Romance – Page 28 – Books-n-Kisses

September 11, 2018September 10, 2018

Kelly reviews Heart On Fire by Amanda Bouchet

TITLE: Heart on Fire
SERIES #: Kingmaker Chronicles #3
CHARACTERS: Cat, Griffin, Beta Team and the whole Sinta/Thalyria Family
AUTHOR: Amanda Bouchet
NARRATOR: Mia Barron
RUN TIME: 13 hours & 26 minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: January 2, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
The riveting conclusion to the Kingmaker Chronicles!
Who is Catalia Fisa?
With the help of pivotal figures from her past, Cat begins to understand the root of her exceptional magic, her fated union with Griffin Sinta, and Griffin’s role in shaping her destiny.
Only Cat holds the key to unlocking her own power, and that means finally accepting herself, her past, and her future in order to protect her loved ones, confront her murderous mother, and taking a final, terrifying step–reuniting all three realms and taking her place as the Queen of Thalyria.
What doesn’t kill her will only make her stronger…we hope.

REVIEW:
No!! Just NO!!!!!!!! I said this many time listening to this story. There was so much that happened in this final book. Cat, Griffin and Beta Team face so many challenges that I can’t name them all. There is heartbreak and joy in this book.

I do not want this series to end! Not at all. I adore the world that Amanda created. Cat, Griffin and Beta Team are some of my all time favorite characters now!! But WHY?!?!? Oh WHY!?!?! Did it have to be this way?

I am sure you are wondering what I am talking about. But you know better then to ask me such silly questions! I won’t tell you. You simply must read (or listen to) this series!!! Mia Barron does a wonderful job of bring the characters to life!

I am in love with this series and am already looking forward to a reread! I really hope that this is not the last time that we see Cat, Griffin and Beta Team.

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

September 7, 2018September 6, 2018

Kelly reviews Peachy Flippin’ Keen by Molly Harper

TITLE: Peachy Flippin’ Keen
SERIES #: Southern Eclectic #1.5
CHARACTERS: Frankie McCready & Eric Linden
AUTHOR: Molly Harper
NARRATOR: Amanda Ronconi
RUN TIME: 2 Hours & 19 Minutes
PUBLICATION DATE: April 9, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Audible | Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
A prank war erupts in Lake Sackett, Georgia and coroner Frankie McCready has to turn to the gorgeous but surly new sheriff for help in Molly Harper’s newest Southern Eclectic novella, perfect for fans of Kristan Higgins and Amy E. Reichert.
The McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop has crickets running rampant in the store and hot sauce in the Snack Shack’s ketchup bottles. But as the county coroner, Frankie has enough on her plate without worrying about the increasingly mean pranks being played at her family’s business. And the arrival of Sheriff Eric Linden, both devastatingly attractive and painfully taciturn, is enough to push her over the edge.
Linden, who didn’t seem to get the memo about men in uniform and Southern charm, is condescending and cold, revealing absolutely nothing about his past as an Atlanta police officer, while also making Frankie’s job as coroner as difficult as possible. And with the town’s Fourth of July celebration coming up, it’s essential for McCready’s to be cricket-free and in good working order. Strangling the sheriff will make her job even harder. Can Frankie hold off the threats to preserve her own sanity?
With her trademark “clever humor, snark, silliness, and endearing protagonists” (Booklist), Molly Harper invites fans to return to the family they first met in Sweet Tea and Sympathy. Y’all sit down and stay a while, won’t you?

REVIEW:
Peachy Flippin’ Keen is a quick read that gives us a small glimpse into the life of Frankie McCready. Lake Sackett’s resident coroner and the McCready’s resident weird kid.

This was a fun quick read narrated by the wonderful Amanda Ronconi.

I love how well these two (Molly & Amanda) work together to bring together such great story!! I can’t wait to see what is next not only for Frankie but for the whole McCready family!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

August 27, 2018August 23, 2018

Kimberly reviews Every Deep Desire by Sharon Wray

TITLE: Every Deep Desire
SERIES #: Deadly Force #1
CHARACTERS: Rafe & Juliet
AUTHOR: Sharon Wray
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
He’s taking it all back
His honor, his freedom, and the woman he loves

Rafe Montfort was a decorated Green Beret, the best of the best, until a disastrous mission and an unforgivable betrayal destroyed his life. Now, this deadly soldier has returned to the sultry Georgia swamps to reunite with his brothers, and take back all he lost. But Juliet must never know the truth behind what he’s done…or the dangerous secret that threatens to take him from her forever.

It took Juliet Capel eight long years to put her life back together after her husband was taken from her. Now Rafe is back, determined to protect her at any cost, and it’s not just her heart that’s in danger. The swamps hold a secret long buried and far deadlier than either of them could have imagined…

REVIEW:
3.25 Hearts This is a second chance at love romance and also a bit of suspense. There was a lot going on with this story. In the beginning it was hard for me to keep track of the characters but once I figured them out it made it a bit easier.

There was just enough interest in the story that it kept me reading it but I can’t say that I cared about the romances much and the suspense was just ok as well.

I believe this is my first book by Wray and I have to say it seemed like she through everything including the kitchen sink into the story.

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

August 21, 2018August 20, 2018

Kimberly reviews When We Found Home by Susan Mallery

TITLE: When We Found Home
CHARACTERS: Callie, Keira and Malcolm
AUTHOR: Susan Mallery
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/10/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Life is meant to be savored, but that’s not easy with no family, limited prospects and a past you’d rather not talk about. Still, Callie Smith doesn’t know how to feel when she discovers she has a brother and a sister–Malcolm, who grew up with affection, wealth and privilege, and Keira, a streetwise twelve-year-old.

Callie doesn’t love being alone, but at least it’s safe. Despite her trepidation, she moves into the grand family home with her siblings and grandfather on the shores of Lake Washington, hoping just maybe this will be the start of a whole new life.

But starting over can be messy. Callie and Keira fit in with each other, but not with their posh new lifestyle, leaving Malcolm feeling like the odd man out in his own home. He was clever enough to turn a sleepy Seattle mail-order food catalog into an online gourmet powerhouse, yet he can’t figure out how to help his new sisters feel secure. Becoming a family will take patience, humor, a little bit of wine and a whole lot of love.

But love isn’t Malcolm’s strong suit… until a beautiful barista teaches him that an open heart, like the family table, can always make room for more.

REVIEW:
4.25 Hearts Wow. Just Wow! I know we live in a world where sex is about sex and not about love but to find out that your family has increased by 2 half sisters would blow your world apart but that is what has happened to Malcolm.

There is so much to this book. Romance, of course, because it is Susan Mallery but also family dynamics, love and understanding as well as misunderstanding. This is so real. As the reader meets each new character we feel like a little bit has been added to Malcolm’s (and our) life.

I am a huge fan of Mallery’s Fool’s Gold/Happily Inc series and usually don’t enjoy the “extra” (as I call them) stories as much as as the series but this one just pulls at your heartstrings.

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

August 20, 2018August 19, 2018

Kimberly reviews Strong Hold by Sarah Castille

TITLE: Strong Hold
SERIES #: Redemption #5
CHARACTERS: Zack & Shayla
AUTHOR: Sarah Castille
PUBLICATION DATE: 07/03/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Fight promoter Zack Grayson is on the prowl for a rising star. As the top recruiter of a prestigious MMA promotion company, he wants to take someone where he was never able to go: the top of the professional league. He didn’t expect that someone to be the woman he loved…and left.

Top-ranked MMA amateur fighter Shayla “Shilla the Killa” Tyler built walls around her heart when Zack left her seven years ago–and again when her husband turned violent. Now, seeing Zack is nearly enough to send those walls crumbling. But she can’t risk the exposure of the limelight, and she definitely can’t risk another heartbreak.

As Shayla and Zack grow closer, though, business turns personal. And once their passion unleashes, there’s no going back…

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a second chance at love story. After seven years Zack and Shayla have a chance at love if she is willing to open her heart to him.

Here is the problem. Second chances stories all seem to be pretty much the same. And this is no different. They know each other, they loved years ago, one of them was hurt and will not open their hearts again and then they do and HEA.

That being said Castille does a good job with the writing. And of course, as always, there are some hot scenes in the book which makes it worth the read.

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

August 16, 2018August 15, 2018

Kimberly reviews Bellewether by Susanna Kearsley

TITLE: Bellewether
CHARACTERS: Charley and Lydia
AUTHOR: Susanna Kearsley
PUBLICATION DATE: 08/07/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Some houses seem to want to hold their secrets.

It’s 1759 and the world is at war, pulling the North American colonies of Britain and France into the conflict. The times are complicated, as are the loyalties of many New York merchants who have secretly been trading with the French for years, defying Britain’s colonial laws in a game growing ever more treacherous.

When captured French officers are brought to Long Island to be billeted in private homes on their parole of honour, it upends the lives of the Wilde family—deeply involved in the treasonous trade and already divided by war.

Lydia Wilde, struggling to keep the peace in her fracturing family following her mother’s death, has little time or kindness to spare for her unwanted guests. French-Canadian lieutenant Jean-Philippe de Sabran has little desire to be there. But by the war’s end they’ll both learn love, honour, and duty can form tangled bonds that are not broken easily.

Their doomed romance becomes a local legend, told and re-told through the years until the present day, when conflict of a different kind brings Charley Van Hoek to Long Island to be the new curator of the Wilde House Museum.

Charley doesn’t believe in ghosts. But as she starts to delve into the history of Lydia and her French officer, it becomes clear that the Wilde House holds more than just secrets, and Charley discovers the legend might not have been telling the whole story…or the whole truth.

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a sweet ghost story mixing the past and the present. Charley moves to her family hometown and soon is absorbed in the story of Lydia and the love she had for her Civil War officer. But when She starts to learn the story first hand Charley discovers more than she expected.

I really enjoyed this story. I will say sometimes it was a bit long and I would look to see how much longer it was but then something would happen and bam I was right back into the story.

If you are a fan of Somewhere In Time or The Two Worlds of Jenny Logan you will love this story.

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

August 14, 2018August 13, 2018

Kimberly reviews Flight Of The White Wolf by Terry Spear

TITLE: Flight Of The White Wolf
SERIES #: White Wolf #3
CHARACTERS: Gavin & Amelia
AUTHOR: Terry Spear
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Stranded in the wilderness, these warring hearts will be forced to work together―or die together.

Gavin Summerfield―an arctic wolf shifter with a fear of flying―has to fly into the vast lakeland wilderness of northern Minnesota to track down his suspect―where his ability to shift will come in very handy. Imagine his chagrin when his pilot turns out to be the woman who tasered him last time they saw each other. Things are off to a rocky start…again.

Arctic wolf shifter Amelia White isn’t entirely displeased to see Gavin again, but priorities shift when their plane is sabotaged and goes down in the middle of nowhere. As their attraction grows, Amelia hopes Gavin doesn’t discover the secret she’s been keeping…she knows he could never forgive her…

REVIEW:
3.75 Hearts My goodness… this is #24! 24! Really!

It is hard to believe that Spear can even come up with anything new after so many books in the series and yet she does.

Amelia and Gavin have met before years earlier but it was a different time and now Gavin is a turned wolf and Amelia is excited to see him again, well sorta. They have a past that Gavin can’t seem to place but Amelia remembers it all. But now they have to work together or they may not survive the latest meeting.

If you enjoy shifter romance than this story and this series is for you. And just an FYI this can be read as a stand alone. Or out of order.

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

August 6, 2018August 5, 2018

Kimberly reviews Collision Point by Lora Leigh

TITLE: Collision Point
SERIES #: Brute Force #1
CHARACTERS: Rory & Amara
AUTHOR: Laura Leigh
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/27/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Riordan “Rory” Malone is a force to be reckoned with. A member of the Brute Force Protection Agency and an operative working with the Elite Ops, Rory is the fiercest of warriors and protectors. Honed from the strong Irish stock of their grandfather and sharpened to a razor’s edge, Malone men live for one single purpose: to protect the women who own them, body and soul. From the moment he saw Amara Resnova, he knew she could be that woman.

But Amara, daughter of an alleged notorious crime lord, is a force in her own right. When she betrays her father, she’s finds herself in the arms of a man who is dangerous for her body and soul.

Can Rory keep Amara safe while protecting his own heart? Can Amara trust Rory not to break hers even as the danger mounts, threatening to take them and their passion to a breaking point?

REVIEW:
3.5 Hearts This is a new series for Lora Leigh. I wasn’t sure what to expect and I have to say I think people will either love or dislike it. That being said I am not sure which one I am.

As for the adventure. There is a lot. Amara has lost her memory and Rory will do what he needs to do so she is protected but also does what he needs to do to have her get her memory back and to trust him again. The problem is I can’t image that sex is the best cure for amnesia.

But if you are reading this for the sex scenes that Leigh is becoming quite known for than you will love this story.

Being that this is the first in the series there is a lot of getting to know. I will certainly be picking up book 2 in the series.

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

August 3, 2018July 31, 2018

Kimberly reviews Covert Game by Christina Feehan

TITLE: Covert Game
SERIES #: Ghostwalkers #14
CHARACTERS: Gino & Zara
AUTHOR: Christine Feehan
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/20/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Treason, torture and temptation haunt the GhostWalkers in their most dangerous adventure yet, as Christine Feehan’s #1 New York Times bestselling series hits an explosive new high.

Rescuing an industrial spy from the hands of a criminal mastermind is a suicide mission for the GhostWalkers. And there’s no one more up to the task than Gino Mazza. He’s the perfect killing machine–a man driven by demons so dark and destructive that his blighted soul has given up trying to find solace. But his laser-sharp focus on his target has transformed into something nearing desire.

A treasonous senator dangled top secret GhostWalker data in front of a Chinese crime lord, and he bit. Zara Hightower, one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, was sent in to psychically wipe the crime lord’s computer network. She succeeded, but at a huge cost. Now she’s the captive of a man who has descended into paranoid madness. Torture and death await her…

But GhostWalkers never leave one of their own in enemy territory. And it’s up to Gino to save Zara, or kill her if it turns out she’s led them into a trap. Either way, heaven or hell won’t stop him…

REVIEW:
The GhostWalkers! A group that gets my heart beating every time. I have been a fan of this series from the beginning. And while there have been some that I have liked more or less than others they never disappoint.

The thing about this series is the guys. There is something special about each of them and I mean that literally. And Gino is no different. As with all of the other men in the series they are diamonds in the rough. They can kill with the slightest of moves and yet when the right woman comes along their hearts melt. Ok well maybe melt is a strong word but you know what I mean.

Gino has had a terrible past. Zara was created with a specialness that even GhostWalkers may question. But they are perfect for each other. And as also Whitney is devious and as mad as they come. He is set to get and keep Zara for all the plans he set in to motion.

Feehan is one of the best and this is just another shining star in the series. Can’t wait for the next!

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

March 8, 2018March 7, 2018

Kimberly reviews Crossing Promises by Kimberly Kincaid

TITLE: Crossing Promises
SERIES #: Cross Creek #3
CHARACTERS: Owen & Cate
AUTHOR: Kimberly Kincaid
PUBLICATION DATE: 03/05/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
For Owen Cross, the only thing that matters more than family is farming. As the oldest Cross brother, the land is his legacy, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make Cross Creek a success—including hiring local widow Cate McAllister to manage the bookkeeping tasks that are growing in his office like weeds. Cate’s as pragmatic as she is pretty, and she rattles his hard-fought composure at every turn.

Cate had known a lot of things about her husband before he died three years ago in a car accident, but how much debt he’d gotten them into wasn’t one of them. She needs her job at Cross Creek, even if her boss is both gruff and gorgeous. But Owen’s a family man, through and through, and the last thing Cate is interested in is anything—or anyone—with strings attached.

As Owen and Cate join forces to right the farm, they discover there’s more to the other than the surfaces shows, and that passion can be found in unexpected places. Can Cate heal from the loss of one family to gain the love of her life? Or will the past prove too much for the promise of the future?

REVIEW:
This is the third in the series and finally it is Owen’s turn. Being the oldest he has had a lot of responsibilities but love has not been something he has wanted but lately after seeing his younger brothers fall in love.

Cate is treated differently since her family was killed in an accident and she is tired of being treated with kid gloves. When Owen hires her everything changes.

I have enjoyed this series very much. I was so excited for Owen’s story and it did not disappoint. Kincaid is growing with each story she writes and will soon be a go-to name in the literary world.

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

March 2, 2018March 1, 2018

Kelly reviews The Test by Tawna Fenske

TITLE: The Test
SERIES #: The List #2
CHARACTERS: Dax Kensington & Lisa Michaels
AUTHOR: Tawna Fenske
PUBLICATION DATE: February 19, 2018
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N |Audible

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
This is a test. A test of every life decision Lisa Michaels has ever made.
Lisa thought she’d gotten everything right: The nicest condo, the right career, the best hair, and a perfectly adequate sex life with her stockbroker fiancé. But when the fiancé ditches her at the altar, Lisa’s left questioning every decision she’s ever made. What if her instincts have been steering her wrong all along? And what if she tested that theory by spending one month doing the exact opposite of what she’d normally do?
A crazy-hot fling with a tattooed steelworker from the wrong side of the tracks seems like a good starting point

REVIEW:
Lisa Michaels is trying to figure out her what to do with her newfound freedom. Being left at the altar has a way of making a girl think about her choices. Lisa is looking for a bit of a change. But she never thought that change would come in the form of an extremely hot guy. Let alone to meet him at lunch with her sisters.

Dax Kensington can’t believe his luck running into his ex like this. But as he sidles up to her to rub his success in her face he realized his mistake. This lovely creature isn’t his ex at all. Just as he is about to leave this stranger propositions him with an offer he can’t refuse.

As always Ms. Fenske’s stories leave me laughing and wanting more. The Test is a great story of two people that couldn’t be more different, yet they work together perfectly! I loved watching Dax take Lisa to places she never could have dreamed of. I really can’t wait to see what is next in this series. It is sure to be sweet, sassy and smexy!!

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

February 28, 2018February 27, 2018

Kimberly reviews One More Promise by Samantha Chase

TITLE: One More Promise
SERIES #: Band On The Run #2
CHARACTERS: Paige & Dylan
AUTHOR: Samantha Chase
PUBLICATION DATE: 02/06/18
ORDER LINKS: Amazon | B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Ambitious Paige Walters is ecstatic when she’s hired to recruit musicians for a literacy campaign—it’s her chance to prove she’s got the chops to make it in the family business. She certainly isn’t going to let some fallen idol screw it up. But as the work brings Paige and Dylan closer together, their attraction grows…and so do their challenges…

REVIEW:
Cute story. The thing about this story it is a true romance. Not much action or adventures but just plain couple based and life based angst.

Paige is trying to prove herself to her father and her family. Dylan is a recovering alcoholic who needs to get his life back on track. They are perfect for each other and you can tell it from the first moment they meet.

The characters are very well written. They seemed like they could be based on real people. The background characters are interesting and I can’t wait to read the next in the series.

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