Category: 3 Star

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Kimberly reviews Dating The Undead by Juliet Lyons

dating the undeadTITLE: Dating The Undead
SERIES #: V-Date.com #1
CHARACTERS: Silver & Logan
AUTHOR: Juliet Lyons
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/02/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
It’s Bridget Jones with vampires in this fresh and funny paranormal romance from debut author Juliet Lyons

When Silver Harris kisses sexy Irish vampire Logan Byrne on New Year’s Eve, she knows other humans just won’t suffice. Convinced she’ll never see him again, she joins the uber-popular vampire dating site, V-Date.com.

What Silver doesn’t know is that the site is more dangerous than she could ever imagined, and soon she’s in over her head. When Logan returns, sparks fly and attraction sizzles, but they’ll have to escape some very real demons if they have any chance of lasting forever.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts I read the synopsis of this book and was really excited about all the differences this book would have from other vampire stories but I have to say I was wrong. Not that this book is bad. It isn’t. It’s actually good but the parts I thought I would enjoy like people knowing vampires exist, vampires needing a dating site, etc just seemed to take away from the enthralling vampires I am used to.

The characters are well written and I enjoyed them I am just not sure that I thought the story flowed. And maybe I missed it but I am not sure why all of a sudden they are in a world where vampires are known about and the world doesn’t care. Well they care and want more information but it just doesn’t seem to be a big deal.

Maybe the others in the series will address this but I am not sure if I will be picking them up.

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

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Kimberly reviews A Fire In The Blood by Amanda Ashley

a fire in the bloodTITLE: A Fire In The Blood
SERIES #: Series Name (if series)
CHARACTERS: Tessa & Andrei
AUTHOR: Amanda Ashley
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/25/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
I see a man. He is old. Very old. He will come into your life in a moment of danger. He will watch over you and protect you. The gypsy’s hand gripped Tessa’s tighter. He will bring you death, she whispered, her voice like the rustle of dry leaves. And life.

Ten years later, when Andrei Dinescu saves Tessa from a vicious attacker, she has no idea that the handsome stranger the gypsy fortune teller predicted is not a hunter but a seven-hundred-year-old vampire. Darkly powerful, unbelievably compelling, he is obviously pursuing Tessa, but is it her love he’s after or her blood?

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts So this was a difficult story to read. First there are a number of “typical” vampire characteristics but there are a number that are not. But even that would have been ok if the story had been interesting. It took forever for me to even like Andrei and then I wouldn’t say he was great. Then Tessa is just an odd character. She is so accepting of things and then questions the littlest things. It didn’t make sense.

The background characters are irritating if you ask me. Jilly is a know it all and it gets to be too much. Bailey is great. I might have enjoyed the story of Bailey and Tristan more than this story.

I usually like Amanda Ashley’s stories but this one just didn’t do it for me.

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

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Kelly reviews Making Waves by Laura Moore

making wavesTITLE: Making Waves
SERIES #: Beach Lane #1
CHARACTERS: Max Carr & Dakota Hale
AUTHOR: Laura Moore
PUBLICATION DATE: April 25, 2017
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A self-made woman with a sweet, successful life discovers that even the best-laid plans are no match for unexpected passion in the beginning of a brand-new series for fans of Julie James and Tracy Brogan.

As the responsible daughter of an irresponsible socialite, Dakota Hale has plenty of practice catering to the whims of the rich and spoiled and she’s turned that experience into a thriving concierge business serving the needs of the Hamptons’ wealthy elite. But living and working among the upper crust has never tempted Dakota to follow in her mother’s jet-setting footsteps. Anytime the drama on land gets too outrageous, Dakota finds calm surfing the Atlantic waves. But when sexy mogul Max Carr hires her, it rocks her balance in a big way.

Max works hard, but he’s never had to put any effort into winning over a woman until now. With her stunning beauty and keen intelligence, Dakota is worth the effort. But it is plain she has no interest in a casual fling, and that’s all Max with his grief-stricken heart can offer. But one fraught night changes everything, with consequences neither Dakota nor Max anticipated. Now they must navigate the rough waters of society gossip and devastating secrets that threaten their fragile relationship. If they can trust in the strength of their growing feelings, they ll find that the dreams they’ve been chasing are close enough to embrace . . . together.”

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Dakota Hale has always known what it was like to be an outsider. From a birth she was an outcast in her family. But that didn’t stop her from becoming an wonderful person that has made her own success.
Max Carr is your Wall Street guy who only thinks about the next deal, the next dollar and the next adventure. He is pretty much a self absorbed rich guy. But buying Windhaven is about to change his life in ways he never could imagine.
Making Waves was a good read. I have enjoyed Ms. Moore’s books in the past so of course when I saw she was starting a new series I knew I needed to read. I am looking forward to the next installment in this series. I would really like to see Piper and Mimi suffer more in future books.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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Kimberly reviews Once Bitten by Heather McCorkle

once bittenTITLE: Once Bitten
SERIES #: The Wolves Of Hemlock Hollow #1
CHARACTERS: Sonya & Ty
AUTHOR: Heather McCorkle
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/24/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
One night was all it took to change everything. One moment of weakness, and now I’m becoming. Werewolves were supposed to be things only seen in movies, not things that exist in real life. Instead of med school and homework, my life is filled with a laundry list of things that were once impossibilities. Groups fighting over whom I belong to. The possibility of dying if I don’t learn everything before the next full moon. Figuring out how to survive in a world I never knew existed. But the biggest danger? Ty: history professor, super sexy Viking werewolf, and the man who’s been assigned by the Council to teach me how to survive becoming a werewolf.

REVIEW:
So not what I expected. I just never really connected with the book or the characters. Sonia is ok. She is strong and not written as a “silly woman” but I never really connected to her. Ty was just BLAH to me. He never seemed to man/were up if you know what I mean. Aren’t Vikings alpha men? And aren’t Werewolves alpha men? So why is Ty so wimpy?

There is just too much brain talk. I got so bored. This is just not for me.

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

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Kimberly reviews A Small Town Bride by Hope Ramsay

small town brideTITLE: A Small Town Bride
SERIES #: Chapel Of Love #2
CHARACTERS: Amy & Dusty
AUTHOR: Hope Ramsay
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/28/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Amy Lyndon is tired of being the Poor Little Rich Girl of Shenandoah Falls. In her prominent family, she’s the ordinary one – no Ivy League education and no powerful career. But when her father tries to marry her off, she knows it’s finally time to stand up for herself, despite the consequences. Now that she’s cut off from the family fortune, her first challenge is to fight her attraction to her handsome new boss.

When Amy shows up looking for work with his landscaping crew, Dusty McNeil thinks there’s no way such a pampered princess will ever get her hands dirty. But as Amy proves him wrong and gets down to the nitty gritty, Dusty’s admiration turns to like, then lust – and then love. But can a high-society woman like Amy ever fall for a man like him?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts So this is a bit of a typical story. Spoiled little rich girl needs to grow up, daddy kicks her out, she hooks up with the bad boy playboy and they fall in love because they both see that the other is not what the expected. We all know this storyline and yet we still come back to it time after time.

The problem was I didn’t find either character had pulled me in. Amy is written very naive and young. When I started the story I wondered if I had picked up a YA by accident but nope Amy is in her 20’s. She is written as a stereotypical rich girl but even if she is spoiled it doesn’t mean stupid but in this book it goes hand and hand.

Dusty seems a bit mean or maybe un-compassionate at first. I mean Amy is homeless, sleeping in her car, has no money and all he does is tell her the best place to park so she can sleep in her car safely? He also sends mixed messages. But the part that drove me a bit crazy was he kept calling his father “Daddy” but doesn’t even like him. I mean he is a man in his 30’s calling his father “Daddy”. It just seemed weird.

Now all that being said the story is good. It is a cute story and even though neither of the characters really caught on for me they are sweet and I look forward to the next in the series.

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

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Kimberly reviews A Perfect Obsession by Heather Graham

perfect obsessionTITLE: A Perfect Obsession
SERIES #: New York Confidential #2
CHARACTERS: Craig & Kieran
AUTHOR: Heather Graham
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/28/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Someone is murdering beautiful young women in the New York area and displaying them in mausoleums and underground tombs. The FBI is handling the case, with Special Agent Craig Frasier as lead.

Kieran Finnegan, forensic psychologist and part owner of Finnegan’s, her family’s pub, is consulting on the case. Craig and Kieran are a couple who’ve worked together on more than one occasion. On this occasion, though, Craig fears for the safety of the woman he loves. Because the killer is too close. The body of a young model is found in a catacomb under a two-hundred-year-old church, now deconsecrated and turned into a nightclub. A church directly behind Finnegan’s in lower Manhattan.

As more women are murdered, their bodies discovered in underground locations in New York, it’s clear that the police and the FBI are dealing with a serial killer. Craig and Kieran are desperate to track down the murderer, a man obsessed with female perfection. Obsessed enough to want to “preserve” that beauty by destroying the women who embody it”

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts So here is the thing. Graham is one of my favorites. I love the Krewe Of Hunters series soooooo much. And I read the first one in this series and don‘t get me wrong it is a good story and I am happy to read the series but it is not my favorite by Graham.

The problem is there is not much originality to this story. If you are a fan of suspense/romantic suspense nothing in this story will come as a surprise.

Now that being said it is still a good read. Just not as good as Krewe Of Hunters.

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

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Kimberly reviews Don’t Stop Me Now by Colleen Coleman

dont stop me nowTITLE: Don’t Stop Me Now
CHARACTERS: Poppy & Tom
AUTHOR: Colleen Coleman
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/22/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A hilarious feel good read about finding your feet when life pulls the rug out from under you.

Poppy Bloom has a Life Plan: PhD in psychology, research job at her university, and a life of domestic bliss with handsome boyfriend Gregory.

But then she finishes her PhD with no job offer, no relationship, and nowhere to live. Being unemployed and living back at her mum’s house in her vampire-themed childhood bedroom was definitely not the plan.

Poppy is back to square one and miserable, so when she runs into childhood friend Leanne she jumps at the opportunity to catch up. The chance to run into Leanne’s gorgeous brother Tom is just a bonus…

Soon Poppy’s scored an internship at a radio station, a boyfriend, and a whole netball team of friends: things are on the up.

But life has a way of tripping you up when you least expect it, and Poppy soon has to decide where her priorities lie… With new friends, a new career and a new romance, can Poppy keep everyone happy, or is everything about to tumble down around her?

REVIEW:
I have decided that I am not going to request the books that claim to be laugh out loud funny because in all honesty they never seem to be that funny. The story is good. The moral for lack of a better word is good too. Sure we can all come back from the dreams we thought we had and have the reality be even better.

The problem was I really never connected with these characters. I didn’t find it all that funny. I actually felt like it was trying too hard to be funny. I also think I might just not get Brit-lit. That may be my issue with these books!?!?!?

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

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Kimberly reviews There’s Something About Cornwall by Daisy James

theres something about cornwallTITLE: There’s Something About Cornwall
CHARACTERS: Emilie & Matt
AUTHOR: Daisy James
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/08/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A knight in a shining camper van!

Life is far from picture perfect for food photographer, Emilie Roberts. Not only has her slimy ex cheated on her, he’s also stolen her dream assignment to beautiful Venice! Instead, Emilie is heading to the wind-swept Cornish coast…

Emilie doesn’t think it can get any worse – until disaster strikes on the very first day! And there’s only one man to rescue this damsel in distress: extremely hunky surfing instructor, Matt Ashby.

Racing from shoot to shoot in a bright orange vintage camper van, Matt isn’t the conventional knight in shining armour – but can he make all of Emilie’s fairy tale dreams come true?

REVIEW:
2.75 Hearts I had the hardest time with this book. First the author has an odd way of writing. There are typical lines that I assume sounded odd because of it being Brit-Lit but there is more. There are a lot of $5 words that could have been written in normal every day verbiage.

Then there is Emilie who I just never found that I liked. Her confidence is really low because of the breakup with her boyfriend but when Matt comes into her life there just seems to be too much about her ex for me. Then there is the background characters which, again, I just didn’t enjoy.

As I said I had the hardest time with this story. There could have been a number of reason but it really just comes down to “it wasn’t my kind of book”.

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

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Kimberly reviews The Beachside Sweet Shop by Karen Clarke

Beachside sweet shopTITLE: The Beachside Sweet Shop
CHARACTERS: Marnie, Josh, Beth & Celia
AUTHOR: Karen Clarke
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/02/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Chocolate fudge, butterscotch and raspberry bonbons… treat yourself to some sugary treats, a big slice of friendship and a sprinkling of romance at The Beachside Sweet Shop.

When Marnie Appleton inherited a sweet shop from her grandfather she was determined to do his legacy proud. The shop has been a much-loved feature of the little seaside town of Shipley for years, but now Marnie needs to bring it up to date, and she’s recruited gorgeous new assistant Josh to help.

Marnie gets busy redecorating the shop and choosing delicious new sweets to stock, but things are never that simple: new neighbour Isobel, a fame-hungry blogger, is on a crusade against sugar, and she’ll go to any lengths to secure bad publicity for Marnie’s shop.

Marnie fights back with homemade sugar-free treats, but with her best friend Beth heavily pregnant, her grandmother Celia recovering from an operation, and her very recently ex-boyfriend Alex returning to Shipley with a new love, Marnie has a lot on her plate.

And then there’s Josh, with whom Marnie is struggling to keep her relationship strictly professional…Will both the sweet shop and love flourish?

REVIEW:
2.75 Heart I had the hardest time with this book. First it just didn’t have the lightheartedness that I expected from the description. There is way too much about Marnie wanting to keep the place for her grandfather. Beth and her hubby are not really very interesting to me either. Marnie spends way too much time thinking of Alex and Josh seems too young for Marnie in attitude not years.

This was just not my cup of tea.

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

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Kelly reviews Flight From Mayhem by Yasmine Galenorn

flight from mayhemTITLE: Flight From Mayhem
SERIES #: Fly by Night #2
CHARACTERS: Shimmer, Alex, Ralph, Bette and Chai
AUTHOR: Yasmine Galenorn
PUBLICATION DATE:
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn presents the second Fly by Night novel, set in the realm of the Otherworld.

I’m Shimmer, a blue dragon shifter. Thanks to a mistake, I was exiled from the Dragon Reaches and sentenced to work for gorgeous, exasperating Alex Radcliffe, a vampire who owns the Fly by Night Magical Investigations Agency. Every time I turn around, somebody’s trying to kill us. But you know what they say: All’s fair in love and bounty hunting…

A serial killer is stalking the elderly Fae of Seattle, draining their bank accounts before brutally murdering them. When Chase Johnson asks for our help, Alex and I discover that the sociopath is also a doppelganger—able to change shape to match his victim’s deepest desires. Our friend and colleague Bette volunteers to act as bait, but the plan goes dangerously awry. Now, unless we find her first, she’s about to face her worst nightmare.

REVIEW:
I enjoyed this book, but there was so much going on that I felt the crew was going in so many directions. We are also left with a lot of questions to some of the issues that were brought up. I am looking forward to future books to answer these questions. I also really really really want Glenda to go away and never come back. I mean honestly who kills fish like that?
I am really enjoying Alex and Shimmer’s story. I think that they still have a tough road ahead of them but I am looking forward to the journey. Chai.. So sweet, sweet Chai. I hope that we get to see more of him in future books and hope that there is a love for him.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

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Kimberly reviews Taming Her Forbidden Earl by Catherine Hemmerling

taming her forbidden earlTITLE: Taming Her Forbidden Earl
SERIES #: Lady Lancaster Garden Society #1
CHARACTERS: Hannah & William
AUTHOR: Catherine Hemmerling
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/02/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Everyone knows William Bredon, the earl of Pembroke, has a reputation as a captivating rogue, determined to never marry until his duty to produce an heir requires it. So when he invites Lady Hannah Rochester to dance, Hannah vows to keep her distance. But the undeniably gorgeous William, with his dark humor and seductive gaze, draws her in nonetheless.

Of course, Lady Hannah is not completely what she seems, either. A member of the dowager Lady Lancaster’s Garden Society, she secretly spends her days solving mysteries and uncovering intrigues, and when she brings William into the fold, a sinister plot develops that brings the two closer together. William’s protective nature ensures he remains by Hannah’s side, but he will not surrender his anti-marriage stance.

Can intrigue, passion, and maybe even a little bit of scandal reform the most notorious of rakes?

REVIEW:
I have mostly given up on historical romance. I am not sure why I even requested this one from NetGalley but I did so I read it. It is cute. The ladies of the garden society are young and fun. Each of the characters, upfront or background, are delightful. Each one sticks out on their own.

Hannah is a good character who is outspoken and just a strong woman. William is typical historical Earl. He is protective and a gentleman set in the world of the Ton.

Any fan of historical romance will enjoy this.

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

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Kimberly reviews Dark Witch & Creamy by H.Y. Hanna

dark witch creamyTITLE: Dark, Witch & Creamy
SERIES #: Bewitched by Chocolate #1
CHARACTERS: Caitlyn & James
AUTHOR: H.Y. Hanna
PUBLICATION DATE: 01/28/17
ORDER LINKS: Amazon

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A witch, a kitty and dark chocolate magic…
Caitlyn is used to being the ugly duckling in her glamorous showbiz family… until the day she learns that she was adopted as an abandoned baby. Now, her search for answers takes her to the tiny English village of Tillyhenge where a man has been murdered by witchcraft – and where a mysterious shop selling enchanted chocolates is home to the “local witch”…

Soon Caitlyn finds herself fending off a toothless old vampire, rescuing an adorable kitten and meeting handsome aristocrat Lord James Fitzroy… not to mention discovering that she herself might have magical blood in her veins!

When she’s dragged into the murder investigation and realises that dark magic is involved, Caitlyn is forced to choose. Can she embrace her witchy powers in time to solve the mystery and save those she loves?

WARNING: May contain traces of “Hahaha!”

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts Ok so this story is cute but a bit boring. I can honestly say that was no “Hahaha!” from this book for me. Again it is cute but just not what I expected.

While I did mostly like this story it is a bit slow and none of the characters have much of a connection. I enjoyed the Widow Mags. She is just such a witchy (pun intended) woman with such attitude but really is sweet in her heart of hearts. I like the cousin connection as well. Caitlyn is a bit odd but I liked her too but just didn’t think she has much connection with anyone except the widow and her cousin.

I find it hard to say what I liked about this story but I did. I would read another from this author and in this series.

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

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