3 Star – Page 16 – Books-n-Kisses

February 19, 2019February 18, 2019

Kimberly reviews Who Killed The Fonz by James Boice

TITLE: Who Killed The Fonz?
CHARACTERS: Richie, Ralph, Potsie and all of the Gang
AUTHOR: James Boice
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/19/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The legendary 1950s-era TV show Happy Days gets reinvented as a gritty 1980s noir.

Late October, 1984. Prince and Bruce are dominating FM radio. Ron and Nancy are headed back to the White House. Crockett and Tubbs are leading men everywhere to embrace pastels. And Richard Cunningham? Well, Richard Cunningham is having a really bad Sunday.

First, there’s the meeting with his agent. A decade ago, the forty-something Cunningham was one of Hollywood’s hottest screenwriters. But Tinseltown is no longer interested in his artsy, introspective scripts. They want Terminator cyborgs and exploding Stay Puft Marshmallow men. If he isn’t interested in that sort of thing, his agent tells him, he’s gonna have to find new representation.

Then later that same day he gets a phone call with even worse news. His best friend from childhood back in Milwaukee, back when everyone called him Richie, is dead. Arthur Fonzarelli. The Fonz. Lost control of his motorcycle while crossing a bridge and plummeted into the water below. Two days of searching and still no body, no trace of his trademark leather jacket.

Richard flies back for the memorial service, only to discover that Fonzie’s death was no accident—it was murder. With the help of his old pals Ralph Malph and Potsie Weber, he sets out to catch the killer. Who it turns out to be is shocking. So is the story’s final twist.

Who Killed The Fonz? imagines what happened to the characters of the legendary TV series Happy Days twenty years after the show left off. And while much has changed in the interim—goodbye drive-in movie theaters, hello VCRs—the story centers around the same timeless themes as the show: the meaning of family. The significance of friendship. The importance of community.

Fast-paced and full of nostalgia, Who Killed the Fonz? is an ingenious twist on a beloved classic that proves sometimes you can go home again.

REVIEW:
When I saw this book I requested it figuring as a fan of the show I would find this book really cheesy… And I was not disappointed. But as a fan of the show (it was my favorite in the heyday of the show) I knew I wanted to read it. I gave it a shot figuring the author was just as much of a fan as I since he dreamt up this story.

But the story drug on way too long. There was so many mentions of episodes that I am pretty sure he didn’t miss one. All of the characters were there making cameo’s. But it was so slow I had to drag my way through the muck to get to the heart of the story.

Really what it comes down to is if you want a cheesy look back at old friends then this story is for you. But don’t expect a masterpiece. You won’t get it.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

February 7, 2019February 6, 2019

Kimberly reviews Strawberry Hill by Catherine Anderson

TITLE: Strawberry Hill
SERIES #: Mystic Creek #5
CHARACTERS: Vickie & Slade
AUTHOR: Catherine Anderson
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The New York Times bestselling author of Spring Forward returns to Mystic Creek, Oregon, where an estranged pair are given a second chance.

As a camp cook, Vickie Brown loves feeding any size crowd in the great outdoors–with one notable exception. She never would have predicted she’d join the crew led by gruff cowboy Slade Wilder, the man who broke her heart just days before their wedding.

Life has gone on since Vickie left him, but Slade can admit his attraction to the one woman he’s ever loved remains stronger than ever. If he wasn’t in such desperate need of an experienced cook for his paying guests, he would send Vickie packing. He knows better than to seek out the company of the woman who broke off their engagement so many years ago.

Except there’s no escaping each other in the confines of the wilderness area, especially once their anger begins to soften in the shared close quarters. But after Vickie finds the courage to confront Slade, it will take a leap of faith for them to put their past behind him, even if it’s the only way to recapture their once-in-a-lifetime love.

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts Ok I didn’t find my thrill… If you don’t get that reference you are too young! But the story was ok just not great. And here is why…

I expected one romance and ended up with another. Yes the younger romance was there but there is a “second chance at love” romance happening at the same time and more emphasis was spent on the latter.

Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if it was the story that I was expecting with the second chance being just a background story but I am not sure.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

January 30, 2019January 27, 2019

Kimberly reviews Suddenly Mine by Samantha Chase

TITLE: Suddenly Mine
SERIES #: The Montgomery Brothers #8
CHARACTERS: Christian & Sophie
AUTHOR: Samantha Chase
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/29/19
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New beginnings are irresistible…

Christian Montgomery is burnt out. The family business is his entire world, and Christian has never stopped trying to atone for a mistake made years ago. His only break from grueling work is sitting on his beachfront deck, watching the California surfers, and wishing he could be that carefree.

Sophie Bennington was happy living in her small Kansas hometown…until she learned her entire life was a lie. So she hightailed it to the West coast, where she loves to surf, even though she’s no good at it, and she’s hoping to start a new career.

A chance encounter shows Christian and Sophie that no matter what happened in the past, the future is bright and new…but only if you have the courage to open your heart…

REVIEW:
3.25 Hearts I will be honest and say I never really connected with the characters in this book. I am not really sure why but I just didn’t.

The story was fine and the writing was fine but for some reason I didn’t enjoy the story.Maybe I wasn’t in the mind set or something.

That being said I will not say you shouldn’t read it. I might have just been off.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

January 18, 2019January 15, 2019

Kimberly reviews Meet Me In San Francisco by Shana Gray

TITLE: Meet Me In San Francisco
SERIES #: Girls Weekend Away #2
CHARACTERS: Celia & Landon
AUTHOR: Shana Gray
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the second warm, funny and romantic novel in the Girls’ Weekend Away series, four best friends embark on the ultimate girls’ getaway filled with hijinks and a sprinkling of romance. For any fan of Bridesmaids and Sex and the City and readers of Jo Watson, Lauren Layne, Joanna Bolouri and Cate Woods.

The single mom…
When Celia Fox’s ex-husband serves her with custody papers during the same weekend he’s getting remarried, she expects things to go downhill from there. So when her best friends show up to whisk her away for a girls’ getaway to San Francisco, it’s just what the doctor ordered. Add in the chance to see Landon Bryant again, and she can’t wait for the weekend to begin.
And the playboy millionaire…
Landon and Celia shared stolen moments of passion in Vegas, and Landon hasn’t been able to stop thinking about her since. He knows she’s under pressure to hold her family together, but he’s determined to prove he’s there for her – and that she deserves some fun of her own.
Are about to get wild.
As Celia rediscovers who she used to be and her relationship with Landon deepens, she begins to believe he’s someone she can rely on. But Celia has been keeping a secret from everyone – if the truth comes out, will they play it safe or take a leap of faith?
Look for the other Girls’ Weekend Away novels, including What Happens In Vegas!

REVIEW:
I am on the fence about this story. Some of it was cute and funny but the story was also slow and a bit draggy.

Being from SF I thought it would be fun to read. And like I said part of it was. There was a whole thing about a secret which actually seemed a bit overly dramatic.

This is the second in the series but I am not sure if I will pick up the next one.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

January 16, 2019January 15, 2019

Kimberly reviews The House By The Cemetery by John Everson

TITLE: The House By The Cemetery
CHARACTERS: Mike Kostner
AUTHOR: John Everson
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Rumor has it that the abandoned house by the cemetery is haunted by the ghost of a witch. But rumors won’t stop carpenter Mike Kostner from rehabbing the place as a haunted house attraction. Soon he’ll learn that fresh wood and nails can’t keep decades of rumors down. There are noises in the walls, and fresh blood on the floor: secrets that would be better not to discover. And behind the rumors is a real ghost who will do whatever it takes to ensure the house reopens. She needs people to fill her house on Halloween. There’s a dark, horrible ritual to fulfill. Because while the witch may have been dead… she doesn’t intend to stay that way.

REVIEW:
It is hard to find a good old fashioned ghost/haunted house story. That being said this one isn’t too bad. But it isn’t all that I had hoped.

The main character is hired to fix up a “haunted” house and yet when weird things start happening he doesn’t seem the least bit ill at ease. I mean I realize that the main character can’t exactly run out screaming at the first sight and never go back since the book would be done then but still he should at least a bit startled.

The end has a bit more gore than I wanted as well. But then that is just my like/dislike.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

January 4, 2019December 16, 2018

Kimberly reviews Twisted Prey by John Sandford

TITLE: Twisted Prey
SERIES #: Lucas Davenport #28
CHARACTERS: Lucas & Taryn
AUTHOR: John Sandford
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/24/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Lucas Davenport confronts an old nemesis, now more powerful than ever as a U.S. senator, in the thrilling new novel in the #1 New York Times-bestselling Prey series

Lucas Davenport had crossed paths with her before.

A rich psychopath, Taryn Grant had run successfully for the U.S. Senate, where Lucas had predicted she’d fit right in. He was also convinced that she’d been responsible for three murders, though he’d never been able to prove it. Once a psychopath had gotten that kind of rush, though, he or she often needed another fix, so he figured he might be seeing her again.

He was right. A federal marshal now, with a very wide scope of investigation, he’s heard rumors that Grant has found her seat on the Senate intelligence committee, and the contacts she’s made from it, to be very…useful. Pinning those rumors down was likely to be just as difficult as before, and considerably more dangerous.

But they had unfinished business, he and Grant. One way or the other, he was going to see it through to the end.

REVIEW:
Let me be clear… I think this story is well written and I have been a fan of the Prey series for a while but maybe it is because of the storyline I found myself zoning out more often than not.

The story is set in DC and there is just too much politics already that I just kept having to force myself to read the story. Maybe it would have been better at another time but I was just so over politics right now that reading about it left me empty.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

January 2, 2019December 16, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Billionaire Wolf For Christmas by Terry Spear

TITLE: A Billionaire Wolf For Christmas
SERIES #: Heart Of The Wolf #26/Billionaire Wolf #2
CHARACTERS: Aidan & Holly
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
When the wolves’ own blood betrays them, they risk their lives to find a miracle.

Wolf shifter Dr. Aidan Denali has been working day and night to find a cure for werewolves’ alarmingly sudden decline in lifespan. The key to the problem eludes him. But when Aidan grudgingly leaves his work to do some holiday shopping, he meets a remarkable she-wolf whose mysterious pack could bring him one step closer to the answer.

Dr. Holly Gray is thrilled to meet the wolf who’s been working so hard to help others. Now, it’s her turn to help him. But while their attraction is sizzling, the packs are at odds, and the danger is increasing. It’s going to take a holiday miracle for Holly and Aidan to get themselves–and their loved ones–out of this alive…

Billionaire Wolf series:
Billionaire in Wolf’s Clothing (Book 1)
A Billionaire Wolf for Christmas (Book 2)

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Depends on how you look at this. It is either #2 in the series or #26… Mainly I look at it as #26 and to be honest I have enjoyed most of the series but it is getting a bit old for me. Spear has found her niche’ which I get and she has stuck with it a long time but I wonder what else she can write. There is only so much you can do with wolf shifters.

That being said the story is good. It has a bit of Christmas feel to it but after having read so many of her books I want for something different.

The romance is good and if you are a fan of the genre with a Christmas flair pick it up.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

December 28, 2018December 16, 2018

Kimberly reviews Return To Me By Jill Sanders

TITLE: Return To Me
SERIES #: The Pride #7
CHARACTERS: Becca & Nick
AUTHOR: Jill Sanders
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/31/15
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Becca and Nick were destined to be together. He was the love of her life, or so she thought. Then tragedy strikes and Becca is left heartbroken and devastated. The road to recovery seems almost hopeless at times, but with love and support from the good people of Pride, she’s looking forward to putting the past behind her. When Nick’s best friend, Sean, returns home a year later, he brings with him an unexpected gift that has her reliving the past all over again.

Sean’s homecoming is tarnished with the loss of his best friend along with the recent discovery of his fiancees infidelities while he was deployed. If Sean needs anything right now it’s a good friend to lean on and Becca has always been there for him. When the two decide to get away for a while, they’re forced to accept the undeniable attraction between them. But now an unforeseen challenge threatens to rip them apart forever.

REVIEW:
This was released in 2015 and I had not read any of the Pride series. I recently found Jill Sanders as an author and have enjoyed her works so I am not sure if this is a re-release or if it was put on NetGalley for recognition.

The story was well written but seemed young. Not in age but as a writer. However the story is #7 so I am not sure that that terminology is correct.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

December 20, 2018December 16, 2018

Kimberly reviews The Witch Of The Hills by JM Fraser

TITLE: The Witch Of The Hills
CHARACTERS: Rebecca & Brian
AUTHOR: JM Fraser
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/18/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ancient prophecy compels a young Salem witch to travel through the time-bending dimension we all visit when we sleep. Rebecca Church must recruit a modern-day boy to save this interactive fantasy world from imminent disaster, but her task won’t be easy. She may use no more than poetry, illusions, and dreams to convince the chosen one of his destiny, and she can visit him only nine brief times.

When Brian Danahey meets Rebecca at the side of a desolate road, he recognizes her from a recurring nightmare about a girl in great danger. Brian falls in love with her, she disappears, and he comes to believe she’s the legendary Witch of the Hills, a colonial maiden exiled to haunt the western prairies for centuries. The quest to free Rebecca takes him through mirrors and time from the sand hills of contemporary Nebraska to the seventeenth-century witch haven she once called home.

But Rebecca doesn’t need saving and certainly not three-hundred-plus years ago. The magical dimension that nourishes our souls is on the brink of apocalypse. Today.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I had to request this book when I read the synopsis and saw the cover. It really called to me and i have always thought the Salem Witch era was so interesting. But this is a bit different. Rebecca travels through time and so much more. There is a catch to how she can communicate to the modern day.

This story is different than any others I have read in this genre but it seemed like there was a lot thrown into it. It was a witches brew of ideas. Let’s add a bit of time travel, plus a dash of dreamscape, a handful of magic and pinches of other stuff and brew up a story.

It was really interesting but nothing like what I expected.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

December 18, 2018December 16, 2018

Kimberly reviews Heads You Win by Jeffrey Archer

TITLE: Heads You Win
CHARACTERS: Alexander Karpenko
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Archer
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
With a final twist that will shock even his most ardent listeners, Heads You Win is #1 New York Times bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s most ambitious and creative work since Kane and Abel.

Leningrad, Russia, 1968. Alexander Karpenko is no ordinary child, and from an early age, it is clear he is destined to lead his countrymen. But when his father is assassinated by the KGB for defying the state, he and his mother will have to escape from Russia if they hope to survive. At the docks, they are confronted with an irreversible choice: should they board a container ship bound for America, or Great Britain? Alexander leaves that choice to the toss of a coin . . .

In a single moment, a double twist decides Alexander’s future. During an epic tale of fate and fortune, spanning two continents and thirty years, we follow his triumphs and defeats as he struggles as an immigrant to conquer his new world. As this unique story unfolds, Alexander comes to realize where his destiny lies, and accepts that he must face the past he left behind in Russia.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts It is a simple game a lot of us play to make a decision… Heads you Win – Tails you Lose… But do you ever wonder if the decision was the right one after all? Well in this story we find out….

This story walks you through what could happen with either side of the coin.

I found this story interesting but a bit confusing at time. I kept wanting to read it and every time I think I have the end figured out I come across another turn in the road.

I would have given it the other ½ star except I kept having to re-read lines to understand what was going on and like I said parts were a bit confusing. But certainly worth the read.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

December 12, 2018December 11, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas by Katie Ruggle

TITLE: Rocky Mountain Cowboy Christmas
SERIES #: Rocky Mountain Cowboy #1
CHARACTERS: Steve & Camille
AUTHOR: Katie Ruggle
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the heart of the Rockies
In the arms of a cowboy
One white Christmas can change everything.

When firefighter and single dad Steve Springfield moved his four kids to a Colorado Christmas tree ranch, he intended for it to be a safe haven. But he never expected danger to follow them to his childhood home…

Or that he would come face-to-face with the one girl he could never forget.

Folk artist Camille Brandt lives a quiet life. As the town’s resident eccentric, she’s used to being lonely–until Steve freaking Springfield changes everything. Brave and kind, he’s always had a piece of her heart, and it doesn’t take long before she’s in danger of falling for him and his rambunctious kids. But as mysterious fires break out across the sleepy Colorado town, Steve and Camille will have to fight if they want their happy family to survive until Christmas…

REVIEW:
3.25 Hearts Ok who doesn’t like a cowboy romance? And who doesn’t like a holiday romance? So lets put them together and it should be explosive right? Well not exactly. I liked this book but not as much as I hoped.

The characters were a bit all over the place. Or we get to know them and then they are gone. The kids are cute and the main characters really had a lot of potential. But I found the story a bit slow going.

It wasn’t that it is a bad story it just didn’t rock my jingle bells.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

December 6, 2018December 5, 2018

Kimberly reviews Exclusive / A Touch Of Heaven by Samantha Chase

TITLE: Exclusive / A Touch Of Heaven
CHARACTERS: Taylor & Mike / Regan & Sawyer
AUTHOR: Samantha Chase
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Exclusive
When little-known writer Taylor Scott is granted two weeks to interview a famous reclusive author, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. So is the chance to rekindle her friendship with Mike Greene, who happens to be the author’s assistant. But as feelings deepen and time winds down, Taylor will have to choose between the story that could launch her career and an unexpected chance at love.

A Touch of Heaven
As Regan Amerson makes the emotional decision to sell their family home, her mother wins a home makeover from a reality TV show. Regan is furious, and jaded host Sawyer Bennett isn’t thrilled either. That is, until he meets Regan–and finds himself enamored by the fiercely independent beauty. She may want nothing to do with him, but Sawyer isn’t one to give up easily…

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts These are about even in review. The romance is sweet and well written. They were both released before.

I enjoyed the second story more just because it was something a bit different than many other romance novels. But both are worth the read. And both are quick reads.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.