I received this book from Jill Shalvis' bookaholics.
I can always count on Jill Shalvis for a great read. She always has strong women and men who are I received this book from Jill Shalvis' bookaholics.
I can always count on Jill Shalvis for a great read. She always has strong women and men who are not jerks. I so loved Kylie and Joe. And visiting Heartbreaker Bay is wonderful. I loved the story of why Kylie and Joe had to be together. If I had a little penguin figure that meant so much to me I would love having someone like Joe on my side to find it. I'm not sure why it's the Heartbreaker Bay. It seems like the opposite. Keep writing books like this Jill Shalvis and I will be a fan for life....more
I tried. I wanted to read this because it sounded a lot like If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio. Now that is a good book.
First I received this ebook asI tried. I wanted to read this because it sounded a lot like If We Were Villains by M. L. Rio. Now that is a good book.
First I received this ebook as an ARC from the publishers through Netgalley.com. So I understand that there are mistakes, typos, and format issues but this was really bad. I normally can get through things like that but in this case it made it really hard to read. Then, I didn't care for anyone in the story. It was a bunch of teenage girls being mean and acting superior to everyone else. So this was a DNF. ...more
This is the type of paranormal book I love. It's about a girl who can see and hear ghosts. They want her to help them. There is time-travel as well. IThis is the type of paranormal book I love. It's about a girl who can see and hear ghosts. They want her to help them. There is time-travel as well. I read this before reading the first in the series so I don't know who is who but it was still a good story to read. I requested this before I realized it was the second book in a series but I'm glad I did because now I have a new author to read. Yay! I like the characters in the book and I will go back and read the first one. Then maybe even re-read this book.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the arc....more
Thank you Kim Law for letting me be on the Kim Law Review Crew. (I got the ARC via Netgalley.com) Kim Law is flying straight to the top of my go-to auThank you Kim Law for letting me be on the Kim Law Review Crew. (I got the ARC via Netgalley.com) Kim Law is flying straight to the top of my go-to author list. I loved Hardheaded. I love the characters and can't wait to read their stories. I even loved the paranormal part in the book. Mrs. Wainwright was a great side story. Except her story started when I was reading in bed around midnight. But her story turned out wonderfully.
Jill and Cal had great chemistry and I love the enemies-to-lovers stories. Jill and Cal both had some big anger issues and, in the end, it all works out. I loved it.
A couple of things about Cal irritated me to a point, but I still loved him. He could, at times, be a jealous jerk. He was happy that Jill hadn't slept with anyone since him. But how many women had he slept with? Why the double standard, Cal?
Also this: He asked Jill "so, how long has it been since you've done this?" "Do you mean sex?" Jill asked. "Like ...with a man? Or...?" "Have you had sex with a woman?" Cal asked. The following is quoted from the book. 'The mixed expression of shock, horror, and hope staring back at her was hilarious.' 'Horror?' What exactly is the author going for? I know some people still have a problem with the idea of people who are gay, bisexual, or even just curious, and authors and publishers don't want to offend people, but come on. It's ok. I don't think there needs to be horror in his expression. Especially since Mrs. Wainwright was a white woman who fell in love with a black man. No one thought anything about that, so horror seems out of place.
One other thing was in the book that I didn't know how to take. Either laugh at it or roll my eyes. The story is about Cal's company and Jill's company competing in a house renovating tv reality show. In the book the judges are Bob and Debra Raines. Hmm, sounds like Chip and Joanna Gaines from the show Fixer Upper. Did the names have to sound the same? I don't think it was necessary.
Other than those couple of things I thought the book was so good and I can't wait for more in the Deep in the Heart series....more
I stopped around 15%. It was just eh. There wasn't anything about it that kept me interested. I was looking forward to reading about a gender-fluid teI stopped around 15%. It was just eh. There wasn't anything about it that kept me interested. I was looking forward to reading about a gender-fluid teen and a competition to become Opal, one of the queens warriors. The gender-fluid part was so small and nothing else was mentioned after that. I didn't like Sal too much either. I couldn't connect with her/him. And I put it that way because she/he wanted to be called by the pronouns as she/he felt and dressed. So if she wore a dress then she would be a she and if he wore pants and dressed masculine then he would be he. Great, fine, I can go with that, no problem. But the author writes in first person and there aren't ways to use pronouns if it's all I, me, mine. Plus, there was the whole thing about killing. Sal hadn't killed before but killing the boss of the robbers was easy, like second nature, for Sal. I have better books to read and I didn't want to continue to read a ho-hum book.
I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publishers. ...more
I liked this book for the most part. There were a few things that did not sit well with me. I thought the attitudes in the book were a little too sterI liked this book for the most part. There were a few things that did not sit well with me. I thought the attitudes in the book were a little too stereotypical, too sweet sweet tea, hillbilly southern boys. I liked the main heroine, Margot, up to a point. She was the fish out of water, a northern girl put in the deep south. I thought she had a bit of a holier than thou attitude, looking down her nose at the southern folk. I did like Kyle, the main hero, he was a nice guy, a father to two little girls.
There was one situation were I thought went way over the line. With all the sexual assault accusations going on in the real world I thought the author would not have that in her book. Margot gets very drunk, where she can barely walk, and she sees Kyle at a bar. She goes to him and starts kissing him. They kiss each other and things lead to more things and they end up in his truck. The only thing he does is ask if she is ok with this, them having sex while she is drunk, and the only reason she stops is because her phone rings and she realizes she left her cousins in the bar. Ooops. So he was ok with having sex with a woman who is drunk. To me that is not ok. This is not how the hero of a romance should behave.
Margot had a nonexistent relationship with her father, and I think the author did a good job bringing this relationship to the point it did by the end of the book. As well as all the other relationships Margot had started. I loved the banter between Margot and Kyle. And how Margot thought the sweet tea was "liquid diabetes".
So I thought this book was pretty good, it just had a few issues that had me thinking if I was going to put it in the dnf list. I'm glad I finished it, I did enjoy it.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book....more
I love Christmas stories and I love Jill Shalvis' books. It was so nice to go back to the Heartbreaker Bay group of friends. The fountain makes a retuI love Christmas stories and I love Jill Shalvis' books. It was so nice to go back to the Heartbreaker Bay group of friends. The fountain makes a return in the book and Daisy Duke accidentally pushes Colbie into it. I hope you understand that sentence, you will if you've read the other books in the series. I think Heartbreaker Bay is one of Jill Shalvis' best series.
I like Colbie; but she tries to not cuss by using words that sound like cuss words. That wasn't so bad but when she was using the old, cliche words and phrases, that was almost dating. H-E-double hockey sticks? Really? I didn't think anyone used that one anymore. Colbie did get better. Motherforker was one of my favorites. Monkey Balls was another and the author used butt-hurt again. Which I love. Anyway, I like Colbie, she isn't a girl who is tstl. But I didn't like the way she was ready to tell Spence everything about herself, especially right away.
That leads me to Spence. We knew him from the beginning of the series and he seems like a great guy. I didn't like that Colbie was opening up about herself, her job, her family. But he didn't tell her much about himself. He couldn't tell her that he sold some apps and with the money bought the building?
I got to around 49% and thought about putting it in my dnf list. But I really wanted to see what happened. The plot sounds great but the writing was jI got to around 49% and thought about putting it in my dnf list. But I really wanted to see what happened. The plot sounds great but the writing was just so boring and not going anywhere. When something was going on it was fine but there was too much listening to Ben's thoughts. So I went to the end and backed up about 3 chapters and came in after whatever happened and Ben and Rose were the only ones left on the mountain. It was kind of exciting at the end but I skipped about 50% of the book. Maybe I will go back and read more of the last part of the book. I was really hoping for a good read but that just wasn't happening.
I received this book from Netgalley.com for a review....more
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I thought reading some lgbt+ books during pride month would be great. Not that I don't read any duriThanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I thought reading some lgbt+ books during pride month would be great. Not that I don't read any during the rest of the year. I do and most of these stories are so good and I love this genre. Anyway, it seems like I picked some bad ones. At least, this book was short. I read it in an afternoon. I liked the main characters Adam and Paul and I absolutely loved Rhonda. She is a badass girl and I loved her attitude about everything. Everyone else is just a giant stereotypical bad Christian. All the people at the camp, Adam's mom and dad, the "friends" of his mom, and especially, Randall, he is the biggest jerk but at the end you find out why but it doesn't change him being a jerk.
Some notes I wrote while reading this:
-Early on in the book Adam's mom's friend and her daughter see Adam with his friend shopping for clothes. They immediately think they are gay and are boyfriends. Why is it bad and a sin for two boys to shop together. I didn't realize shopping was a gateway event to sinful things.
-"God helps those who help themselves". First that is not in the Bible and, imo, it seems like God is always about coming to Him for help because we are weak and He is strong.
-Adam is talking to the head of the camp and he, Bishop something or other, says that masturbation is a sin. ? Do people really believe that still?
-Later on in the book, Rhonda runs away and is brought back to the camp. The Bishop decides that she should be, wait a minute let me quote this right, "Bishop wants to send a message to Rhonda that we care for her." And how do they do that? By shaming her? Everyone is told to not look at her and not talk to her. Wow, very Christian of them.
And this is the problem with this book. I think the author is trying to show how bad some people can be as racists, gay-shaming, and any thing that goes against what they believe haters, that he goes overboard. I'm sure there are people who have to deal with people like this and that's so terrible and wrong. I just wanted this story to be believable. This book is only 184 pages and the development of characters and story are just bad. I finished it so I could see if it improved but it didn't. So depressing it might make some suicidal but, wait, that was in here too. ...more
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I really wanted to like this story. I wanted it to be a sweet happy ever after book. I guess I gotThanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.
I really wanted to like this story. I wanted it to be a sweet happy ever after book. I guess I got that in a way except for the "wth" things that happened in this story. I got stuck at the 50% point and I thought I would have to put this in the dnf list. But I wanted to see what happened to Todd and Sebby. It almost seemed like it was written by a young person who hasn't written a lot because it was a bit uneven. I thought it was going well but then out of the blue something weird would happen. I gave it 3 stars because under everything else going on I liked the main characters and happy for them at the end. ...more
This is an ARC from the publishers and netgalley.com.
I gave this a 3 star review because the story was just another military romance and the action wThis is an ARC from the publishers and netgalley.com.
I gave this a 3 star review because the story was just another military romance and the action was ok. Not much happened until around the 30% mark. Dan/Dean was a good character but was a typical alpha male. Some peoples ideal man; strong, mysterious, looking out for the little guy. Don't forget he had a ten (not five) o'clock shadow. What? Why? Did that make him MORE masculine?
I didn't like Annie at all. She was tstl. Annie doesn't like the US military. Why? Because her daddy was in the military? I'm a proud Army brat. Thank you to all who serve and have served!! Annie talks with Dan/Dean for about 3 conversations and she knows what he is like? He's hiding things, she knows, but she can tell "that's him....matter of fact and without innuendo." Once Annie finds the explosives she tells Dan/Dean and also tells him that her and her friends were only supposed to break the drill. She gets all upset about Dan/Dean hiding things. "Clearly the captain didn't want to risk a run-in with the police. Was he on the run? Some kind of criminal?" Ah, no, Annie, YOU are the one who's some kind of criminal! Ok, no more about Annie. She's giving me a headache.
Ok, another irritating character is Julian. Oh, the poor put upon baby. I just didn't like him no matter how much he wanted to be nice.
John-Paul, another stereotypical bad guy.
.....well, now it's all giving me a headache. I think I'll stick with Suzanne Brockmanns TroubleShooters Inc. series. She knows how to write great male and female characters....more
I always love Troubleshooters books. Suzanne Brockmann knows how to write a good exciting book. This one, however, just didn't read as well as the othI always love Troubleshooters books. Suzanne Brockmann knows how to write a good exciting book. This one, however, just didn't read as well as the others. Even Izzy couldn't bring this up to the level of the other books in the series. It was slow-going at first. The attraction between Pete and Shayla wasn't there, imo, but I did like them and, of course, they will be fine because there is ultimately a hea with these characters. I think the connection between Pete and Shayla was a bit too insta-love. Again my opinion. Once I got to about 50% the action started getting livelier and that's the Troubleshooters I know and love. I will have to go back a couple of books to read the start of Boat Squad John. That sounds like a great story.
These books usually have a second story running and I would like to have read more of Aunt Hiroko and the internment of the family. And I understand how authors "talk" to their characters but Harry, a character from an earlier book Shayla wrote, coming in and talking with Shayla was a bit off-putting. And that Shayla would shush him.
Just a couple notes I had while reading this book (I love how on my Kindle I can highlight and make notes)
At 55% - "it was hard to tell where she ended and he began". Can we get rid of this please? My exact words were "oh god, not this again". It seems like a requirement for romance books.
At 80% - Shayla writes romances and Pete asked "you write love stories, right?" "Romances, she corrected him." What exactly is the difference?
And all through the book texts and emails 'whooshed'. These are nouns and verbs so whooshing is something we used to do with our deposits while at the drive-thru at the bank. Those would whoosh.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Not my favorite of the authors books but still really good.
I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kim Law is becoming one of my favoritI received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.
Kim Law is becoming one of my favorite authors. Definitely a go-to read. I just love her characters and their stories. You can't help but fall in love with them. I so loved Gabe and Erica and was wanting them together from the very beginning. These people are flawed and I can relate to them so much easier than other family/small town books where the people and places are perfect. Kim Law has a way of getting her stories into your heart and you want that just as much. What a fun, engrossing, falling-in-love book. Thank you Kim Law for letting me be on your Review Crew. :)...more
So exciting! I am loving this series. I love Jericho and how he is trying to do the right thing and be ok with himself. And I love Wade and how he wanSo exciting! I am loving this series. I love Jericho and how he is trying to do the right thing and be ok with himself. And I love Wade and how he wants to take care of Jericho even though they are trying to skirt around their relationship. I can't wait for the next book but I'm not ready to finish this series. The author does an amazing job with her stories and you can't help falling in love with her characters. Great job!...more
I'm so excited about this series. I am loving Jericho and Wade. Especially Wade, so mysterious and I just know he is hiding something. And I love how I'm so excited about this series. I am loving Jericho and Wade. Especially Wade, so mysterious and I just know he is hiding something. And I love how the sexual tension is increasing at a slow, steady pace. I hate the insta-love thing and this series doesn't have that or other cliche' tropes.
I think Jericho needs to step up and become stronger. I know he feels like he owes something to his dad and try and take care of the kids but, damn, he really doesn't need to take shit from everyone. I feel better about him and his situation when he does stand up for himself, but it's not often. Maybe in the upcoming books he will.
Thanks to Netgalley I can enjoy these books. I love reading Kate Sherwood's books and this series is a great read so far. Can't wait to start the next book.
I really liked this book. I can't wait to read the rest in the series. I liked the main character, Jericho, and Wade, when he was in the story. I can I really liked this book. I can't wait to read the rest in the series. I liked the main character, Jericho, and Wade, when he was in the story. I can see how great this series will be and the potential for really good stories. This author is so good with her books I feel like I know the characters and I love the back and forth between each one. I'm so excited for book 2....more
A sweet, short story. About 89 pages. Some cliche' lines, like, her smile was as bright as the sun, and his word was his bond. But I liked the story aA sweet, short story. About 89 pages. Some cliche' lines, like, her smile was as bright as the sun, and his word was his bond. But I liked the story and I liked the main characters, Anita and Colin. This book made me want to read the rest of the Malloys of Montana series.
I received this book from Netgalley.com for a review. ...more
My favorite genre is the hea romance novel. This book is definitely one of them. I'm one of the lucky ones, I received this book as a free, advanced cMy favorite genre is the hea romance novel. This book is definitely one of them. I'm one of the lucky ones, I received this book as a free, advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley for an unbiased review.
I just love Nick, a bull-rider who takes risk after risk, and one nice guy. But he has nothing on the risk taking of Harper. The older sister of one of his best friends growing up. She is trying to deal with living without her late husband and giving Nick a hard time when all he wants to do, or thinks he wants, is to be a friend. It was a bit harder for me to like Harper. She lost her husband in an accident and is trying to get by all by herself. She doesn't ask or want any help. Then she almost crashes in a race car, and does rock climbing at a punishing rate.
A few notes I had - in the first chapter is where Nick is bull riding and "a lesser man would have crumbled under". What's wrong with the "lesser" men? I like reading about people who have flaws. Then soon after he rides the bull he sees the people on their feet applauding him, "he is the reigning champ ... a god to these people". Really, a god? And finally, one that I thought was funny. As Harper is driving the race car she "was off. The sound was unlike any Nick had heard, and he'd swear his balls tightened as the motor went from growl to snarl to wail." I need some clarification. The balls tightening...is that a good thing or bad? Is he worried about her or turned on by the sound of the car?
This is the second book in the Wildes of Birch Bay series and I so want to read the first one now. Please Kim Law, continue writing about this place.
I usually love Lori Foster's books and this one was good but it didn't seem as good as some of her other books. This is the first book in the Guthrie I usually love Lori Foster's books and this one was good but it didn't seem as good as some of her other books. This is the first book in the Guthrie Brothers series but there are only two brothers with son Colt. I kept tripping over the son's name. Yes, Colt, like the horse. Do people name their kids after horses? Oh, wait, there's Mare Winningham. Never mind. Anyway, maybe the series should be named after the neighborhood. I'm not sure it's mentioned but everyone seems to live on the street. It's comfy but not many people nearby. Jason, the main male character; Hogan, Jason's brother; Colt, Hogan's son, all live in Jason's house. Dean Sullivan lives across the street and he is the second character whose story is being told in this book. Nathan is the sheriff/guitar player/band mate and he lives on the other side of Honor. Honor is the main female character and she just bought the run down house next door to Jason. Lexie is Honor's best friend. Violet is not a neighbor but she is probably the love interest for Hogan in another book. Also, there is Diesel, the best dog. I wouldn't mind getting some kisses from him.
Ok, so here are some notes I wrote while reading this book:
I put this in the list for same word over and over for the word obtuse. I read that a number of times. The author didn't use the word as many times as some authors do. They must have a word a day calendar and will use that one word over and over. (Just a pet peeve of mine)
page 68 - ugh, the big, sexy alpha who only wears shorts, knows what's best for poor little Honor. He is so concerned about her being tired. They just met! She needs to tell him to buzz off.
page 69 - Thank you! "He could grill her, but she was supposed to mind her own business."
page 114 - Jason stopped kissing her because he didn't want to take advantage. That's how the hero is supposed to act.
page 125 - the author spells Violet's name Violent.
page 130 - (this is a big one.) Honor hasn't had a date in 2 years! OMG! His mind went blank. Before he could assimilate such a thing....she added haven't been kissed or held hands. No fucking way!!! It actually says in the book "No fucking way". His head swam with a tidal storm of emotions. Wow 2 whole years. Soooo unbelievable.
page 144 - his spread fingers spanned her waist hip to hip. Wow! I hope he is as big as King Kong, otherwise, she is as small as Barbie. The actual Barbie doll. Now, I know that some men have big hands but to span a woman's waist doesn't sound right.
page 182 - ok so someone else has to tell us that Honor is pretty. Pretty is just pretty. It doesn't make someone nice or good. Or that we have to "rah rah" for them. Hey, that person is pretty, we must root for them. They are the good people. They is pretty!
page 190 - "a little after midnight, her grandfather left her." Oh God! Crying the ugly tears. This is, I think, the part of the book that is so well written. So emotional and you see the best of everyone.
page 214 - "she squirreled against him". (?) Is that a new dance? The squirrel? I don't think it's a dance unless people dance while having sex in bed. hmmm
page 231 - ok I get it, Sullivan has incendiary eyes. There's another word over and over.
pages 239-247 - I don't think I like how this scene went. Sullivan insulted Lexi and I would have pushed him away and told him to fuck off. This is one of the problems with two story lines in one book. Some things do not get the best treatment this way. Too much time written on non-important things and not enough time where it needs to be. I thought this book was too long but in fact there wasn't enough written for Lexi and Sullivan. Some authors do this very well, Susanne Brockmann and her Troubleshooters series.
page 280 - oh god again. "She's so pretty."
page 316 - again again with the "she's so pretty". This is about Colt's girlfriend. Heaven forbid if a girl is not so pretty.
page 324 - How can a dog look worried for someone? I know dogs can pick up bad vibes from people but can they look worried?
I liked Jason, for all I knew of him, Honor was just this girl who worried about everything and didn't want help because that meant people thought she couldn't do for herself. Not enough about Lexi and Sullivan. I may read the next book in the series "Worth the Wait". It's Hogan's story and Nathan's story is the other in the book.
Oh, I meant to mention that I won this book as an ebook from goodreads.com. I read the ebook and the paperback back and forth. Thank you goodreads.com....more
I love that the author said this book is a parody of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I just could not get into that book but this one is so mucI love that the author said this book is a parody of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I just could not get into that book but this one is so much better. Plus it is about not caring about things that you really don't need to care about. I think I am of a certain age and that has happened with me without reading the book, I just don't care about giving a f*ck to things that don't "spark joy" for me. The book did seem long and repetitive so I scanned the last part but mostly I liked that this attitude reinforced how I feel. I do like that I don't feel alone in not caring about some things and wanting to forget about them and not feeling guilty.
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