Tag: Romance

Right on Cue by Falon Ballard

5 Stars

Her first love

The book starts out with our MFC Emmy (Emilia) Harper and her best friend/director Liz attempting to find an actress to play the lead in Emmy’s screenplay of her bestselling book.  She ends up taking the part herself since none who have auditioned do as good of a job as she does when tested with the actors auditioning for the male lead.  Emmy hasn’t acted in over 10 years and is still upset about the circumstances of her first, and only, acting role.  She’s worried, but not about working with the actor who will play opposite her, as they are friends.  But on the day before shooting is to start at a small country inn, she runs into Grayson West, who is the cause of Emmy’s destroyed acting career because of comments he made about her during the filming of their first roles 10 years ago when they were both teenagers.  From this first meeting, anytime they are together on screen everyone can tell neither has moved past that first movie. 

  From this beginning the story moves through hostility, anger, and disrespect until Liz has had enough of the childishness and pulls them both in and gives them an ultimatum- work together or the film won’t get made. From this point on, Falon Ballard does a wonderful job of letting us see how Emmy copes.  The road to the end of the book is not all smooth sailing though, but we get the ending readers deserve.

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

Dragon Frost: A Dragon Kings Novella (Dragon Kings #6.5) by Donna Grant

5 Stars

The Fae Realm

This short novella from Donna Grant revisits Constantine and Rhiannon.  They are still on Zora, and on Earth, Winter is approaching.  Rhiannon is a Fae and feels her emotions deeply.  She missis Earth and the turning of the seasons.  Constantine knows this, and this is the story of how he shows his love and appreciation of her.

This is a well written novella, which showcases two of the main characters of Donna Grant’s Dark Universe.  The characters are true to their written personalities which makes this an enjoyable read. 

I was given an ARC of the novella by Donna Grant through BookFunnel and this is my honest opinion. 

A Christmas Miracle in the Little Irish Village by Michelle Vernal

3.5 rounded to 4 Stars

More about the twins than the couple.

I wanted to read this book because of the setting being in Ireland.  And it is, in what anyone not from Ireland, exactly how you’d picture it.  Our three main characters are Grace and Ava Kelly and Shane Egan.  Grace and Ava have left the village of Emerald Bay a year ago for the bright lights, big city of London.  Ava broke up with Shane before she left because he wouldn’t leave the village to go with her.  Shane is part of his family’s business, a fisherman who believes that he can’t leave his father and brothers.  Neither Ava or Shane have moved on, even though Grace is pushing Ava to forget Shane, and Shane had told Ava there was no coming back to him.  This is the basic setup for the book, which take place just before Christmas.  I felt the story of Ava and Shane was resolved fairly quickly and satisfactorily, but this creates another problem for the pair, and this part of the story seemed to take a long time to be resolved. 

The book is well written with good main characters and supporting characters, with no noticeable grammatical errors.  The plotline seems to drag in places, which is why my rating is 3.5 Stars, rounded up to 4 stars.  An enjoyable book, but not enough conflict or tension. 

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

Two Scandals and a Scot (Duchess Society Book 5) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

More Duchess Society fun

This book is fun, but not nearly as compelling as the prior books.  Our story starts out with Theodosia Astley, who is the Duke of Leighton’s (from Book 2) sister.  She’s about to marry, when she finds out the bridegroom isn’t what she wants.  She runs, but not too far, into a waiting coach.  The coach belongs to Dashiell Campbell, a self-made man and former pickpocket and current card sharp, author, and friend and partner in the gaming hell of Xander Macauley (from Book 3).  Though the book is well written, it doesn’t have the sharpness and details of the prior books.  Both of the characters could have been more developed, and the overall plotting is not as detailed as in the other books.  Still, it is a very enjoyable book that I enjoyed reading.  I’m looking forward to additional books in the Duchess Society.  I was given and ARC of the book through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. 

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings

3 Stars

Well written, but …

This book is well written story of Indira and Jude who haven’t gotten along.  I had a difficult time reading this, the characters didn’t mesh with other characters nor made me want to know what was going to happen between them.  The book seemed to go on and on even though it’s just over 300 pages.  I found out after reading it that it is the third book in a series, so maybe that’s why I really didn’t enjoy it.  I didn’t find it romantic but more realistic in how all the characters are.  If you’ve read Mazey Eddings other books and enjoyed them, you’ll probably enjoy this one, but for me there were too many things going on that had me questioning the main characters.  I was given and ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion. 

The Grumpy Count (It’s Raining Royals Book 4) (What the Royals Want: Book 1) by Alix Nichols

4 Stars

Interesting take on a play

This book is part of a larger series where members of a Royal family of a very small country are trying to find keys that will, when all 9 are found, save the country from being absorbed by France.  We meet Count Jonas d’Alenq and his young son Matteo.  He’s providing the location for an audience participation play of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and because of this, he is now Mr. Darcy in it. One of the secondary characters in the play is Caroline Bingley who is played by a somewhat feminist name Margot Nolan.  Both are good actors even though Jonas is performing for the first time.  But the two don’t see eye to eye, and there are some negative feelings between the two.                                                                                                 

  If you’ve read the other books in the It’s Raining Royals series, you’ll know that one of the family is seen in a vision as the next to search for the key needed by the family, and that is Jonas.  He doesn’t trust anyone, especially Margot.  But his inner feelings keep pushing him toward her.  In comparing the prior books to this one, they have much more action and mystery happening but in The Grumpy Count, this isn’t the case.  It’s a change but not for the worse, the story is enjoyable, and the circumstances seem plausible.  Alix Nichols has done a great job of defining and fleshing out her main characters, and the reader cannot help but root for them.  Well written, with no grammatical errors, and a satisfying conclusion.  I am looking forward to reading the next book.  I was given and ARC by the publisher and BookSirens and this is my honest opinion. 

The Prospector’s Only Prospect by Dani Collins

5 Stars

Ready for a second book.

This is the first book I’ve read by Dani Collins, and I really enjoyed it.  The two main characters, Marigold Davis and Virgil Gardner are both well developed and have a likability that made this book such fun.  Marigold is a divorcee which is almost unheard of in 1859.  Her life since her husband divorced her has been horrible so she decides to leave St. Louis and accept being a mail order bride (replacing her sister) in Denver City in the Territory of Kansas.  The intended husband is Virgil who has just found out he has to take the 3 children from his now deceased wife.  Neither of them really want to marry, and so when they finally meet both decide to have Marigold be the housekeeper/nanny.  After the days Marigold has spent on a stagecoach to reach Denver City, Virgil takes her even further into the wilderness.  The story that progresses from there is well written, with plausible situations occurring.  The mining camp makes for an interesting backdrop, along with the “home” that has been built for Virgil and the 3 kids.  There is quite a bit of tension, along with a continuing series of choices for both Marigold and Virgil.  If you enjoy romances, this book is a winner.  Hoping Dani Collins continues with the many characters that are in the background in this one.  I was given an ARC of the book by the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion. 

Take the Lead: A Dance Off Novel by Alexis Daria

4 Stars

Is this really how this works?

If you’ve read the other reviews, you’ll know this is the author’s version of a TV reality show like Dancing with the Stars.  Stone Nielson has been in his family’s realty show set in the Alaskan wilderness (not too wild) for years and plays his part in it as a strong, quiet, survivalist.  He’s roped into another realty show called The Dance Off and partnered with a 4-year veteran of the show who’s never won named Gina Morales who is Puerto Rican via New York City.  The show’s producers want them to fake a budding romance during the series.  The writing of the book follows the course of the show with good descriptions of what goes into making a realty series.  I’m not a fan of most reality-based shows, so I can’t say how accurate the book is, but the author knows how to make this read like it is how everything works.  At 362 pages, it dragged for me, but I did enjoy the mechanics of both The Dance Off and Living Wild.  Alexis Daria does a great job of giving both characters interesting personalities, who do grow as the story progresses.  If you’re a fan of any reality show you will enjoy the story.  I was given an ARC of the book by NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

Pride and Puppies by Lizzie Shane

5 Stars

Only barely like “Pride and Prejudice”

The heroine of this book is Dr. Charlotte Rodriguez, who is a huge fan of Jane Austen, especially of Pride and Prejudice.  So much so that nearly everything she says is either from the book, or about the book, or comparing to the book.  Which means when she dates, she compares the man to Fitzwilliam Darcy.  And no man has come close to being “her” Mr. Darcy.  Working with Charlotte in the same medical center in the small town of Pine Hollow, Vermont is George Leneghan, a physical therapist who is originally from Colorado.  He’s moved to this small town to start over, leaving his home and his sisters behind.  All he has is his dog Duke for support.  He is a giver and has had a crush on Charlotte since he arrived 2 years ago.  This is a very sweet story, with a lot of moving parts.  It is well-written, with well-developed characters and plot line.  One small thing that bothered me during my read was that Charlotte, who is a medical doctor, comes across as someone who isn’t sure of herself, which I find hard to believe in a profession that requires such a large amount of confidence.  George is the nicest person, doing things for everyone else but himself.  Those two bits made the story seem to go on and on…. sometimes less can be more.  But Lizzie Shane writes a great story, and overall, the story is very well done.  I did not realize that this is part of a series, so I will be reading the other books; this can be read as a standalone with no problem.  I received an ARC of the book from NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion. 

Dashing Mr. Snow by Alexis Winter

5 Stars

Office romance

What a fun holiday book!  We meet Sadie Emmert first, about 3 years ago as she is starting a new job out of college.  The group of new hires is attending a new hire orientation, and the CEO sees her and decides to speak to the group.  Alex Snow is about in his early 30s, and is considered unfriendly and intimidating.  Sadie settles into her job, enjoying work, but not so much her personal life.  Now, 3 years into her career, she’s asked to take paperwork to the CEO for signatures that his assistant forgot in the assistant’s rush to leave for the weekend.  And this is where the story takes off and becomes a fun read.  I enjoyed reading about the increasing friendship between the two, and how Alex Snow is such an un-typical boss.  Alexis Winter has written a well though-out story, with no errors.  The characters are both fun and detailed.  A great holiday read!  I was given an ARC of this book from the author through BookSprout and this is my honest opinion.