Tag: Book Review

An Heir to Blood and Power (Billionaire Sanctuary: The Heir Book 2) by Blair Babylon

5 Stars

More and more!

This picks up where A Prince of Smoke and Mirrors left off.  Lexi Byrne, a country girl from Nebraska, and Nicolai Romanov, royal billionaire, who married yesterday evening are trying to work out how they will stay married for a full year.  Nicolai married Lexi to avoid having to marry the daughter of a Russian mafia boss, Demyan Volkov, who is now planning on his revenge.

Blair Babylon writes billionaire romance with adventure, and in this book so far, we have the romance and I’m sure that upcoming books will be giving us the adventure. Well written with great characters they are fun to read and are an escape from all our more mundane lives.  Can’t wait for book 3!

I was given an ARC of the book by the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

A Prince of Smoke and Mirrors (Billionaire Sanctuary: The Heir Book 1) by Blair Babylon

5 Stars

Another amazing start to a series!

Blair Babylon writes intricate and interconnected series; not just a story but a saga that once you start reading you will not want to stop. And so, with this first book in the Billionaire Sanctuary series we are introduced to Lexi Byrne, a young woman who thought she was getting married.  But as she approaches the altar, she finds out her fiancé is not who he’s been pretending he is.  Now ditched by him, his family, and all her supposed friends she is alone in Las Vegas.  Wearing her wedding dress since she has nothing but the clothes she has on, she starts busking for a few dollars as a statue in front of a hotel like building. 

Nicolai Romanov, who is related to the deposed and murdered Tsar of Russia – though he wants no part of Russia and its politics, is traveling with Harry and Megan (!) to a mutual friend’s bachelor party being held at the Las Vegas Billionaire Sanctuary.  As they and their security detail are moving toward the entrance, Nico sees a woman in white, who catches his attention.  This is the start of a compelling, exciting, and interesting set up for book 1 of this series.  Blair writes contemporary adventure romances which always have a believable plot and intertwine current political and social events into it.  None of her main series are short so there are always several books that end with a development that hooks you into the next book.  I find that I learn a lot of new things when reading Blair’s books, and her research is always spot on.  She likes to write about billionaires, which I find a bit fascinating since I, and probably most other readers, fall far below that level of income.  But I love reading about them, and this first book in the series is no different- giving us a look into the lives of the rich and famous.  Cannot wait for book 2! 

I received an ARC of the book from the author through BookFunnel and this is my honest opinion. 

You Make It Feel Like Christmas by Sophie Sullivan

4 Stars

Christmas second chance

Six months ago, Maisie Smart, photographer with an always forward, never backward mindset and Nick King, professional hockey player who is currently injured and on the bench, had a one-night stand.  Nick felt the best way to handle the morning after is to leave without talking to Maisie.  So now Maisie has a burning anger at the man who up and left without a word.  Nick almost right away regrets not talking to Maisie and thoughts of her are in his head.  Now, just before Christmas, they find themselves in Merry, Washington.  Maisie and her family are celebrating the holiday season staying at a Christmas tree farm called Tickle Tree Farm.  Injured Nick has come to stay with his sister Ellie and nephew Asher at the tree farm she owns, Tickle Tree Farm.  With almost no chance of avoiding the other, the two have to work through the feelings that they have for each other. Will this be the second chance for them? 

Well written with all the characters interesting, the story moves along with minimum angst.  I enjoyed how the characters changed and developed and gave me a happy, holiday feeling.  Great read for the weeks before Christmas, or just when you want that holiday feeling.

I received an ARC of the book from the author through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

A Spell for Midwinter’s Heart by Morgan Lockhart

5 Stars

Worth it!

I struggled to read this story whose two main characters, Rowan Midwinter, a witch who won’t use her magic, and Gavin McCreery, non-magical but son to the man who wants to sell a big part of the magical town they live in, try to avoid each other and are failing at that.  Rowan is not a happy character and this gave me some trouble dealing with her almost overwhelming negativity.  In contrast Gavin is much more positive in his outlook.  In the past the two were close until Gavin made a decision which ultimately drove Rowan away from her family, friends, and hometown.  The ensuing story is more interesting, and the author allows her characters to grow.  I enjoyed the book excepting for Rowans lack of self-worth, which in the end she decides to push that part away and becomes a more likeable person.  Set around the Mid=Winter solstice the story also gives off Christmas season vibes.  In the end a very enjoyable book. 

I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Season of the Witch – A Spicy Witch Christmas Romance (Toil and Trouble Book 3) by Sophie H. Morgan

5 Stars

Bring back House Parties!

Our two main characters Tia Hightower and Henry Pearlmatter were a couple eight years ago, but Henry choose work over Tia.  Now both the Pearlmatter and the Hightower families and in business together and a prospective investor invites Tia and Henry to a Christmas house party in England. He thinks they are a couple after finding them kissing and wants them to share his love of Christmas while he considers investing in their family’s business.  But the only room left at his estate has only one bed.  On top of this is that Tia did a forgetting spell on Henry which went wrong, taking away all his memories of his breakup with Tia. 

There are characters in this book from books 1 and 2 but their stories don’t impact this one.  This book is well written with well-developed characters and the plot is a fun look at Sophie Morgan’s magical world.  Both characters grow in this book, and the road they follow is a fun, twisting, Christmas filled romp. 

I was given an ARC by the author and NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. 

Shadow Agents: Covert Affections (Psi-Ops/Shadow Agents #5) by Mandy M. Roth

5 Stars

More excitement for the Agents!

This book features Jesse Culbertson as an employee of The Corporation (the Evil guys) and Lindy Delgado, former test subject of said Evil.  Written in both characters voices, the story covers over 30 years.  If you haven’t read the previous books in this series, at least go back to the one just prior to this one (Ground Training – Immortal Outcasts Series Book 5) or you won’t get parts of the story you’ll need to understand what is happening. 

Both of our two main characters are shifters, and both have memory loss due to their pasts.  There is interaction with other characters from other parts of Mandy M. Roth’s extensive Universe of shifters, fae, demons, and other paranormal creations, so some prior reading will be helpful.  This book is much longer than prior books but well written with a lot of information presented in the story.  If you enjoy paranormal storylines, this is the book -and series – for you!  Cannot wait for the next book in whatever part of her numerous series Ms. Roth decides to take us.  Every book I have read of her many and varied series has been excellent, with some short quick reads and others more detailed.  Almost all have a past/present telling which helps if you start a book that is later in her overall timeline.  All are compelling stories that are enjoyable to read.  Also, the books are interconnected, and while some think they end in a cliffhanger, they really are just setting up for the next book which will have 2 or more “new” main characters. 

I was given an ARC of this book by the Author and BookSprout and this is my honest opinion. 

True Dreams (True Men: Book 2) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

A photograph of a dream.

Campbell True is the second brother in this series.  He left Promise, South Carolina as soon as he could, and now is a successful photographer.  Home base for him is Atlanta, Georgia and he travels the world shooting landscapes.  Now, however, he is retuning back to Promise to help his grandfather and half-brother since his stepmother has died.  He plans on moving them to Atlanta so he can forget all the hurts that are centered in Promise. 

Fontana Quinn has landed back in Promise as she and her sister are running for their safety.  Fontana hopes that returning back to her hometown is a good move and that they won’t be found there after all the time they’ve been gone. 

Our two main characters meet up for the first time since high school on Campbell’s drive back to the family home.  Neither one is impressed with the other, but Tracy Sumner does a wonderful job of telling a story of past hurts, scars, and finally understanding between them.

I’ve been a fan of Ms. Sumner’s Victorian romances, enjoying each well written, complex, and smile-inducing book.  This series, True Men, gives her a chance to write more contemporary novels, and these first two start off with a bang.  I am looking forward to more writing from her. 

I received and ARC of the book through BookSirens and the author and this is my honest opinion. 

True Fate (True Men: Book 1) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

Small town romance.

Set in the small town of Promise, South Carolina our main female character Lainey Prescott is returning after being gone for over 10 years.  She left to give her boyfriend, Justin True, the chance to follow his dreams rather than stay with her.  Now both are back in their hometown with many hurts, both mental and emotional facing them.  What are they going to do when they meet again after all this time?  You’ll have to read this short novella to find out.  This is the first book in a new series by Tracy Sumner who is more known for her well written Victorian romances.  Though short, this story is satisfying with wonderful character development.  I enjoyed this as much as her other romances and am looking forward to the other books in series. 

I was given an ARC by the author through BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

Dragon Forged: A Dragon Kings Novel Book 10 by Donna Grant

5 Stars

What a Story!

This is a part of a very large Dark Universe that Donna Grant has created.  With this, the 10th book in the Dragon Kings series set mostly on Zora (an Earth like planet) we meet Hector, Dragon King of the Sea Greens.  He is helping clean up a partially destroyed underground city, and inadeptly touches an artifact which sends him to another place he’s never seen before.  A woman comes in, sees him, and tell him to follow her.  She is Emillia who has magic that allows her to see limited visions of the future.  She leads Hector to a door, and when he opens it, he is back to unfamiliar land but feels familiar.  This is the beginning of an interesting and entertaining book that gives the reader a little more information about how the planet Zora works.  Very well written, with interesting characters, I enjoyed it very much.  Donna Grant has developed an intricate universe for all the different kinds of beings who populate her worlds.  If you are a new reader, to get the full experience of the intertwined books, start with the Warriors.  Follow Donna’s recommended reading order and you’ll be devouring these wonderful, exciting, imaginative, and heroic characters.  I don’t know how Ms. Grant continues to write these excellent books, but I hope she continues for a long, long time.

I was given an ARC of this book by the author through BookFunnel, and this is my honest opinion.

An Irish Summer: A Novel by Alexandra Paige

5 Stars

A study in stubbornness

Our female main character is Chelsea, who is Jewish (which isn’t necessary to know for the story), who was working at a B & B in Boston hoping to be promoted.  She finds out the owners of the Bed and Breakfast are closing it in one month, but the woman owner has family member in Galway, Ireland who is running a hostel and is willing to give Chelsea a summer job.  After much denial about taking the job, she does, and then constantly moans about going back to Boston to “live” her life while traveling to Galway and then getting to the hostel.  She meets the staff which includes the male main character Collin who is like a guide for the guests.  Besides all the “I am going back to Boston as soon as I can” that is repeated over and over by Chelsea, the main part of the story is where she and Collin spend time together seeing the Ireland that surrounds her.  I felt that the middle of the book was too long and seemed to take longer than the beginning or the ending.  But the ending of the story was worth it.  Other reviewers have given a synopsis of the story, so I will say that the book is well written, with the two main characters being developed as you would expect.  Neither is completely likable at the start, but they do grow on you.  Chelsea is very stubborn and doesn’t want to see that she has the opportunity to grow and learn. That takes the entire book to happen.   I loved the setting of Galway and the looks at other parts of Ireland- we just returned from two weeks there and the descriptions were accurate.  I look forward to seeing if the author will give some of the other characters in the book stories of their own.

I was given an ARC of this book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.