Kimberly’s Review – Page 43

November 19, 2018November 18, 2018

Kimberly reviews Until There Was Us by Samantha Chase

TITLE: Until There Was Us
SERIES #: The Montgomery Brothers #7
CHARACTERS: Megan & Alex
AUTHOR: Samantha Chase
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/01/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Megan Montgomery has always been the careful type. Except…one time at her cousin’s wedding when she threw caution to the wind and had the steamiest hook-up of her life. But that was two years ago— why can’t she stop thinking about it? So when Megan accepts a job at her cousin’s company, she does everything she can to avoid Alex—knowing he’ll shake up her carefully crafted world.
Alex Rebat’s been living a good life. He loves his career and friends, but like Megan, hasn’t been able to stop thinking about their passionate encounter. And once Megan moves to town, Alex makes it his personal goal to show her that maybe it’s time to start taking a few more risks…

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts Another book about second chances. But Chase does a pretty good job on this story.

Alex and Megan hooked up after a wedding but years later they have the chance to see if there is something real there. The relationship is good and the characters have a chemistry.

This is a really good book to take you out of your head for a while. Nothing that you need to use brain power on but interesting enough to keep you interested.

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

November 16, 2018November 14, 2018

Kimberly reviews All’s Fair In Love And Wolf by Terry Spear

TITLE: All’s Fair In Love And Wolf
SERIES #: Heart Of The Wolf #25
CHARACTERS: Jenna & Sarandon
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 05/01/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The Silver Town wolf pack has your back

Wolf shifter Sarandon Silver’s in trouble with the law, and bounty hunter she-wolf Jenna St. James is determined to bring him in for trial.

Lucky for Sarandon, the entire Silver Town pack is ready to fight for his innocence. But until the case is solved, Jenna’s sticking to Sarandon like glue…

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts Ok I think I am a bit done with this series. I will probably go back to reading it at some point but I think I need a break. After 25 it is time for a break.

This is a bit of hurry up and wait. Within moments Jenna (and the pack) believes Sarandon’s story. And then Jenna is going to protect Sarandon no matter what. I just never connected to these characters.

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

November 14, 2018November 13, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Mutts And Mistletoe by Natalie Cox

TITLE: Mutts And Mistletoe
CHARACTERS: Charlie & Cal
AUTHOR: Natalie Cox
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/09/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Thirty-one-year-old Charlie isn’t in the mood for Christmas cheer.

Her boyfriend has left her for his personal trainer, her mother has absconded with her latest husband for the holidays, and–adding insult to (literal) injury–her London apartment has just been destroyed by a gas leak. Single, mildly concussed and temporarily homeless, Charlie realizes there’s only one place to go: Cozy Canine Cottages, where she’ll spend the season looking after her cousin Jez’s doggy day care center. And if she’s not exactly a dog person, well, no one has to know…

But her plans for a quiet Christmas in a quaint country village are quickly dashed. Peggy the pregnant beagle and Malcolm the anxious Great Dane seem determined to keep her up all night. A strange man has been casing her cousin’s house. And where is Cal, the unbearably patronizing but disturbingly handsome local vet, when she needs him?

As the days tick down to Christmas, Charlie’s life has never felt so out of control–but with some help from her new four-legged friends, she just might learn a thing or two about living in the moment, embracing the unexpected and opening herself up to love…

REVIEW:
What do you get when you put adorable dogs in to a holiday story? This book!

Give it time though. I wasn’t too thrilled with Charlie. She seemed a bit of a, well, you know. I just thought her too harsh. But then if you had everything happen to you that she had to her you may be a bit bitchy too. But then I warmed up to her and the romance ended up being really sweet and puts the reader into the holiday spirit.

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

November 13, 2018November 12, 2018

Kimberly reviews The Family Gathering by Robyn Carr

TITLE: The Family Gathering
SERIES #: Sullivan’s Crossing #3
CHARACTERS: Dakota & Sidney
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/17/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
An exceptional storyteller, #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr beautifully captures the emotionally charged, complex dynamics that come with being part of any family. Readers will laugh and shed a few tears as they discover what it means to be loved, supported and accepted by the people who mean the most.

Having left the military, Dakota Jones is at a crossroads in his life. With his elder brother and youngest sister happily settled in Sullivan’s Crossing, he shows up hoping to clear his head before moving on to his next adventure. But, like every visitor to the Crossing, he’s immediately drawn to the down-to-earth people and the seemingly simple way of life.

Dakota is unprepared for how quickly things get complicated. As a newcomer, he is on everyone’s radar—especially the single women in town. While he enjoys the attention at first, he’s really only attracted to the one woman who isn’t interested. And spending quality time with his siblings is eye-opening. As he gets to know them, he also gets to know himself and what he truly wants.

When all the Jones siblings gather for a family wedding, the four adults are drawn together for the first time in a way they never were as children. As they struggle to accept each other, warts and all, the true nature and strength of their bond is tested. But all of them come to realize that your family are the people who see you for who you really are and love you anyway. And for Dakota, that truth allows him to find the home and family he’s always wanted.

REVIEW:
Dakota is back from the military and this is her story. First let me say that you need to read the first two in the series to read this one.

Robyn Carr is one of my favorites. She can spin a story like few others. From chapter one you are drawn into her world and never want to leave it.

This book is a romance but it is also a woman’s lit wrapped up into one. It touches on everything that happens in everyday life. Love, divorce, family and so much more.

Worth the read. But then Robyn Carr always is.

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

November 7, 2018November 6, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews Naughty But Nice by Donna Kauffman

TITLE: Naughty But Nice
SERIES #: A Hamilton Christmas Novella #3
CHARACTERS: Griffin & Melody
AUTHOR: Donna Kauffman
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/30/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
ʼTis the season for sweet surprises . . .

Businessman Griffin’s never believed in luck . . . until sassy-sweet small-town baker Melody turns his world around. Except there’s a catch: There’s no way he’ll be able to build his empire and hold on to her. This new love could destroy all his dreams—or make this Christmas better than he ever imagined possible . . .

Originally in the The Naughty List anthology

REVIEW:
This is the third installment of the novella trilogy. This is a re-release. The story is a great way to start off the holiday season and put you in the holiday mood.

Donna Kauffman has been around for a while but the more you read of her the more you want to.

You do need to read Unleashed and Lock, Stock and Jingle Bells before reading this story.

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

October 26, 2018October 23, 2018

Kimberly reviews Highland Betrayal by Alyson McLayne

TITLE: Highland Betrayal
SERIES #: Sons Of Gregor MacLeod #3
CHARACTERS: Callum & Maggie
AUTHOR: Alyson McLayne
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/07/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Laird Callum MacLean vowed to marry Maggie MacDonnell. But when his father’s supposed suicide makes him Laird of a clan, he’s too busy unmasking his father’s killer to bring her into his dangerous new home.

Maggie’s home isn’t any safer, so she does what any resourceful Highland lass would do. She escapes―and finds herself toe-to-toe with Callum, who’s determined to fulfill his promise. Maggie can’t bring herself to trust him with her heart again. But with a traitor still at large, they must rely on each other in every way, or their clans―and their love―will be destroyed.

REVIEW:
I love this series. This series alone has turned me into a fan of Scottish romance. The men in the series are all brothers from different lands but they grew up together and consider themselves brothers. They would do anything for each other. And this time the story belongs to Callum.

Callum was not only betrothed but in love with Maggie. But he thinks he has to take care of family business before he can have Maggie has his own, that is until she is in trouble. Now Callum and his brothers are off to save Maggie. But Maggie is a strong woman who is independent and resourceful. And she knows she doesn’t need saving but she may need a little help out of her situation.

This is the third in the series and can really be read as a stand alone but I wouldn’t suggest it. You really should read them in order so you understand the connection of the “brothers”.

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

October 24, 2018October 23, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews A Season To Celebrate by Fern Michaels; Kate Pearce; Donna Kauffman; Priscilla Oliveras

TITLE: A Season To Celebrate
CHARACTERS: Varies
AUTHOR: Fern Michaels; Kate Pearce; Donna Kauffman; Priscilla Oliveras
PUBLICATION DATE: 10/30/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Make it a merry Christmas with four stories of the special way the holidays warm our hearts…

CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING * Fern Michaels
Former Air Force Pararescueman Kevin Matthews is back home in Texas, working at his family’s Christmas tree farm while deciding his next move. Or maybe he won’t move at all, if sparks keep flying with the town’s new surgeon, Kate Stafford . . .

AN UNEXPECTED GIFT * Kate Pearce
Widower Billy Morgan wishes his grown children still needed him. Good thing his longtime friend, Bella, does. She’s planning her son’s Christmas wedding and Billy is happy to help. Along the way they just might discover their own occasion to celebrate . . .

CHRISTMAS IN BLUE HOLLOW FALLS * Donna Kauffman
Attorney Moira Brogan expects her brother’s Christmas wedding to be a peaceful affair. She doesn’t expect to be cornered by an unwanted lothario, rescued by a gorgeous Aussie chef–or be swept off her feet by said chef. Nursing a broken heart, the last thing she wants is a new romance. But Hudson Walker has other ideas . . .

HOLIDAY HOMERUN * Priscilla Oliveras
Event planner Julia Louisa Fernandez dreams of a life in Chicago. But her family in Puerto Rico expects her to take over the catering business. Former pro baseball player Ben Thomas knows what that’s like–and when they meet, he might be the one to inspire a winning strategy, just in time for the holidays . .

REVIEW:
I was going to review each of these stories separately but to be honest they would all have the same review. They are 4 stars. The characters are all wonderful to read about. The romances are sweet.

The stories are short and quick reads. And are great to have around to pick up when you want to put yourself into the Christmas spirit or take a break from the Christmas craziness.

Donna Kauffman is one of my favorites and having read the other books set in Blue Hollow this one was of course my favorite of all.

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

October 22, 2018October 22, 2018

Kimberly reviews Cooper’s Charm by Lori Foster

TITLE: Cooper’s Charm
SERIES #: Love At The Resort #1
CHARACTERS: Phoenix, Ridley and Cooper
AUTHOR: Lori Foster
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/31/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
One summer, two sisters and a chance to start over…

Before the burglary that shattered her confidence, Phoenix Rose had a fiancé, a successful store and a busy, happy existence. After months spent adrift, she takes a job at the lakeside resort of Cooper’s Charm. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, friendly colleagues and a charismatic, widowed boss, Phoenix is slowly inching her way back into the world.

Visiting Cooper’s Charm to check up on her little sister, Ridley Rose impulsively agrees to fill in as housekeeper. Still reeling from an ego-bruising divorce, she finds satisfaction in a job well done—and in the attention of the resort’s handsome scuba instructor.

For Phoenix and Ridley, Cooper’s Charm is supposed to be merely temporary. But this detour may lead to the place they most need to be, where the future is as satisfying as it is surprising…

REVIEW:
This is a new series from Lori Foster. And in one phrase it is a Learning To Love Again love story. Both have been through hard times. Both have loved and lost. Both have come to Cooper’s resort to get a new direction in life.

A sweet story with wonderful background characters. Can’t wait for the next one in the series.

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

October 19, 2018October 17, 2018

Kimberly reviews The Cutting Edge by Jeffery Deaver

TITLE: The Cutting Edge
SERIES #: Lincoln Rhyme #14
CHARACTERS: Lincoln Rhyme
AUTHOR: Jeffery Deaver
PUBLICATION DATE: 04/10/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
DANGEROUSLY GOOD. DISTINCTIVELY DEAVER.
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs return to New York City to confront a killer terrorizing couples at their happiest–and most vulnerable.
In the early hours of a quiet, weekend morning in Manhattan’s Diamond District, a brutal triple murder shocks the city. Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs quickly take the case. Curiously, the killer has left behind a half-million dollars’ worth of gems at the murder scene, a jewelry store on 47th street. As more crimes follow, it becomes clear that the killer’s target is not gems, but engaged couples themselves.
The Promisor vows to take the lives of men and women during their most precious moments–midway through the purchase of an engagement ring, after a meeting with a wedding planner, trying on the perfect gown for a day that will never come. The Promisor arrives silently, armed with knife or gun, and a time of bliss is transformed, in an instant, to one of horror.
Soon the Promiser makes a dangerous mistake: leaving behind an innocent witness, Vimal Lahori, a talented young diamond cutter, who can help Rhyme and Sachs blow the lid off the case. They must track down Vimal before the killer can correct his fatal error. Then disaster strikes, threatening to tear apart the very fabric of the city–and providing the perfect cover for the killer to slip through the cracks.

REVIEW:
This is the 14th in the Lincoln Rhymes series. 14! And just as fresh as the first one.

Lincoln is now married to Amelia. This story is about murders in the Diamond district. And Diamonds are the key word.

This story had me wondering the entire time who-dun-it. I love stories that I can not figure it out and this one had me a bit stumped.

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

October 17, 2018October 16, 2018

Winter Romance Wednesday! Kimberly reviews The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

TITLE: The Christmas Sisters
CHARACTERS: Suzanne, Hannah, Beth & Posy
AUTHOR: Sarah Morgan
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/25/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
In the snowy Highlands of Scotland, Suzanne McBride is dreaming of the perfect cozy Christmas. Her three adopted daughters are coming home for the holidays and she can’t wait to see them. But tensions are running high…

Workaholic Hannah knows she can’t avoid spending the holidays with her family two years in a row. But it’s not the weight of their expectations that’s panicking her—it’s the life-changing secret she’s hiding. Stay-at-home mom Beth is having a personal crisis. All she wants for Christmas is time to decide if she’s ready to return to work—seeing everyone was supposed to help her stress levels, not increase them! Posy isn’t sure she’s living her best life, but with her parents depending on her, making a change seems risky. But not as risky as falling for gorgeous new neighbor Luke…

As Suzanne’s dreams of the perfect McBride Christmas unravel, she must rely on the magic of the season to bring her daughters together. But will this new togetherness teach the sisters that their close-knit bond is strong enough to withstand anything—including a family Christmas?

REVIEW:
What a charming Christmas/Holiday story. This is about family and the bond that never goes away even if the family falls apart for a while.

I really started to believe these characters could be real. They were so well written and such an honest story. Sarah Morgan just captures the family dynamic.

While this is set at the holidays it really is a story about what the holidays mean. Which is love and family.

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

October 16, 2018October 15, 2018

Kimberly reviews The Weight Of Silence by Gregg Olsen

TITLE: The Weight Of Silence
SERIES #: Nicole Foster #2
CHARACTERS: Nicole Foster
AUTHOR: Gregg Olsen
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/14/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A heart-pounding novel of unspeakable crimes and unforgivable sins from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Sound of Rain.
Homicide detective Nicole Foster has finally balanced an unsteady life and is anxious for a second chance. There’s no better place to start over than at the beginning—back at her childhood home on the Washington coast, where’s she raising her niece and keeping an eye on her increasingly fragile father. But Nicole’s past is never truly behind her—not when a disturbing new case stirs dark memories of the haunting investigation that shattered her career.
In the middle of the hottest August in a century, a toddler is found dead inside a parked car. Her father says he forgot her. It’s an unthinkable crime. And for Nicole, it’s made all the more unbearable by her own suffocating secrets—those shared by an old rival who has reappeared from the shadows and is pushing Nicole to the edge once again.
Now, wherever the truth lies, solving this case and avenging an unforgivable death is the most important move in Nicole’s career. But to see it through to the end, how far is she willing to go? And what is she prepared to risk this time?

REVIEW:
2.5 Hearts Not high on my Olsen favorites even though I enjoy most of his books. I never really connected with any of the characters. I thought the story was very slow and well a bit boring.

I will pick up the next in the series but I just didn’t enjoy this story.

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

October 4, 2018September 30, 2018

Kimberly reviews Dagger’s Edge by Lora Leigh

TITLE: Dagger’s Edge
SERIES #: Brute Force #2
CHARACTERS: Ivan & Syn
AUTHOR: Lora Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/28/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
#1 bestselling author Lora Leigh is back–with a vengeance–in her latest novel of passion and intrigue, Dagger’s Edge, featuring the men of Brute Force.

Ivan Resnova wants nothing more than to escape his hard, brutal past. Starting over is not so easy once you’ve been a powerful crime boss but now, instead of being punished for his alleged crimes, Ivan fears that the one woman he can’t forget is in danger of paying the price.

Crimsyn “Syn” Delaney thought the danger she’d faced was over, and that she could resume her life. She never imagined it would return with a vengeance and throw her back into Ivan’s world. But when an attempt is made on her life, she needs Ivan more than ever to keep her safe–even if she is in danger of falling deeply and dangerously in love. . .

REVIEW:
For some reason I did not connect with the characters in this book. I really thought I would since the synopsis seemed so interesting but I just could not get into it.

I have to be honest and say that I ended up jumping some sections just to get done with this story.

I will pick up the next in the series and hopefully it will be better.

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