Showing posts with label Julie Wright. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Julie Wright. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Review: Happily Ever After: Six Fairy Tale Romances (A Timeless Romance Anthology) by Jessica Day George, Julie Wright, Sarah M. Eden, Julie Daines, Heather B. Moore, Annette Lyon


 Heidi Reads... Happily Ever After: Six Fairy Tale Romances (A Timeless Romance Anthology) by Jessica Day George, Julie Wright, Sarah M. Eden, Julie Daines, Heather B. Moore, Annette Lyon

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

From the publisher of the USA TODAY bestselling & #1 Amazon bestselling Timeless Romance Anthology series in Clean Romance, comes HAPPILY EVERY AFTER COLLECTION.

Six brand new fairy tale romance novellas by Jessica Day George, Julie Wright, Sarah M. Eden, Julie Daines, Heather B. Moore, and Annette Lyon.


MAIL-ORDER PRINCESS by Jessica Day George: Elise flees her small kingdom and arrives in the New World with only her two trunks and seven swans—her seven brothers to be exact. But Elise will do anything to get her brothers away from their cruel stepmother’s curse, even if it means accepting the long-distance marriage proposal to a former count turned farmer.

THE MILLER’S DAUGHTER by Julie Wright: When Isa meets Thomas Rumple, she is quickly infatuated with his good looks and natural charm, until she learns his true identity. Due to a wild claim by her insufferable father, Isa’s life is threatened by the king if she can’t spin a room full of straw into gold, and Thomas may be the only one who can save her.

THE PEBBLED PATH by Sarah M. Eden: Deep in the heart of a mysterious forest, Gretel trades her freedom to save her beloved father from the spell of an evil enchantress. Even attempting to escape would cost her father his life. Gretel’s determination to fulfill her promise wavers when she meets Hansel, a young man who captures her heart. For, she loves him too dearly to put his life in danger, and he loves her too much to simply leave her to her fate.

BLACK FERN by Julie Daines: Rós is desperate to find work in order to care for her ailing father and younger sisters. She applies to the mysterious owner of a crumbling castle and is soon swept up in dark secrets. Unsure if the owner of the castle is man or beast, Rós determines to help him at all cost. She soon discovers that the cost may be too great, even for her.

SCARLET by Heather B. Moore: When Scarlet needs to fetch a healing tonic on the night when the wolves are at their most dangerous, she has no choice but to apply to her nemesis, August, for help. He agrees to help her, but they encounter a pack of wolves that put up a fierce fight, marking Scarlet as their newly targeted prey.

SO RARE A POWER by Annette Lyon: Stella knows she’s taking a risk each time she meets Patrick in the rose garden that they’ve cultivated together. And no matter how much her mother will disapprove of their relationship, Stella can’t deny her feelings for him. When the Snow Queen steals away Patrick to drain him of his powers of creating beauty and life, Stella must decide what she’s willing to risk to rescue him.


My Review

I absolutely love a good fairy tale retelling, and this collection is full of them! Every one of the stories is creative while still being recognizable. The authors did a wonderful job of pulling me into the story quickly and keeping me guessing as to how things would resolve. I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories, but my favorites were The Miller's Daughter (based on Rumpelstiltskin), Black Fern (based on Beauty and the Beast), and Scarlet (based on Little Red Riding Hood). Something about the relationships in those particular stories resonated with me, the settings were easy to envision, and the tension or anticipation was palpable. This is a novella collection you won't want to miss! Highly recommend!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Review: Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright




Heidi Reads... Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she's been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife.

But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she's good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out to be Blake's younger brother, Lucas.

Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends his time and money caring for the less fortunate.

What she can't understand is why Lucas continues to try to push her back into Blake's arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her as she has fallen for him. It isn't until Lucas reveals to Emma that he was adopted into the Hampton family that she begins to understand his loyalty to Blake as well as his devotion to the child April-she is Lucas's biological niece.

Emma opens up to Lucas about the feelings of abandonment she has harbored ever since she was a child and her mother left the family. As she helps Lucas deal with his past demons, she is able to exorcise some of her own.

Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it's time for him to let her go and to let Lucas know it's time for him to love her back.


My Review

Such a fun story! I loved how Austen was brought into the contemporary world, influencing Emma (even after the "renouncement") and showing why her classics are so well-loved and still relevant. I'm not generally a fan of love triangles, but since I knew from the synopsis that Lucas and Emma are meant to be together, I was able to view the rest as providing conflict and obstacles to their relationship. I loved the friendship they shared and couldn't wait for them to figure things out and get together! While there is plenty of fun banter and snarky thoughts, there are also deeper themes that are explored and I finished the book with a happy sigh :)

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)


Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Can't Wait Wednesday: Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright


http://wishfulendings.com


Coming this November is Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright! It has such a fun cover and I love contemporary stories that tie in to Austen. I enjoy the writing style of Julie Wright from the Tangerine Street series and her contributions to some of the Timeless Romance Anthologies.

http://amzn.to/2ruKIsK
http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.bookdepository.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Ever since Emma read Pride and Prejudice, she's been in love with Mr. Darcy and has regarded Jane Austen as the expert on all things romantic. So naturally when Emma falls for Blake Hampton and he invites her home to meet his parents, she is positive an engagement is in her future. After all, Blake is a single man in possession of a good fortune, and thus must be in want of a wife.

But when it turns out that what Blake actually wants is more of a hook-up than a honeymoon, Emma is hurt, betrayed, and furious. She throws herself deeper into her work as CMO of Kinetics, the fastest growing gym franchise in the nation. She loves her work, and she's good at it, which is why she bristles when her boss brings in a consultant to help her spearhead the new facilities on the East Coast. Her frustration turns to shock when that consultant turns out to be Blake's younger brother, Lucas.

Emma is determined not to fall for Lucas, but as she gets to know him, she realizes that Lucas is nothing like his brother. He is kind and attentive and spends his time and money caring for the less fortunate.

What she can't understand is why Lucas continues to try to push her back into Blake's arms when he so clearly has fallen as hard for her as she has fallen for him. It isn't until Lucas reveals to Emma that he was adopted into the Hampton family that she begins to understand his loyalty to Blake as well as his devotion to the child April-she is Lucas's biological niece.

Emma opens up to Lucas about the feelings of abandonment she has harbored ever since she was a child and her mother left the family. As she helps Lucas deal with his past demons, she is able to exorcise some of her own.

Realizing that her love life is as complicated as anything Jane Austen could have dreamed up, Emma must find a way to let Blake know that it's time for him to let her go and to let Lucas know it's time for him to love her back.





Thursday, July 21, 2016

Review: Four Chambers by Julie Wright


Heidi Reads... Four Chambers by Julie Wright

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

From the Power of the Matchmaker series:
Every time Andra Stone crosses paths with Everett Covington, trouble follows. First she loses her scholarship. Then she loses the apartment she’d wanted more than anything. But tragedy hits hardest when she loses her grandmother—the best friend Andra has ever known. She determines that Everett is a talisman of ill fortune. When Everett comes to work in her hospital and is applying for the same position she’d been working toward since residency, Andra believes him to be her personal poltergeist.

The human heart has four chambers—four chances to get it right. Andra has only one chance left.


My Review

Poor Andra and Everett! They are so good together and good for each other, but fears and time consistently interfere in their budding relationship. I loved their college years together and that thrill of new love. Several years span the time between each reunion, and those later attempts are rife with angst. I appreciated that their confidence grew as they progressed in their respective medical careers, yet uncertainty in their personal lives keeps the tension building. Andra is so driven in her desire to be a top surgeon- I didn't relate to her priorities at all but it made her a fascinating character to read about! Everett is more balanced, but no less driven. The long time frame of their story slowed the pace for me overall but I was still invested in their romance and wishing for the happy ending they deserved.

(Thank you to Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Review: The Mariposa Hotel by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore


Heidi Reads... The Mariposa Hotel by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Welcome to Tangerine Street

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and exclusive bed-and-breakfasts. The Mariposa Hotel, a new resort, has revitalized Seashell Beach, bringing new life to the sleepy beach town. In the charming gardens of the hotel sits a three-hundred-year-old wishing well transported from Mexico. One toss of the coin, a sincere wish, and lives are changed forever…

Other books in the Tangerine Street Romance series:
The Fortune Café
The Boardwalk Antiques Shop


My Review

The Ghost of 913
Mari, a hotel maid working to pay college tuition and studying criminology, notices the tiniest details and is intrigued by the "ghost" who barely leaves a trace in his room. U.S. marshal Grant is involved with witness protection and feels he can't share details about his work with Mari which sets the scene for misunderstanding as they instantly connect but his job eventually gets in the way.

My favorite story of the three, I loved the dimension to each of the characters. Mari and Grant both have deeper struggles they are working to overcome and find healing in their relationship with each other. I also appreciated that they took a week or two to get to know each other before diving into a romance.

Butterfly Kisses
Ridley, acclaimed photographer who subs as concierge while in town shooting a surf competition meets Brooke, a plastic surgeon trying to recruit doctors to join her on a charity trip to repair cleft palates. Both make assumptions about the other based on stereotypes without getting the whole story, but end up falling for each other as they entertain what was supposed to be just a fling.

This story seemed a little more "surface" to me as Brooke and Ridley flirted with each other despite the stereotypes they each disdained about the other. They did share some pretty romantic moments, but there wasn't a foundation of trust behind their initial relationship.

Dreams Come True
Regean is the hotel events manager handling a charity gala for Hollywood producer KC Woods with a demanding assistant, but when she meets Kevin in the lobby, accepts a date only to discover later he is one and the same. More mistaken assumptions complicate things but Reagan bravely gives him a second chance and helps him smooth out some family drama that followed him to the hotel.

I liked the chemistry between Kevin and Reagan, even though it moved pretty quickly. There was a decent balance of physical attraction and appreciation of personality. The fact that Reagan stepped out of her comfort zone to embrace the romantic moments with Kevin made their relationship more special. The subplot of Kevin's family drama rounded out the story nicely.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Review: Power of the Matchmaker by Karey White, Rachael Anderson, Sheralyn Pratt, Jaima Fixsen, Kelly Oram, Heather B. Moore, Julie Wright, Heidi Ashworth, Taylor Dean, Michele Paige Holmes, Janette Rallison, Regina Sirois


Heidi Reads... The Power of the Matchmaker

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

A prequel novella to the POWER OF THE MATCHMAKER Series
Mystical . . . Beautiful . . . Romantic . . .
12 novels by 12 bestselling authors
Released once a month in 2016
Read the matchmaker’s story to find out where it all starts . . .

Mae Li has been in love with Chen Zhu for years, and he with her. But when the matchmaker arrives at the Zhu family home, she recommends another village girl for Chen.

Heartbroken, Mae Li watches as Chen does his duty by marrying another. Mae flees her village with the clothes on her back and her only possession—a pearl embedded comb, given to her as a goodbye gift from Chen Zhu.

Upon Mae’s arrival in Shanghai, she quickly learns that she’ll starve within days unless she sells her prized comb or joins a courtesan house. She goes to the Huangpu River and promises the River God that she’ll always be selfless if he will save her from becoming a prostitute . . . Her wish is granted when Ms. Tan, the matchmaker of Shanghai, finds Mae. But Mae must completely change her future and her name if she is to become the next matchmaker.


My Review

What a sad situation. It's hard to imagine giving a matchmaker the power to choose who you will marry. What I loved about this short story is that Mae wasn't about to stay and watch her love live his life with someone else. Her perseverance and self-preservation were strengths that helped her push forward. I thought the ending was fitting since this is the introduction to a series of stories where Mae will influence couple so their path to true love, written by many of my favorite authors. I'm looking forward to reading more!

(Thank you to Ebooks for Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

Monday, March 23, 2015

Review: The Boardwalk Antiques Shop by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore


Review: The Boardwalk Antiques Shop by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

http://www.amazon.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.goodreads.com

Synopsis

Tangerine Street is a must-see tourist stop with a colorful mix of one-of-a-kind boutiques, unique restaurants, eclectic museums, quaint bookstores, and renowned bed-and-breakfasts. The Boardwalk Antiques Shop is an exclusive shop where every antique has a story, and each story possesses the gift to match true love. The customer who buys an antique also buys its story and soon discovers that its story unites the past with the present, creating an unexpected romantic future…

“Where Every Antique has a Story”

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE: Jennifer is newest owner of The Boardwalk Antiques Shop, inherited from her aunt. When Jennifer arrives in Seashell Beach, her first priority is to meet with a realtor to sell the place. She laughs out loud when she discovers the realtor’s name is Mr. Studly. But the more Jennifer gets to know Paul Studly, the more she finds reasons to stay and run the antiques shop herself.

SOLVING FOR X: Abbie is only a little bit obsessed with antiques, okay, a lot. So when Holden, an out-of-town business executive, tries to purchase the tin soldiers that Abbie’s had her eye on, Abbie refuses to back down. The antiques shop owner issues a challenge: whoever comes up with the best story for wanting the soldiers, will become the new owner. Abbie isn’t about to let some fancy executive beat her out, no matter how charming he is.

A STITCH IN TIME: When Cate learns that antiques dealer Henry Lancaster has purchased the sewing machine left to her by her grandmother, Cate is determined to get it back. What she isn’t counting on is that Henry has just as much claim as Cate. And it doesn’t help that Henry is good-looking and apparently single. Getting to know Henry becomes an unexpected surprise, sending her life into a sudden detour.


My Review

It was a pleasure reading these three stories that tie together in a subtle way. The characters are vibrant, the setting is interesting, and the plots are well-rounded. I don't think I could choose a favorite of the three since I liked them all equally! I love antiques so that theme especially appealed to me. I would love to be in Jennifer's shoes- running an antique shop where every piece is special and has a story behind it :) As soon as I finished reading this book I immediately bought the first book in the series- The Fortune Cafe, which I also loved! I'm looking forward to more fun stories from these talented authors.

(Thank you to Ebooks For Review for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)

The first book in the Tangerine Street Romance series: 
The Fortune Cafe by Julie Wright, Melanie Jacobson, Heather B. Moore
http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=x_gr_w_bb?keywords=9781941145104&index=books&linkCode=qs&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20