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katemc7's reviews
1267 reviews
Off the Hook by Julie Olivia
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I legit LOVED this book! I had seen it in one of my local bookstores and after reading some reviews decided to dive in. Not going to lie the fact that this series is a play on Peter Pan had me extremely intrigued. I also liked the grump to sunshine, and brother's ex fiance- I mean that sounds scandalous in the juiciest way. And it all panned out. This book was PERFECTION! The chemistry between Jasper and Wendy was spot on- their banter was top chef. The surrounding characters really added to the story- side note- I can't wait to see who everyone ends up with. The setting was wonderful. I just couldn't say anything bad about this one. I felt myself smiling the whole time I was reading it (minus a few scenes including the "breakup"). I loved watching Jasper coming out of his shell like he was literally drawn to Wendy and her optimism. He had been grumpy due to all of the unknown and the tragedy that he had encountered. He determined the best way to not get hurt was to not let people in until Wendy.
Wendy is on the market for a summer job. She is a teacher in Never Harbor which gives her the summer free but she can't afford to not work. So her ex fiance, Peter, who she is still friends with recommends she nanny for his brother Jasper. His son Sam who is 6 and goes to Wendy's school needs supervision. Wendy kind of waves off the offer. Jasper is a bit of an illusion to her- he has always been around since she has known Peter and his family but he has also never really been there. Then she gets the text- the offer to work for him for the summer- and she can't help but laugh at the nonexistent punctuation involved and finds herself saying yes. She doesn't understand how she never realized that Jasper is HOT. He works on boats all day and is a legit captain but she finds herself more captivated by his forearms that show up and the way that he is around Sam. He is so rigid. He feels like he is a ball about to explode. So Wendy starts pushing ever so slightly with him just to see what will happen. And magical things start to happen. She hears him laugh. Sees a stunning smile. Gets invited over for dinner. Starts thinkings wonderfully inappropriate thoughts about her boss. And even beyond that he starts opening up to her about his life. Gives her a nickname. Makes her shiver and melt in the best way. But where could this possibly go? She is untouchable. She is his brother's ex fiance. She wonders what could have happened if she had picked Jasper first but then they are caught and now she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to lose the only family she has ever known, but she also can't lose Jasper and Sam. Will they be able to make it through the turmoil together? Or will Jasper let her go without a fight?
Jasper is a little rigid some might say. He has rules and nets of safety for a reason. If he has rules for Sam, he can't get hurt. He can better control things. He can keep order and then not get hurt. But all of that is thrown out the window when Wendy starts nannying for him. It's like she has invaded his space. At first, she makes no attempts with him. She is all wild child with Sam and writing stories but as soon as he gets home she says bye and leaves. Which shouldn't irk him because that is her job but see it does irk him. Why doesn't her get to see her lovely smile? Or hear her stories? So he does the unthinkable, he throws a lifeline out. He starts talking with her. He invites her to dinner. He helps her without her asking. He kisses her and wants to do more. He can't stop thinking about her. He finds himself joining family dinners again. He finds himself wanting to ALLL of the things to make Wendy smile. He forgets who she is- she is his brother's ex fiance. But she is also his Little Bird. And he is not willing to just let her walk away after they are caught. He is ready to stand up for what he wants and believes in. But is she?
I like how this book addressed grief and the struggles of parenting. What do you tell children when bad things happen? Is it better to just not acknowledge it? I have found myself as a parent asking these very things. I loved how Wendy gave Jasper the freedom to feel like no matter what he is making the right decision because he is making it for Sam and that's what counts. The buildup in this one was almost unbearable but when it combusted it was HOT. I can't wait to read the rest of these- and if Peter and Tink work out- the world will be a better place LOL. If you haven't picked this one up- I highly recommend it!!
Wendy is on the market for a summer job. She is a teacher in Never Harbor which gives her the summer free but she can't afford to not work. So her ex fiance, Peter, who she is still friends with recommends she nanny for his brother Jasper. His son Sam who is 6 and goes to Wendy's school needs supervision. Wendy kind of waves off the offer. Jasper is a bit of an illusion to her- he has always been around since she has known Peter and his family but he has also never really been there. Then she gets the text- the offer to work for him for the summer- and she can't help but laugh at the nonexistent punctuation involved and finds herself saying yes. She doesn't understand how she never realized that Jasper is HOT. He works on boats all day and is a legit captain but she finds herself more captivated by his forearms that show up and the way that he is around Sam. He is so rigid. He feels like he is a ball about to explode. So Wendy starts pushing ever so slightly with him just to see what will happen. And magical things start to happen. She hears him laugh. Sees a stunning smile. Gets invited over for dinner. Starts thinkings wonderfully inappropriate thoughts about her boss. And even beyond that he starts opening up to her about his life. Gives her a nickname. Makes her shiver and melt in the best way. But where could this possibly go? She is untouchable. She is his brother's ex fiance. She wonders what could have happened if she had picked Jasper first but then they are caught and now she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to lose the only family she has ever known, but she also can't lose Jasper and Sam. Will they be able to make it through the turmoil together? Or will Jasper let her go without a fight?
Jasper is a little rigid some might say. He has rules and nets of safety for a reason. If he has rules for Sam, he can't get hurt. He can better control things. He can keep order and then not get hurt. But all of that is thrown out the window when Wendy starts nannying for him. It's like she has invaded his space. At first, she makes no attempts with him. She is all wild child with Sam and writing stories but as soon as he gets home she says bye and leaves. Which shouldn't irk him because that is her job but see it does irk him. Why doesn't her get to see her lovely smile? Or hear her stories? So he does the unthinkable, he throws a lifeline out. He starts talking with her. He invites her to dinner. He helps her without her asking. He kisses her and wants to do more. He can't stop thinking about her. He finds himself joining family dinners again. He finds himself wanting to ALLL of the things to make Wendy smile. He forgets who she is- she is his brother's ex fiance. But she is also his Little Bird. And he is not willing to just let her walk away after they are caught. He is ready to stand up for what he wants and believes in. But is she?
I like how this book addressed grief and the struggles of parenting. What do you tell children when bad things happen? Is it better to just not acknowledge it? I have found myself as a parent asking these very things. I loved how Wendy gave Jasper the freedom to feel like no matter what he is making the right decision because he is making it for Sam and that's what counts. The buildup in this one was almost unbearable but when it combusted it was HOT. I can't wait to read the rest of these- and if Peter and Tink work out- the world will be a better place LOL. If you haven't picked this one up- I highly recommend it!!
Wild Scottish Beauty by Tricia O'Malley
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This was a solid 3.5 stars for me. I enjoyed the story. I liked listening to the narrators. I had a little bit of a hard time with the female narrator at times- she was a little tinny for me. But the male narrator had the Scottish accent down PAT. It was HOT LOL. This is noted as a standalone but being the series addict that I am, I do feel like I would have benefitted from reading the others. There is some history between the characters and the magic and the village that seemed to come in other books. I did like the brother's BF trope since that is a favorite of mine. I also seem to be reading a lot of grumpy x sunshine which is in this one as well. Throw in a beautiful town in Scotland, a castle, a kitten and magical powers and that is this book! The reason it wasn't a full 4 stars was the dragging of the plot in my opinion. There was a LOT of buildup- nothing happened between the two MCs until about 75% and then we find out there are these magical powers but nothing really happened with them. Maybe there is more information on them in previous books. I did like the banter and the other characters and went ahead and bought the other books to get a little more understanding. There is definitely a lot of potential here.
Willow has hit rock bottom- or so she thinks. She was swindled out of her savings for her boyfriend who also cheated on her with their assistant. She is now living with her brother and dad back in Minnesota trying to figure out how she can get into the fashion industry again. After some back and forth she ends up landing a job under a famous kiltmaker at a castle in Scotland. Little does she know that of all people, she is supposed to be working for Ramsey McMillan, her brother's BF and the same guy she has been crushing on since she was a teenager. It is ok though- she can put her big girl pants on and get over her school girl crush. But then he is so rude to her. Not welcoming. Not wanting to work with her. But then he helps her unexpectedly and she realizes there is a big softy under all of the grunting. So she makes it her mission to rain all of her sunshine down on him to get him to open up to their plan. While also ignoring the way her body responds to him or the fact that she has found out she has magical powers that involve talking to a kitten. Or how she is now imagining her life here in Loren Brae not just as a successful business partner but a true partner to Ramsey but the question is will he get over himself enough to tell her how he really feels? Or will he grunt and grumble his way out of his forever person?
Ramsey is perfectly happy running his business how he has been. He sees two clients a day. He does not allow walkins. He responds to emails when he can. He does all of this for the experience. He wants his clients to feel special in their kiltmaking process. But when Sophie, the owner of the castle where he works, pitches get him a summer intern, he caves and says yes. Little did he know that said intern is Willow Barlowe, his best mate;s little sister, who is in fact all grown up now and drop dead gorgeous. To avoid acknowledging the thoughts he is having, he pushes her away by giving her an attitude and not welcoming her. But that isn't really who he is. So when she needs help unexpectedly, he drops everything and is there for her. And slowly but surely something starts to bloom between them. He finds himself talking about things he hasn't talked about in a while to anyone. He finds himself absorbing her rainbows and sunshine and becoming addicted. But he keeps reminding himself who she is and that he can't go there, but when she announces that she is going on a date- all bets are off.
This was a VERY slow burn with a great payoff at the end. I love watching the grumps slowly unravel for their ladies. It is so fun and exhilarating to see how people can affect each other. There are elements of magic and fantasy in this but again they didn't pan out how I thought they would. I am hoping more will come of that in future books. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a cute, fast read/listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Willow has hit rock bottom- or so she thinks. She was swindled out of her savings for her boyfriend who also cheated on her with their assistant. She is now living with her brother and dad back in Minnesota trying to figure out how she can get into the fashion industry again. After some back and forth she ends up landing a job under a famous kiltmaker at a castle in Scotland. Little does she know that of all people, she is supposed to be working for Ramsey McMillan, her brother's BF and the same guy she has been crushing on since she was a teenager. It is ok though- she can put her big girl pants on and get over her school girl crush. But then he is so rude to her. Not welcoming. Not wanting to work with her. But then he helps her unexpectedly and she realizes there is a big softy under all of the grunting. So she makes it her mission to rain all of her sunshine down on him to get him to open up to their plan. While also ignoring the way her body responds to him or the fact that she has found out she has magical powers that involve talking to a kitten. Or how she is now imagining her life here in Loren Brae not just as a successful business partner but a true partner to Ramsey but the question is will he get over himself enough to tell her how he really feels? Or will he grunt and grumble his way out of his forever person?
Ramsey is perfectly happy running his business how he has been. He sees two clients a day. He does not allow walkins. He responds to emails when he can. He does all of this for the experience. He wants his clients to feel special in their kiltmaking process. But when Sophie, the owner of the castle where he works, pitches get him a summer intern, he caves and says yes. Little did he know that said intern is Willow Barlowe, his best mate;s little sister, who is in fact all grown up now and drop dead gorgeous. To avoid acknowledging the thoughts he is having, he pushes her away by giving her an attitude and not welcoming her. But that isn't really who he is. So when she needs help unexpectedly, he drops everything and is there for her. And slowly but surely something starts to bloom between them. He finds himself talking about things he hasn't talked about in a while to anyone. He finds himself absorbing her rainbows and sunshine and becoming addicted. But he keeps reminding himself who she is and that he can't go there, but when she announces that she is going on a date- all bets are off.
This was a VERY slow burn with a great payoff at the end. I love watching the grumps slowly unravel for their ladies. It is so fun and exhilarating to see how people can affect each other. There are elements of magic and fantasy in this but again they didn't pan out how I thought they would. I am hoping more will come of that in future books. I would recommend this one if you are looking for a cute, fast read/listen.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
My Royal Showmance by Lexi Blake
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I have been wanting to read this series because of the covers even though I know in my heart of hearts to not judge a book by it's cover but come on who doesn't do it?? Anyways I would give this a solid 3 stars. Even though it is a standalone and can be read as a standalone, I do feel like I was missing some context from not reading book 1. Everything seemed to move very fast in these which made it a little harder for me to connect to the characters hence the three stars. I did like the idea of having this on a show like the Bachelor including the small blurbs from all of the characters about their dates. I haven't read anything like that in a book before.
Anika has been recruited by her boss to see if some rumors involving the director of an upcoming love show. It involves a king of a very small European country finding his soulmate on live tv. She is stepping down from her current position to do this and has signed an NDA so can't discuss with her friends. She decides to go out with her friends to celebrate her last night of freedom which is when she meets Luca and has the most amazing night of her life. She shows up on set the next day a little sad because she realizes that nothing could have come from Luca and ends up getting recruited to now be a show contestant since one of them called out. When she walks out of her carriage dressed up like a princess with her marching orders of get kicked off the show, she sees none other than Luca. Yes the same Luca with whom she can't stop thinking about. The same Luca who happens to also be the King of Ralavia. She is shocked! She does her part and tries to get kicked off but Luca surprises her and keeps her on. And now that they have gotten past the fact that she didn't know who he was when she met him, he proposes that she stay on and that they see where what they have goes. He is very up front with his expectations, and she lets him know that she doesn't know if it will work. But then he keeps coming to see her at night, and she realizes what kind of man he is. Can she get over what her expectations are to see if she could become a queen? Will he be able to prove he is the right man for her while on a contestant show full of other woman? And throughout this what happens if what she is investigating turns out to be true- will he believe her?
This was a fast, easy read. I liked the characters but again didn't feel like I was able to connect with them as I would have liked to. The spice was minimal and more closed door. I am on the fence about whether I will dive into book 1 or not.
Thank you to Valentine PR and Lexi for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Anika has been recruited by her boss to see if some rumors involving the director of an upcoming love show. It involves a king of a very small European country finding his soulmate on live tv. She is stepping down from her current position to do this and has signed an NDA so can't discuss with her friends. She decides to go out with her friends to celebrate her last night of freedom which is when she meets Luca and has the most amazing night of her life. She shows up on set the next day a little sad because she realizes that nothing could have come from Luca and ends up getting recruited to now be a show contestant since one of them called out. When she walks out of her carriage dressed up like a princess with her marching orders of get kicked off the show, she sees none other than Luca. Yes the same Luca with whom she can't stop thinking about. The same Luca who happens to also be the King of Ralavia. She is shocked! She does her part and tries to get kicked off but Luca surprises her and keeps her on. And now that they have gotten past the fact that she didn't know who he was when she met him, he proposes that she stay on and that they see where what they have goes. He is very up front with his expectations, and she lets him know that she doesn't know if it will work. But then he keeps coming to see her at night, and she realizes what kind of man he is. Can she get over what her expectations are to see if she could become a queen? Will he be able to prove he is the right man for her while on a contestant show full of other woman? And throughout this what happens if what she is investigating turns out to be true- will he believe her?
This was a fast, easy read. I liked the characters but again didn't feel like I was able to connect with them as I would have liked to. The spice was minimal and more closed door. I am on the fence about whether I will dive into book 1 or not.
Thank you to Valentine PR and Lexi for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Insatiable by Melanie Harlow
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I decided to pick this one back up because I want to finish this series before diving into her Runaway Love series and MAN was I NOT disappointed. This book was HOT yall!! I haven't read a lot of friends to lovers but man oh man did Melanie do this trope justice. Where there is normally a ton of development and questioning feelings, the friendship element here transformed into friends with benefits and eventually more and it just worked. The chemistry between these two was electric, and it was obvious that the only reason things hadn't happened before was because of how important Meg's friendship was to Noah. He didn't want anything serious and thought dabbling with her could ruin them. I loved that they had always been there for each other and that they could not talk for a minute and then pick up the phone and it was like no time had passed. Those are legit the BEST friends!
Meg is on the other side of a breakup with her BF of a few years and is realizing she isn't mad about it. It seems that they were only together at the end to be able to split the bills. Now she is headed home for her sisters wedding with no expectations beyond enjoying her time. She decides to reach out to her long time friend Noah who is a cop in town to let him know she is coming. She wants to hang out with him. She questions why she always seems to reach out to him when things aren't going well in her life but then decides to not go there. They are just friends. But after seeing each other, there is this odd chemistry she hasn't experienced with him before. There is a pull. She questions if he feels it too and then it is confirmed when he almost kisses her. And then it is in fact confirmed when she walks in on him naked from the shower and she makes the move. She can't help herself. I mean look at him. She isn't sensible with it BUT MAN is it worth it. She understands he doesn't want more. So they decide to keep things casual but she finds herself thnking about him a lot and factoring him into her future. What would it be like if she decided to move home? Would he freak out? Or would he recognize that what they are feeling is something big and it is real.
Noah is terrified of relationships. He saw how his parents went down. And since his dad was a copy, he doesn't want to put a woman through that. He hasn't ever really had an inkling to change that until Meg comes back into town and he starts to really NOTICE her. Like he has known her for forever an understands she is beautiful but now he has having to take care of himself in the shower to thoughts of her. He is wondering what she would taste like. How she would kiss. But he can't go there...can he? When she makes the first move, he can't hold back any longer and what they have together is EXPLOSIVE. So he has another first, she spends the night and he doesn't feel bad about it. He knows she knows what the rules are. This isn't going anywhere anyway. She is leaving after her sister's wedding. But now she drops the bomb that she has feelings and Noah freaks. Can he put aside his problems to make the right choice? Or will she move back home and not forgive him?
Yall the only other scene that is hotter than the kitchen scene with the handcuffs is one from A Court of Silver Flames. I mean DAMN! It was ridiculously hot. I just read that even Melanie rates it as one of her top three hottest scenes and I agree wholeheartedly. In all seriousness though, if you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend it. I have enjoyed all of the characters so far. And I feel like the writing is getting better in every book. I liked how both of these characters made each other better. Meg was so patient with Noah. She really was there for him and his family with no other reason than because she was a nice person. She wanted to make everything work and was willing to put herself out there to see if he did too which I appreciate.
I am looking forward to reading the next one about Sylvia.
Meg is on the other side of a breakup with her BF of a few years and is realizing she isn't mad about it. It seems that they were only together at the end to be able to split the bills. Now she is headed home for her sisters wedding with no expectations beyond enjoying her time. She decides to reach out to her long time friend Noah who is a cop in town to let him know she is coming. She wants to hang out with him. She questions why she always seems to reach out to him when things aren't going well in her life but then decides to not go there. They are just friends. But after seeing each other, there is this odd chemistry she hasn't experienced with him before. There is a pull. She questions if he feels it too and then it is confirmed when he almost kisses her. And then it is in fact confirmed when she walks in on him naked from the shower and she makes the move. She can't help herself. I mean look at him. She isn't sensible with it BUT MAN is it worth it. She understands he doesn't want more. So they decide to keep things casual but she finds herself thnking about him a lot and factoring him into her future. What would it be like if she decided to move home? Would he freak out? Or would he recognize that what they are feeling is something big and it is real.
Noah is terrified of relationships. He saw how his parents went down. And since his dad was a copy, he doesn't want to put a woman through that. He hasn't ever really had an inkling to change that until Meg comes back into town and he starts to really NOTICE her. Like he has known her for forever an understands she is beautiful but now he has having to take care of himself in the shower to thoughts of her. He is wondering what she would taste like. How she would kiss. But he can't go there...can he? When she makes the first move, he can't hold back any longer and what they have together is EXPLOSIVE. So he has another first, she spends the night and he doesn't feel bad about it. He knows she knows what the rules are. This isn't going anywhere anyway. She is leaving after her sister's wedding. But now she drops the bomb that she has feelings and Noah freaks. Can he put aside his problems to make the right choice? Or will she move back home and not forgive him?
Yall the only other scene that is hotter than the kitchen scene with the handcuffs is one from A Court of Silver Flames. I mean DAMN! It was ridiculously hot. I just read that even Melanie rates it as one of her top three hottest scenes and I agree wholeheartedly. In all seriousness though, if you haven't read this series yet, I highly recommend it. I have enjoyed all of the characters so far. And I feel like the writing is getting better in every book. I liked how both of these characters made each other better. Meg was so patient with Noah. She really was there for him and his family with no other reason than because she was a nice person. She wanted to make everything work and was willing to put herself out there to see if he did too which I appreciate.
I am looking forward to reading the next one about Sylvia.
The Reaping by Jess Lourey
dark
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I am giving this one a sold 3.5 stars. I can say with certainty that this can be read as a standalone. Being a series addict, I was erked that I did not read book 1 before this as there are some references that I did not understand. This was a good old school detective book with a touch of paranormal/horror. It had an added cult like feel as well. I enjoyed this one enough to pick up book 1 and be on the lookout for the next one in the series. There was a good dynamic between the two MCs that I enjoyed. They played well off each other when trying to crack this case. I also liked the added element of them being part of the BAU and working a cold case (that is my JAM).
Someone has been murdered in Alku. Minnesota. The key difference here is that the murder exactly replicates a family of five that was murdered 25 years ago. Harry and Evangeline are called to help how they can and after digging into a few things decide they are going to reopen the cold case to determine what happened to the family. The more they dig, the worse things look. There is a very weird vibe going on in this uber small town that doesn't accommodate outsiders or seem to let people leave like ever. Weird in the fact that children are missing one day but then have been found without anyone seeing them. Everyone seems to be covering something up but Harry and Van can't figure out what. Until they catch a break, they have witnesses that tell them of the true horror that is happening in this town. It is unspeakable and tragic and now that they know what they know, they have to find the missing children before it is too late.
Even though this is set in modern times, it felt a little different than your standard murder mystery police thriller. There was an old school aspect in my mind with Harry that stemmed from how he processed things. I would recommend this one! I am intrigued to learn more about Evangline in book 1.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Someone has been murdered in Alku. Minnesota. The key difference here is that the murder exactly replicates a family of five that was murdered 25 years ago. Harry and Evangeline are called to help how they can and after digging into a few things decide they are going to reopen the cold case to determine what happened to the family. The more they dig, the worse things look. There is a very weird vibe going on in this uber small town that doesn't accommodate outsiders or seem to let people leave like ever. Weird in the fact that children are missing one day but then have been found without anyone seeing them. Everyone seems to be covering something up but Harry and Van can't figure out what. Until they catch a break, they have witnesses that tell them of the true horror that is happening in this town. It is unspeakable and tragic and now that they know what they know, they have to find the missing children before it is too late.
Even though this is set in modern times, it felt a little different than your standard murder mystery police thriller. There was an old school aspect in my mind with Harry that stemmed from how he processed things. I would recommend this one! I am intrigued to learn more about Evangline in book 1.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Liar's Point by Laura Griffin
dark
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
This is the fifth book in this series and centers around Nicole and Emmett in the small town of Long Beach. It can be read as a standalone in all actuality. These two have been circling around each other since the first book. We have always known that Nicole has a crush on Emmett while he has been playing the field. I was really interested to see how this one panned out, and I thought that Laura did a great job. The buildup was perfect. The focus of the book is the murder and other strange things happening in the small town with a side focus being Nicole and Emmett. I like how the book ended with them being together and progressing quickly due to how long they have known each other. I read somewhere that this is the last one but am hoping that either isn't true or that there will be a spinoff!
Nicole has been stood up AGAIN. On Valentine's Day no less. And then while she is processing what has happened she gets a call about a body that has been found in a car by the beach. Things don't make sense about the scene though. Everyone is reading it as a suicide, but Nicole feels that they are missing something. More clues slowly start to show up that reveal it was in fact a murder. Nicole and her team immediately zero in on Cassandra who found the body. Nicole knows she isn't getting the whole story from her. So she starts working everything from scratch. Mid investigation she gets run down by a truck and injured. And who comes to her rescue? Emmett. The same Emmett who she has decided to move on from because she doesn't think it will ever happen. But then IT DOES! And now nothing will ever be the same. I mean they work in a small town police department. It can't happen again. But as the investigation unravels further and the picture gets bigger Nicole realizes she can't live without Emmett.
Emmett doesn't know what to do. He has been harboring feelings for Nicole for a long time but has never figure out when to make a move because she is so competitive with him. And now she has a boyfriend and he has to act like he is ok with everything. To distract himself, he focuses on the current investigation they are working together. The one where he is the lead and there is not a lot to go on. The one where Nicole has now been hurt and he finds himself not being able to stay away. The one where he realizes he wants to figure this out with her and make it work. The one where things aren't as they seem and as they continue to investigate, the players get big on a level that is outside of their jurisdiction. Will they be able to get justice before it is too late?
I listened to this on audible and wanted to thank NetGalley and DreamScape for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the narrator. I thought she did a good job with the voices. Emmett's was nice and scratchy for me LOL. I recommend this book and this series if you like a suspense/murder novel with a dash of romance on the side.
Nicole has been stood up AGAIN. On Valentine's Day no less. And then while she is processing what has happened she gets a call about a body that has been found in a car by the beach. Things don't make sense about the scene though. Everyone is reading it as a suicide, but Nicole feels that they are missing something. More clues slowly start to show up that reveal it was in fact a murder. Nicole and her team immediately zero in on Cassandra who found the body. Nicole knows she isn't getting the whole story from her. So she starts working everything from scratch. Mid investigation she gets run down by a truck and injured. And who comes to her rescue? Emmett. The same Emmett who she has decided to move on from because she doesn't think it will ever happen. But then IT DOES! And now nothing will ever be the same. I mean they work in a small town police department. It can't happen again. But as the investigation unravels further and the picture gets bigger Nicole realizes she can't live without Emmett.
Emmett doesn't know what to do. He has been harboring feelings for Nicole for a long time but has never figure out when to make a move because she is so competitive with him. And now she has a boyfriend and he has to act like he is ok with everything. To distract himself, he focuses on the current investigation they are working together. The one where he is the lead and there is not a lot to go on. The one where Nicole has now been hurt and he finds himself not being able to stay away. The one where he realizes he wants to figure this out with her and make it work. The one where things aren't as they seem and as they continue to investigate, the players get big on a level that is outside of their jurisdiction. Will they be able to get justice before it is too late?
I listened to this on audible and wanted to thank NetGalley and DreamScape for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the narrator. I thought she did a good job with the voices. Emmett's was nice and scratchy for me LOL. I recommend this book and this series if you like a suspense/murder novel with a dash of romance on the side.
The Way We Touch by Tia Louise
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was a really easy, fun and sweet read! It has a little bit of everything. There were some sports. There was some opposite ends of the tracks vibes. There was a cast of wonderful side characters including the 4 brothers that will continue the series. There was inspiration and overcoming difficult odds. There was spice and great chemistry with a budding romance that didn't fit the norm for either party. And of course there were small town shenanigans! I enjoyed this story and the buildup. I have a love/hate relationship with the third act breakups but guess what there wasn't one in this one! I am looking forward to this world unfolding more for us. Can't wait to meet the ladies that bring them down!
Logan Murphy doesn't know what to do with his life. He is wondering how he has found himself at dinner with his girlfriend (he thought at least) asking him for a threesome. He hasn't been happy in a while, and when his BF Garrett invites him to come down south for the summer. He finds himself accepting the offer with no expectations. He doesn't expect to meet her- Dylan Bradford, Garrett's little sister. The cutie who runs the family restaurant and keeps catching his eye. The woman he wants to learn more about and when he does, he is in even more awe of her and what she has been able to overcome. He has never dated anyone like her, but he finds himself wanting more. He wants to do the long distance thing while he goes to NY to play football. He wants to push himself to be the man she deserves. He wants to be along her side to celebrate her wins too. But is she ready for the fame that comes with his territory? Will he be able to accomplish the goal of MVP this season? Will they make it long distance after only knowing each other for a few weeks?
Dylan Bradford is happy. She has her restaurant. She has her friends and of course her brothers. She just got out of a relationship after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. She isn't looking for anything, but isn't that when things seem to find us? Now she finds herself thinking about Logan Murphy a lot. She finds herself looking for ways to run into him and to make him smile and give her that sexy smile. She finds herself breaking her rule of never dating a football player because how can she not when he makes her feel the way he does. But will she be able to handle the gossip that comes with the territory? Will they really make it after only knowing each other for such a short time? How long can they sustain long distance when there is no way she is leaving Alabama?
Like I said, this was an easy read. Perfect for summer! I can also see how the blurb read enemies to lovers but it was really just strangers to lovers with a twist of best friend's little sister. I can't wait for book to with Zane and Rachel- that is definitely going to be grumpy to sunshine. I also can't wait to meet Hendrix and learn more about him.
Thank you to Grey's Promotions, the Author Agency and Tia for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Logan Murphy doesn't know what to do with his life. He is wondering how he has found himself at dinner with his girlfriend (he thought at least) asking him for a threesome. He hasn't been happy in a while, and when his BF Garrett invites him to come down south for the summer. He finds himself accepting the offer with no expectations. He doesn't expect to meet her- Dylan Bradford, Garrett's little sister. The cutie who runs the family restaurant and keeps catching his eye. The woman he wants to learn more about and when he does, he is in even more awe of her and what she has been able to overcome. He has never dated anyone like her, but he finds himself wanting more. He wants to do the long distance thing while he goes to NY to play football. He wants to push himself to be the man she deserves. He wants to be along her side to celebrate her wins too. But is she ready for the fame that comes with his territory? Will he be able to accomplish the goal of MVP this season? Will they make it long distance after only knowing each other for a few weeks?
Dylan Bradford is happy. She has her restaurant. She has her friends and of course her brothers. She just got out of a relationship after catching her boyfriend cheating on her. She isn't looking for anything, but isn't that when things seem to find us? Now she finds herself thinking about Logan Murphy a lot. She finds herself looking for ways to run into him and to make him smile and give her that sexy smile. She finds herself breaking her rule of never dating a football player because how can she not when he makes her feel the way he does. But will she be able to handle the gossip that comes with the territory? Will they really make it after only knowing each other for such a short time? How long can they sustain long distance when there is no way she is leaving Alabama?
Like I said, this was an easy read. Perfect for summer! I can also see how the blurb read enemies to lovers but it was really just strangers to lovers with a twist of best friend's little sister. I can't wait for book to with Zane and Rachel- that is definitely going to be grumpy to sunshine. I also can't wait to meet Hendrix and learn more about him.
Thank you to Grey's Promotions, the Author Agency and Tia for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Leather & Lark by Brynne Weaver
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was SOOO excited to realize my Barnes & Noble preorder shipped and was delivered earlyđ I have been waiting for this book since I finished Butcher & Blackbird and let me tell you it did NOT disappoint. To start, I laughed out loud at the trigger warnings Byrne put on the first pageâŚespecially the pizza one HAHA. This was dark and delicious. We had grumpy to sunshine with Lachlan. We had a BA FMC with Lark. We had family power pulling strings in the background. The buildup between these two was perfectly done. I LOVED their âmeet cuteâ and how it haunted their relationship for two years before they found themselves in a situation they couldnât get out of without getting married. I LOVED Lachlan realizing how wrong he had been about Lark and how he told her that in no unspoken terms he wanted more with her but he wanted her forgiveness first. And the way he took care of her đŽâđ¨ it was swoon worthy.
Lark has a secret NO ONE knows. Not even her BF who is in fact a serial killer knows that Lark also dabbles in murder on the side. She only kills those that she has proven are irredeemable. She finds herself in a sticky situation where she has to call a cleaning crew and the man guy is a straight up d*ck to her. She manages to walk away with her dignity but will never forget him. So she is stunned to learn that he is none other than Lachlan Kane. Her best friendâs boyfriend. The man she has just kissed immediately regretting once she finds out this tidbit. The man she now finds herself proposing to in order to save Sloane and Rowan mostly Sloane because she is her person. She is not going to let him in. Nothing has to change between them. But then he starts showing signs of wanting to get to know her. She struggles with this since he has never apologized for when he first met her. She canât give in to this attraction to him because he surely doesnât feel it either right? But he proves her wrong. He shows her how he can take care of her and how he does in fact want more while helping her solve the mystery of who is killing people in her familyâs inner circle. But what happens if that person is already in their lives? It may be too late to find out.
Lachlan is a grump. Ok he is a straight up d*ck. He has found himself on the uphill battle of trying to retire from his side business of contract killing, but his boss is not giving him that option. He is making him do cleanups for fancy women who seem totally clueless. Though now that he knows that same woman is none other than Lark the woman he couldnât keep his eyes off of at Sloane and Rowanâs party, the women he kissed, he pulls away. He canât reconcile that some woman who seemed so ignorant to the woman who is now proposing to him to protect the people he loves most in this world, his brothers. He canât reconcile that woman who does everything for everyone else but seems to be burning the candle at both ends with the one he met. He is realizing he really underestimated her and now he wants to make it up to her. He wants to be able to help her face the demons only Sloane knows about. He wants to get her out of her shell around him. He wants to have his way with her but only after he earns it. At the same time they are working a case that is a little too close to home. And now that Lark is missing, he finds himself realizing he would do ANYTHING to keep her safe.
I canât recommend this book. Lachlan became this amazingly sappy sweetheart once he put some effort into it and realized how amazing Lark was. The spicy scenes as in the first book were HOT. I mean like inferno hot. As were the murder scenes. Though Brynne did not ruin pizza for me, I donât know if I will ever look at it the same way HAHA. If you havenât picked up this series, I canât recommend it enough. The hype is REAL. And now we wait for Rose and Fionn. That confession at the end did me in. I am wondering if their timeline will be an overlap to these books since things seems to have been going on behind the scenes. UGH I HATE WAITING BUT I know it will be worth itđ
Lark has a secret NO ONE knows. Not even her BF who is in fact a serial killer knows that Lark also dabbles in murder on the side. She only kills those that she has proven are irredeemable. She finds herself in a sticky situation where she has to call a cleaning crew and the man guy is a straight up d*ck to her. She manages to walk away with her dignity but will never forget him. So she is stunned to learn that he is none other than Lachlan Kane. Her best friendâs boyfriend. The man she has just kissed immediately regretting once she finds out this tidbit. The man she now finds herself proposing to in order to save Sloane and Rowan mostly Sloane because she is her person. She is not going to let him in. Nothing has to change between them. But then he starts showing signs of wanting to get to know her. She struggles with this since he has never apologized for when he first met her. She canât give in to this attraction to him because he surely doesnât feel it either right? But he proves her wrong. He shows her how he can take care of her and how he does in fact want more while helping her solve the mystery of who is killing people in her familyâs inner circle. But what happens if that person is already in their lives? It may be too late to find out.
Lachlan is a grump. Ok he is a straight up d*ck. He has found himself on the uphill battle of trying to retire from his side business of contract killing, but his boss is not giving him that option. He is making him do cleanups for fancy women who seem totally clueless. Though now that he knows that same woman is none other than Lark the woman he couldnât keep his eyes off of at Sloane and Rowanâs party, the women he kissed, he pulls away. He canât reconcile that some woman who seemed so ignorant to the woman who is now proposing to him to protect the people he loves most in this world, his brothers. He canât reconcile that woman who does everything for everyone else but seems to be burning the candle at both ends with the one he met. He is realizing he really underestimated her and now he wants to make it up to her. He wants to be able to help her face the demons only Sloane knows about. He wants to get her out of her shell around him. He wants to have his way with her but only after he earns it. At the same time they are working a case that is a little too close to home. And now that Lark is missing, he finds himself realizing he would do ANYTHING to keep her safe.
I canât recommend this book. Lachlan became this amazingly sappy sweetheart once he put some effort into it and realized how amazing Lark was. The spicy scenes as in the first book were HOT. I mean like inferno hot. As were the murder scenes. Though Brynne did not ruin pizza for me, I donât know if I will ever look at it the same way HAHA. If you havenât picked up this series, I canât recommend it enough. The hype is REAL. And now we wait for Rose and Fionn. That confession at the end did me in. I am wondering if their timeline will be an overlap to these books since things seems to have been going on behind the scenes. UGH I HATE WAITING BUT I know it will be worth itđ
Resting Witch Face by Juliette Cross
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have been looking forward to this book since we first met Jules and Ruben and felt that TENSION in book 1! My need for this book continued to grow as I was asking myself why Ruben hasnât made a move and then I found out they were going on an adventure for work together where they would be alone for several monthsâŚcount me in. I REALLY LOVED this book. We had tension building over 4 books + 12 years. We had past tidbits. We had two characters who clearly still felt something for each other but were scared about what to do with it. We had an adventure that resulted in an explosion of pent up feelings and man was it perfect. The buildup was great- it didnât feel too long like it sometimes can. The declaraciones of love Ruben did for Jules were so heartfelt. He had been waiting for his moment so he wouldnât scare her away. I loved getting more insight into why they didnât work in the first place. I also loved the touch her and die vibes Ruben gave off the whole book.
Jules is about to embark on an at least two month journey with her ex lover who she now has to work with on a regular basis and pretend that she doesnât still harbor feelings for him. Or that she canât think about how she had to walk away from him 12 years ago and sleeping with the one man since then just felt wrong. Ruben is starting to crack her shell though. He is not taking no for an answer when he asks why they canât try again. The revelation that he hadnât been with anybody since her even though there have been rumors BROKE her. Also she is his mate which helps her understand why she legit felt sick after sleeping with someone else. Maybe they can do this. They are different people now. Ruben is more mature and not so new in his power. However during all of this, they are working with vampires who think witches are beneath them. All of them except for perhaps Jules. They have heard about her power and someone is thinking about the possibilities her blood could bring to their clan. Will Ruben be able to find her in time before a life altering scheme takes effect?
Ruben is done waiting. He has watched Jules from the sidelines as she has âmoved onâ with her life. He has watched his friends get married to her sisters and have babies. He has watched everyone but him get invited to the Savoie sisters Sunday dinner, and he is done. He is going to make his claim on Jules while they are on this work trip together. He just has to help her understand how much she means to him. And he has to make sure that all of the vampires they run into know that she is his.
The little things that Ruben did yall had my heart melting. The way he brought her to his parents without telling her. The way he told her she was his mate. The way he also told her that he hadnât been with anyone but her. They were just so perfect together!! This was a wonderful second chance romance filled with vamps, witches and shifters and of course SPICE. If you havenât picked up this series, I HIGHLY recommend it :)
Jules is about to embark on an at least two month journey with her ex lover who she now has to work with on a regular basis and pretend that she doesnât still harbor feelings for him. Or that she canât think about how she had to walk away from him 12 years ago and sleeping with the one man since then just felt wrong. Ruben is starting to crack her shell though. He is not taking no for an answer when he asks why they canât try again. The revelation that he hadnât been with anybody since her even though there have been rumors BROKE her. Also she is his mate which helps her understand why she legit felt sick after sleeping with someone else. Maybe they can do this. They are different people now. Ruben is more mature and not so new in his power. However during all of this, they are working with vampires who think witches are beneath them. All of them except for perhaps Jules. They have heard about her power and someone is thinking about the possibilities her blood could bring to their clan. Will Ruben be able to find her in time before a life altering scheme takes effect?
Ruben is done waiting. He has watched Jules from the sidelines as she has âmoved onâ with her life. He has watched his friends get married to her sisters and have babies. He has watched everyone but him get invited to the Savoie sisters Sunday dinner, and he is done. He is going to make his claim on Jules while they are on this work trip together. He just has to help her understand how much she means to him. And he has to make sure that all of the vampires they run into know that she is his.
The little things that Ruben did yall had my heart melting. The way he brought her to his parents without telling her. The way he told her she was his mate. The way he also told her that he hadnât been with anyone but her. They were just so perfect together!! This was a wonderful second chance romance filled with vamps, witches and shifters and of course SPICE. If you havenât picked up this series, I HIGHLY recommend it :)
My Brother's Teammates by Melissa Ivers
hopeful
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
This was my first why choose hockey romance and overall it was good! Everything was pretty fast paced so I had a harder time connecting to the characters which made me give this 3 stars instead of 4 stars. When I say fast paced, it may have been because there were 4 POVs. Spice didn't happen until halfway through. The angst and how much the guys were fighting their attraction was pretty fun to read!
Charlotte has hit rock bottom. She walked in on her BF of 2 years cheating on her with another man, and his reaction was to kick her out. Now she finds herself at her brother's apartment. The one he shares with his 3 teammates that are supposed to be out of town. But then they walk in on her naked and things change significantly. After some hemming and hawing, everyone agrees that Charlotte can stay and no one is going to tell Harrison. Jace also sets a rule that no one can hook up with Charlotte. She is off limits. But as the week goes on Mateo and Roman and Jace all have a hard time remembering why that rule was set in place. Charlotte is awesome. She thinks about them and does sweet gestures for them to thank them for letting her stay. In turn, they start to help her with things. After getting fired, they encourage her to start her dream of a lingerie company. Jace is worst of all. We find out that he has been harboring a crush since forever but has decided to be a jerk so his true feelings will never come out. But now time is up. Their hockey is on the ice (LOL). They can't stop thinking about her. Each of them have had a moment with her and now they ask her to decide. Who does she want? When her answer is all 3 everyone's lives change? Now they are on the other side of a night none of them will ever forget when Harrison walks in the door. He is understandably livid. He doesn't know who to trust and this is all happening right before hockey playoffs. Charlotte does what she thinks is best but realizes she needs to talk things through with Harrison. And ultimately the decision to be with her men is HERS.
The quarrel if you will with this one was what would happen if Harrison found out. He knew something was going on but not what it was. I really didn't agree with his response to it. The way he was talking about his sister also affected my rating. Give yourself a minute, but don't say things you can't take back. I do wonder if this is going to be a series. There was some major tension going on between Harrison and Charlotte's BF.
Thank you to LoveNotes PR and the authors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
Charlotte has hit rock bottom. She walked in on her BF of 2 years cheating on her with another man, and his reaction was to kick her out. Now she finds herself at her brother's apartment. The one he shares with his 3 teammates that are supposed to be out of town. But then they walk in on her naked and things change significantly. After some hemming and hawing, everyone agrees that Charlotte can stay and no one is going to tell Harrison. Jace also sets a rule that no one can hook up with Charlotte. She is off limits. But as the week goes on Mateo and Roman and Jace all have a hard time remembering why that rule was set in place. Charlotte is awesome. She thinks about them and does sweet gestures for them to thank them for letting her stay. In turn, they start to help her with things. After getting fired, they encourage her to start her dream of a lingerie company. Jace is worst of all. We find out that he has been harboring a crush since forever but has decided to be a jerk so his true feelings will never come out. But now time is up. Their hockey is on the ice (LOL). They can't stop thinking about her. Each of them have had a moment with her and now they ask her to decide. Who does she want? When her answer is all 3 everyone's lives change? Now they are on the other side of a night none of them will ever forget when Harrison walks in the door. He is understandably livid. He doesn't know who to trust and this is all happening right before hockey playoffs. Charlotte does what she thinks is best but realizes she needs to talk things through with Harrison. And ultimately the decision to be with her men is HERS.
The quarrel if you will with this one was what would happen if Harrison found out. He knew something was going on but not what it was. I really didn't agree with his response to it. The way he was talking about his sister also affected my rating. Give yourself a minute, but don't say things you can't take back. I do wonder if this is going to be a series. There was some major tension going on between Harrison and Charlotte's BF.
Thank you to LoveNotes PR and the authors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review