Giveaway + Review: "Seduced by Snowfall" by Jennifer Bernard

Today, I am excited to participate in the release week blitz for Jennifer Bernard's latest novel, "Seduced by Snowfall," book #3 of the Lost Harbor, Alaska series. My full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I very much enjoyed this book with its engaging plot, beautifully described Alaskan setting, and likeable characters. Even though it is the third book in a series, it reads as a complete standalone, and I highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of the series.  

Winter Wonderland Giveaway! In celebration of the release of "Seduced by Snowfall," author Jennifer Bernard is giving away a prize package of winter survival goodies including slippers, tea, hand cream, a signed paperback copy of "Seduced by Snowfall," and more. To enter, visit Jennifer's website. (Giveaway closes on February 2.)

About "Seduced by Snowfall"

Dr. Bethany Morrison is used to being the responsible one. The serious doctor everyone relies on. She isn’t used to needing a rescue--especially from a sexy, lighthearted firefighter like Nate Prudhoe. And yet ever since she moved to Lost Harbor, Alaska, he’s been there for her. Is it any wonder she turns to him in her most embarrassing moment—when she needs a fake boyfriend?

Nate’s more than aware that Bethany doesn’t take him seriously. And that’s fine; relationships, a family of his own…those things aren’t for him. Not when he knows how painful the loss of a loved one can be. But when he discovers a mysterious injured runaway hiding out in the firehouse, it’s his turn to ask the lovely doctor for help.

As winter closes in, the line between fake and forever keeps disappearing. How could Nate know that every moment spent with Bethany would chip away at the shield around his heart? How could Bethany guess that Nate’s brand of laid-back fun was exactly what she needed? It may take more than a snowstorm to make them see it’s okay to want it all…and to grab it before it disappears forever.

Check Out the Book Trailer for "Seduced by Snowfall"

My Review

Jennifer Bernard's "Seduced by Snowfall" was an enjoyable read, with likeable, well-developed main characters, an engaging plot, and a beautifully described Alaskan setting. I have to admit that I have never had any interest in living in or even visiting Alaska before, but Ms. Bernard's descriptions of the scenery and lifestyle really made Alaska come to life. It was enough to convince me that a visit to our 49th state should be on my bucket list. (That said, I think I will plan my visit for the summer; I don't think I would handle a blizzard quite as well as the characters in this book did!)

The male lead character, firefighter and EMT Nate Prudhoe, was very easy to like. He came across as laid back, charming, and flirtatious, but he was hiding a tender heart beneath the surface. Nate cared deeply about helping others and seemed to make friends wherever he went, but swore off more serious relationships after a childhood tragedy forced him to confront the pain of losing a loved one. That vow was threatened when he met Dr. Bethany Morrison, who was dealing with childhood baggage of her own thanks to an overbearing father.

Nate and Bethany's relationship moved quickly, but it never felt like insta-love to me. I really appreciated that they seemed to get to know each other and develop a friendship before their feelings for each other turned romantic, though the attraction between them was there all along. Bethany and Nate really seemed to bring out the best in each other, with Bethany helping Nate open up about his past and Nate helping Bethany lighten up and develop the confidence she needed to stand up to her father.

In addition to Nate and Bethany's relationship, I really enjoyed the book's subplot involving the mysterious runaway Nate found living in the Lost Harbor fire station. I would like to know more about her; hopefully Nate's best friend, police detective Maya, will continue the investigation in the next book. Speaking of Maya, I enjoyed getting to know her in this story and hope to see her featured in a future story of her own. Nate's boss, Chief Boone, was also a very interesting character, and I couldn't help but wonder if he might be a good love interest for Maya.

At any rate, I look forward to the next book in the Lost Harbor series and can't wait to see what happens next for these characters.

*ARC provided by the author via InkSlingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Excerpt + Review: "A Favor for a Favor" by Helena Hunting

I am very excited to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of Helena Hunting's newest novel, "A Favor for a Favor," book #2 in the All In series. While characters from book #1, "A Lie for a Lie," do make brief appearances, this story reads as a complete standalone, so anyone who has not yet read the previous book will not feel lost by starting here. That said, I have loved both of the books in this series and highly recommend them for new and existing readers of Hunting's work. The banter between the main characters is fantastic, the chemistry is scorching, and there are plenty of laugh out loud moments. Ms. Hunting writes some of the best rom-coms I've ever read, and I can't wait to see what she publishes next!

About "A Favor for a Favor"

A new stand-alone romance about trading favors, battling wills, and winning love.

When I joined Seattle’s NHL expansion team, I thought it was the start of something great. But nothing ever goes the way you expect. Take my introduction to my new neighbor. She came rolling in on the hot mess express at midnight, making a racket while she tried to get into my team captain’s apartment. Did I mention that he’s married to a woman who definitely was not her?

Imagine my surprise when I end up with an injury that has me out of the game for weeks, and she’s the one to offer to help me. I should probably add that she’s not the captain’s mistress. She’s his sexy, pastel-haired younger sister.

So we come up with an arrangement: she rehabs me so that I can get back on the ice sooner, and she can add a professional athlete that isn’t her brother to her client list. Seems simple enough. As long as I can keep my hands to myself and my hormones in check.

Read an Excerpt from "A Favor for a Favor"

She makes me lift my arm and drapes it over her shoulder. She’s incredibly small compared to me. She tucks one arm under my knee and gently grips the back of my calf with the other. “On the count of three,” she orders. I tense up when she hits three. She gets my leg about six inches off the floor, which is when I scream bloody murder again and grab on to her with both hands.

“Okay. That’s not going to work. The angle is too awkward.” She taps her lip and holds her finger up. “I have an idea.”

She ducks out from under my arm and hooks her fingers in the waistband of her yoga pants.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Calm down. Some bathing suits have less coverage than my underwear. Besides, it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”

She kicks off her yoga pants, leaving her in a T-shirt and panties. They’re plain cotton boy shorts, which should be a good thing, but apparently my body doesn’t care that it’s not a satin or lace thong. All it cares about is the proximity of almost-naked pussy.

Rook’s sister is standing in my bathroom in her underwear. If I had a sister who looked like Stevie and I knew that she was standing in one of my teammate’s bathrooms half-naked, I would probably kick the shit out of the guy. Thankfully, I have a brother.

I try to keep my eyes averted, sort of, but I catch her reflection in the vanity mirror.

She has fantastic legs. Athletic. Strong. And her ass. Goddamn. She definitely does a lot of squats, based on how round and firm it looks. The ache in my groin turns into that stabbing pain again because I’m getting hard. I think about my grandmother in a bathing suit to counteract the effect of Stevie being partly undressed.

She steps into the tub, and I force myself to keep my eyes down, bringing up the image of that hot chick in the tub who turns into a rotting old lady in The Shining. That helps a bit. At least until Stevie moves into my personal space and starts touching me again. I mutter a string of profanity, especially when I feel her boob pressed against my arm for a few seconds. I have no choice but to latch on to her shoulder as we lift my leg over the edge of the tub. I’m sweating, I’m angry, and I hate my dick.

“I need you to stop touching me!” It’s stupid because I’m still holding on to her, not the other way around.

“Why are you yelling at me?” she shouts back.

“Because you’re half-undressed in my tub, and I’m a guy, and apparently my dick is a fucking sadist. It honestly feels like my balls are on fire right now. A semi has never been this painful.”

“Well, close your damn eyes and think about dead things.”

“It doesn’t matter if I close them. The image of you in panties is burned into the back of my lids, probably for the rest of my fucking life. It’s all I can see.”

“You’d think you’d never seen a set of bare legs before.” She helps me lower myself into the tub and steps out.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a pair up close,” I grumble.

“Such a surprise, with your warm, fuzzy personality.”

My Review

I loved Helena Hunting's "A Favor for a Favor," a tremendously entertaining story featuring well-developed, likeable characters and a nicely paced romance. Main characters Stevie and Bishop had amazing chemistry from the very beginning, and it was torture waiting for them to finally do something about it! There was plenty to keep me laughing while I waited, however. I especially enjoyed Bishop's boxers with their hilariously inappropriate sayings as well as the nickname Stevie's friends, Pattie and Jules, gave him as a result. There was also a great scene that called to mind the "Magic Mike" movies and had me laughing so hard I was nearly in tears.

Stevie was a wonderful lead character, fiercely determined to build her career as a physical therapist based on her own talent rather than relying on favors from her older brother, NHL star Rook Bowman. Stevie and Rook had a very complicated relationship, and while it was sweet that he tried so hard to help and protect her, he definitely took things too far sometimes. Stevie had the right to make her own life choices, even if Rook considered them to be mistakes. That included dating his teammate, Bishop, who was far from Rook's favorite person.

Even though he didn't always get along with Rook, I adored Bishop and thought he was a great match for Stevie. He came across as a grump at times, but beneath that gruff exterior was a caring, sweet, and funny man who, like Rook, went out of his way to take care of the people he loved.

Overall, "A Favor for a Favor" was a delightful addition to the All In series, and I am very much looking forward to reading book #3.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.  

Review: Crumpled Love Notes

Crumpled Love Notes by Jen A. Durand
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For the most part, I enjoyed "Crumpled Love Notes" by Jen A. Durand, but it left me with a few questions. For example, we're told that the male lead character, Connor, learned of his daughter Cleo's existence about a year before the story began and has kept it a secret from his fiance, Zoe, ever since. What confused me is how he managed to spend enough time with Cleo for her to get to know him without Zoe finding out what he was doing. Cleo must have known who Connor was and felt comfortable with him prior to her mother's accident; otherwise, why would she have told him that she loved him when he put her to bed after they got home from the hospital? I'm sure Connor was away a lot for workouts, games, and other team commitments, but I would think that Zoe had easy access to the team's schedule. (Most of that information is posted online, so even members of the public can find it!) Wouldn't she have noticed if Connor lied about an event that wasn't on the schedule so that he could spend time with Cleo?

Whether or not Zoe noticed, it's clear that Connor did lie to her, at least by omission, in order to have kept this secret for so long. She seemed to acknowledge that when she told him that they were lacking trust in their relationship and it would take time to rebuild, but we didn't get to see that happen before the story abruptly ended. Instead, Connor and Zoe were distracted by the potential custody battle with Cleo's maternal grandmother, and the second that was seemingly resolved, the story jumped right to the epilogue. We're told that they "had come through on the other side" of the crisis, but how exactly did they do that? Zoe had a lot of valid reasons to be upset and I can't imagine that she just forgave Connor and was able to move on overnight, but that's the way this ending made things seem.

Aside from my questions about the story itself, I noted that there were quite a few typos and missing or disordered words and punctuation in the text. I was mostly able to figure out what the author was trying to say, but there were times that it was both difficult and distracting. It wouldn't be a bad idea for a skilled copy editor to take another look at this manuscript.

Overall, this was a compelling story, and I wanted to keep reading despite the errors in the text and nagging questions I had about the plot. Obviously, the situation described in this novella was very emotional for everyone involved, and the author did a good job of conveying those feelings. I would give another one of her books a try in the future.

*ARC provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Blog Tour + Review: "Frenemies" by Emma Hart

Happy release day to "Frenemies" by Emma Hart! I have been looking forward to reading this book for what feels like forever, and I am thrilled that it is finally here. This story delivers a great second chance romance with a touch of enemies-to-lovers thrown in for good measure. Add in a matchmaking grandma, an adorable toddler, and a prank war between two grown adults, and it's a recipe for a delightfully funny, charming, and sweet story that I didn't want to put down. My full review is included at the end of this post, but bottom line, "Frenemies" is yet another winner from Emma Hart, and I highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of her work.

About "Frenemies"

There are some things you just have to deal with.

Like your hot as hell college booty call moving in next door with his adorable daughter.
​
The only time we’ve ever gotten along is under the sheets. Old habits die hard because two minutes on my front porch is how long it takes us to bicker.
​
Not that a little fact like that bothers my healthy, eighty-year-old grandmother and roommate who’s determined to see me married before she bites the dust.
​
Unfortunately for me, she’s got her eye set on Mason Black.
​
She’s barking up the wrong tree. He’s not The One, no matter how much I swoon when I see him with his daughter. I have no intentions of rekindling anything with him—until a rubber spider in my mailbox starts off the mother of all neighborhood prank wars, just like the ones we had in college, and throws me right into his path.
​
One that leads right to his bedroom…

 My Review

I loved Emma Hart's "Frenemies," a funny, charming, and sweet second chance romance featuring likeable, well-developed main characters. The male lead character, Mason, was endearing, sexy, and a great dad. Basically, he was the whole package, every girl's dream boyfriend, and I can't believe the female lead character, Immy, was able to resist him for as long as she did! In addition, Mason's relationship with his daughter Maya's mom, Fran, was really lovely. It was refreshing to see a depiction of a healthy co-parenting relationship rather than one where the two sides were constantly at odds. Maya was an adorable little girl, and I'm sure that was mostly because her parents worked so well together to make her needs their top priority.

The female lead character, Imogen or Immy for short, was a lot of fun even if she was a bit hot-tempered at times. She was very good with Mason's daughter, and I liked that she took Maya's feelings into consideration before jumping into a new relationship with Mason. She may also have been using Maya as an excuse because she was scared that Mason would hurt her again the way he did in college, but I could tell that she genuinely cared about Maya and was afraid that she would be hurt if things between Immy and Mason didn't work out.

Immy and Mason's prank war was totally juvenile but tremendously amusing. They were like kids pulling each other's hair to get attention because they refused to just come out and admit that they liked each other. I also loved Immy's matchmaking Grandma Jen; she was completely outrageous, but unapologetically herself, and I want to be just like her when I grow up. The conversations Jen had with her friends during their "book club" meetings were absolutely hysterical, especially the one involving nipple clamps.

I also enjoyed getting to know Immy's cousin/BFF, Hannah. I look forward to reading more about her in the next book, along with Isaac the hot British vet, and of course, more Grandma Jen!

*ARC provided by the author.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Excerpt + Review: "Boss Man Bridegroom" by Meghan Quinn

Today, I am thrilled to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of Meghan Quinn's latest novel, "Boss Man Bridegroom." It is a follow up to Quinn's earlier novels "The Secret to Dating Your Best Friend's Sister" and "Diary of a Bad Boy," but felt like a complete standalone to me. I enjoyed meeting the couples from the previous books here, however, so I plan to go back and read them as soon as I have some time.

I've wanted to check out one of Meghan Quinn's books for quite a while now because I've heard so many good things about her writing, and I am so glad I finally had the chance with "Boss Man Bridegroom." It is one of the best rom-coms I've come across in recent memory. The banter between main characters Rath and Charlee was phenomenal and made me laugh over and over again. There was a well-crafted emotional side to the story as well, with Charlee and Rath's attraction and feelings for each other slowly growing until they just couldn't be contained any longer. Overall, I absolutely adored this book and highly recommend it for both new and existing readers of Quinn's work.

About "Boss Man Bridegroom"

"Will you do me the greatest honor of all time and be my bridegroom?” she asks, hope in her eyes...

How did I get here? My assistant, bent on one knee, holding my hand, her expectant face waiting for an answer.

Just . . . how?

How did I go from being insulted by Charlee Cox to hiring her to be my assistant? How is it that she’s chaos in color - making me crazy and my life better at the same time?

I never thought I would be staring down at her bright blue eyes begging me to go along with this ridiculous scheme I suggested.

Yes, I suggested. Like the idiot I am, I thought hey, why not start an HR nightmare and have my assistant ask me to marry her?

Confused? Don’t worry, so am I.

But try to follow along, because this is how I became Boss Man Bridegroom.

Read an Excerpt from "Boss Man Bridegroom"

**RATH**

"Rath Westin, my boss, my commander in chief, my Gucci Governor—"

"I don’t wear Gucci."

"Go with it." She winks and clears her throat. "Mr. Big Shot, Barking Britches, and Irritable Ira—"

"Jesus . . . Christ." I rub my hand down my face.

"Will you do me the great honor . . ." She wobbles on her bent knee and clutches my hand to steady herself. "Will you . . ." She tears up, her voice becoming shaky. "I’m sorry, I’ve never done this before."

"I sure as hell hope not," I say through gritted teeth.

"And I didn’t think I’d get emotional either." On a deep breath, she finishes, "Will you do me the greatest honor of all time and be my bridegroom?"

Christ, nothing is ever simple with her.

"Why did you say it like that?"

"Did I not do it right?" she mumbles to herself. "See, I knew I was doing something wrong."

"No, why did you say bridegroom?"

"Oh, well, that’s what you would be. You see, that’s what they used to call men who were soon to be married . . . a bridegroom. But then somewhere along the way they shortened it to groom. But if you marry me, I would give you the dignified pleasure of retaining the honorable title of bridegroom."

"Don’t call me bridegroom."

"Boss man bridegroom?" she asks with a cheeky grin.

How the fuck did I allow myself to get in this position? With my quirky and sometimes annoying but mostly efficient assistant, kneeling in front of me . . . proposing.

Proposing to me.

In a pair of belly-covering slacks and suspenders, hair pulled back into a tight bun like she often wears it, looking up at me through her red-framed glasses, her bright blue eyes shining past the lenses, begging me to go along with this ridiculous scheme I suggested.

Yes, me.

Like the goddamn idiot I am, I thought hey, why not start an HR nightmare and have my assistant ask me to marry her?

Confused?

Don’t worry, so am I.

Where do I even start? Maybe from the beginning?

Here is a quick rundown: my ex, who used to work with me, left me for bigger and better things. We don’t talk about her, ever, because she took my heart with her. Instead, I buried myself in my work. I became a hermit in my office, firing one assistant after another because they weren’t good enough or their voice annoyed me, or they thought salt was sugar and gave me one bad cup of coffee that ended their career at Westin Enterprises—that mistake was on them.

In my spare time—not that there’s much—but when I do have spare time, I follow my two idiot friends around the city, helping them avoid fucking up their lives. But now that they’re both in loving and committed relationships, one planning a wedding with my sister as the bride, I have much more time on my hands.

Maybe they’re to blame for my demise, for this ridiculous charade I’m now a part of.

What does this have to do with my assistant proposing to me?

Well, you see, I was in the market for yet another new assistant, and that’s when one of my best friends, Bram, suggested I lean on his assistant, Linus, to help me find someone. Side note: Linus is a gift from God, and I’ve offered him huge pay raises many times to jump ship and join my company, but his loyalty lies with Bram . . . unfortunately.

So Linus helped me find an assistant, and that’s where it started to go downhill.

The minute I saw her, I knew it wasn’t going to be a good fit.

Why?

Because she’s too goddamn beautiful.

Because she’s far too bubbly.

Because with every smile and checklist she devises, she makes me want to bend her over my desk and make her mine.

But, since I clearly don’t know how to make any decisions worth a shit, I hired her, right there on the spot.

And that was the beginning of the end.

Need to know more? Well in case you are on pins and needles about my answer to her proposal, I said yes.

Here’s the story of how I became Boss Man Bridegroom.

My Review

I did not expect it based on the book's title and description, but "Boss Man Bridegroom" by Meghan Quinn turned out to be a fantastic slow burn romance. The attraction between main characters Charlee and Rath slowly built but didn't reach a tipping point until nearly two-thirds of the way through the book. Both were reluctant to get romantically involved because of past hurts and the fact that they worked together, but eventually their feelings boiled over and couldn't be contained any longer.

I really appreciated that Rath never used his position as CEO to pressure Charlee for more than she was willing to give. They always seemed to act like equals despite the differences in their job descriptions. In addition, I loved Charlee and Rath's banter, especially the way they tested each other's limits and the funny nicknames Charlee gave Rath.

I found Charlee to be a very likeable and relatable main character. She seemed like someone I could be friends with in real life, mostly based on her love of historical romance novels and office supplies.  She wasn't perfect, but she was a perfect match for Rath, and that's really all that matters. Rath's bromance with Bram was also a lot of fun, and reminded me very much of the relationship between JD and Turk on "Scrubs." My favorite part was when the guys started their own romance novel book club so that they could discuss their favorites. (Poor Charlee probably had no idea what a monster she was about to create when she convinced Rath to read that first historical romance!)

Overall, I loved "Boss Man Bridegroom" and will definitely be reading more of Meghan Quinn's books in the future.

*ARC provided by the author via Candi Kane PR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: Almost Just Friends

Almost Just Friends by Jill Shalvis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved "Almost Just Friends" by Jill Shalvis, which featured likeable, sympathetic characters and an emotionally engaging story. I particularly enjoyed the complexity of the relationship between siblings Piper, Gavin, and Winnie Manning because it seemed so realistic and relatable to me. It's hard enough to get along with one's siblings under normal circumstances, and circumstances for the Mannings were anything but normal as eldest sister Piper took on a parental role when they were very young. Over the course of this story, Piper, Gavin, and Winnie each had to learn different ways of seeing and communicating with each other as adults in order to escape the patterns that had caused conflict between them in the past. They each struggled in different ways, but fortunately ended up in a much better place by the end of the book.

The central romantic relationship between Piper and her neighbor's son, Camden Reid, was also a highlight of the book. They seemed to understand each other very well, perhaps because they were both so hard on themselves for the challenges they faced with their younger siblings. Even though she wasn't always perfect, I couldn't help but admire Piper for everything she managed to accomplish and the way she kept her family together after they lost their parents. It was very difficult for Piper to let Cam in because she was so afraid to lose someone else she loved, but Cam was very patient and understanding with her, eventually showing her that love was worth the risk. In return, Piper helped Cam work through the grief of losing his younger brother and finally find the home and family life he'd always wanted.

"Almost Just Friends" is the fourth book in the Wildstone series, but reads as a complete standalone. The books aren't directly connected, but each one features great characters and fantastic stories. I highly recommend each and every one of them and hope there are more installments to come.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley and Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Love Her or Lose Her

Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked Tessa Bailey's "Love Her or Lose Her" better than the previous book in this series ("Fix Her Up"), but unfortunately I didn't love it the way I wanted to. On one hand, the story had quite a few funny moments and had me laughing out loud several times; I particularly enjoyed the Minions-themed game of Chubby Bunny that main characters Rosie and Dominic played in their therapist's office. I also really liked Rosie, who was an interesting secondary character in "Fix Her Up" but really shined in this book. She proved to be warm, intelligent, fun, and very passionate about cooking and her dream of opening a restaurant. I loved the way Rosie pursued the things she needed to be happy and fulfilled, refusing to settle for anything less than she deserved.

On the other hand, there were a number of times I found myself growing frustrated with Dominic, a dirty-talking alpha with poor outside-the-bedroom communications skills who seemed to keep making the same mistakes over and over again. He clearly learned a lot of his behavior from his father's example, but his attitude about the need to constantly protect and provide for his wife seemed kind of archaic to me, and in a lot of cases just made him seem overprotective and possessive. IMO, Dominic took things too far when he and his friends followed Rosie and her friends into Manhattan for girls' night out. Rosie and the other women were grown adults, completely capable of taking care of themselves, and there should have been enough trust in their relationships for them to be able to spend one night apart. The fact that these men couldn't even let the women have one night on their own didn't come across as romantic to me; instead, it just seemed controlling.

I've only read a couple of Tessa Bailey's books so far, but I'm beginning to think the dirty-talking alpha hero is a recurring theme in her stories. I'm really not a fan of overly dominant heroes, and I didn't enjoy the way Dominic behaved here. If the rest of Bailey's heroes are anything like him (or Travis from "Fix Her Up"), I guess I will be skipping her books from now on.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: How To Love A Duke in Ten Days

How To Love A Duke in Ten Days by Kerrigan Byrne
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Kerrigan Byrne's "How to Love a Duke in Ten Days" was not what I was expecting, and frankly left me rather disappointed. First of all, the title seemed indicative of a romantic comedy to me (perhaps because of its similarity to the movie "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days"), but this book is in no way a comedy. More importantly, as pointed out by a number of other reviewers, there really should be a content/trigger warning in advance of the book's prologue. I was not prepared for the graphic nature of the opening scene, which is very dark and traumatic. After reading it, I had to put this book aside and read something happier until I was in the proper frame of mind to come back to it.

When I did finally come back to the book, there were a number of things about it that I found annoying, if not outright ridiculous. For example, I don't believe it's anatomically possible for Piers to have figured out that Alexandra wasn't a virgin in the way he supposedly did. Even if he could have done so, there are a lot of other explanations for what he discovered besides her trying to trick him into marriage to cover up being pregnant by another man, and it really irritated me that he wasn't even willing to consider any other possibilities. Piers acted like a total jerk about the whole thing, and it made me like him a lot less. Even though he claimed not to mind if Alexandra had taken a previous lover, he was clearly angry, and he seemed to blame her for "lying" to him when in fact Piers was the one who assumed she was a virgin. She never actually told him that she was.

In addition, there was a lot going on in this book, and I think it might have benefited from a more streamlined plot so that more of the focus could have been on building the relationship between Piers and Alexandra. I understand that this is the first book of a new series so some background was necessary, but I could have done without the info dump of all three of the girls' secrets in the prologue, for example. Each of them is going to get their own book, so there's plenty of time to share the other girls' stories later. Also, the resolution of the plot to harm Piers and Alexandra was overly complicated and involved too many players. I think one enemy would have been plenty for them to handle!

Finally, I just wasn't convinced about the depth of Piers and Alexandra's feelings for each other after such a short time together. This story really does unfold over a period of only ten days or so, and Alexandra and Piers held each other at arms' length for almost that entire time because they didn't know each other well enough to trust each other. Both of them were carrying so much baggage from their past hurts that I don't see how they could possibly have learned to trust or love each other in such a short period of time, even under the admittedly extreme circumstances.

At any rate, this was the first book I've ever read by Kerrigan Byrne, but based on my feelings about it, I'm not sure what it is about her writing that so many people rave about. It had its share of awkwardly constructed sentences just like any other book, and the plot wasn't any better than most of the other historical romances I've read. That said, I didn't completely hate it and would certainly try another one of her books in the future.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: The Country Guesthouse

The Country Guesthouse by Robyn Carr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed all of the books in Robyn Carr's Sullivan's Crossing series, but I think "The Country Guesthouse" may be my favorite one so far. It is a sweet story populated with well-developed, likeable characters, and despite the amount of tragedy in this book, the overall tone remained upbeat. I especially loved how the individual characters came together to create a family of their own choosing. I have always believed that family is what you make it; the people you love and who love you don't have to be limited to those related by blood. This story serves as an excellent demonstration of that idea.

The female lead character, Hannah, was carrying a fair amount of emotional baggage due to two failed engagements, but I admired how she stepped up to care for her best friend's young son, Noah, when he needed her the most. The relationship Hannah and Noah developed was adorable, and I really appreciated that she tried to keep memories of his birth mother alive for him while still establishing her own place in his life. Noah was a great kid, and surprisingly adaptable given the circumstances. He seemed to thrive under Hannah's care.

Owen, the male lead character, had suffered more than his fair share of tragedy years earlier, but I loved that he managed to find comfort in his photography career and heal enough to make a place in his heart for Hannah and Noah. I also thought it was really sweet that Owen and his ex-wife were still in touch and managed to maintain such a cordial, caring relationship. It seemed like they still loved each other, just in a different way from when they were married. In a way, they acted like siblings and really seemed to want what was best for each other.

In addition, I enjoyed the mystery of what was going on with Noah's grandmother and her motivation for trying to establish a relationship with him. It was great to spend time with some of the characters from earlier books in the series too, particularly Sully and Helen. They were so kind and welcoming when Hannah and Noah came to stay in Timberlake, eventually becoming something like surrogate grandparents.

Hopefully this is not the last we will see of these characters! I can't wait to see what happens next in Sullivan's Crossing.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: 25 Days 'til Christmas

25 Days 'til Christmas by Poppy Alexander
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Poppy Alexander's "25 Days 'til Christmas" really wasn't my idea of an "uplifting" holiday story, despite the publisher's claims. Both of the main characters, Kate and Daniel, came across as total sad sacks for most of the book, and the plot seemed to be nothing more than one long series of depressing events. Among other things, the story included a dead soldier husband; a grandmother-in-law with advanced dementia, who was also running out of funds to keep her in her nursing home; Kate's son's struggles in school; a possible looming layoff; and Daniel's dead sister. With all of that going on around them, it was no wonder that Daniel and Kate both struggled to find some Christmas spirit!

In addition to the depressing plot and unhappy characters, the author's writing style was very choppy, with frequent POV changes in the middle of chapters. The first few chapters didn't do a good job of drawing me into the story or making me invest in the characters, and I ended up setting the book aside and forgetting about it completely for a month or so before coming back to it because I remembered that I had committed to write a review. While this wasn't the worst book I've ever read, I have to admit that I was tempted to DNF it a few times. I just wasn't in the mood for something so sad right before Christmas; I wanted to read something light, funny, and happy instead.

Again, this was not a completely terrible book. I ended up liking (OK, maybe more like pitying) the characters in the end and I did want things to work out for them, but I wish there had been more to the book's ending. It seemed very abrupt to me and a number of things were not completely resolved. In addition, given that I did not care for the author's writing style, I don't think I would read any of her other books in the future.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: A Valentine Proposal

A Valentine Proposal by Viv Royce
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Unfortunately, I was rather disappointed with Viv Royce's "A Valentine Proposal." I had a tough time connecting with the main characters, Cleo and Mark, as well as believing in their feelings for each other. My biggest problem was the speed with which their relationship developed. Mark and Cleo met only a handful of times before they were supposedly "in love" with each other, and I just didn't find it to be believable based on the content of their interactions.

It might have been easier for me to believe in Mark and Cleo's love for each other if the story had been a bit longer, allowing more of a chance for character and relationship development. I liked Cleo when she was briefly introduced in the previous book in this series, but she seemed different to me here. I thought she would be fun and kind of quirky, but instead she turned out to be very insecure and weighed down with self-esteem issues due to a long-standing conflict with her parents. Mark came across as a rich, handsome workaholic who didn't have much of a life outside of his job. He started to develop more of a personality towards the end of the story, but some of the choices he made seemed like they came out of left field based on the little I knew about him. Also, for the first half of the book Mark was so preoccupied with his sister Tamela's love life that it was difficult to see his interest in Cleo at all.

Speaking of Tamela's situation, I can completely understand why Mark did not want his sister to be hurt, but as far as there being nothing he or his parents could do about her relationship with James, I don't think that's necessarily true. If James was really only after Tamela's money, why couldn't their parents cut her off or insist on a pre-nup if Tamela was determined to go through with the wedding? I think James would show his true colors and lose interest in marrying Tamela very quickly if he knew that he would no longer be able to access her funds. In any event, I was slightly annoyed that this subplot wasn't wrapped up before the end of the story, but perhaps the author plans to bring Tamela back as a character in a future book and address it there.

Overall, I didn't completely dislike this book, but I really can't recommend it. That said, I did enjoy the first book in this series ("A Family by Christmas"), so I will plan to give book #3 a try and hope for better results.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: In the Unlikely Event

In the Unlikely Event by L.J. Shen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I have very mixed feelings about L.J. Shen's "In the Unlikely Event" (aka ITUE), but I think my strongest reaction was, "WTF did I just read?" The last time I felt this way was immediately after reading Colleen Hoover's "Verity," though admittedly for different reasons.

There are some definite quirks to ITUE, such as the random changes in POV from one of the main characters to a random side character (including a dead person!) or even an inanimate object like a napkin. Also, about halfway through the book, the story suddenly and inexplicably took a turn for the kinky and (IMO) just plain weird. For example, there was a tragic misuse of a perfectly innocent chocolate bar which, personally, I found to be very off-putting. I totally get that everyone's turn-ons are different, and if that kind of thing happens to do it for you, great. However, I would have preferred not to hear the details of this incident repeated multiple times, or learn how it excited main character Rory's best friend so much that she needed both her vibrator and an immediate Tinder hookup. Reading it once was enough for me, thank you.

Unfortunately, the weirdness did not end there. Later in the book, main characters Rory and Mal attended a party and ended up playing spin the bottle with the other guests. (Sidenote: How old were these people, 13? Do people still play spin the bottle after they're out of junior high?) As the game progresses, Rory suddenly starts daydreaming about Mal railing another guy from behind. This fantasy seemed to come completely out of the blue, and really made me question her feelings for him. Again, this is just my opinion, but at that point in their relationship development, I wanted to see evidence of Rory and Mal's desire for each other, not some random third party (regardless of gender). If Rory had gotten jealous instead of turned on while thinking about Mal being with another person, I think I would have found their feelings for each other to be more believable.

Overall, ITUE was a very compelling story that managed to work in a good amount of humor despite the angst and keep me interested despite the various things that bothered me as I read. I liked both Mal and Rory even though they were flawed, and I wanted them both to find some happiness even if I wasn't entirely convinced that their best shot at happiness was together. I'm not sure I would recommend this book, however. It's certainly unique, but I think it ended up being just a little too out there for me.

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Blog Tour + Review: "Sex and Other Shiny Objects" by Lauren Blakely

Happy release day to Lauren Blakely's latest rom-com, "Sex and Other Shiny Objects," the second book in the Boyfriend Material series. My full review is included at the end of this post, but in short, I loved this charming, funny, and sweet story and recommend it for both new and existing readers of Ms. Blakely's work. I'm a big fan of the "best friends-to-lovers" trope, and this story was an especially fun example of that theme. Main characters Peyton and Tristan were both well-developed and incredibly likeable, and I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA.

About "Sex and Other Shiny Objects"

The second the test-the-sexy-scenes offer landed in my lap, I said yes.

After all, I've been damn curious about a few things I've read in romance novels. Do buttons truly go flying across the floor when you rip off a guy's shirt? Is staircase sex hella hot or does it leave you with a big old bruise mark on your back? And don’t even get me started on all that panty shredding, and whether it even works.

Time to find out as I embark on Project Sexy Scenes Research, at the request of my hotshot book editor bestie.

All I need is a willing scene partner. Enter Tristan, my best guy friend. The witty, tell-it-like-it-is, bearded hottie volunteers for the experiment.

He's also the guy who gave me the most devastating, toe-curling kiss of my life ten years ago. But nothing has happened since then.

And nothing will come between my panties and our friendship now since we have a plan to keep it PG.

But once the buttons start flying, all bets are off…

My Review

"Sex and Other Shiny Objects" by Lauren Blakely was a fun and very amusing read. I enjoyed getting to know the female lead character, Peyton, when she was introduced as a secondary character in an earlier book, but I found her to be even more charming as the lead character in this story. I especially loved watching Peyton cast off the last shackles of her failed engagement and blossom into the bold, independent, successful businesswoman she was meant to be. I also loved the idea of using her blog to drive foot traffic into her lingerie store and connect with customers on a personal level. It was obvious how much Peyton genuinely cared about her customers and wanted to help them find the perfect items to make them feel both special and empowered.

Peyton's best guy friend and eventual love interest, Tristan, was a wonderful lead character too. I very much admired the way he stepped up to care for his younger brother and managed to maintain a close relationship with him despite the tough situation. Tristan's romantic feelings for Peyton seemed so obvious to me from the beginning of the story that I'm not sure how she could have missed seeing them, but I guess the timing for them was always just a little bit off. In addition, sometimes we only see what we want to see, and in Peyton's case she may have been too afraid to look for something deeper than friendship with Tristan because she didn't want to lose him him if it didn't work out. I can certainly understand that fear, but I was thrilled when the two of them finally threw caution to the wind and admitted their feelings for each other.

The romance novel scenarios Peyton and Tristan tested were pretty hilarious. I too have wondered if some of those ideas would work in real life, especially the literal tearing off of clothing and undressing while going up a staircase in high heels. Maybe it's just that I am incredibly uncoordinated (I am, in fact, a danger to myself and others when wearing high heels, even on a completely level surface), but I have always imagined that even the most coordinated of women would be at risk of falling and injuring themselves if attempting such a thing. It was nice to be proven right!

At any rate, I very much enjoyed "Sex and Other Shiny Objects" and can't wait to see what the next book in this series has in store for us.

*ARC provided by the author via Candi Kane PR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Excerpt + Giveaway + Review: "The After Wife" by Melanie Summers

I am absolutely thrilled to be participating in the blog tour celebrating the release of "The After Wife" by Melanie Summers. I loved this book so much and am beyond excited to be sharing it with you today.

It's a good thing I put dinner in the Crock Pot before I started reading this book, because if I hadn't, I might have starved. I couldn't make myself stop reading, and delivery wasn't an option because it was snowing outside. I kept telling myself, "I'll just read one more chapter, and then I'll go do a load of laundry" or some other chore, but one chapter turned into two, then three, and so on until the whole afternoon was gone. "The After Wife" is an engrossing read, and several days later, I still have a bit of a book hangover! We're not even halfway through January yet, but I'm positive that this book will make it onto my favorites of 2020 list.

For a chance to win a signed copy of "The After Wife" plus a $100 Amazon gift card courtesy of the author, Melanie Summers, click here! (Giveaway ends on January 16.)

About "The After Wife"

From bestselling author Melanie Summers, comes a heartfelt and uplifting tale of love, loss, and letting go…

After losing her husband, writer Abigail Carson has all but given up on life. Having spent the last year cocooned in her Manhattan apartment, Abigail is suddenly forced to find a new home where she can stretch her dwindling savings. Intent on isolation, she moves to a tiny village in Nova Scotia where she’ll have no one to interrupt her solitude.

Little does Abigail realize that small-town life offers far less privacy than the big city. With neighbors knocking on the door bearing homemade treats and invitations, Abby soon finds herself immersed in the lives of the people of South Haven. She forms an unlikely friendship with Liam Wright, the handyman renovating her dilapidated cottage, and his daughter, seven-year-old Olive.

As the dark cloud engulfing Abigail lifts, she begins to believe she may have found love again. But just as Abigail is ready to leap, she discovers Liam carries with him a shocking secret that will ultimately cause everything to unravel. Abigail must decide if she will turn away from his pain or open her heart in the most hopeless of circumstances.

Insightful, enchanting, and filled with hope, The After Wife reminds us of the importance of human connection and the inseparable nature of love and survival.

Read an Excerpt from "The After Wife"

Liam walks over to the bookshelf and pulls one of my novels down. “What’s it like to be a writer?”

“I’m not sure anymore. It’s been so long since I’ve done it.”

He looks at me from under his eyebrows and takes a more serious tone. “What’s it like to be a writer?”

I let out a long sigh. “Oh, it’s so many things—terrifying, gratifying, exciting, boring, tedious, and lonely.”

“All that in one job, eh?”

“All that in one day.”

“Tell me about this book.” He holds up The Duchess and the Doctor. The cover has a woman in a pale pink silk Mantua gown. “What’s it about?”

I hate it when men ask me about my romance novels. They either find the whole genre silly or assume I’m totally oversexed. “That was my third novel. It’s about a duchess and a doctor.”

“I got that from the title.” He comes around to the front of my desk and props himself up on the corner, still holding the book. “What happens with them?”

An uncomfortably warm feeling comes over me, like I’m doing something wrong, even though I haven’t done anything. I look down at my laptop to make it go away. “You’re welcome to take it home and read it if you’re absolutely dying to know.”

“Come on, Abigail. You let millions of strangers read your books—”

“Thousands.”

“So thousands then. But you know me. I’d think you could at least tell me a little about your work.” He flips it over and looks at the back. “Is it steamy?”

“Not Fifty Shades-steamy, but I did once get a review from Publisher’s Monthly that said I was ‘particularly adept at writing love scenes that work.’” Why did I say that? Stupid, Abby!

His mouth curves up in an impressed smile. “Particularly adept, eh?”

I purse my lips together. “You see? This is why I don’t like talking about my books.”

“You’re the one who brought up how adept you are. A man can’t help but have some follow-up questions on that.”

“Yeah, well, trust me, the answers aren’t going to be as thrilling as you may think.”

His face drops. “No?”

“No.” I set my attention to the terrifyingly blank word document labeled ‘Write a Book, Stupid.’ “I will tell you one thing, though. Romance writers are forever being asked about their sex lives, whereas I doubt anyone ever asks Stephen King how many people he murders when he’s not at his desk.”

Liam chuckles at the comparison. “It’s probably because sex is more fun to talk about.”

“I wouldn’t know. It’s another thing I only have vague memories of.”

When I risk a glance at him, his expression is unreadable, but those ridiculously blue eyes of his are intense in their gaze. I clear my throat. “Anyway, I should get back at it.”

“I’m going to take you up on your offer, you know.”

Dear Lord, what offer does he think I just made?

“I’m going to read your books. All of them.”

“Knock yourself out.”

***

The next morning, Liam arrives with The Duchess and the Doctor in one hand and his toolbox in the other. He holds up the book, looking defeated.

"Let me guess, too much lace and not enough action. Couldn't get through it?"

"Couldn't put it down. I was up 'til two this morning, reading. I needed to know if they'd end up together."

I fold my lips in between my teeth, trying not to laugh.

"That damned Tabitha. What a wench she turned out to be."

He walks into my den and returns the book to its spot. "This the next one?" He pulls out The Duke and the Dressmaker and flips it over.

"It is."

"Oh! It's about her brother?"

"William, yes."

"Good. He needs a happy ending after everything he's been through."

***

My Review

"The After Wife" by Melanie Summers was one of the best books I've read in some time and I did not want to put it down. It was a very emotional story, alternately heartbreaking and humorous, but ultimately uplifting in its depiction of the power of love. I've read books by Ms. Summers before so I already knew that she is very good at weaving humor into her stories, but even so, given the focus on two widowed main characters, I wasn't expecting this story to be as funny as it turned out to be. I love the way that Ms. Summers can always make me laugh even if I want to cry at the same time!

I particularly loved main character Abby's "writer's imagination" and the things she dreamed up when she first saw the cottage in Canada she'd purchased sight unseen. Abby's thoughts about the spiders, rats, and spider-rat hybrids that might already be living in the cottage were absolutely hilarious, and brought to mind the giant spiders from the "Harry Potter" movies. I could picture one of those creatures bursting out of the front door so vividly! I also admired Abby's bravery and willingness to change her life so completely, learn to be more honest with herself and others, and open up to love again. I'm not sure if I could be as brave as she was if faced with the same situation.

Abby's contractor, friend, and later love interest, Liam, was also a wonderful character. He was funny, charming, sweet, and a great dad to his young daughter, Olive. She was the sunniest, most adorable little girl, thanks mostly to her dad's unwavering love and support even when times were tough. Olive's belief in mermaids and how it kept her connected to her mom and baby brother was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and the relationship she developed with Abby was quite lovely.

Abby's quirky, good-hearted new neighbors were also a highlight of the story. Her next door neighbors, bed and breakfast owners Nettie and Peter, were so kind and welcoming even if they were kind of nosy, and Gus the utilities guy was also a lot of fun.

Overall, I really can't recommend this book highly enough. It made me laugh, it made me cry, and above all, it made me want to read more books by Melanie Summers!

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review: The Trouble with Christmas

The Trouble with Christmas by Amy Andrews
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The Trouble with Christmas" by Amy Andrews was a charming, funny, and sweet holiday-themed romance, and I enjoyed it even more than I did the previous book in this series, "Nothing but Trouble." I lost count of the number of times I laughed out loud while I was reading, but I think my favorite parts were the descriptions of the over-the-top holiday decorations (especially the festive Christmas toilet seat) and the image of main character Grady's face painted onto the body of a cherub in a reproduction Botticelli painting. I also loved when Grady and the female lead character, Suzanne, created their own Christmas movie drinking game. They were spot on in their observations about some of the common tropes of those movies! (Sidenote: If I had played a drinking game of my own and taken a shot every time the word "schmaltz" was used in this book, I would have been hammered by the time I was halfway finished reading...)

Grady and Suzanne were both very likeable main characters, and even though their relationship developed over a relatively short period of time, their feelings for each other seemed completely real and believable to me. That said, I have to admit that I found myself slightly annoyed with Grady on a few occasions because of his ongoing refusal to talk to Suzanne about his past. I was also somewhat confused about the exact circumstances of the accident in which Grady's parents and girlfriend died. Why were they together at the time?

In addition to the book's main characters, the secondary characters were a lot of fun. It was very amusing how the small town gossip cycle was on full display here, and Grady and Suzanne's relationship kept getting blown out of proportion by the town busybodies. Also, it was great to catch up with Tucker, Arlo, and Drew from the previous book in this series. I hope there are plans for each of them to get stories of their own!

At any rate, I look forward to picking up the next book in this series.

*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Blog Tour + Giveaway + Review: "The Game Changer" by Jennifer Brown

Happy New Year to all! This holiday season, I hope you enjoyed plenty of quality time with family and friends, delicious food, thoughtful gifts, and of course, time to catch up on your reading. :-)

Today, I am very happy to be participating in the blog tour for "The Game Changer" by Jennifer Brown, a delightful cozy mystery featuring charming characters, an engaging story, and descriptions of baked goods that are guaranteed to leave your mouth watering. Every so often, I like to pick up a cozy mystery as a change of pace from the many romance novels I read, and "The Game Changer" was a particularly fun example of the genre. My full review of this story is below, but in short, I would recommend it for readers who have enjoyed such series as Lilian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." or Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear culinary mysteries. Readers of small town romance may also enjoy this tale because of its setting in the adorably quirky town of Parkwood, Missouri and the potential for a relationship between main character Hollis Bisbee and police officer Brooks Hopkins.

For a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card courtesy of the author, Jennifer Brown, click here! (Giveaway closes on January 18.)

About "The Game Changer"

Hollis and Daisy love podcasting about murder cases…

But can they solve one?

Hollis Bisbee used to be a big-city crime reporter. Now, she’s a small-town journalist, and she’s bored. She and a young mom, talented baker Daisy Mueller, start the Knock ‘Em Dead podcast—"Where murder and muffins meet!" It’s all fun, games, and baking tips until murder comes to Parkwood.

After a brutal homecoming game loss, the coach of the rival football team is the victim of a hit-and-run in the high school parking lot. The entire town is on edge, and the star quarterback—who happens to be the police chief’s son—may just look the guiltiest of all.

With Hollis’s investigative skills and Daisy’s famous muffins…and in spite of the charming rookie police officer tasked with keeping Hollis out of the way…the podcasting duo sets out to solve their first real case.

This cozy mystery includes a killer free recipe for Daisy’s Cherry Chocolate Chunk Muffins.

My Review

Jennifer Brown's "The Game Changer" was a cute and funny cozy mystery, with just a hint of romance on the side to keep things interesting. The central mystery involving the hit-and-run death of a local football coach was well-crafted, and the culprit wasn't immediately obvious to me. Despite my initial expectations, main characters Hollis and Daisy turned out to be clever investigators, and the secondary focus on Daisy's baking was a nice bonus. Reading about all of Daisy's delicious treats certainly made me hungry as I was reading!

Both of the main characters were very likeable, and I enjoyed their easy friendship and amusing conversations. Daisy was genuinely nice, sweet, and positive, and I was amazed at how she managed to remain so calm despite the chaos of raising four young children and launching a baking business at the same time. Hollis, the book's narrator as well as the podcast's lead investigator, was a bit more reserved than Daisy but still a lot of fun. I appreciated Hollis's character arc over the course of the book as she came to terms with how her life had changed since moving from Chicago to Parkwood, and ultimately realizing that she was ready to call the quirky little town home.

The book's secondary characters were also pretty great. For example, police officer Brooks Hopkins was a nice love interest for Hollis. He was handsome, flirty, and intelligent, and their banter back and forth made me laugh. I could see their relationship developing into something more serious if this story turns into a series. Hollis's mom and aunt were also very amusing, and her phone calls with them were hilarious. I hope to learn more about Hollis's family should there be future books in this series.

Overall, "The Game Changer" was an enjoyable read and I hope there will be more books in this series.

*ARC provided by the author/publisher via InkSlingerPR.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

Review: Nothing But Trouble

Nothing But Trouble by Amy Andrews
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Overall, "Nothing but Trouble" by Amy Andrews was a sweet, amusing story featuring likeable main characters and a well-crafted slow burn romance. I especially enjoyed the male lead character, former NFL quarterback Wade, and his addiction to Nerds candy. He was a lot of fun, and watching him slowly realize his romantic feelings for his long-suffering personal assistant, CC, was delightful. I also enjoyed CC's lively, independent personality and the way she always stood up to Wade. Their banter made me laugh out loud a number of times as I was reading.

The characters were really the strength of this book, with Wade's childhood friends from his hometown of Credence, Colorado adding a lot of humor and nearly stealing the show in a few places. The way they teased Wade was really funny, and I loved that they treated him like a regular guy despite his celebrity. I really liked the secondary romance involving Wade's older brother Wyatt and the new girl in town, Jenny, too. Wyatt was such a sweetheart, and I was happy for him to find someone who was able to see past his shyness to the good-hearted person inside. I usually hate relationships based on insta-love, which could definitely describe Wyatt and Jenny's relationship, but I was able to give it a pass here because they weren't the main couple. Besides that, Wyatt was just so darn sweet and likeable that I would have forgiven him almost anything.

That said, there were some things about the story that didn't quite make sense to me, which is why I was unable to rate it 5 stars. First, did CC have a relationship with her father while she was growing up or not? At first, it seemed as if she never saw him at all, but she later told Wade that she felt "fought over" by her parents when she was a child. She also told him that her father had never told her he loved her. Why would her parents have bothered to fight over her if her father didn't love her and want to see her? I guess it could have been related to child support payments or something similar, but even so, that doesn't fit with the initial impression that her father wasn't in her life at all. Second, I was confused about when CC's father actually left the family. At the time this story takes place, CC is 32 years old, and we're told that her father left her mother when she was 3 to be with a woman who already had children of her own from a previous relationship. However, when he dies CC notes that her father left behind "bewildered teenagers" who would miss "the only father they've ever known." How could that possibly be the case unless he went on to have more kids with the other woman? That woman's older children couldn't possibly still be teenagers; they would have had to be around CC's age by then.

I was also confused by some of the details surrounding Wade's experiences with Jasmine. For example, how does Wade know where Jasmine is and what she's up to now? Did they keep in touch? Given everything she put him through when they broke up, it seems strange to me that he would have kept in touch with her, but how else would he know about her current life?

Finally, Wade's objections to the plan to invite women to move to Credence were very weak, and it didn't make sense to me why he wouldn't just go home to Denver if he was so unhappy about it. Wyatt didn't need any help managing the farm, and even if he had, Wade easily could have hired someone to help him out. He had plenty of money to do so thanks to his lucrative NFL contracts. In addition, if there were too many distractions for Wade to write his book in Denver, his money would have allowed him to go anywhere in the world to write. After he knew his father was going to recover, the only thing keeping Wade in Credence was stubbornness, and it was kind of annoying that no one bothered to point that out to him.

In any event, I did enjoy this story and look forward to reading future installments in the series, some of which will hopefully feature Wade's childhood friends. Tucker, Arlo, and Drew seem like pretty great guys and I would love to see them get stories of their own.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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