Kimberly’s Review – Page 81

September 25, 2014September 21, 2014

Kimberly reviews Gentlemen Prefer Curves by Sugar Jamison

TITLE: Gentlemen Prefer Curves
SERIES #: Perfect Fit #3
CHARACTERS: Belinda & Carter
AUTHOR: Sugar Jamison
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/30/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Stuck. At thirty years old Belinda Gordon felt her life was at a total standstill. With her love life in the dumps, her best friends happily married and her parents smothering her, she decides her life needs a little bit of shaking up.
Just when Belinda is about to make a move, her estranged husband and the last man on earth she ever wants to see, Carter Lancaster, comes storming back into her life. And this time he’s not taking no for an answer. Armed with his sweet daughter and a take no prisoners attitude, he’s determined to win his wife back.
Can Belinda let go of their rocky past and let love in? Or will she let it prevent her from finding her happily ever after?

REVIEW:
Another cute story by Sugar Jamison. Jamison has a way of getting right to the heart of the bigger girls in the world. She brings out the insecurities but also the love of our own bodies. She manages to roll everything emotion into the big girl from desire to despair to everything in between.
We met Belinda in book 1 and have waited for her story ever since. And boy did we get it. Belinda is already married… Who knew? But estranged from her husband for 4 years. Both have hurt feelings on how it ended and even why it ended but the thing we realize right away is that they never stopped loving each other no matter how mad or hurt they were.

Carter is an interesting character. He is not alpha nor nerd but something between them. He has a bad boy side that screams HOT in the bedroom and in love but then he is so unbalanced in real life. He forgets that his daughter needs shoes and tells her to remind him and only hears half sentences sometimes and is just out of his element and then he turns around and the love he has for Ruby just melts the readers heart. Ruby is an adorable character and while no 5 year old I know speaks like her she just steals every scene she is in. Another delightful read from Jamison and for us big girls in the world who want to love and be loved.

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

September 22, 2014September 21, 2014

Kimberly reviews Jilted by Rachael Johns

TITLE: Jilted
CHARACTERS: Ellie & Flynn
AUTHOR: Rachael Johns
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/30/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
She’d left him at the altar, but her heart was always his…
After more than ten years away, Australian soap opera star Ellie Hughes returns to the small town of Hope Junction, determined to fly under the radar while caring for her injured godmother, Matilda.
But word spreads fast in the tight-knit community. It isn’t long before the people of Hope Junction are gossiping about the real reason for Ellie’s visit and why she broke the heart of golden boy Flynn Quartermaine all those years ago.
Soon Ellie and Flynn are thrown back together, forced to deal with the unresolved emotions between them. Because Ellie is not the only one with secrets. Flynn has his own demons to battle, and Matilda is hiding something from her much-loved goddaughter.
When all is uncovered, can the ill-fated lovers overcome the wounds of their past? Or is Flynn destined to be jilted again?

REVIEW:
This is a re-release from just a couple of years ago. Set in Australia this is a sweet second chance at love romance. While part of me expected not to like Ellie at first because she is a star and I thought she would come across as a spoiled Hollywood type that is not true and I enjoyed her. Flynn is also a great character. Even though he is the typical romance hero he also has a heart of gold and really just wants to understand what happened between them that left him at the alter.

There is so much more to this story then the romance even though that is the heart of the story. Johns’ takes us into a world that deals with some darkness in life that many people have to deal with. And I enjoyed the relationships between Ellie and Matilda as well.

I enjoy Johns’ stories very much and this is no exception. I enjoyed the characters very much and enjoyed the visit to Hope Springs. I can’t wait for the next by the author.

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

September 19, 2014September 16, 2014

Kelly & Kimberly review He’s So Fine by Jill Shalvis

TITLE: He’s So Fine
SERIES #: Lucky Harbor #11
CHARACTERS: Cole Donovan & Olivia Bentley
AUTHOR: Jill Shalvis
PUBLICATION DATE: September 30, 2014
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For Olivia Bentley, Lucky Harbor is more than the town where she runs her new vintage shop. It’s the place where folks are friendly to strangers-and nobody knows her real name. Olivia does a good job of keeping her past buried, not getting too cozy with anyone . . . until she sees a man drowning. Suddenly she’s rushing into the surf, getting up close and personal with the hottest guy she’s ever laid hands on.

Charter boat captain Cole Donovan has no problem with a gorgeous woman throwing her arms around his neck in an effort to “save” him. In fact, he’d like to spend a lot more time skin-to-skin with Olivia. He’s just not expecting that real trouble is about to come her way. Will it bring her deeper into Cole’s heart, or will it be the end of Olivia’s days in little Lucky Harbor?

KELLY’S REVIEW:
He’s So Fine is Cole & Olivia’s story. We met both of them in It’s In His Kiss (bk 10). Cole & Olivia’s story starts with a big bang and a splash that leaves them in a bit of an interesting situation. And the story just keeps getting better from there. Gosh, I want to tell you so much. But I am really big on no spoilers. So let’s say Cole is a man who is always ready to jump in to fix everyone and everything. And always has some very interesting things in his pants. Olivia is a woman who just wants a new start and wants to live as herself for the first time in her life.

I totally adore Jill Shalvis and her books!! I am totally in love with Lucky Harbor and am on a journey to find this town. I absolutely loved Cole & Olivia’s story. My only fault with this book is that it ended way too soon. Want wanted more of these two. I wanted to see what happened after….. well I can’t tell you that. So you need to pick up a copy of He’s So Fine and find out yourself.

I can’t wait for the next Lucky Harbor story.

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts Another wonderful visit to Lucky Harbor. We met both Olivia and Cole in the last book but this time around we got to spend some real quality time with them and it was a great visit. Cole is a stand up, can count on him, good as they come guy but he has had his heart broken and trust broken it has caused him to be leary of liars. Olivia has grown up in a world very few get to experience and now wants to be “normal” but her past doesn’t even let her know what normal is anymore. But together they manage to work it out because come on it’s a Jill Shalvis story. Love conquers all.

I enjoyed this couple together. As soon as Olivia jumps in the water to save a stranger I knew we would see a different side to the quiet and reclusive Olivia then who we met in “It’s In His Kiss” (#10). And Cole… well who would want Cole to change? He was wonderful in the last book. I did miss that there was not as much of the three guys (Cole, Sam and Tanner) interacting as there was last time. They have a chemistry all their own which makes them incredible but there was some and for that I am happy. Olivia, well, sometimes I just wanted to slap her and say “hello just tell him already” but then the story would have ended too soon.

Shalvis has a way of drawing you in right off the bat and starting with a line like “for a guy balancing his weight.. on a boat, sex was a bonehead move” pulls you in especially when you know that guy is Cole. I can’t wait to read Tanner and Callie’s story “One In A Million” and hope the rumors aren’t true that it will be my last visit to one of my favorite towns.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & Forever (Grand Central Publishing) in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

September 17, 2014September 14, 2014

Natasha & Kimberly review Love On The Boardwalk by Christi Barth

TITLE: Love on the Boardwalk
CHARACTERS: Brad & Trina
AUTHOR: Christi Barth
PUBLICATION DATE: 9/22/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Atlantic City is the perfect place for detective Bradley Hudson to nurse his broken heart. A week of beer and strippers is sure to erase his former fiancée from his memory for good. What he didn’t count on was running into a sassy redhead from his past. Maybe a rebound romp is an even better plan…
Trina Trimble, private eye in training, is thrilled to be reunited with the hottie she almost hooked up with last summer. She’s undercover on her first solo case, but there’s always time to lock lips with a sexy cop. Besides, a fun fling with Brad doesn’t have to last beyond his week in town.
Brad and Trina are supposed to be just flirting, not forging a new forever. Brad’s still healing, and although Trina changes careers the way other women change shoes, she has finally found her calling in her new life of disguises and stakeouts. But when an irresistible job offer threatens to lure her away, Brad will need to decide to let her go or bet it all on love and risk his heart again.

NATASHA’S REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts This story was a quick, easy read that I really enjoyed. This book is a sequel to Love at High Tide, which I hadn’t read. Yet I had no problem following this story, so it is easily read as a stand-alone. Brad and Trina are both hysterical characters with electric chemistry. Trina might be one of my favorite female characters ever. She’s so energetic and just has a positive energy about her that is contagious, even through the pages. Brad is just as likable a character and I found myself rooting for him all the way. We also got to see the interactions between Brad, Trina and the characters from book 1 – Coop and Darcy. Seeing all of these characters interact was a delight and a lot of fun. I want to be a part of their group. All in this entire story was nearly flawless and I highly recommend it.

KIMBERLY’S REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a cute short story. This is a follow up story to Love At High Tide which I have to say I did not read and while it is obvious that Darcy and Cooper had their own story it really does not need to be read before this one. Trina is a snide, sarcastic and funny woman and she made me laugh. Brad is trying to get back on the horse after the break up 6 months ago from his fiancee. Brad wasn’t one of my favorite book guys but he was sweet and Trina more than made up for him.

Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

September 12, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Virtue Falls by Christina Dodd

TITLE: Virtue Falls
SERIES #: Virtue Falls #1
CHARACTERS: Main Characters
AUTHOR: Christina Dodd
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/09/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Twenty-three years ago, Misty Banner was brutally slashed to death in her home in Virtue Falls, Washington. Her husband was convicted of the murder. Their four year old daughter Elizabeth witnessed the crime, but has no memory of the killing. Now, two decades later, Elizabeth is back in Virtue Falls. She soon discovers her father is innocent. The real killer is still out there. And her investigation has stirred dark and deadly resentments that could provoke in another bloody murder—her own.

REVIEW:
I had the hardest time with this book. First it is so wordy. Seriously it could have been written with half the words and it would have kept my attention better. There are too many characters. It was so confusing especially in the beginning. I understand needing background characters but it seemed everyone was a primary character in this book and none of them is interesting. Everyone seems so broken in this story.
The suspense is kind of interesting. Was it great? Not really but it was ok. There have been a lot of reviews written on GoodReads that say they loved it and I guess maybe if you enjoy a really long suspense it would be right up your alley. It is just not mine.

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

September 10, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Ignited by J. Kenner

TITLE: Ignited
SERIES #: Most Wanted #3
CHARACTERS: Katrina & Cole
AUTHOR: J. Kenner
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/09/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He promised to take me as far as I could go—and I wanted to go to the edge.
My whole life has been a cover, a con, a lie. I was born into the grift, raised on the thrill of playing someone I’m not. As a rule, I never let anyone get too close—until Cole August makes it impossible for me to stay away.
Cole is tough, sexy, and intensely loyal, yet his secrets are dark and his scars run deep. Not many women can handle his past, or the truth behind his fierce demands. But something about him beckons me—and our desire is a game I must play.
I know he’s dangerous, that even his touch is trouble, but what is passion without a little risk?

REVIEW:
4.5 Hearts This book was a long time coming… not in time frame but because meeting Cole in book 1 we knew he would have the darkest and most explosive of stories and he did. Cole is a very dark character and has the harshest of pasts but it was great to have him find his happy ending and he honestly couldn’t have found a better match than Katrina. She has had a dark past too. Not like his but her childhood caused her own issues and together they manage to get through the lingering effects.
Kenner has written another great story. This story is a bit of the Most Wanted as well as a Stark Trilogy combination. Which made it great that Damien Stark had a cameo. Kenner is a master as writing a dark erotic romance and this is more proof of that. Can you read it as a stand alone? Yes but why would you not want to read the beginning of the series so you understand who Cole really is. I love that he is so broken and yet he paints like a god. He has a softness in his poetic words that amaze and even has a hand in other arts that show the reader his softer side. Kenner showed that even the harshest of men have a soft side and did it wonderfully.

Yes Katrina is the one telling her tale but this is Cole’s story and it should not be missed.

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

September 5, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Take Down by Mallery Malone

TITLE: Take Down
SERIES #: Billionaire’s Club #3
CHARACTERS: Karina & Gabriel
AUTHOR: Mallery Malone
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/02/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Powerful. Dominant, Unforgettable. He commands submission at all costs.
Cage fighter, Gabriel Devereaux, a man of barely leashed power, is known as the Bayou Beast.
There is one woman he will do anything , pay any amount to possess.
Karina Armistead, has come a long way from the innocent girl Gabriel used to know. An internationally known singer, she can have anything she wants. But everything tells her that getting involved with the Bayou Beast may leave her wrecked beyond repair.
Little does Karina Armistead know, but Gabriel has decided that she will be his.
He will destroy anything or anyone who stands in his way.

REVIEW:
This is the third in the series but can most certainly be read as a stand alone. It is a short story of less than 90 pages so it is a quick read but yet a sweet read. Gabriel is a fighter and has a vendetta against Karina and her father. Karina doesn’t understand why Gabriel left her without a word a decade before.
This story as well as the rest of the series is well written and an enjoyable quick read. Great stories to have between novels for a little romance.

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

September 4, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Blaze Of Winter by Elisabeth Barrett

TITLE: Blaze Of Winter
SERIES #: Star Harbor #2
CHARACTERS: Avery & Theo
AUTHOR: Elisabeth Barrett
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/10/12
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Frustrated with her job in Boston, social worker Avery Newbridge welcomes the opportunity to reassess her life when family asks her to help manage the Star Harbor Inn. Trying to figure out her future is overwhelming enough, but she doesn’t count on distraction in the form of one Theo Grayson, the gorgeous, green-eyed author who she knows is trouble from the moment he saunters into the inn.

Not only does he have a talent for writing swashbuckling adventures, but Theo also has a soft spot for big-hearted damsels in distress, especially a woman who’s great at helping everyone—except herself. Avery’s demons challenge him, but for desire this hot, he isn’t backing down. With every kiss and heated whisper Theo promises her his heart . . . if only Avery is willing to open up and accept it.

REVIEW:
3.5 Stars This was my fault. I read the stories out of order and honestly it kind of ruined (for lack of a better word) this story for me. I liked Theo is book one so I wanted to read his story and Avery is an interesting character too but for some reason reading them out of order just kind of blew it for me.

Now I do know these books do not have to be read in order. They can stand alone just knowing that that the other brothers have their stories too so why I had a hard time I just don’t know. That being said Theo and Avery’s story is great. Theo is adorable. Avery keeps your attention too.

I would recommend this series to anyone who likes a good romance with hunky brothers for each season of the year.

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

September 3, 2014August 31, 2014

Natasha reviews My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts

TITLE: My Highland Spy
SERIES #: Highland Spies #1
CHARACTERS: Ruairi & Ravenna
AUTHOR: Victoria Roberts
PUBLICATION DATE: 9/2/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon| B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This Highland Laird won’t bow to the Crown
Laird Ruairi Sutherland refuses to send his only son away to be educated by the English. And he most definitely will not appear in Edinburgh to pay homage to a liege who has no respect for Scotland. So he does what any laird would do—he lies to the king. The last thing Ruairi expects is a beautiful English governess to appear on his doorstep
But this lady spy might make him…
Lady Ravenna Walsingham is a seasoned spy who is sent to the savage Highlands to uncover a nefarious plot against the Crown. Playing the part of an English governess—a job easier said than done—she infiltrates the home of Laird Sutherland, a suspected conspirator
If she doesn’t betray him first
Ravenna soon discovers that the only real threat Sutherland poses is to her heart. But will the proud Highland laird ever forgive her when he discovers the woman he loves in an English spy?

REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this story. It took a bit for me to get into it, but toward the end I couldn’t put it down. Ravenna is smart, sassy and just the right amount of defiant. Ruairi never stood a chance. I really enjoyed him as a character as well. He was strong, protective and understanding all rolled into one overpowering laird. I loved how much time the author gave us to get to know the two characters together. She didn’t rush things and hope it was believable. We were able to grow with the characters together. Their interactions were comical and high spirited. As were all of the supporting characters. I love Torquil, he is just the sweetest little boy, and I so hope we get a story for Fagan. His sense of humor and interactions with Grace were priceless! I’m happy I gave this author a try and will definitely be reading more from her in the future.

Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

September 2, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Longing by Jamie K Schmidt

TITLE: Longing
SERIES #: Club Inferno #2
CHARACTERS: Anya & Clint
AUTHOR: Jamie K. Schmidt
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/02/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Reeling from a disastrous love affair, model and budding fashion designer Anya Litton needs a temporary refuge, a place to lick her wounds and plan her next career move. At Club Inferno, where seductively chic men and women indulge their most intimate fantasies, she can mix business with unimaginable pleasure. Anya quickly connects with club Dom Clint Reyes, who unleashes Anya’s deepest longings over nights of burning passion.
Clint is a master at taking submissives to the heights of pleasure in Club Inferno’s opulent private dungeons. But it’s Anya who has Clint begging for more when the woman of his dreams becomes his eager partner in exploring the limits of desire. As their relationship ignites into an erotic contest of wills—and a jealous rival plots against them both—Clint prepares to fight for a future with Anya. In this complicated dance, the wrong move could end it all . . . and taking control means total surrender.

REVIEW:
4.75 Hearts I really enjoyed this story. It is the second in the series but you do not need to have read the first at all. In fact Max and Mallory are only mentioned in passing a few times. So feel free to pick this up without having read the first… but then the first was really good so you might want to pick that one up too.
Now about this book. First about Clint. What a sweet guy. He has dreams and while he enjoys the kinky life it is not his whole world. In fact he wants to own his own place and fall in love. He wants to be more than a stripper and Dom and he finds that with Anya. I really adored Clint. However I really can’t imagine that he is a Dom in the full sense of the word. I really can’t recall anything he did that was Dom worthy. Yes he liked to be a little controlling but he didn’t Dom Anya. He understands her limits (which are plenty) and never pushes her to go beyond them.
Now to the best part of this story. ANYA! Let me say a hardy HELL YES to the author. She really pulled Anya off perfectly. I actually went and looked up a picture of Schmidt to see if she was a big girl because she really nailed the feeling us big girls have. The feeling of being too heavy to sit on a guys lap, will he laugh at her when she gets unclothed because her jeans hold in a lot, why would a guy that looks like Clint fall for a woman who looks like her, etc. Her feels are all ones that any big girl has had. Anya is a plus size model and while confident in her beauty to walk the runway as a plus size model when it comes to being an everyday woman she loses some of that confidence. And then she hears people call her fat and she crumbles. But somehow she picks herself back up. I LOVED ANYA and hope to grow up to be her someday (ok I am in my 40s so it is probably a lost cause but still).
Wonderful romance with a touch of erotica but not really any BDSM. And a wonderful couple who deserves to be cheered from an author who deserves praise.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

September 1, 2014August 31, 2014

Kimberly reviews Beauty’s Beast by Amanda Ashley

TITLE: Beauty’s Beast
CHARACTERS: Kristine & Erik
AUTHOR: Amanda Ashley
PUBLICATION DATE: 09/02/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Beauty
Fair of face and figure, Kristine is young, innocent, pure. Yet she has been condemned to the gallows for killing a man. The only one who can save her is a lord so infamous that some say he is the son of the Devil himself…
And the Beast
Erik Trevayne is called the Demon Lord of Hawksbridge Castle, but few know of the curse he lives under. Or the terrifying changes slowly gnawing away at his humanity. When he weds her, all he wants of Kristine is a son. But when he beds her, a wild hope is born—that love that can tame even the most monstrous of beasts…

REVIEW:
This was a DNF for me which doesn’t happen very often. Usually if I can’t get into a book I might skim over certain sections but still manage to finish the book but not this one. I was about 20% into the book and just couldn’t go on.
First I can’t stand Kristine. She is just so dull and has no gumption to her. She just takes the way Erik uses her and leaves her room and still manages to think that she needs to learn to love him. Why? And Erik while understandable is just a jerk. Nothing about either of them makes me want to care about them.
This is not the Beauty and The Beast we grew up on. I didn’t really expect it to be but it is so slow moving with nothing going on that I just didn’t care about learning more of the differences. I would say more but not much more I can say when I couldn’t read anymore at 20%. I think this is a love it or hate it kind of book. Nothing in between.

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

August 29, 2014August 17, 2014

Kimberly reviews The Homecoming by Robyn Carr

TITLE: The Homecoming
SERIES #: Thunder Point #6
CHARACTERS: Iris & Seth
AUTHOR: Robyn Carr
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/26/14
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
At the age of nineteen, Seth Sileski had everything. A superb athlete and scholar, handsome and popular, he was the pride of Thunder Point. Destined for greatness, he lost it all in a terrible accident that put an end to his professional football career when it had barely begun. The people in his hometown have never forgotten what might have been.
Seth has come to terms with the turns his life has taken. But now he’s been presented with an opportunity to return home and show his father—and the people of Thunder Point—he’s become a better, humbler version of his former self.
Winning over his father isn’t the only challenge. Seth must also find a way to convince his childhood neighbor and best friend, Iris McKinley, to forgive him for breaking her heart. With his homecoming, will Seth be able to convince the town, his family and especially Iris that he’s finally ready to be the man who will make them all proud?

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts I’m not sure why but this had a different feel to me than the others in the series. While I enjoyed it and the story was good something was just different. There is a lot happening in this story not just with the couple but with the background players as well. Seth and Iris have an interesting dynamic. Having been friends before the connection is supposed to be there and mostly it is but it seemed to me to not be a “hot love match” but more like friends who fall in love after being together for so long. But I have to say that is a nice change to the alpha male running to the rescue of the damsel all the time.

Iris is an interesting character. She seems love sick and some points but then other times is strong and independent. Seth has been through a bunch of stuff including almost dieing but still has a sweet sense about him. Funny the character I liked the best was Robbie who has the sweetest of hearts and maybe we might get a story of him finally getting a happy ending (but I doubt it).

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