sells her belongings, plus a few of her ex’s, and packs her bags. Maybe smashing all the china in her former restaurant was a bad move. Stripped of her Golden Spoon for “un-chef-like” conduct, she is now blacklisted all over Seattle. Her sole job offer is from the Wild Man Lodge…in Otter Bite, Alaska.

Too bad Daisy can’t even get out of Dodge without incident. By the time she boards a ship for Alaska, she’s got a trail of new troubles behind her, and suddenly Otter Bite is sounding pretty good. But the vessel turns into her own personal Titanic when a series of close encounters confirms her terrible taste in men–including one very good looking bad luck charm named Max Kendall. She vows to dedicate the rest of her days to chowders and brulée. Yet even Alaska isn’t far enough away to shake the memories of the sexy shipmate who rocked her cabin–and her world. Thank goodness she’s done with surprises–but they may not be done with her…  

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from Mark My Words Book Publicity in exchange for an honest review*

Daisy has the worst luck of anyone ever and she’ll blame everyone, but herself. There’s always a reason for her actions and never in million years would she ever consider that maybe she overreacted in certain situations, which caused them to go from bad to worse.  She is also one stubbornly determined woman who won’t back down. Underneath all of that, she’s actually pretty sweet.

No matter how hard he wishes for it not to be true Max’s path keeps crossing Daisy’s. At first she’s like a plague he can’t escape, but after a while he realized that maybe he doesn’t want to escape. She challenges him as much as she infuriates him leaving him baffled by how much he starts enjoy it.

Fate has a plan and if it doesn’t succeed it’ll try again and again until it gets it right. In Spooning Daisy if two paths cross enough eventually they’ll realize it’s meant to be.

This book is slow paced. I felt like I was reading forever and nothing really exciting would happen, just little things here and there. I enjoyed where the story lead, but the journey getting there was long and drawn-out. Max’s mother and Daisy’s best friend added a little much needed humor and the people of Otter Bite added a heartwarming sentiment.

“The odds are good, but the goods are odd.” ~That quote pretty much sums up the entire book for me.

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

Review of Adam (Of the Archers #1) by Lena Bourne

Love At First Kiss

 

Genre: Military Romance, New Adult

Book Length (Est.): 234 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

**Full length and standalone new adult romance novel.**

One week spent together in a secluded cabin. Two people scarred by their pasts. Can a chance encounter lead to love? Or is it just a moment in time, insignificant once it passes.

Taylor has just returned from a romantic vacation with her boyfriend. But instead of an “I miss you!” text from him, she gets one that’s clearly meant for another woman. Which is the only reason she lets a hot stranger kiss her on the sidewalk. It’s the one and only time they’ll ever see each other, so why not?

Adam is used to living life on his own terms, from leaving home at 16 to join the military, to returning now, eight years later, to take care of his mother. After that, he’s packing up and leaving again. The last thing he planned on was falling in love with a girl at first sight. But there she was, and now Taylor’s all he can think of.

They may be perfect for each other, but they both have pasts that will not stay buried, no matter how much they want them to. And when Adam’s dark past comes crashing between them, one week seems like a very short time. Even if it is a week of love, pleasure, and belonging like neither of them has known before.

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

One overly frustrated man. One crazily upset woman. One life changing kiss.

“All I ever lost is returned again in that kiss, along with the gift of al I ever wanted.”

Adam is mad at the world. He wanted out of the military, but he didn’t want it to end the way it did. He doesn’t enjoy being back home and around his family, but then again he’s never enjoyed that. Then out of all the gloom he sees a woman with a sadness in her eyes that he can’t help but want to kiss away, and so he does.

Taylor wants to believe that text was for, but she knows it wasn’t. No matter how she tries to twist it in her head or how her ex tries to spin it…she knows the truth, deep down she knows. And knowing will give her the strength to risk everything on a simple chance. A chance to find the mystery man who kissed her into oblivion.

Adam is a back and forth ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ type of story. Taylor can’t seem to make up her mind on what she wants or who she wants a life with. It’s a yo-yo of emotions. Add in all of Adam’s family drama, which I will warn you does not get solved in this book, and there’s just a whole mess of stuff going on. I only give the warning because it’s labeled as a standalone and yes Adam and Taylor’s story is complete, but there are things that happen in Adam’s family that are left incomplete. With how much emphasis is placed on his family you’ll want to know what happen; I know I did. You’ll more than likely have to read the next book in order to find out more.

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

Review of Lionheart: a Beauty & the Beast Retelling by Fran Seen

A Tale As Old As Time

 

Genre: New Adult, Military Romance

Book Length (Est.): 237 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

An Arab-American soldier and a stargazing woman connect in this high-tech Beauty and the Beast retelling.

In an attempt to pay off her family’s debts, Lula answers a Craigslist ad for a job opening at the formerly vacant Bluegrass Manor. A stern and brooding man offers her the job, but there’s a catch—Lula isn’t allowed to look at him. No one in the manor has ever laid eyes on Mr. Rahim’s face. Although, Mr. Rahim has eyes on everyone—security footage relays on a constant loop in his office.

Everything Lula isn’t meant to notice about Mr. Rahim intrigues her: the cadence of his accented voice, the stoutness of his build, and his self-imposed prison that mirrors her own.

Lionheart is a romance of huge stakes that asks one question: Is love enough to mend a broken soul?

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Alo is a wounded vet, not only physically, but mentally. He wanted to hide away and watch the world through a monitor. It was safer that way. Uncomplicated. That is until he hires a new maid who intrigues more and more as he watches her. It is a little creepy stalkerish, but as you get know him it’s easy to understand and dismiss.

“I was a total pervert. I watched Miss Fowler move around the manor like she was my favorite movie on repeat, monitoring her each day with renewed interest, picking up on details I hadn’t yet noticed.”

Lulu has a problem, she sacrifices herself to others even when they don’t ask. She thinks she needs to take care of everyone in her life, that she’s somehow responsible for them, but in return all she gets is heartache and unneeded stress. Problem is, she can’t seem to help herself.

Lionheart is a slow paced and endearing retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It takes two broken people and puts them together to make them whole and content while overcoming their own insecurities.

I’ve read similar books to this before and I’ve read it done it better. There’s no passion, nothing to draw you in and hold you captive, it’s more of a slow calm with an occasional hiccup of excitement. I wanted to only give it three stars, but there’s this part in the book when Alo has a discussion with someone, which includes a bat, and it pretty much made the entire book better for me. That and the texts. They were entertaining and sometimes quite funny.

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

Review of Sydney (Entangle Me #1) by Maggie Way

Cute Serial

 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length (Est.): 132 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

 A jilted girl…
A wicked boy…
A forbidden kiss…
A happily ever after?

Lacey Ryan’s perfect life was well underway, until her fiancé blindsides her with a betrayal so deep it changes everything. Now her life’s gone to hell, and the only way out may be at the hands of the last person she’d have expected to come to her rescue, Tristan Keys—the deliciously sexy player she’s fantasized about her entire life.

Sure he’s arrogant, cocksure, and frustratingly handsome, but he’s also offering exactly what she needs, a fresh start planning destination weddings. First class flights, the chance to see the world, and maybe a little harmless flirtation while she’s at it. Yes, it’s just what she needs.

Only there’s one glaring problem: Tristan happens to be her brother’s best friend. Which means he is completely off-limits. She knows it, he knows it. It’s completely forbidden. Even though she’s always followed all the rules, suddenly Lacey find herself wanting to break them all. Is he worth the risk? Or will he only break her heart—and possibly her bed springs? There’s only one way to find out, and it’s going to involve a lot of suitcase packing, merlot and chocolate.

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Lacey, who goes by several names in the book because everyone is always calling her different little nicknames, is at a crossroads. The night before her wedding she discovers her fiancé has been having an affair, that he’s actually a completely insecure man, and on top of all that she discovers it doesn’t really affect her as much as it should.

What does affect her is running into her brother’s best friend, Tristan. He can distract her like no one has even been able to do before.

“I’ve never been more relieved to see Tristan in my life – surely hell has frozen over.”

With her wedding canceled, Tristan’s lingering kiss on her mind, she’ll delve into new work ventures.

I’m calling Sydney a serial series because it appears each book is a single place and set of events based around that place. It’s like reading a tv series with each book being one episode. And because of that, yes, there’s a cliffhanger ending.

On a side note… It starts with a prologue, which is both past and present events. Then chapter one starts back at the beginning of the story, which is in the past based on the prologue. You don’t catch up with the events from the prologue until you get to the epilogue. It’s strange; I’ve never read a book written like this.

My Favorite Moment: A simple distraction that turns into something forbidden and dangerous. A kiss.

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

 

Review of Dragon’s Mate (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss #2) by Miranda Martin and Juno Wells

Don’t get jealous, get your own!

 

Genre: Sci-fi, Romance

Book Length (Est.): 162 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:  

Like being stranded on a desert alien planet wasn’t enough…

All I ever wanted was someone to love. Now my best friend is knocked up by the only hunky alien-dragon available and I can’t tell anyone how totally jealous I am. The handful of humans who survived our ship’s crash are locked in a struggle to live in sweltering heat with dwindling supplies.

The others are taking the life giving, addictive epis but if I take it that means I’m stuck here. Forever. Which also means the chance of being rescued by a knight in shining armor would be zero.

If that weren’t enough, I go and get myself kidnapped and he’s another big, sexy, alien-dragon warrior.

Dragon’s Mate is a full length scifi novel with a happily ever after ending, plenty of steam, bloody battles and alien-human intrigue. It is standalone and co-written by newcomer Miranda Martin and one of the hottest science fiction romance authors out there, Juno Wells.

DRAGON’S MATE is a sequel to DRAGON’S BABY. You do not have to read both in order to understand the plot, but the story will be richer if you do!

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Before I say anything else about Dragon’s Mate I’d like to say that it says this can be read a standalone, but after reading it’s predecessor Dragon’s Baby and then this one I’m going to have to disagree. There are so many things that tie the books together and if you didn’t read the first one you won’t understand the depth of things that happen in the second.

Jolie is sweet and caring and all she wants is the impossible…a knight in shiny armor.

Jolie’s best friend is pregnant with a dragon/human baby and she’s jealous. She wants someone to look at her the way Ladon looks at Calista and she’s knows that unless they get rescued that it will never happen. The human men who survived the crash would never be able to give her the love and affection she wants. What she doesn’t know is that someone already looks at her like that.

“He saved me. I’ve been holding out for a man who would care for me, someone who would look at me like Ladon looks at Calista. I was blind. I didn’t see that he was right here.”

Sverre lives in a self-imposed hell, one which he does not deserve to be in. He’s more honorable than he’d ever take credit for.

Sverre heard the voice of an angel and knew he had to have her, to treasure her and keep her forever, even if he knew he didn’t deserve her. Going against every instinct in his body he’ll do anything for the female he’s been infatuated by.

“She is mine. I must have her. I knew it when I saw her.”

Dragon’s Mate is book two in the Red Planet Dragons of Tajss and it continues right where Dragon’s Baby leaves off. The humans are still stranded in Ladon’s city on Tajss; half are making the best of it and the other half are rebelling against almost every decision made. There are many not happy with the relationship between Ladon and Calista and when Jolie brings another dragon into the city it sparks even more tension.

When I started this book I was a little disappointed because when the POV changes between Jolie and Sverre the timelines overlapped and it was a little bit confusing, but once I got past that everything got better. I was pulled back into the world the humans liked to call Vulcan and cannot wait to read more about Tajss, especially now that there are slave traders afoot and more dragons showing their faces.

My Favorite Laughable Moment: Not only do Jolie and Sverre have to overcome a language barrier but also an occasional cultural one, like when she mentions kinky and then has to try to explain it. Things are always better explained when shown instead of trying to use useless words.

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

 

Review of Dragon’s Baby (Red Planet Dragons of Tajss #1) by Miranda Martin and Juno Wells

Whoever thought you needed words to communicate must not be doing it right…

 

Genre: Sci-fi, Romance

Book Length (Est.): 160 Pages

Book Description/Synopsis:

Not every alien is an enemy, even if he kidnaps you…

Calista is happy with her life of scientific research. She has no need for a man, she has her books, her friends, and her work. Things are fine until her ship is attacked by space pirates and crash lands on a desert planet with heat so intense she and her friends can’t survive without help.

Ladon is a Zmaj warrior resigned to a life alone, who only desires to protect his treasures. His hopes for a mate faded long ago, yet when he meets Calista something stirs. It takes no more than one look to know that she belongs to him. He’s been alone for so long but she is the ultimate treasure and he will protect her.

Now there’s only the small problem of her living long enough to understand.

A devastated planet, a mysterious history, space pirates, and threats environmental and alien beset them on all sides. The sexy Zmaj warrior will have to battle the planet’s ultimate threat in an epic effort to obtain the one thing he knows Calista needs to survive. Then maybe they can begin to come to terms with the feelings they create in each other.

But will the other humans accept this huge and alien looking dragon warrior? Or will they find him just as big a threat as the rest of the red planet? The future of both their races depends on it.

Alien Dragon’s Baby is a full length scifi novel with a happily ever after ending, plenty of steam, bloody battles and alien-human intrigue.

Jennifer’s Review: 

*I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review*

The humans in this book are born, raised, and will eventually die all on the same ship. It’s their destiny. That is until their ship is attacked by pirates and they crash land on a planet equivalent to Vulcan. Surrounded by sand and a heat that will slowly kill them all they are forced to evaluate their surroundings and search for anything that would help them survive.

Calista is a botanist, who’s used to working in a lab, and now she’s forced into field work. A job that she is unable to do because of the planet’s conditions. They’ll leave her on the edge of death, but unknown to her she has a guardian angel – or in this case a guardian dragon – who will do anything to keep her alive and healthy.

Ladon is one of the few left of his kind; he’s also the last one left in his city. Alone for so long he’d come to the conclusion that he’d always be that way, but one look at the female who’d crashed down from the sky left him reconsidering his alone status. He wanted her. He wanted to treasure her.

“She touches me and a shudder rips through my spine as my desire flames into a roaring sun. I open my eyes and meet hers. Beautiful, shiny, and I fall into them losing myself.”

Unable to communicate in each other’s languages Calista and Ladon come up with alternative ways to do so. Ways that bring them closer together.

Dragon’s Baby drops you smack dab in the middle of a new and interesting world that will put an interesting spin on human/dragon relations. The planet and all its inhabitants are described in ways that will let you easily see them in your mind, especially if you get Star Wars, Star Trek, and an occasional Dr. Who reference. Which I have to admit, I absolutely loved the references. They almost always made me laugh.

“We crashed on Tatooine,” I groan.

“It’s Vulcan,” Amara says.

“Is not,” I grouse. “Sand, fucking sand everywhere. That’s Tatooine.”

“It’s red and there’s mountains, that’s Vulcan,” Amara replies.

“Fine,” I fold to the Star Trek lover. “Get Scotty to beam me up so Bones can do something about this pain in my head.”

My Favorite Moment: I love the way Ladon is with Calista. At every turn he cherishes her and treats her like a treasure he never wants to let go of.

“I’m not broken,” I say.

“No, not broken, perfect. You are perfect.”

*Clicking on the book cover above will take you to the Amazon purchase page.

“My head is sounding like a solid bass drum being played by the Metallica drummer. Double beat, single beat, double beat, single beat. The intro to One pounds through my skull.”