Category: Kimberly’s Review

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Kimberly’s review of Perfect Fit by Carly Phillips

TITLE: Perfect Fit
AUTHOR: Carly Phillips
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/31/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
MIKE
Always feeling like the odd man out in his family, Michael Marsden wanted to make it on his own. So he escaped Serendipity to become an undercover cop in Manhattan, where the Marsden name wasn’t known. But Michael’s independence is compromised when he returns home to replace his sick father as chief of police. Back in the shadow of his family, he’s as lost and restless as ever, until he’s challenged by someone he never anticipated.

CARA
Cara Hartley is the Serendipity cop with whom Mike had a one night stand three months earlier. Neither expected anything more but fate has other things in store. When Mike returns as Cara’s boss, the sexual tension between them is impossible to ignore – and the unexpected emotional connection continues to grow. But Cara’s a small town girl while Mike has a wanderer’s blood in his veins.

Together their chemistry explodes but …
Both are convinced a future together is impossible. Until Mike’s real father’s secrets come back to haunt him and he realizes there are some things worth staying and fighting for. Including Cara.

REVIEW:
This is the 4th in the Serendipity series and the 1st in the “Serendipity’s Finest” part of the series. Having not read books 1-3 yet (even though I will) I was slightly lost with some of the background characters but not too bad. You can tell their stories have been told but it just makes you want to read the other books as well.

Mike is a diamond in the rough. He is a really good guy and I enjoyed the way he was written. He has these inside feelings that he is not the man that everyone else knows he is. His father left before he was born and he believes because blood runs deep that he is just like him but no one else believes that. I enjoyed reading about Mike. I loved that when he was an all around good guy especially to Cara. Now Cara is an interesting character too. She has been through so much and while on the outside she has become tough she really is just soft-hearted. I really enjoyed her as well. I think Phillips matched these characters perfectly.

I can’t wait to read Sam’s story but it looks like Erin’s story is up next and I look forward to reading that too. Carly Phillips books are always a “perfect fit”.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Kissed By A Vampire by Caridad Pineiro

TITLE: Kissed By A Vampire
AUTHOR: Caridad Pineiro
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/16/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For two thousand years, vampire elder Stacia has roamed on her own, haunted by the betrayal that turned her into a creature of the night. Her nights looming empty and eternal, Stacia longs for love, but settles for quick bites and sinful pleasures in South Beach. Until she comes face-to-face with the unforgettable DEA agent she once brought back from the brink of death. Alex Garcia knows that demons exist—the real kind, the kind that are kidnapping women and selling them into slavery. Finding those victims is his focus—not a beautiful seductress whose otherworldly abilities can’t possibly be real. But when Stacia summons all her powers to prove what she really is, Alex will summon all his to believe in the vampire’s kiss….

REVIEW:
The story is good. The connection of the characters is not. I have never read a book by Pineiro before and while most of the writing was good I was tired of her using the same words over and over. How many times does the vampire need to tell us she is an elder? While we apparently meet this characters in “Death Calls” the meeting is explained and does not matter if you have not read the first one (as I had not).

I really just did not feel a chemistry between these two characters. And Stacia (Who is an elder. Did we mention that already?) seems to be a bit of a wuss of a woman. Ok maybe not a wuss but certainly not the powerful vampire she is supposed to be. And Alex just has no depth to him. He is not the alpha you would think a vampire would fall for and his sweet moments are just blah.

Ok now that has been said the storyline is interesting and keeps you wanting to read more. Maybe it was just these characters but this book just didn’t do it for me much.

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

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Kimberly’s review of Lord Stillwell’s Excellent Engagements by Victoria Alexander

TITLE: Lord Stillwell’s Excellent Engagements
AUTHOR: Victoria Alexander
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/26/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ALLOW ME TO EXPLAIN…
Some say I do not take my engagements seriously. Nonsense. What man with no interest in marriage would find himself proposing not once, but three times? And each time, I’ve felt certain that this, at last, is the absolutely, positively, perfect woman.

Miss Felicia Whitingdon, for instance, has youth, beauty, style, grace—and a handsome fortune. Lady Lucille Eustice is a widow of impeccable social standing, and a balm to my soul. Then there is Miss Caroline Hibbit, sweet and charming in every way. Any one of these intoxicating treasures could make a man happy. Any one of them could be an ideal wife. But which—if any of them—will it be?

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars I will try to explain this novella so it is understood where it lies in Alexander’s stories. We meet Win in “What Happens At Christmas” as the best friend and cousin of Gray. During that story we learned that Win had been engaged three times but it was nothing more than a couple of passing comments. Now “The Importance Of Being Wicked” will be coming out which is Win’s story. So this novella is the short telling of the three engagements that never turned into marriage.

The story makes you almost sad for Win but knowing his story will be out soon does help with that because Alexander would never leave him without a true love. I enjoyed this little romp. Win is a delightful character in the Christmas novel and has a wonderful sense of humor so I can not wait to read his story. And I am very glad that Alexander has given us the background we need to know how Win really wants love.

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

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Kimberly’s review of Rogue Rider by Larissa Ione

TITLE: Rogue Rider
AUTHOR: Larissa Ione
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/20/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The prophecies were there but no one listened. Until now. They are the Lords of Deliverance and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride.

Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues – and falls for – a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man that Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he’s also the kind of man that can be very dangerous . . .

Reseph may not know his background, or why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian’s life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian’s neighbours are killed and demon hunters arrive on the scene, Reseph fears that he’s putting Jillian in danger. And once it’s revealed that Reseph is also Pestilence, the Horseman responsible for ravaging the world with death and destruction, he and Jillian must face the greatest challenge of all: can they forget the horrors of a chilling past to save the future they both desire?

REVIEW:
Is there a way to give this book more than 5 stars? I hope so because it deserves it. I absolutely loved this book and Reseph is now my favorite of all the Horsemen. If you have not read the Lords of Deliverance series then do NOT start with this book. Start at book one (Eternal Rider) or even better start back at the very beginning with the Demonica series but do not read this book as a stand alone because you will be missing out on so much.

The change in Reseph from the other books is delightful. We watched as he reigned down horrors on the world in the last three books and then within a couple chapters he is sitting in front of a fire with a cat named Doodle on his lap. I loved it! The way that Reseph changes is so fun to watch that it is hard not to fall in love with him and considering for the last three books we have hated him that is saying something.

Ione has once again shown us why she is the queen of paranormal romance. The world she brings us into is one that captures us from the first word and never seems to let go. If you have read her books I would doubt I would need to “recommend” this to you since you are probably waiting with baited breath to read it but I would recommend you start it on a Friday night because you will not want to put the book down.

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

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Kimberly’s review of Return To Sender by Fern Michaels

TITLE: Return To Sender
AUTHOR: Fern Michaels
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/24/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
At seventeen, Rosalind “Lin” Townsend found herself pregnant and alone. Her deeply religious father threw her out of the house, and Nick Pemberton, her baby’s father, refused to marry her. Yet even at the lowest point in her life, Lin vowed to succeed on her own terms, and to give her son, Will, all the love and happiness she’d been denied. Nineteen years later, Lin has made good on her promises, and Will is about to start his freshman year at NYU. But when Lin visits New York with Will, she crosses paths with the one man she thought she’d never see again. Nick Pemberton, now a millionaire CEO, and the man who send back all her letters unopened. Seeing him fills Lin with anger, and she resolves to right the wrong he did to Will. If she succeeds, like she has with everything else, the cost of revenge may be the loss of a bright new future?

REVIEW:
While I usually like Fern Michaels books I do have trouble with the conversations she holds in them because it just does not sound the way a normal person would speak and I expected to feel that way about this book as well while none-the-less enjoying it. I was wrong. I really did not enjoy this book at all. It is so mean spirited and vengeful that I found no connection to the characters. Lin is so obsessed with revenge that it takes away from every other part of this story.

Nick is never a character that the reader decides is worth liking (at least not this reader) and while I have read a bunch of books where the main character is a jerk but low in behold by the end of the book they are a saint this is not one of those.

The book is also a reprint from 2010 which might not sound that long ago but with this book there are some references that date the book making it seem even older.

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

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Kimberly’s review of Barefoot In The Rain by Roxanne St. Clair

TITLE: Barefoot In The Rain
AUTHOR: Roxanne St. Clair
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/30/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:

They say you can never go home again . . .
When “Life Coach to the Stars” Jocelyn Bloom is embroiled in scandal, the only place she can hide is the one place she wishes she could forget. She left Barefoot Bay-and the boy next door who knew all her secrets-years ago. Now nothing about the tiny island off the coast of Florida is quite how she remembers it, especially Will Palmer. He’s even more gorgeous and tempting . . . and still capable of turning her world inside out.

But what if someone is waiting for you?
To Will Palmer, Guy Bloom is more than the elderly, senile neighbor he looks after-he’s the last connection to Jocelyn, the woman Will loved and lost. But the reunion with Jocelyn doesn’t go smoothly. Shocked by the change in her father’s personality, Jocelyn struggles to reconcile her dark childhood with the sweet, confused man who has grown close to Will. Jocelyn has guided countless clients to happiness-but can she escape the rainy days of her past for a new sunny future with Will?

REVIEW:
Wow.. This book… Lets see… It is a really good book but a bit on the sad side. In short (and not giving anything away) Jocelyn returns to her hometown after a scandal in California. Her dad was abusive when she was young but now he is suffering from Alzheimers and doesn’t even recognize her. The man who she always loved but had to leave, because of her father, is now her fathers caregiver and Joss is trying to deal with everything.

Here is the hard part. How does a person forgive an abusive father even when that father is not the man he used to be? There is so much anger/hurt in this story but when you realize that people have to deal with this situation every day you wonder how they can do it.

And the relationship with Joss and Will is sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. The reader wants so badly for Joss to trust Will and yet the reader understands why trust and love can be so foreign to her.

This book is a wonderfully sad story. It is not a light read at all. However, it is written really well and is really a interesting story. It is just not a light-hearted feel good kind of story. But worth the read. It is the second in the Barefoot series but while you can tell there was a previous story with other characters it can stand alone.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Dark Knight by Donna Kauffman

TITLE: Dark Knight
AUTHOR: Donna Kauffman
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/10/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
As the head of a secret government task force, commonly referred to as the “dirty dozen,” Scottie Giardi is as tough as she is professional. But this skilled operative has her hands full keeping Logan Blackstone in check while his brother completes a dangerous mission. Logan is big, strong, sexy, and determined to find the twin brother he’s never met. More amused than intimidated by Scottie’s undercover games, he’s ready to play, offering a taste of sweet temptation in the bargain.

An ex-cop on a deeply personal mission, Logan isn’t about to tolerate interference, even if Scottie is gorgeous and could easily make him forget his business. She may have the upper hand while they’re locked up in his mountain cabin, but the fire in her eyes tells him the desire she feels is real. Their mutual attraction is about to take them into the dangerous, vulnerable places of the heart, where there’s no turning back.

REVIEW:
I so enjoyed this book. I had just finished the other three in the series (Santerra’s Sin #1, Silent Warrior #2, Light My Fire #3) and was thinking I would take a break and come back to this book later but something made me start reading it and I think it is the best of the series.

To be honest though there is no suspense in this romantic suspense but there is a lot of romance. The character of Logan is so intense and mesmerizing that it is hard not to fall for him right away. Scottie is a tough woman but the author has been able to match her up to someone equal to her and yet complimentary to her. Not any man would have been good for Scottie but Logan is perfect.

This is a great short story and one that any romance fan will enjoy. You do not need to read the others in the series but I think as a fan you will enjoy them. Pick up the first one and you will not be able to put any of them down.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Surrender The Dark by Donna Kauffman

TITLE: Surrender The Dark
AUTHOR: Donna Kauffman
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/08/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
They call themselves the Three Musketeers: three lifelong friends, men who will put it all on the line in the name of honor and loyalty. Jarrett McCullough values those bonds as seriously as he values his job heading a covert group of operatives skilled in handling sensitive international information. But his current mission has suddenly gone very wrong—and he finds himself wounded and near death in the last place he ever expected to be.

Rae Gannon is stunned to find her ex-boss bleeding from a gunshot wound, mere paces from her front door. It has been two years since her move to the remote Blue Ridge Mountains, where she tried to erase the memories and the pain she suffered from having been part of McCullough’s team. Yet as Rae tends to Jarrett’s battered body she realizes that the air between them is still sizzling with a slow-burning need. But this time there are more than just hearts at stake. The mission that almost got Jarrett killed threatens to put Rae back in harm’s way. And if they surrender to their desires, it may cost them their lives.

REVIEW:
This is a reprint of an earlier work from Donna Kauffman. As with all her books I enjoyed this one. The characters are interesting. The women in Kauffman’s Loveswept novels always prove to be independent and capable, yet, willing to find love. The men are dangerous and a diamond in the rough. This book was no different. This is the first in the Three Musketeers series. It is a good short read. Perfect for cuddling up in front of the fire or on a beach.

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

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Kimberly’s review of Fated by Carly Phillips

TITLE: Fated (Serendipity 1.75)
AUTHOR: Carly Phillips
PUBLICATION DATE: 12/04/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Kate Andews is the original rebound girl. But she has had enough and has vowed to never be someone’s second choice again. Unfortunately, her undeniably intense desire for Nick Mancini is testing her best laid plans because Kate has carried a torch for Nick since high school– but she’s always been permanently in the friend zone.

Lately, Nick has definitely noticed Kate. Unfortunately he can’t get her to take him seriously. He knows he’s made some stupid moves in the past but he’s determined to get Kate to act on their obvious and mutual attraction. However Kate’s stubborn and she’s been hurt before, which means Nick will have to pull out all the stops in order to convince her he’s not the same boy she used to know, and she’s not second best… she’s everything.

REVIEW:
This is a very short but very sweet novella. It is only about 25 pages but worth the read. I have not read the rest of the Serendipity series (I want to though) so I was unsure if this would be confusing but it is not at all. Yes you can tell there is a full story about Faith and Ethan that involves Nick but this is such a sweet story that it doesn’t matter. You won’t be confused but you will be delighted to read it.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of What Happens At Christmas by Victoria Alexander

TITLE: What Happens At Christmas
AUTHOR: Victoria Alexander
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/16/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

A blazing fire, an English country house … and the ultimate game of charades. In this charming holiday novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Victoria Alexander, a beautiful widow finds her plan for a Christmas proposal going perfectly awry …
Camille, Lady Lydingham, knows precisely what she wants for Christmas—an official engagement to a handsome, dashing prince. Her very proper suitor expects a proper English family and the perfect Dickensian Christmas, which leaves the lovely widow with a slight problem. The last thing Camille wants is for the prince to meet her unconventional relatives. But with the aid of a troupe of actors, Camille intends to pull off a Christmas deception of massive proportions.

At least until Grayson Elliot shows up. A dozen years ago, he declared his love on the day before her marriage to another man, then vanished from her life. Now he’s back, gate-crashing Camille’s already chaotic house party, playing absolute havoc with her scheme—and with her heart. Because for Grayson, losing Camille once was quite bad enough. Losing her twice? Unthinkable. And he’ll find a way to show her they belong together—for this season, and every Christmas yet to come…:

REVIEW:
4 1/2 Stars If you enjoy historical romance then Victoria Alexander is probably already on your favorites list and this book will keep her right at the top of that list. No one can write historicals like Alexander can. She brings you right into the world of Lords and Ladies until you feel you are living in the wrong era.

I so enjoyed the characters of Camille and Grayson as well as the background players of this book.. and I do mean players. When Camille has set her sights on a prince who wants the Dickens version of Christmas Camille figures this is her chance to win him over and hires a troupe of actors to play her family who are away for the holidays. Then the unexpected happens the her one true love comes back after 11 years. And just when you think that is story enough the real family returns to celebrate Christmas, and so it keeps going on and Camille becomes unsure of her plan for Christmas and her plan for a prince.

I really enjoyed this holiday novel. While I will say it was a bit too long and could have been shortened some the story is engrossing, funny and sweet. As a fan of not only the genre but also of Alexander herself I expected this book to be good but having never read a holiday story from her I must say this book put me right into the holiday spirit. What a wonderful book.

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of The Spirit Of Christmas by Liz Talley

TITLE: The Spirit Of Christmas
AUTHOR: Liz Talley
PUBLICATION DATE: 11/27/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Brennan Henry doesn’t have time for holly and jolly. He’s been too busy boosting the bottom line for the family business. That is, until his eccentric grandfather hands over a lot of money to a stranger on the street. Some nonsense about her being the true spirit of Christmas. Yeah, right. All Brennan can see is he’s now got a situation on his hands with one Mary Paige Gentry.Then he meets Mary Paige. And no matter how deep he searches, it seems she’s the real deal. Kind, compassionate and just enough sass to keep him very intrigued. The spark of attraction between them could land him on the naughty list! But his is still a dollars-and-cents world…unless she can prove there’s more to the season—more to life—than money.

REVIEW:
This is a very cute holiday romance. Brennan is a modern day Scrooge but he has his reasons and it has made him the man he is today. That is until Mary Paige shows him what the Spirit of Christmas is all about.

I enjoyed this story. The characters are very cute together. M.P. might be a little too good but it is hard not to like her. Brennan is a diamond in the rough that you just want to polish. I loved Brennan’s grandfather. What a wonderful old coot he is.

This story makes you think… What can a little kindness to a stranger do for you?

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

4 Hearts
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Kimberly’s review of Rescuing Christmas by Thompson/Mann/DeNosky

TITLE: Rescuing Christmas
AUTHOR: Thompson/Mann/DeNosky
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/30/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Holiday Haven by Vicki Lewis Thompson
All Ben Rhodes wants for Christmas is to be left alone. And yet, in a fit of Christmas-cheer-induced insanity, he agrees to help beautiful shelter director Tansy Dexter find homes for all her rambunctious animals. Little does he know that the one truly in need of a loving home this season…is him.

Home for Christmas by Catherine Mann
Shelby Conrad has had more than her fair share of silent nights. But even though her husband, Tech Sergeant Alex Conrad, is coming home in time for Christmas, Shelby isn’t sure he’s in time to save their marriage. Can a road trip to deliver three shelter dogs to their new homes teach the couple that the most precious gift of all is hope?

A Puppy for Will by Kathie DeNosky
Will Parker hasn’t exactly had all his hopes and dreams met, but work has filled the gaps in his life. Or so he thinks…until an energetic and large Saint Bernard foster puppy and Will’s cute neighbor Macie Fairbanks introduce him to the best thing about Christmas and life—unconditional love.

REVIEW:
Holiday Haven by Vicki Lewis Thompson
4 Stars This is a adorable book. It will make you want to run out and adopt a pet. Tansy is all about the animals and rehabing them but when Ben walks into her life she decides he needs a little rehab himself to realize that he can love animals and people without getting hurt. This book is kind of the white knight in reverse. She saves him from himself. I enjoyed it a lot. Very cute.. and the animals are great!

Home for Christmas by Catherine Mann
2 Stars I was not very fond of this story. I appreciate that it also has The Haven (from the 1st in this book) but it is more sad than happy. Alex comes home from leave knowing Shelby has been set to divorce him. They take a car trip to deliver three dogs from The Haven to new families. Shelby hopes it will help their relationship but weirdly they bring along a cameraman (you need to read the first story to understand that) and then after 75+ pages of them not getting along and being snippy to each other they make up and claim they love each other and everything is hunky dorey. Honestly, the reader is left feeling like the relationship will never really work out.

A Puppy for Will by Kathie DeNosky
3 Stars This was back to being a good story. It is an on going story from story one and two in this book so it is nice to see how everything ends up. However by the end of it you realize that everything has happened in a matter of weeks and it just seems a little bit pushed. However this is a cute story with Will, Macie and an adorable puppy named Harley.

The combination of all these stories is cute and the bit of holiday in the books can put you in the mood for the holidays as well as making you want to run out and adopt a pet.

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