Category: 3 Star

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Kelly reviews The Kidnapped Bride by Molly Harper

kidnapped brideTITLE: The Kidnapped Bride
SERIES #: Desert Rogues #1
CHARACTERS: Dora & Khalil
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/01/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Swept away by the passionate Prince Khalil Khan, Dora Nelson reveled in her new fairy-tale life as princess of El Bahar. But once she learned that the love and affection Khalil had showered her with were a sham, she refused to bend to his will. For he’d tricked her, and she couldn’t forgive him….
But she also couldn’t stop loving him. More than anything else, Dora wanted a happy home and an adoring husband. Still, when Dora’s feistiness met Khalil’s arrogance, sparks flew. And unless Dora and Khalil agreed to meet halfway, this fiery marriage threatened to consume them both!

REVIEW:
So this is a re-release from Susan Mallery and she has come a long way since this book. While it might have been better if I wasn’t comparing it to Mallery’s current reads this just didn’t add up to me.

I am not a fan of the whole sheik romance but since this was Mallery I picked it up. And to tell you the truth it was a bit cheesy and I believe unintentionally funny.

Not one of my favorite but still an ok read.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Merry And Bright by Debbie Macomber

Merry and BrightTITLE: Merry and Bright
CHARACTERS: Merry & Jayson
AUTHOR: Debbie Macomber
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/03/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Christmas is the season of the heart, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber is here to warm yours with a delightful holiday novel of first impressions and second chances.

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her–minus her photo–and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakably kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects–or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a sweet yet unoriginal story. From the first paragraph the reader knows exactly what is going to happen. And while that doesn’t mean this story isn’t good it is obvious.

I was hoping for a little more when I saw that Debbie Macomber wrote this story. Her name is synonymous with Christmas romance novels but this one was short and unrealistic. And unfortunately I just didn’t get the enjoyment I hoped I would.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Kidnapped Bride by Susan Mallery

kidnapped brideTITLE: The Kidnapped Bride
SERIES #: Desert Rogues #1
CHARACTERS: Dora & Khalil
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/01/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Swept away by the passionate Prince Khalil Khan, Dora Nelson reveled in her new fairy-tale life as princess of El Bahar. But once she learned that the love and affection Khalil had showered her with were a sham, she refused to bend to his will. For he’d tricked her, and she couldn’t forgive him….
But she also couldn’t stop loving him. More than anything else, Dora wanted a happy home and an adoring husband. Still, when Dora’s feistiness met Khalil’s arrogance, sparks flew. And unless Dora and Khalil agreed to meet halfway, this fiery marriage threatened to consume them both!

REVIEW:
So this is a re-release from Susan Mallery and she has come a long way since this book. While it might have been better if I wasn’t comparing it to Mallery’s current reads this just didn’t add up to me.

I am not a fan of the whole sheik romance but since this was Mallery I picked it up. And to tell you the truth it was a bit cheesy and I believe unintentionally funny.

Not one of my favorite but still an ok read.

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

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Kimberly reviews Dark Justice by Jenna Ryan

dark justiceTITLE: Dark Justice
CHARACTERS: Amber & Gage
AUTHOR: Jenna Ryan
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/23/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
After attempting to help the FBI expose a ruthless weapons and drug dealer, Owen Fixx, Amber Kelly enters the Witness Protection Program. Unfortunately, her sister, who was once married to said drug dealer, is forced to join her—key word, forced. When Rachel grows tired of their new life and runs off with a local man, a nightmare ensues for Amber.

The only person who can help her is Gage Morgan, an edgy former police officer. The mysterious and compelling Gage must convince Amber that he is not only on her side, but he is also her best bet to stay alive.

Amber wants her sister back. What she doesn’t want is to be attracted to her sexy new protector. But in the haunted Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, desire trumps logic. And it leaves a smoldering trail for Fixx’s gunmen to follow.

REVIEW:
This is the first in a new series. And I am not sure if I will pick up the next one. Some of the story was a bit different but mostly it is the same. And to be honest not very realistic.

There was just way too much action. I know it sounds weird but there was just so much going on it is hard to believe that the author will be able to come up with anything for the next book.

The characters are lust at first site and some how that turns into love in the blink of an eye. The villains are pretty common.

I guess that is mostly the problem with this story is it is pretty common.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Christmas Room by Catherine Anderson

Christmas RoomTITLE: The Christmas Room
CHARACTERS: Maddie & Sam
AUTHOR: Catherine Anderson
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/26/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The beloved author of the Mystic Creek series gifts readers with a novel of homespun holiday cheer, as two families discover the joy of hope and redemption….

Widow Maddie McLendon has uprooted her life to move to Rustlers Gulch with her son and grandson. But as a brutal Montana winter looms on the horizon, contractors have yet to break ground on their new house, leaving them to live in a makeshift camp of trailers, tents, and sheds….

Since his wife died six years earlier, millionaire rancher Sam Conacher has been content to wallow in his grief alone, while keeping a tight rein on his twenty-six-year-old daughter. But now the girl has gone and fallen in love with his foolish new neighbor’s no-good son….

Maddie and Sam will never see eye to eye on anything, until a near-tragedy gives them a true glimpse into each other’s souls. And as the first snowflakes begin to fall, they’ll discover that an open heart is the biggest gift of all….

REVIEW:
If you are looking for a feel good holiday romance this is not the story for you. Not that the story is good but it is missing a lot of the holiday cheer that readers (or at least me) want to read in a holiday romance.

One of the things I did like was the romance of an older couple, once it began. I didn’t enjoy all the negative talk. So many mean spirited words are said that it takes the joy out of the noel.

Don’t get me wrong some of the story was humorous and enjoyable. The concept is really interesting and different and maybe if I wasn’t expecting a feel good holiday romance novel.

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

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Kimberly reviews Wicked Deeds by Heather Graham

wicked deedsTITLE: Wicked Deeds
SERIES #: Krewe Of Hunters #23
CHARACTERS: Vickie & Griffin
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/19/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Nevermore…

Eager to start their life together, historian Vickie Preston and Special Agent Griffin Pryce take a detour en route to their new home in Virginia and stop for a visit in Baltimore. But their romantic weekend is interrupted when a popular author is found dead in the basement of an Edgar Allan Poe-themed restaurant. Because of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the corpse, the FBI’s Krewe of Hunters paranormal team is invited to investigate. As more bizarre deaths occur, Vickie and Griffin are drawn into a case that has disturbing echoes of Poe’s great works, bringing the horrors of his fiction to life.

The restaurant is headquarters to scholars and fans, and any of them could be a merciless killer. Except there’s also something reaching out from beyond the grave. The late, great Edgar Allan Poe himself is appearing to Vickie in dreams and visions with cryptic information about the murders. Unless they can uncover whose twisted mind is orchestrating the dramatic re-creations, Vickie and Griffin’s future as a couple might never begin…

REVIEW:
I am not sure why Graham is staying with these two characters. I enjoyed them in the first book but this is #3 of their relationship/journey and Vickie and Griffin are just not that interesting to carry three books in my opinion.

I have also never been a fan of Edgar Allen Poe. Other than having to read The Raven in school (which I did not really enjoy) I have not read anything by him so the novelty of him being in the story is lost on me.

I have always enjoyed Graham’s Krewe of Hunters and would never miss one but I really hope she moves on from Vickie and Griffin because I am ready for the next couple and hope they are back to individual stories and no more mini-series inside the main series.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Chance This Christmas by Joanne Rock

a chance for christmasTITLE: A Chance This Christmas
SERIES #: Road To Romance #3
CHARACTERS: Rachel & Gavin
AUTHOR: Joanne Rock
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/05/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Growing up in the Christmas-crazed theme town of Yuletide was fun for fashion designer Rachel Chambers until a family scandal made her unwelcome. Eight years later, she’s home for a friend’s wedding and trying to go incognito… until her old flame spots her.

Snowboarder Gavin Blake wants to make things right with Rachel, and smoothing her way back in Yuletide seems like the best way to do just that. Making Rachel his date for a week of pre-wedding parties is sure to bring them closer. Except he underestimated how long a small town can carry a grudge–or how much the memory of a long-ago kiss could tempt him all over again.

As the wedding approaches, Rachel remembers all she loved about her close-knit, Christmas-loving neighbors. But even if she can win over the town again, will she be able to convince her footloose, mogul-shredding wedding date that they can find happiness beyond the holidays?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a cute holiday second chance at love romance. Gavin and Rachel knew each other has teens but a town scandal sent the friends scurrying away. Now they are both back for a wedding and sparks fly.

I thought Gavin was a sweet character and Rachel was very real. Her reactions and her emotions seemed to be honest. The background characters were nice as well. I thought it needed a bit more on the scandal of Rachel’s father and less on the infamous kiss.

This is a short read of a bit over 100 pages so alot gets added quickly. But it certainly has a holiday feel. This isn’t just set in a time of Christmas, this town IS Christmas.

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

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Kimberly reviews Hot Pursuit by Julie Ann Walker

hot pursuitTITLE: Hot Pursuit
SERIES #: Black Knights Inc #11
CHARACTERS: Christian & Emily
AUTHOR: Julie Ann Walker
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/03/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He puts the hot…
Christian Watson, a former SAS officer and current BKI operator, never thought he would return to England after a terrible turn of events forced him to abandon his homeland. But now he’s back on British soil where old enemies are determined to do him in. Fighting for his life is pretty much SOP for Christian. Doing it with the beautiful, bossy Emily Scott in tow is another matter entirely.

In hot pursuit.
Emily lost her coveted job at the CIA because of a colleague turned rogue, and now she has just one rule when it comes to men: they’re for recreational purposes only. But when she and Christian are thrust into very close quarters while evading two mysterious men who want Christian dead, she can’t help but question all her ideas about love and life lived on the edge. Battling the bad guys is hard enough, battling her feelings for Christian just might prove impossible.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is the 11th in the series and really you need to read book 10 before reading this one as it starts right where #10 leaves off.

This story is action packed. After 10 other books it is hard to believe that Walker has more in that mind of her and yet she does. She takes us to the edge in this book and it seems like something is always happening.

The characters in this book have so much to their they really are not 1 dimensional. You can really feel the tension and the lust in this story. But be ready to enjoy the adventure because the action is really what keeps this story going.

Heads up: There is a M/M romance in this story. Some may find this is not to their liking but the story is well written.

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

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Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Dreaming Of A White Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear

dreaming of white wolf christmasTITLE: Dreaming Of A White Wolf Christmas
SERIES #: White Wolf #1
CHARACTERS: Candice & Owen
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/03/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the first installment of Terry Spear’s bold, sexy White Wolf series, a romance writer’s life is changed forever when a white puppy bites her and turns her into an Arctic wolf shifter.

May all your Christmas wolves be bright…
Romance writer Candice Mayfair never missed a deadline in her life–until the playful bite of a werewolf puppy accidentally turns her into an Arctic wolf shifter. Talk about a life-changing event! Candice is at the end of her rope with the unpredictable shifting, a strong desire to howl, and the need to vacuum constantly to keep the shedding fur under control.

Enter werewolf private investigator Owen Nottingham. Owen has a new mission: convince the pretty she-wolf she needs to join his pack in time for Christmas…and be his mate. It’s the only way he can think of to keep her safe…

REVIEW:
Candice and Owen are both newly turned arctic wolves. Owen is sent to find her under his PI business but he was already looking for her after seeing her the night she was turned.

The story is fine. The writing is a bit off to me but it is still a fine book. I never connected to the characters and the story didn’t have anything much that hasn’t been done before.

OK read if in the mood.

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

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Kimberly reviews Going Dark by Monica McCarty

Going DarkTITLE: Going Dark
SERIES #: Lost Platoon #1
CHARACTERS: Annie & Dan
AUTHOR: Monica McCarty
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/05/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The members of a top secret SEAL Team can’t keep their passion under wraps in this thrilling contemporary romantic suspense series from New York Times bestselling author Monica McCarty.

Like Rome’s Lost Legion, a SEAL platoon goes on a mission and vanishes without a trace.

After walking into a trap on a covert op in Russia, the men from top secret SEAL Team Nine are presumed dead. Not knowing whom they can trust, and with war hanging in the balance, the survivors must go dark and scatter around the globe.

Marine ecologist Annie Henderson joins her new boyfriend on a trip to the Western Isles of Scotland to protest a hazardous offshore drilling venture. When she realizes that she may be swept up in something far more dangerous than she’d intended, there is only one man she can turn to. . . .

She and the mysterious but sexy dive boat captain haven’t exactly gotten off to the best start, but something about his quiet confidence makes her think that he’s the kind of man she can depend on. Because he’s gruff and guarded, she can tell Dan Warren has secrets. But she could never imagine how high the stakes are for him to keep his cover, even as he risks everything to protect her. . . .

REVIEW:
So I am on the fence about this one. First when I started reading I was so confused in who was who. We meet the whole team of SEALS and spend some time getting to know each and every one. Just to later read the team mission has gone bad and they need to go into hiding. I was really really confused…. Just too many people….

Oddly enough while we spent so much time learning about the characters they seemed a bit one dimensional. There didn’t seem to be much connection between the two. The conversations just seem so odd. Nothing seems to flow naturally.

I honestly think there was just too much going on that everything felt off. The concept of the story is good. We never really think of a SEAL team having to deal with a bad mission, betrayal and having to go into hiding so the concept is great. Problem was so much was in the author’s head that the reader really was lost.

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

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Kimberly reviews Here Comes The Bride by Hope Ramsey

here comes the brideTITLE: Here Comes The Bride
SERIES #: Chapel Of Love #3
CHARACTERS: Laurie & Andrew
AUTHOR: Hope Ramsay
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/29/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
There goes the groom . . .
For Professor Laurie Wilson, planning her wedding to longtime boyfriend Brandon Kopp has been a whirlwind. But somehow, between all the cake tastings and dress fittings, she never imagined being left at the altar. In the aftermath, she does what any sensible woman would – she swigs champagne and considers keying his car. Until someone knocks on her door with a much better idea for revenge.

Best man Andrew Lyndon thinks Laurie’s better off without Brandon. But Laurie’s father – and Andrew’s boss – isn’t going to accept anything less than a reconciliation. And he’s made it Andrew’s problem to solve. So Andrew decides to make Brandon jealous by setting Laurie up on a string of “dates.” After a couple of weeks, Brandon will be begging Laurie to take him back. But Andrew’s plan works a little too well because suddenly he’s the one falling for Laurie — and planning a proposal of his own.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts For the most part I enjoyed this story. Hope Ramsey is on my list of authors I try not to miss. The story is pretty typical. She gets left at the altar, best man checks on her and sparks fly. Ok maybe not that simple but still the gist is the same.

The characters are good and the writing is mostly good. I thought the book had some really funny scenes and some sweet scenes. No real hot and heavy scenes. It is a love story and a second chance story.

The problem was the way Ramsey wrote about men in the story. I am not sure what happened in her (or someone she knows) life but she is pissed at all men… men in general in the book are scum and women are superior. I get that women rock thing but the men are horrible thing took away from the book a bit for me.

Again that being said the story is good and the characters and romance are sweet.

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

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Kimberly reviews Lie Down In Roses by Heather Graham

lie down in rosesTITLE: Lie Down In Roses
CHARACTERS: Genevieve & Tristan
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/29/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The willful Lady Genevieve would do anything to save her beloved Edenby Castle–even if she had to share the name and the bed of her most treacherous foe, Lord Tristan. They were born to be enemies and destined to be lovers–players in a perilous game of intrigue and passion where the price was one woman’s innocence and the prize was one man’s heart.

REVIEW:
This a re-release from Shannon Drake, the name Heather Graham used for her historical romance. The original story is from 1988.

This was not one of my favorite books by Drake/Graham. It is a true “Bodice Ripper” as the saying goes. The Hero is cruel and heartless in my opinion. I never ended up liking him. The Heroine is just too weak.

The story kept me interested but I am not sure why. I really just didn’t find myself liking much of anyone in this story.

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

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