Tag: Contemporary

The Bastard Prince (It’s Raining Royals Book 2) by Alix Nichols

4 Stars

Book 2 in the series

Starting with book 2 in this series made me feel like I missed some important details.  So, I would first say read book 1 The Boss Prince (It’s Raining Royals Book #1).  But I didn’t realize I needed to read it before I started The Bastard Prince …  Arnaud Launay and Sasha de Croy are our two main characters.  Arnaud is a plastic surgeon in Cannes, France and Sasha is primarily a journalist who is also researching a supposedly hidden kingdom located in central Europe for a book she plans on writing.   Sasha also has a medical condition that plays a prominent part in the story.  The story reads a little like The DaVinci Code in that it has a lot of research done by the main characters and a little action provided by the villain working against them.  A romance develops between the two of them and has challenges for them.  I believe I would have enjoyed this book more had I read the first one, but the story is interesting, and I wanted to know what happened to Arnaud and Sasha.  Read book 1, then enjoy reading this book.  There will be additional books in this series.  I received this book from BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. 

That Cowboy of Mine by Donna Grant

BLURB and LINKS

Another stunning cowboy novel from New York Times bestseller Donna Grant, That Cowboy of Mine!

Is he an enemy?

Dillon Young is proud that she inherited her aunt’s ranch. The problem: someone is trying to run her off and is willing to do whatever it takes. Strange, dangerous things keep happening. Dillion suspects her no-good neighbor and fellow wealthy rancher Hank Stephens. Never a man to get his hands dirty, he sends others to get the job done. So, when the irresistible Cal Bennett is found passed out drunk on her property, Dillion is on high alert. Until someone takes a shot at her and Cal springs to her rescue. When the hard-bodied, no-nonsense-talking cowboy points out that she may need some help, Dillion is inclined to reluctantly agree.

Or a lover?

Waking up on a stranger’s property with a shotgun in his face is not Cal Bennett’s idea of a good time. Never mind that the person on the other end of the barrel is one of the most fiercely beautiful women he has ever seen. Things get more interesting when he finds himself shielding her from flying bullets. It’s clear that this smart, savvy woman could use a hand and Cal is all too happy to lend any part of his body she requires. His proposal: pose as lovers until they find out who is after her ranch. As the danger rises and secrets are revealed, the passion explodes between them and there is no turning back.

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That Cowboy of Mine by Donna Grant

5 Stars

A great story!

This is a stand-alone contemporary romance.  Main characters Cal Bennet and Dillon Young are both well developed, showing us natural human traits and failings.  Set in ranching country, we first meet Cal, who awakens after having passed out while drinking, but he’s in the middle of nowhere.  He’s found by Dillon, who is searching her property for a missing show horse.  This starts the mystery, which is a very large part of the story.  Cal and Dillion are strangers to each other, and this gives the plot lots of conflict.  There is romance also but is mostly secondary to the multiple questions that arise from the search for the missing horse.  Donna Grant has written 2 other series set in Texas with cowboys as the main characters, but this book is set in a new location.  That Cowboy of Mine is marked as a Christmas book, but it starts in the fall and continues on through the New Year.  I enjoyed this book very much, and don’t hesitate to recommend it for anyone who enjoys Contemporary Romance and Western Themes.  I was given this book through NetGalley and also the author and this is my honest opinion.

Least Likely Two: A Second Chance Later in Life Romantic Comedy (Better Than Ever Book 1) by Jill Westwood

4 Stars

High School rivalry into adult confusion.

Hollister Moran and Ben Rose were co-Valedictorians at their High School 25 years ago.  Hollister didn’t like Ben for a number of reasons.  Now, they have a rocky reconnection at their Class Reunion.  Both have become successful adults.   The story moves on from that point.  I didn’t particularly like Hollister, she may show compassion to her small circle of friends, but none to others, especially Ben.  Ben doesn’t realize how much Hollister disliked him in school, but he tries to bridge this divide between them.

I liked the concept of the story, but between Hollister’s continuing to try and keep her better self from coming out, and how the middle part of the book seemed to drag on and on, I couldn’t wait to get to the end.  The writing and editing are good.  I do plan on reading the next book in this series, and hope that if Hollister appears in this next book that her character is much less negative.  I received an ARC of this book through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

If I Could Turn Back Time (Time Travel Book 2) by Mary Frame

4 Stars

Time Travel or Paranormal Story?

We meet Amelia Peters, who is the daughter of two now deceased paranormal investigators.  The role her parents have played in Amelia’s life is covered more than once, with Amelia having decided that her parents were frauds.  She now inherits a small cabin, which she moves into.  The prior tenant of the cabin died there 5 years ago.  As Amelia spends time in the cabin, a mysterious man shows us, questions her as to why she is in his cabin, and then disappears.  This happens several times, and Amelia finds out his name is Grey, who is completely real and solid to her touch.  And he is also the prior tenant.  The author weaves an interesting story of this couple and what Amelia does to find out what happened to Grey in the past.  I enjoyed the book, but it took me 75-100 pages to get into the story.  Mary Frame gives the time travel aspect of the book a plausible explanation, and it’s well written.  And she gives Amelia back some of the lost faith in her parents.  I was given an ARC of this book to read, and this is my honest opinion.

Any Witch Way But Goode: A Cozy Paranormal Mystery by Michelle M. Pillow

4 Stars

Continuing the story from the first book

This book follows the first one, giving us more of the story of Lily, Dante, Mira, Aunt Polly, and Nolan.  It’s well-written, and has an interesting plot, but I still don’t particularly like Lily.   Her character hasn’t grown any, while the other most important character, the wolf shifter Nolan, has now moved into the “boyfriend” category – maybe.  I enjoyed reading it, but it frustrated me with how Lily can’t (or won’t) make a decision and stick to it.  Reading the first book, Better Haunts and Garden Gnomes will help with understanding this book.  I received a copy of the book from the author through BookSprout and this is my honest opinion.

Beard with Me (Winston Brothers #6) Penny Reid

5 Stars

Oh my gosh….

I started reading Penny Reid with her Neanderthal books and have continued on with the Winston brothers series.  I have enjoyed each and every book…. until this one.  This one is hard, and full of hurts.  But as a middle of the series book that is actually a prequel, it explains a lot of the hurts that happen in the other books.  This deals with Billy Winston, brother two of the six boys, and Scarlett St. Clare.  Scarlett is the daughter of the head of the Iron Wraiths Motorcycle Club and is nothing like her parents.  We’ve met both of them in the other books, and while this story fills in a lot of the blanks, it was difficult for me to read.  Penny tells us in the beginning that the book isn’t going to end happily and that it can be skipped. I wish I could have skipped it, but I’m invested in the entire interconnected series.  I had to know the details of some of the things that were alluded to in other books.  I did have to skip a section-I just couldn’t bear to read what I knew was going to happen… that being said, this is a great book.  Penny Reid does a wonderful job of conveying emotions for her characters, specific to each character she writes.  I will say don’t read this book unless you’ve read the prior Winston brothers books.  But this book will give you hope for both Billy and Scarlett, that each will live on stronger because of their pasts.

The Long-Forgotten Winter King (The Guild Codex: Unveiled Book 2) by Annette Marie

5 Stars

What a story!

Annette Marie has written another fantastic book! Exciting and intriguing, this is more Saber and Rikr’s tale, with a bit of Zak and Lallakai. I didn’t care much for Saber’s character in the first book and that didn’t change until about halfway through this one. But Annette Marie writes such compelling characters, that each are both good and bad and weak and strong – in the end the reader can’t help but feel for each of them. Well done! And I’m waiting anxiously for Book 3. As always, this book is well written, with great character development. Read the prior books for the best experience

How to Love Your Neighbor by Sophie Sullivan

5 Stars

What a great story!

This is the first book I’ve read by Sophie Sullivan, but it won’t be the last.  How to Love Your Neighbor is book 2 in the series.  Grace Travis has inherited a house from her grandmother.  But she hasn’t been able to move into it due to attending school for interior design, and everything else in her life.  Noah Jansen is her next-door neighbor, whom she hasn’t met.  He wants to purchase the empty house so he can expand his property.  Grace and Noah meet before they realize they are neighbors, and both have an instant attraction, but don’t plan on pursuing it.  When Grace finally moves in, and Noah offers to purchase her new home, the differences in their lives become apparent.

  This well written book takes us on the journey of these two people, who could have an instant friendship; that actually starts out adversarial, and then becomes a working relationship for both.  This book made me feel good-that the main characters were people whom I like and were hoping that they could move past the expectations that they had to become more…better people, better friends, and truly connected.  The story is complete, and if you don’t read the first book, that won’t matter.  But now having read book 1, this second book is even better. 

  I received and ARC of the book through NetGallery from St. Martin’s Press.  This is my honest opinion.