Archives for August 2017

August 20, 2017

Review: Paper Princess by Erin Watt

Reviewed by Joanna

Ah, books with families of brothers really are my downfall. I can’t remember why, but I was put off reading this series last year, despite the excellence of the co-authors (Erin Watt is Elle Kennedy and Jen Frederick). I think I read that it was Young Adult, but I wouldn’t recommend this for teens. Although the protagonists are high school students, it has detailed scenes of stripping, drugs, sexual assault, non-consensual and consensual and sex, so I’d shelve it in the New Adult category.

The story is told from the point of view of Ella Harper, an orphan who is struggling to get by and supporting herself by the trade her mother excelled at – stripping. Her mum died and Ella is forging her signature in order to continue going to school. She’s pragmatic, street wise and sassy. Imagine her fear when a strange, well-dressed man arrives at her school claiming to be her guardian, and when she runs, he finds her and kidnaps her. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Joanna, New Adult Tagged With: , , Leave a Comment
August 18, 2017

Review: A Most Unlikely Duke by Sophie Barnes

Reviewed by Jen

I am such a fan of a lower class hero, upper class heroine trope in my historical romance, especially when the lady has no evidence of being a snob about it. The author did this one very well and I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

Raphe and his two sisters grew up on the rough streets of St. Giles. His father was nobility but he killed himself and his mom ran away with another man. Though he was only a child himself, Rafe had to take responsibility for his siblings and raise money to care for them any way that he could. He became a dock worker and made extra cash in fights for the local crime lord. In a stunning turn of events, Raphe finds out many years later that he has become a Duke and he brings his sisters back to town to live the life he could never give them before. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , Leave a Comment
August 17, 2017

Review: Walk of Shame by Lauren Layne

Reviewed by Joanna

A friend recommended this to me as a lighthearted and fun romance, and just occasionally I like to put down the angst and enjoy a little sweetness. Georgiana Watkins is a party girl and socialite. Her family is moneyed so she wants for nothing and has never worked, unless you consider the tiring strain of bringing home doughnuts for the concierge at her building at 5am every day when she’s done with clubbing.

There’s little to her life apart from having fun, dressing up prettily and being good natured. You’d think the author would be setting her up to be despised, wouldn’t you? Well, she isn’t. And what’s more, I liked Georgie. She’s friend to everyone and though she doesn’t add much value to the world otherwise, she’s happy with her lot. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Joanna, Contemporary Romance Tagged With: 1 Comment
August 16, 2017

Review: Hickey by Cora Brent

Reviewed by Shelly

My first from Cora Brent and while I usually stay away from college themed stories, I’m a fan of the married couple theme. There was a lot in this that should have worked, but I thought it fell short. Cecily and Branson married when they were 18. They weren’t the typical high school sweethearts; instead it was a whirlwind romance that lasted a few months before marrying. As with many marriages in that age-group, these two didn’t last.

Seven years later, Branson’s discarded from the Army and Cecily is in her final stretch of college. A unbeknownst to most, including Cecily, Branson’s been keeping tabs on his ex-wife all these years. Branson’s decided its time for a reunion and heads west. Cecily, having left from Ohio by way of Pennsylvania, is an RA for freshmen at her college (she needs the free rent). Finding out that her ex-husband also attends the same college and lives in the same dorm comes as a surprise, to say the least. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Shelly, Contemporary Romance Tagged With: 2 Comments
August 15, 2017

Review: Sparrow by LJ Shen

Reviewed by Joanna

You may have noticed my fangirling over this author, and when I heard she had an arranged marriage tale, I leapt on it. I love her Sinners of Saint series, and she has a talent for writing guys who are so bad, so awful to their heroines, that you want to beat them with their own shoes for being so despicable.

Well, this guy takes the biscuit. Troy Brennan is a mobster. Mr Fixer, as he’s known, and where his father was a Boston big shot, after his death his son is a feared and respected replacement. Troy doesn’t run gangs or drugs, instead he works for other mobsters and cleans up problems they have.

Sparrow Reynes is problem for him. For spoilerish reasons he has to marry her, and the book kicks off at the preparations for their wedding. Sparrow has no idea what’s going on. All she knows is Troy has picked her as his bride, despite them having zero conversation or knowledge of each other, and she had to go through with it because her father is under his control. Truth is, their lives are more intertwined than she knows, and that all comes out in the wash. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Ronelle, Contemporary Romance Tagged With: Leave a Comment
August 14, 2017

Review: Sinful Scottish Laird by Julia London

Reviewed by Ronelle

On his deathbed, Daisy Bristol’s husband imparts his final edict; after his death, she must remarry within three years or forfeit their son’s inheritance. News of Lord Chatwick’s command sweeps through London like wildfire, leaving the newly widowed Lady Chatwick with more suitors than she can shake a stick at. It might not be so bad if any of them were truly courting her, rather than the purse they would gain by marriage.

She has all but given up hope when she receives a letter from her long-lost love, now a captain in the British Royal Navy. Hoping to give him time to reach her and pledge his suit, Daisy takes her cousin and young son to her Scottish Highland estate. She doesn’t expect said estate to come with a powerful, breath-taking laird as a neighbor. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Ronelle, Historical Romance Tagged With: Leave a Comment
August 13, 2017

Review: Level Up by Cathy Yardley

Reviewed by Joanna

This novella tells the tale of Tessa, an audio programmer working for a games company in Southern California, and Adam, a colleague who also happens to be her housemate. Tessa wants two things in life – promotion to a fully-fledged game engineer – a job she is well qualified to do, and to get laid to help her reduce her stress levels. Problem is she ain’t exactly the most social person in the world. A dedicated introvert, Tessa needs to put herself out there to achieve both objectives.

Adam (think Ben from Parks and Rec) has been single a year and is still hung up over his ex. He’s comfortable in his job, in his home, and hasn’t really looked twice at his housemate. He’s got Casey’s (the ex) stuff still scattered around his house, but wants to get laid just as much as Tessa does. His work buddies bet him he can’t get a girlfriend before they fill the engineering spot in the team. And dating his housemate is cheating. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Joanna, Contemporary Romance, novella Tagged With: Leave a Comment
August 11, 2017

Review: Devil’s Cut by JR Ward

Reviewed by Jen

I was really on the fence about whether to read this book. I made no bones about the fact that I was very disappointed in The Angels’ Share. But one of the biggest reasons for that is because I expected a very different kind of book than I got. In this case, what I was looking for was resolution to those threads that were built up in the two previous installments. I got what I was looking for.

When I first started this book, I will admit that I was slow to engage. The simple truth is that I’m not really big on women’s fiction, or whatever you would categorize this as. I am a romance fan and I am used to the template that follows. The ramp up here was slow. But the book did eventually pick up. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Jen Tagged With: , 1 Comment
August 10, 2017

Review: Grave Ransom by Kalayna Price

Reviewed by Jen

Let me start by saying love triangles suck. Even ones that start out intriguing at first. Even ones where you aren’t immediately sure who you’re rooting for.

You know why? Somebody’s got to lose. And there is a 50% chance that the HEA you’re rooting for is going to crumble at your feet.

All that in mind, I hated the ending of this book. It made me mad and it mad me sad and I hate-tweeted about it seconds after I was done. I’m going to try not to let all of that shadow the rest of my review, but I had to give you total disclosure. It’s a day later and I’m still unhappy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Jen, Fae, Urban Fantasy Tagged With: , Leave a Comment
August 9, 2017

Review: Seized by Seduction by Brenda Jackson

Reviewed by Shelly

This, book 2 of Brenda Jackson’s ‘The Protectors’ series is so much better than book 1. The writing is better, more fluid and the dialogue actually uses contractions – thanks for that. I still think there’re some word choices that puts pretentious on an entire new level, but overall – way better.

I liked Quasar a whole lot better than I liked Lamar ‘Striker’ from the first book. There’s a significant amount of interaction between the three friends and co-workers. I think it would be okay to read as a stand alone, but you might be a little confused about who’s who. There’s quite a bit of that. I think the Fuller family might have been in another series because of the dynamics and plethora of members, but to be honest I don’t know nor did I research it. But just know that there’s a lot of people on Randi’s side of the family – a lot and they were not in book one. [Read more…]

Filed Under: by Shelly, Contemporary Romance Tagged With: , Leave a Comment
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