I'm reviewing Can't Stop Believing by Jodi Thomas at Smexybooks

Can’t Stop Believing (Harmony #6) by Jodi Thomas
Romance Contemporary
June 4, 2013
Berkley

Favorite Quote: “One heartbeat past forever, that’s how long I’ll love you.”

Welcome back.  Once again Ms. Thomas takes us back into Harmony, TX and submerges us in the lives and loves of this fictional town. In Can’t Stop Believing, we see the true meaning of forgiveness, second chances, and love.

Cord McDowell lost six years of his life when he went to prison at age eighteen for a crime he didn’t commit. Now, ten years later, he’s being asked to give up his freedom again. His last name for a piece of prime land.

Nevada Britain, Harmony’s premier wild child, needs Cord McDowell to marry her and offers up a 300 acres of land to sweeten the deal. She refuses to explain all the reasons why she needs him but Cord knows he’s getting the better end of the deal. He only has one condition. She has to sleep next to him every night while they are married.

As Cord and Nevada settle into their lives and pseudo marriage, Cord soon learns that Nevada’s reasons for wanting to marry him involve more than just saving her ranch. Someone wants Nevada to suffer for her choices in life. And if it takes her death to make her pay…so be it.

Ronnie never forgot Marty or the gifts he gave her, even after he disappeared from her life two years ago. When a mysterious man shows up and offers her a chance to see Marty again,  Ronnie begins the adventure of a lifetime. One that proves how wondrous and heartbreaking true love can be.

Jodi Thomas’s Harmony series remains one of my favorite romantic contemporary series to date. I adore the continuously evolving small town atmosphere and the eclectic characters who live there. Brimming with gossip, news of family, and well wishes; you find yourself waiting with anticipation for the next batch to arrive. A smoothly written romantic contemporary that goes beneath the facade of a small town and examines and reveals the love, laughter, pain, and heartbreak that resides within.

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks. 

I’m reviewing The Stillness Of You by Julie Bale

The Stillness Of You (Beautifully Damaged #1) by Julie Bale
New Adult
March 12, 2013
Self Published

Favorite Quote: “Ben Lancaster was going to break me and I didn’t care. I didn’t care at all “

The Stillness of you is a raw, emotional, turbulent, and honest contemporary romance that addresses mental illness and the stigma that unfortunately follows it. Well written with a smooth storyline, well plotted conflicts, and some smoking hot romance. Strong characters will sweep you up and break your heart as you follow their tremulous love story.

Georgia King is bipolar. She spent a year spiraling down the rabbit hole in a dark destructive haze of drugs, alcohol, sex, and an eventual suicide attempt. When she is able to bring herself out of the darkness, with the help of her brother, medication, and a small stint in a recovery facility, she finds herself finally feeling like she may survive the fall. That is until she meets Ben Lancaster.

Ben is a newly signed hockey player for the Philadelphia Flyers; the team her brother coaches. Gorgeous, hot, and undeniably sweet, he is instantly smitten the first time he lays eyes on Georgia. Georgia also feels an instant connection with him yet struggles to keep him at arms length. She is not in a good place and knows that it wouldn’t take much for her to fall again and she refuses to drag him down with her.

 

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.

I'm reviewing Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone by Smexybooks

Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal lake #1) by Juliana Stone Contemporary Romance
April 2, 1013
Sourcebooks

Favorite Quote: “We were kings back then and didn’t even know it. We had no responsibility and the world at our feet.”

Cain Black, one of the original bad boys of Crystal Lake, shocked the town when he turned down a full ride football scholarship to college in order to chase his dreams of rock and roll stardom. Now, ten years later, he’s come back home to attend the funeral of a good friend. Fame and fortune has shined brightly on him but he finds himself at a crossroad-ready for something different in life. When he meets Maggie O’Rourke, he feels like he has finally come home.

Single mother Maggie O’Rourke came to Crystal Lake to start over and found a town more than willingly to embrace her and her son. Financially broke with a battered heart and a dark secret, love is not a luxury she can afford right now but Cain Black pushes all her buttons and she soon finds herself swept up in his orbit. While she enjoys the ride, she can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen when Cain goes back to the hot lights and even hotter women of L.A.

As Cain and Maggie find themselves falling deeper into a relationship they never planned on having, they both learn that fate has a way of giving us what we need when we least expect it.

Juliana Stone’s The Summer He Came Home is a sensual romantic contemporary set in the small town of Crystal Lake. Part of a trilogy that follows the lives four childhood friends. I will admit, while reading this, I kept hearing the theme song from the Jason movies.  Humor and angst run side by side as we slip effortlessly into the lives of these residents and the stories they have to tell us. While there are multiple story lines running abound, the main attraction is Cain Black and Maggie O’Rourke.

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.

I’m reviewing Kristen Ashley's Own The Wind at Smexybooks

The Wind (Chaos #1) by Kristen Ashley
Romance Contemporary
Paperback
April 2, 2013
Hachette

Favorite Quote: “May feel like you’re fallin’, Tabby, but remember, I’m at the bottom, waiting to catch you.”

Tabitha (Tabby) Allen, princess of the Chaos Motorcycle Club, has always had a family of brothers to fall back on, but she has always wanted more from one brother- Shy Cage. Fate has conspired through the years to keep them apart until a tragedy brings them together and Tabby intends to make Shy realize that he is the one she was born to love.

Shy has always been aware of Tabby’s crush but thought nothing of it until one fateful night when he decides to teach her a hard lesson and in her goodbye to him, she kisses him and the taste of her permeates his skin and remains on his tongue for years. When she makes it known to him that he is the biker boss for her, Shy considers himself the luckiest man on the planet, but Tabby being the Club president’s daughter makes her off limits. Shy is ready to take on the world and his brothers to claim Tabby for his own, but will fate allow them this ride or will they crash and burn?

From the first introduction in Motorcycle Man, fans have glommed on the possibility of a romance between the reigning princess of the Chaos MC, Tabitha Allen, and the sexy Chaos biker, Parker “Shy” Cage. When it was announced that the first of a spin off series, Chaos, would give the readers just that, a happy squeeeee was heard around the fandom of Kristen Ashley.

I wasn’t sure at first how this would work because both were rather young in Motorcycle Man (Tabby is 17 and Shy is 22) and I wasn’t looking forward to watching Tabby continue to have her heart broken by a VERY promiscuous and seemingly clueless Shy as we saw in MM. However, I should just learn to trust Ashley because it does work.

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.

I’m reviewing The Best Man by Kristen Higgins at Smexy Books.

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins (Blue Heron #1)
Romance Contemporary
Paperback
February 26, 2013

Favorite Quote: “That. Man. Was. Suchapainintheass.“

Faith Holland left her hometown when her soon to be husband came out of the closet…on their wedding day. Older and wiser, Faith has decided it’s time to return home to her family and lay to rest some ghosts from the past. When she runs into Levi Cooper, local police chief and the evil villain behind her wedding disaster, Faith finds herself re evaluating her animosity towards him. After all, a nice ass in a well fitted pair of jeans can help you overcome a lot of animosity.

Levi Cooper never had much to do with Faith growing up. He found her silly, naive, and a distraction. However, grown up Faith proves to be an even bigger distraction-of the best kind. Unfortunately, she still blames him for ruining her wedding and he is a little put off women at the moment. Besides, with all the additional drama revolving around her family, Levi can’t even get Faith alone for even a minute to investigate this new development.

When Faith moves in next door to Levi, all bets are off and suddenly the town watches and waits to see if Faith will bury the hatchet with Levi …and where she’ll bury it.

The Best Man revolves primarily on Faith Holland. Faith was standing at the altar, all set to marry her high school sweetheart, Jeremy, only to find out he is gay. Of course, she finds all this out from her sweetheart’s best friend, Levi Cooper. Levi and Faith have always had an uneasy relationship since grade school. Levi thinks she is a spoiled pain in the rear, hence his nickname for her, Princess Super-Cute, and Faith thinks he is a jackass.

Faith leaves home after Jeremy breaks the news to her and tries to get on with her life but life has other plans for her. She has the most unbelievable bad luck yet manages to land on her feet with her humor and smart mouth intact even if her pride is laying shredded at her feet. The term “bless her heart” was made up just for her. Her dating repertoire includes several gay men and even a married man. Throw in her father’s gold digging girlfriend, her brother in law’s channeling of Christian Gray from 50 Shades, and her grandparents constant fighting, and you have a mad cap hilarious story that have you laughing the whole time.

 

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.

I’m reviewing Kristen Ashley’s Raid at Smexy Books.

Raid (Unfinished Heroes #3) by Kristen Ashley
Contemporary Romance
February 27, 2013
Self Published

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote: “You’re my reward.“

Hanna Boudreaux lives in the small town of Willow, Colorado and has spent her life crushing on the gorgeous larger than life hometown hero, Raiden Ulysses Miller. Raid left Willow at age eighteen, joining the Marines and returned a little quieter and a lot more dangerous.

When Hanna finally decides to stop “stalking” Raid and begins to live her own life to the fullest, the changes are instantly noticed by all…especially Raid. But Hanna can’t figure out Raid’s sudden interest. Is it her new look? Her new outlook on life? Or does Raid have more sinister motives?

I’ll tell you all right now, before I go any further, I am a HUGE Kristen Ashley fan. When a blogger friend told me I had to read Sweet Dreams and read it RIGHT NOW, I bulked at first but eventually broke down and a crazy stalker fan girl was made. I glommed her entire back list in about one week. I emerged stinky but triumphant. Regardless of the overblown, drawn out descriptions, and larger than life premises and characters, Kristen Ashley has a gift for storytelling. Her books are a cracktacular beautiful addictive hot mess adventure that suck you in, hold you hostage, and leave you feeling rueful when the journey is over.

Raid is the third book in Ashley’s Unfinished Hero series. Even though it’s shorter than her previous books, you still get Ashley’s trademark alpha hero, somewhat naive heroine, and a smoking hot romance.

 

Read the rest of my review at SmexyBooks.

I’m reviewing Hip Check by Dierdre Martin at Smexy Books

 

Hip Check (New York Blades #10) By Dierdre Martin
Contemporary Romance
February 5, 2013
Berkley

Hip Check is the tenth book in Ms. Martin’s sports series which focuses on the lives and loves of a fictional hockey team-the New York Blades. A romantic contemporary that addresses the real life concerns and issues facing two completely different individuals who have found themselves drawn together over the well being of a little girl. Written in a strong conversational style format, we watch our two protagonists, Esa and Michelle, lock horns and lips in a battle of wills that becomes a battle for their hearts.

This installment carries a deep vein of sadness to it that isn’t present in the previous books. Esa Saari has a lot on his plate. His contract is up for renewal and the Blades aren’t knocking down his door to resign him. His antic in his personal life has not reflected well on him. He has also just gained custody of his niece, Nell. A confirmed playboy bachelor, he has no idea what to do with an 8 year old little girl. His friends come through for him in the form of Michelle Beck-professional nanny.

Michelle, a former school teacher turned nanny with some deep seated issues of her own, just got out of a job from hell and was looking to take a break but cannot help but feel for the motherless child. The sparks fly when Esa and Michelle first meet. He just wants to get back to his lifestyle sans pre parenthood and she can’t believe he has no clue to what he is doing and doesn’t seem to want to learn.

Martin does a good job of pairing two characters together who, at first glance, seem the exact opposite of each other. Esa lives a carefree life while Michelle is more grounded and stable. Yet, as you get to know them, you realize they are more alike than you think. Both Esa and Michelle’s childhoods have caused them to seek careers that give them a sense of family without actually having to make the commitment to one. As we watch their interactions with others, you can see the walls they have erected. Both of them try hard to be what they think others expect of them, yet you can feel the dissatisfaction with their lives in general.

 

Read the rest of my review at Smexy Books.

Review: Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell

Vanity Fare by Megan Caldwell
Romance/Contemporary
Ebook
HarperCollins

Favorite Quote: “What was wrong with us that people kept leaving?”

Molly Hagan is having a bad day. Her husband has not only left her for a younger woman but has also lost his job in the process. With a small child to care for and no steady income, Molly needs to step up her game. When an old friend offers her a plum position of writing copy for an up and coming bakery, Molly jumps in feet first only to find herself swiftly rethinking her plans when the job threatens to overwhelm her. Engaging in a battle of wits and scones keeps Molly on her toes once romance rears it’s fickle head in the form of sexy British baker,Simon but Molly isn't interested in love until a certain snarly business partner, Nick, enters the fray. Molly  begins to settle and begins to imagine a silver lining might be in her future but soon learns that happily ever after isn’t always as easy to get as it is to write.

First off, I must let you all know that Megan Caldwell, aka, Megan Frampton, is my boss at HeroesandHeartbreakers.com. She at no time approached me to review her novel. I requested on Edelweiss and was approved by HarperCollins.

Megan Caldwell’s debut release, Vanity Fare, gives us an intimate ring side seat into the life of Molly Hagen as she deals with divorce, finances, employment, and suddenly becoming a single parent. Liberally laced with humor and grace, I found myself laughing and nodding as Molly slowly finds herself again after 20 plus years of being a married stay at home wife and mother. I enjoyed the fact that we aren’t inundated with off the cuff plot gimmicks or implausible situations as Molly begins to live and deal with being alone. The literary pun angle was cute and added a touch of whimsical to the story. What I really enjoyed about Vanity Fare is that the heroine is a 40 year old woman. Too often it’s the young, gorgeous 20 somethings who get the romance and HEA and the older women are regulated to the  “wise, advice giving friend” role. Divorce is hard enough but it’s even harder when you're tossed aside for someone younger. Caldwell doesn’t sugar coat the ups and downs of divorce for the sake of an HEA in here. She shows us it’s messy, heartbreaking, unfair, and presents it all clearly and without apology.

Character driven, it’s the fast pacing and conversational style writing that enhances the appeal of this story. All the characters are delightfully flawed and engaging. Caldwell has a gift for drawing out her character’s personalities and producing a cast that is not only appealing but familiar. I saw a little of everyone I know in each of them. Aiden, Molly’s six year old, helps seal the deal with his impetuousness and love of Pokemon. Molly’s mother provides an excellent look at turbulent parental relationships and the way love and forgiveness can often heal breaches.Molly’s  bff has her back always and she meets some new friends and discovers a new hobby that produces some interesting results.

The romance reveals at a delightfully speed as Molly tries to suss out her attraction to one man while reluctantly dating another. I found her dates with Simon to be humorous while I fell in love with Nick myself. It all develops slowly and though some situations aren’t perfect, they are genuine. I liked that Molly isn’t portrayed as needing to find a replacement for her ex husband to save her. She understands, correctly, that she isn’t in a good place right now and her family and financial needs take precedence over her physical ones.  Yet, she has wants, needs, and reading her thoughts on those will bring a chuckle.

Molly’s journey towards financial and emotional independence is a wonderfully witty, charming, and yummy tale that is sure to appeal to readers and foodies alike. Caldwell’s debut is a winner across the board and a perfect addition for everyone’s romance shelf.

Overall Rating: B

I’m reviewing Wallbanger by Alice Clayton at Smexybooks

Wallbanger by Alice Clayton
November 27, 2012
Contemporary Romance
Omnific Publishing

Favorite Quote: “So I told the guy, there is no way I’m organizing your ‘play room’. You can arrange your own riding crops!”

When Caroline Reynolds agrees to sublet her bosses apartment, she has no idea of the antics her next door neighbor is involved in. Simon Parker is not a “relationship” kind of guy, evident by the harem of women he’s involved with. When Simon’s late night shenanigans finally push Caroline over the edge, she confronts Simon, only to discover that she’d like very much to involve herself in his shenanigans and his heart.

I absolutely love Alice Clayton’s Redhead series, so when asked if I’d like to read this one, I grabbed a copy and ran; cackling like a loon. Wallbanger is aptly titled. A funny, madcap, smexy romantic contemporary that had me reading straight through. Fast pacing and a smooth flowing storyline will keep you in stitches as Wallbanger and Nightie Girl begin the battle of the headboard. Filled with plenty of humor, sarcasm, engaging dialogue, and well developed characters-I didn’t stop laughing till the end.

 

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.

I’m reviewing Crazy On You by Rachel Gibson at Smexybooks

Crazy On You by Rachel Gibson
Romantic Contemporary
Ebook
May 1, 2012
Avon Books

Crazy On You  is a short story by Rachel Gibson. In here we return to Lovett, Texas and meet Lily Darlington. Lily is the sister to Daisy (Daisy’s Back In Town) and has finally got her life on track. Her cheating ex husband is paying attention to their child, her spa business is making money, and no one has called her “crazy Lily” for a couple months now. When Tucker Matthews moves in next door to her, Lily seems the potential to go crazy again staring at her from the eyes of a six foot gorgeous muscle bound deputy. Lily vows she won’t go down that road again, no matter how delectably the packaging looks. But Tucker wants Lily. From the head of her blond hair to the tips of her painted toes. And Tucker thinks that maybe, just maybe, they can go crazy together.

 

Read the rest of my review at Smexybooks.