Tag: Contemporary

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. 

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.

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.

Tackled by Trouble: An Enemies-to-Lovers Rugby Romance (Scottish Rugby Rebels Book 1) by Beatrice Bradshaw

5 Stars

Stirling Rebels Rugby

Our two main characters, both 26, are Charlie Harrington, head of a new sports management company and Brodie MacRae, professional Rugby player with a gambling problem.  Charlie has left her father’s firm after finding her former boyfriend cheating on her and her father defending him and his actions to Charlie.  She has as her first client Brodie, whom the former boyfriend has accused of betting against his former team.  Now traded to a new team in the league, he needs an improved image.   These two get along like oil and water, with Brodie doing everything wrong. 

With this the setup for the start of the book, the author Beatrice Bradshaw takes us through the workings of both a professional rugby team and a startup sports management company.  This proved very helpful as most US readers might understand the management part of the book, but rugby play isn’t well known or understood here.  Her care of the two main characters is detailed and insightful and helps the reader understand the challenges both are facing.  I felt the story slowed down a bit in the middle of the book but overall was an enjoyable read.  Well written with extremely well-developed characters and a storyline that kept my attention, Tackled by Trouble deserves 5 Stars.  Looking forward to the next book in the series. 

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

Some Like It Scot by Pepper Basham

5 Stars

Enjoyable read

I love stories that are set in Scotland, such a beautiful country with wonderful people.  So, when I saw this book, I really wanted to read it.  And I wasn’t disappointed.  Our main female character is Katie Campbell, and American travel writer with no definite home.  She has parents but her only sister has passed a few years prior.  Katie is given an assignment to cover a 3-week Edwardian Experience at a Scottish home named Craighill House.  Here she meets Graeme MacKerrow, whose family owns the house.  He’s not very friendly and is overworked and is also raising his young nephew.  Graeme does have a wonderful family who have large parts in this slow burn romance.  Both characters are well developed and show honest emotions and are very real to life.  I would hope that Pepper Basham would add additional books set here in the small village that Craighill House is located.

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

Hard Day’s Knight by Katie MacAlister

5 Stars

An Exceptional book!

I love this book!  Wonderful characters and a great storyline.  Katie MacAlister writes as if she’s lived in the world of Jousting and Renaissance Faires, with details and descriptions that are spot on.  My only wish is that she would write additional books set in this part of her well written and varied settings worlds.  “Chef’s Kiss”.

Book of the Month by Jennifer Probst

4 Stars

Loved the ending.

I wanted to read this book because it’s set in North Carolina on the Outer Banks (OBX) and touches on the wild horses located around Corolla.  After visiting the area, I am familiar with both the location and the horses. Both were treated accurately.   Our two main characters are Aspen Lourde, a writer of one best selling fiction book that was based on her breakup with her boyfriend, and Brick Babel who has returned to the OBX to run a horse tours business he’s inherited from his grandfather.  Side characters include Aspen’s sister Sierra who lives on the Outer Banks, and Brick’s best friend Kane who arrives late in the story, along with others who provide interest and color.  Aspen is desperately trying to write a follow-up to her first book using the plot of a fake boyfriend, which turns into real feelings and then a break-up. 

While the writing is excellent, the middle part of the book dragged for me.  It seemed to repeatedly cover the same themes, with Aspen becoming more and more desperate to write the follow up to her first best seller. A plus is that Brick is also given a voice which I find lacking in other books.  Knowing more about his history and his thoughts did add to this slow part.  Once the plot has moved to the last quarter of the book the story picks up and brought me back into the story, and the ending is excellent. 

Both main characters are well developed, maybe Aspen to much so, and the secondary characters detailed enough for the reader to care about them also.  Along with a dog, who plays an important part, the parts about the horses ring true to their existence on the Outer Banks.  This would have been a 5 Star read for me, except for the middle, which slowed down the story.  I like Jennifer Probst’s writing and have already found the next book by her to read.  And hopefully, she’ll write more set in the OBX.

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

Death at a Scottish Christmas (A Scottish Isle Mystery Book 3) by Lucy Connelly

5 Stars

Great Series set in Scotland

In this well written series set in Sea Isle, Scotland we continue to follow former Seattle Emergency Room Doctor Emilia McRoy as she continues to become comfortable with her new position of Town Doctor and Coroner.  This 3rd book is set a few months after she’s arrived and is now settling into her position and the home and office provided by the Laird and Town Constable Ewan Campbell in a former church.  A complete cast of characters is now present with well created backstories.  A tension between Emilia and Ewan is secondary still to the mystery of the death of a Sea Isle born Rock star.  This enjoyable series only has gotten better and better with each book written by Lucy Connelly.  Wonderful details of the town and its inhabitants combine with the American born Doctor and Scottish Laird who are both trying to do just what the small-town needs.  Each book builds upon the previous one, so for the best experience read from the beginning.  Death at a Scottish Christmas could be read as a standalone but will give the reader a few What? and How? and Why? if read that way.  I’m looking forward to additional books by Ms. Connelly.

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