Tag: romance

Best Kind of Broken – A New Adult Romance

Posted on by Frances

For Thanksgiving last year, my family and I were able to visit my sister in the Washington, D.C. area. While enjoying our time together, she had mentioned she had some books that I might be interested in. I took a look at them, and noticing they were romances, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to read them. They are both paperbacks, which I have to get used to again, but she was willing to give them to me for free so that works!

The first book that I chose to read of the two was a book by Chelsea Fine, called Best Kind of Broken. It’s a new adult romance, a genre I don’t have a lot of experience with. I do know that this genre tends to be filled with a little more passion/sex so I hoped the book wouldn’t be bombarded with it. Thankfully, it wasn’t!

Anyway, before I share with you all my thoughts/review, here are the basics of this book:

Best Kind of Broken

By: Chelsea Fine

 

SOMETIMES MOVING ON MEANS MOVING IN

Pixie Marshall wishes every day she could turn back time and fix the past. But she can’t. And the damage is done. She’s hoping that a summer of free room and board working with her aunt at the Willow Inn will help her forget. Except there’s a problem: the resident handyman is none other than Levi Andrews. The handsome quarterback was once her friend-and maybe more–until everything changed in a life-shattering instant. She was hoping to avoid him, possibly forever. Now he’s right down the hall and stirring up feelings Pixie thought she’d long buried . . .

Levi can’t believe he’s living with the one person who holds all his painful memories. More than anything he wants to make things right, but a simple “sorry” won’t suffice–not when the tragedy that scarred them was his fault. Levi knows Pixie’s better off without him, but every part of him screams to touch her, protect her, wrap her in his arms, and kiss away the pain. Yet even though she’s so close, Pixie’s heart seems more unreachable than ever. Seeing those stunning green eyes again has made one thing perfectly clear–he can’t live without her.

 

What did I think?

This is a tale of two broken souls finding home in one another. After a tragic accident, two people are left scarred, guilty, and feeling like they’re left to blame. When they open up, both find acceptance, forgiveness, and the love they had before their worlds were turned upside down.

What I think worked well was the author did a fantastic job alternating between the male and female point of view, each chapter switching from one to the next. Writing in first person really helped me engage with the characters, feeling what they would/did feel. The storyline was well-written. I really felt like I was a part of the story. And reading the novel this way, it’s making me love first person point of view more and more. I might even try to write a novel this way!

The thing I didn’t like, which is why I only rated it four stars instead of five, was some of the language and scenes of sexual nature. Although, I don’t feel any of it was overdone, it was still enough for me to knock it down from perfect. New adult novels are known for this, as mentioned above, so if you’re interested in reading this, please do keep that in mind. And again, it wasn’t as bad as other new adult stories that are out there (from what I’ve heard).

Overall, yes, I rated it just four stars. It really was a great novel by a talented author. For those who like to read new adult romance, this would be perfect!

If you are interested in reading this book, you can find a copy of it here:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EHMG34E/

 

 

A Christmas Romance With Dogs!

Posted on by Frances

Christmas may be over, but that doesn’t mean we need to stop reading holiday novels! I find novels of this type are heartwarming, happy, and magical. There’s always time for that. And seeing as it’s winter in half the world, there’s no better time to read a book that takes place during this time of year.

The book I am about to share with you is not only about Christmas. It’s also about dogs! Well, sort of. There’s a cute golden retriever that plays a very important role in the romance part of the story. Here it is:

 

NOELLE’S GOLDEN CHRISTMAS

By: Tamie Dearen

When it comes to the Christmas season, Noelle Holiday is a real Scrooge…

December isn’t filled with the magic of Christmas for Noelle, just the looming dread she’s about to lose something else dear to her. Will she ever be rid of her Christmas curse?

When she adopts an injured shelter dog, she discovers the love of her life… a Golden Retriever named Abby. Perhaps being single is God’s plan for her, but at least she isn’t alone.

Her meddling family, however, is convinced she needs a man in her life. They introduce her to two irresistible men who couldn’t be more alike. Or more different. Both men sweep into her life, testing her faith, and stirring up desire and confusion in equal measure.

If she can just get through this humbug holiday without another heartache!

This sweet Christmas Romance tells the story of a believer, struggling to implement her faith in her everyday walk and battling fear to find the agape love that drives it away.

BONUS: Within this book you will find a link to hear an original song, a replay of the event which takes place in the story. Enjoy!

 

Noelle’s Golden Christmas is the first book in the Holiday, Inc. Christian Romance series. If you remember correctly, you’ll know that I have already read book number two, Haley’s Hangdog Holiday, which you can find the review for at HERE. As you may have guessed, you can read out of order as these can be standalone. And, before I forget, book number three, Shara’s Happy New-foundland Year, is now available!! You can find that HERE.

 

Anyway, I have to admit that I liked Haley’s Hangdog Holiday better than Noelle’s Golden Christmas. However, Noelle’s Golden Christmas was pretty good. As typical with all of Tamie Dearen’s work, the writing is phenomenal. The characters are well-developed. The scenes are written so that you really feel like you’re in the novel. I also love the dogs in these novels. I think it’s neat to add this extra story to the romance.

What I didn’t particularly like this time around was that the romance was rushed in my opinion. There’s chemistry at first, but by the end of the novel, they’re so in love and are engaged, and it’s only been like a month. I know that sometimes that works for people, but to me, that’s not typical. So, I didn’t feel a connection like I had hoped.

It is a clean novel, and one that I would totally recommend. I’ll even be reading the third book at some point. But Noelle’s Golden Christmas didn’t totally do it for me. And I hate saying that because I really love Tamie Dearen’s work. Having said all this, I am rating the book four stars instead of five.

Of note, there is some tough issues mentioned – eating disorders and harming oneself. But it is done tastefully and there is redemption!

Plus, this book comes with a song!!! Go check it out!

To read Noelle’s Golden Christmas, you can download it at:

www.amazon.com/dp/B017JPAANK

 

 

 

 

 

Not What She Seems

Posted on by Frances

How about another thriller? I’ve been doing a lot of those lately, haven’t I. All for good reasons, as I’ve shared before. This one, however, isn’t quite a thriller. It’s more a suspense. There’s also a romantic element to it, which sweetens it up a bit. Would you like to know more about this book? Let me share!

 

Not What She Seems

By: Victorine E. Lieske

 

Steven Ashton, a billionaire from New York, and Emily Grant, on the run from the law…and when they meet he can’t help falling for her. What he doesn’t know is that interfering in her life will put his own life in danger.

When billionaire Steven Ashton couldn’t stand his high society social life anymore, he left the stress of New York on a vacation for his soul. The need to meet real down to earth people led him to a small Nebraska town. He didn’t want to lie about who he was, but he couldn’t exactly tell them the truth.

Emily could have easily fallen in love with Steven, under different circumstances, but her past was catching up with her and she needed a new life. If the authorities found out about her, she could lose the one thing that meant everything, her four year old son.

 

I have read other books by Victorine E. Lieske before. I figured this one would be a good one to try. After all, she’s great with her romance novels! So how does she do with suspense? Let’s find out. I’ll first share what I liked.

Not What She Seems is very well-written. I thought the storyline was enjoyable and easy to follow. I love that it’s a clean novel. Many books in this genre tend to be even just a slightly bit dirty. This one wasn’t whatsoever. So that’s a huge plus. Especially for those younger people who like to read suspense. Another huge plus was that you never find out the culprit until the very end. I have to admit that it wasn’t someone I had suspected so kudos to Victorine for keeping it a mystery!

Was there anything I didn’t like? There were a couple of things. The first was that toward the end, I had to reread some parts just to make sure I was following right. Overall, the book is very easy to follow and makes tons of sense. There was just a few parts at the end where I had to recheck. Another downfall is that much of the story was predictable. Not so much the biggest part of the book, but much of the rest was. Lastly, I wasn’t feeling the romance aspect of the story at all. It was cute, but didn’t do anything for me.

All in all, I rated this four stars! If you go to the Amazon page for this novel, which I have the link just below, you’ll see that it has tons of reviews all in favor of this story. It’s also a New York Times Bestseller so that says something, right? Okay. Now that I said my piece, go check it out!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003HS5LRO

The Best Girls

Posted on by Frances

What I am about to share with you, I would like you to pay full attention to. It’s no big deal, really, when I do book reviews. But this one is different. This one is a huge deal! Why? Because this novel that you’re about to see is hands down one of thee best romance novels that I’ve ever read. And truly believing that, I am so excited to share it with you, and am hoping you’ll also give it a chance. Like me, you’ll see why I highly recommend!

The book is called Her Best Match. It’s Book 1 in The Best Girls Series by Tamie Dearen. Let me stop there for just one minute. If you don’t know who Tamie Dearen is, please do yourself a favor and pick up one of her books. (If you like romance, make it Her Best Match!) Oh…my…goodness. She has talent! She’s not just romance, either. So, seriously, go check her out!

Back to the book. Let me share with you a little bit about it. Here is the blurb, as well as the front cover.

Feisty, stubborn, and bored with life in Texas, Anne Best is about to get more than she bargained for.

The lovely widow heads off to the Big Apple for a job interview, expecting no more than a few days adventure in New York City, only to find herself with a new job working for the most infuriating man she’s ever met.

Billionaire Steven Gherring is one of New York’s Most Eligible Bachelors, and he has every intention of staying that way. But Gram has other ideas. She’s on a not-so-secret campaign to find a wife for her grandson.

As fearless as she is clumsy, Anne tackles every challenge (including her new boss) enthusiastically, with two lone exceptions… public speaking and recognizing her own feelings. Passions rise along with hemlines as Gram joins forces with Anne, a veteran matchmaker, to find the perfect match for Steven.

This book currently has a 4.4 star rating out of 375 reviews!!!! That’s three hundred seventy five!! If you haven’t guessed by now, I rated it 5 stars. Here’s why… Continue reading “The Best Girls” →

Mistakenly Married

Posted on by Frances

I’m sure that a few of you reading the title of this blog are scratching your heads, wondering what this one is all about. I promise you it’s not something weird! Mistakenly Married is actually a book! Let me share with you some things about it!

Mistakenly Married

By: Victorine E. Lieske

 

 

Penny’s gotten herself into another one of her crazy messes. She’s broke and about to be evicted. When her online boyfriend suggests they elope, she agrees. Why not? She loves him, even though she hasn’t met him, so she blows the last of her cash on a fun Las Vegas wedding. Except, William stands her up and the limo driver picks up the wrong guy. A smokin’ hot wrong guy. Too bad she doesn’t find out who he really is until after the wedding.

Harrison Williams needs a wife to gain access to his trust fund account. He goes to Las Vegas to meet someone, but there’s a mix up and he ends up at the Chapel-O-Love exchanging vows with Penny, a spirited girl in a cheap veil. When they realize the mistake, he convinces her to go back to Bel Air with him to prove that he’s married, and he agrees to pretend to be William so her family doesn’t have to know about her big mistake. Sounds like a good plan. What could go wrong?

 

If you’re into clean romances, this book is a must read! It does say on the Amazon page that it is a romantic comedy, which for those of you who like that will appreciate it all the more. However, I don’t consider it a romantic comedy myself. There was nothing that really made me laugh. But that doesn’t mean the book wasn’t good!

Quite the opposite, really. I think this book was great on many levels! I thoroughly enjoyed the character development and descriptive elements that were part of the story. Though the two main characters made a mistake, it was neat how they ended up falling in love with one another in the end. The build up of attraction and desire between the two was amazingly written!

Although I loved the ending where the two do end up together, I wish the way the book got there was different. But that’s not something I would change the rating of the book for. It’s just a personal opinion. The ending it has is still good!

Overall, Mistakenly Married is very well written! It was a fun, clean, and enjoyable read. I found myself wanting to read more each and every time I had to put it down! And, as a side note, I hear Victorine E. Lieske is kind of the queen of clean romance novels, having books on the New York Times and USA Today best sellers lists. So you know that this book is going to be good! I totally recommend reading if this is your sort of style!

 

To purchase, please visit the book’s Amazon page at:

www.amazon.com/dp/B01D3U63NG

 

 

 

Of Buds And Blossoms

Posted on by Frances

BLURB

Librarian Chloe McAlister finds solace in her books—and hats—but doesn’t know where to turn when her longtime crush gets engaged. On a whim, she signs up for a speed-dating mixer and convinces her best friend, Dill Thomas, to attend. All goes as planned until she realizes Dill means more to her than she thought … and he goes and falls for someone else.

This 10,000-word short story is perfect for your lunch break, workout, or while you wait in line at the mall. Read it today to experience a hint of spring any time of the year!

EXCERPT

“Is the beard a deal breaker? Serious question here.”

Chloe raised her brows. “Hm?”

“Do you like me rugged or clean? Be honest, I can take it.”

Dill had never cared about his appearance before, much less asked her about it. He was a no-frills kind of guy who couldn’t be bothered with designer clothes or the latest fashions. That’s why he lived in jeans and T-shirts at work and at home. For some reason, he was concerned about a beard? “You want my opinion?”

“Sure. You understand women better than I do. Would they be cool with this?”

Tilting her head to one side, then to the other, Chloe took a long, hard look at him. She pretended to give his question some thought, pursing her lips as she studied his face. His eyes still had the same self-assured, friendly sparkle in them as the freshman boy who always asked to borrow her lecture notes. A grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing his playful, easygoing nature that hadn’t changed over the years. However, that’s where the déjà vu ended. Continue reading “Of Buds And Blossoms” →

Have You Ever Made Something Up?

Posted on by Frances

I think it’s safe to say that 100% of us have made something up at one point in our lives or another. It could have been an “innocent” tiny fib, a downright lie or something in between. Maybe you wanted to have a friend so you made one up. Maybe you didn’t want to cause a fight so you gave a response that was dishonest. Either way, we’ve all done it!

 

Enter in “Her Imaginary Husband” by Lia London. Continue reading “Have You Ever Made Something Up?” →

A Heart’s Salvation

Posted on by Frances

A Heart’s Salvation is the debut novel from Dana Christy. What is so unique about it is that it reminded me of “Safe Haven” by Nicholas Sparks (who just so happens to be one of my favorite authors)! In A Heart’s Salvation you have a girl running from her past of abuse and ending up in the arms of the man who will save her. And of course they fall in love.

 

 

Book Blurb

 

After a year free from pain and anguish, Madison is once again jolted back into reality as her past catches up to her. On the run for years, she is forced to return home desperate for help. As despair grips her mind, she encounters a handsome young actor, Jackson Hunter, who is determined to get to know the complicated beauty, Madison Skye. Feeling an immediate connection to her, Jackson refuses to accept her emotional disconnect and offers her a way to escape her past. Although fearful of her attraction to him, Madison accepts his help with intentions on leaving him before her past finds her once more. Unable to fight their growing bond, she is forced to decide between running, or finally allowing herself to feel true love before her past and present collide. Fated to meet, and destined to be together, can their love endure the dark turmoil of Madison’s tortured past?

 

As a word of caution, this is NOT a clean novel. Please use your best discretion as to whether you’d want to read this or not. Without further ado, let’s get down to what I loved, and what I really didn’t like so much…. Continue reading “A Heart’s Salvation” →

A Little Spice, Anyone?

Posted on by Frances

I had a little bit of time to read something quick so I was happy to see a short story by Liwen Ho available that sounded fun. I “know” Liwen Ho from a Facebook group. I figured it must be good…and boy was it good! Let me tell you about it!

 

A Spoonful of Spice: A Short Story

 

 

Josh Pepper wants to be the next manager of the IT department – achievable until a new recruit, Cin Thomas, comes along. It’s his job to keep other men from getting distracted by her presence. Easy? He thought it would be until he got a whiff of her piercing green eyes, knowledge of IT and positive attitude.

 

With their weekly games, growing friendship and cute banter, Josh isn’t sure he wants to be the next manager anymore as that would make it wrong for him to date Cin. A short trip down an elevator may get them literally stuck, but it helps them figuratively realize the best way to move forward.

 

Book STATS

 

  • 4.6 stars out of 5 as of January 23, 2017
  • 17 total reviews as of January 23, 2017
  • As of today it’s free! AND it’s #1 in the Kindle Store for Holiday books!
  • Normally just $0.99!
  • It’s only 42 pages and takes maybe 30 minutes to read – perfect for break time or while waiting
  • This is book 2 of 2 in the “Seasons of Love” series, but is completely standalone
  • Great for 14 year olds and up
  • Very clean!

 

My Review

 

I gave A Spoonful of Spice: A Short Story by Liwen Ho 5 stars! Here’s why: Liwen did a great job describing the scenes in such a way that you felt like you were in them. All of the IT information was believable, and I feel Liwen wrote on that field well. A nice thing about this short story is the blend of spices! Josh Pepper is the male lead character and Cin (short for Cinnamon) Thomas is the female lead character. On top of that, Liwen adds in fall beverages that just make you want welcome fall all over again, or try your best to run out and get a fall-flavored coffee! The ending is excellent, and I believe it was achieved in a believable way. I totally recommend this for anyone looking for a quick read.

 

If you want to read A Spoonful of Spice: A Short Story, please click on the following link:

https://www.amazon.com/Spoonful-Spice-Short-Story-Seasons-ebook/dp/B01LVUZO57/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1485199470&sr=8-3&keywords=Liwen+Ho