Tag: Romance

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. 

A Royal for Christmas (It’s Raining Royals Book 4) by Alix Nichols

4 Stars

Changing life circumstances

It’s a month to Christmas, and we meet Camille Mussey, sister to the dead Jeanette Mussey who was accused of arson, and is the poorest person in the country of Mount Evor.  She is an outcast because of her sister, and a witch.  She’s working as a pantomime for pocket change.  One of the Royals, Marquess Louis-Philibert de Valois is grandson of the Duke of Arrago, is sent to collect her, and bring her to the ducal estate.  This sets up the story that takes place over the Christmas season.  Camille’s character isn’t the most likable one in this series, but she is smart.  Louis might be a playboy.  Unlike the prior books, this one doesn’t involve finding a key, but some loose ends may, or may not, be tied up with this story.  I enjoyed reading A Royal for Christmas and am looking forward to the next book.  I received this book from BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle

4 Stars

Enjoyed the ending.

I started reading this, and the main character, Bettie Hughes, is an absolutely horrible person.  She is self-obsessed and feels she is entitled to everything she wants.  As the book goes on, the author explains Bettie’s reasoning for feeling this way, but she continued to be such a whiney, revenge driven person, I almost decided to stop reading.  But upon the introduction of the Holiday Spirit, I wanted to see what would happen to Bettie since Hall (the Holiday Spirit’s earthly name given him by Bettie) is such a giving person.  I don’t want to give away the story, so I will only say that after Hall’s arrival, the plotline starts to make a slow climb to acceptable.  By the end of the book, I was glad I had continued reading.  I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion. 

A Guide to Being Just Friends (Jensen Brothers, #3) by Sophie Sullivan

4 Stars

Enjoyed the book.

I really enjoyed reading the first two books in the Jensen brothers’ series and anticipated reading this one.  In it, we meet Wes Jensen, the oldest brother, who has decided to join his 2 brothers by moving to the West Coast from New York.  But where Chris and Noah have a good outlook on life, Wes’ is more pragmatic and because of this he doesn’t believe in relationships and love.  Our second main character is Hailey Sharp who is open to new experiences even though she just went through a bad breakup.  She doesn’t want to rebound back into a serious relationship, so when she meets Wes, who tells her clearly that he only wants to be friends, she agrees to being his friend.  After this start, the books seemed to take a long time in telling us the readers that they were fine as being just friends, but in their minds that they might want more.  Finally, by the end of the book, Sophie Sullivan allows us to see how the two friends truly feel.  This is a well-written book, with fully developed characters.  It’s also book 3, and the author does allow characters from the first two books to be part of this book, but if you’ve read the first two, they are welcome additions to this book.  Question is will Sophie Sullivan give us the story of the 4th sibling, a sister who is still in New York?  This book can be read as a standalone, but for the best experience, read Ten Rules for Faking It and How to Love Your Neighbor: A Novel first.  I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.

The Ice Duchess (The Duchess Society #0.5) by Tracy Sumner

4 Stars

Short but good.

At only about 100 pages, this is a quick read, a prequel to the series.  We meet the main character Georgiana Whitcomb, Countess Winterbourne who is also known as the Ice Countess.  She says she’ll never marry again, after her husband dies.  Along with her friend, Lady Hildegard Templeton, they have created the Duchess Society to help young women make advantageous matches for themselves.  Enter Dexter Munro, the future Duke of Markham, who has made a promise to his dying father to marry in less than 12 days, by Twelfth Night.   This is a fun read with well-developed characters and a solid story.  And a perfect lead into the next book in the series.  I was given an ARC of the book by BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.        

Just This Once (Chicago Billionaires Series) by Alexis Winter

5 Stars

For Adults Only!

This book is about Savannah Grace Monroe, a pretty brilliant young woman who becomes COO for Baxter Technologies.  The owner is Warren Bexley, CEO, who is 15 years her senior and unmarried.  When Savannah interviewed for the job, she is 26, but Warren decides she is the best person for the job.  4 years later, they are friends, but each is hiding an attraction to the other.  The story is well written, with fully developed characters.  Chapters alternate between Savannah and Warren, giving their points of view.  In addition to being and age-gap, boss and equal subordinate, the story introduces Savannah proposing a “Just Once” encounter, which changes their friendship.  And the author, to make this even more interesting adds blackmail to Warren’s plate. 

  I enjoyed this book very much, and my only issue is that it seemed to go on too long- I’d have suggested about 50 pages or so less of the back and forth between Savannah and Warren.  Other than my issue, the story is satisfying and complete.  I was given an ARC of the book through Booksprout, and this is my honest opinion. 

The Gunslinger’s Guide to Avoiding Matrimony by Michelle McLean

5 Stars

Desolation, book 2

Another fun Western, written by Michelle McLean.  We return to the small town of Desolation, that is so far off the beaten path, that almost no one arrives there.  Except former criminals.  Adam Brady is trying to outrun a Bounty Hunter, and he ambles into the town.  Once he starts looking around, he stumbles into Nora Schumacher, who’s nearly on the shelf, and is tall and plain.  And so, starts a very funny, sweet tale that has ups and downs, and enough angsts to bring tears to a reader’s eye.  Well worth reading, characters from Ms. McLean’s first book are found throughout this one, and they add to the story.  I hope there will be another book in the series.  I received an ARC of this book from the author through NetGalley, and this is my honest opinion.