Review: Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter

My rating:5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are derailed when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances Riley is adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into uncharted territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

My Review

There's something about an injured military hero that really tugs on the heartstrings. Riley was already suffering from unrequited love for his best friend/brother's girlfriend, but now he's getting used to life as an amputee and struggling with feelings of inadequacy and PTSD. Paige's loyalty and devotion to him in his time of need is admirable, but instead of growing closer together, they encounter more difficulties in their relationship. Riley's emotional pain has him fighting his feelings for Paige even as she is falling in love with him. Lots of drama and angst as Paige and Riley's relationship finally shifts into romantic territory and they both learn how to fight their own battles and issues while supporting each other. Great chemistry and tension, especially with the kisses that are more than "just a kiss" ;) 

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

Don't miss the other books in the Summer Harbor series!

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

(Read my review here)

Synopsis

When the Christmas season finds Eden in Summer Harbor, Maine, she's on the run from trouble. Romance is the last thing on her mind.

Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this- fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He's recently left his job with the sheriff's department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he's flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he's shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he's been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden's also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can't seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he'll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who's going to protect his heart from a woman who can't seem to trust again?

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing
(Read my review here)

Synopsis

She only remembers loving him. But he can’t forget the way she left.

Following a concussion, Lucy Lovett can’t remember the last seven months of her life. She doesn’t remember leaving her fiancé Zac Callahan weeks before their wedding or moving to Portland, Maine. And she sure doesn’t remember getting engaged to another man. All she remembers is loving Zac more than life itself.

It’s taken Zac months to move on after Lucy left him with no explanation. He’s thrown himself into his family’s farm and his restaurant business in Summer Harbor. Now Lucy’s back, vulnerable, homeless, and still in love with him. She needs his help putting the pieces together, but letting her back into his life is a risk—and the stakes are high. If he follows his heart he’ll win back the love of his life. But if her memory returns he’ll lose her all over again.

Review: Statistically Improbable by Jennifer Peel

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Two professional matchmakers. One fake relationship. He's a playboy. She's a good girl. What could possibly go wrong?

According to Binary Search's matchmaking service, Meg and Zander's odds of ever having a successful relationship are statistically improbable. Meg has run the numbers and knows the probability, but for some reason she can't quit thinking about her coworker, Zander--the self-proclaimed eternal bachelor.

To make matters more interesting, Zander approaches her with an unusual proposition. He's in need of a pretend girlfriend. Meg thinks this could be the answer to get him out of her system, and maybe knock the arrogant man down a few notches in the process. But what she doesn't realize is there is more to this man, something he carefully hides behind his arrogant exterior. And when her feelings begin to be anything but pretend, she knows the odds of getting hurt are more than probable.

Will they let the odds overcome them, or will they find that all the reasons they are wrong for each other are exactly what make them a perfect fit?

My Review

The first book in this series was the first book I read by Jennifer Peel and I was hooked! I've read almost everything she's written now, and was thrilled when she wrote a sequel to His Personal Relationship Manager. Zander was such a fun and charming character in that book, and learning more about his history and motivations in Statistically Improbable was even better. Meg is a strong lead as well, and even though she's crazy attracted to Zander, she gives him a run for his money- which is always gratifying to see for someone who deserves it ;) There is plenty of emotion, drama, and angst, perfectly balanced with witty banter, humor, and romance. Another 5-star rating for one of my favorite contemporary romance authors! Highly recommend!

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

Be sure to read the first book in the Dating by Design series, His Personal Relationship Manager!

Kenadie Marshall has suffered the most public of humiliations, being left at the altar. Instead of wallowing in her misery, she makes it her mission to help others find true and lasting love, all while swearing off relationships for good. Between the software application she developed and a team of relationship managers, her brainchild, Binary Search, has an uncanny knack for choosing the perfect match almost every time.

Attractive and loveable Jason Hadley is taken with Kenadie Marshall from their first meeting. Determined to win her over, he does anything and everything he can think of, even if it means using her firm’s service and dating other women to stay close to her.

Will Kenadie realize she’s met her match before it’s too late? Or will Jason’s ploy go too far? Find out in His Personal Relationship Manager, a romantic comedy with an epic battle of wills.

Review: A Note Yet Unsung by Tamera Alexander

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

Despite her training as a master violinist, Rebekah Carrington was denied entry into the Nashville Philharmonic by young conductor Nathaniel Whitcomb, who bowed to public opinion. Now, with a reluctant muse and a recurring pain in his head, he needs her help to finish his symphony. But how can he win back her trust when he's robbed her of her dream?

My Review

There's a unique quality to Tamera Alexander's storytelling that stays with me after I finish her books. The narrative is not fast-paced, but the descriptions steadily develop the setting and characters until I feel immersed. The world of music and composing in the 1800's was fascinating and I loved the historical details that brought the story to life. Rebekah and Nate have an interesting dynamic, although I didn't quite feel the chemistry between them. They are both strong personalities that don't back down, so they had to find a good working balance as they collaborated on Nate's symphony. The secondary cast was quite varied, from Rebekah's estranged family, to her extraordinarily wealthy employer, to Nate's warm and loving mountain family. There is a real sense of Rebekah's frustration as she seeks to fulfill her dreams only to be held back by society's restrictions against her gender. It makes me more appreciative of the freedoms we enjoy today because of the determination of women who worked for change.

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

Becky Wade's 'True to You' Author Chat Party

Raise your hand if you're ready for Becky Wade's new series! 

Celebrate the release of book one, True to You, with Becky and other readers on Facebook on May 4th during a fun author chat party at 8:00 PM EDT (that's 7:00 Central, 6:00 Mountain, & 5:00 Pacific)! 

Becky will be chatting about the book and answering your questions about the new series, and of course, there will be plenty of fun giveaways too!

Pre-order your copy of True to You so you're ready for a fun book discussion. Find out more about the book here.

Hope to see you on May 4 for Becky's True to You Facebook Party!

Can't Wait Wednesday: Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

I'm super excited for Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer, the second book in the Ladies of Harper’s Station series! There was a sneak peek in the novella Worth the Wait, and it was so good! I can't wait to get my hands on this one :)

Synopsis

Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.
 
Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.

Don't miss No Other Will Do, the first book in the Ladies of Harper's Station series, and Worth the Wait, the series novella . . .

Check out my 5 star review here!

Synopsis

Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.

Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.

As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.

Read my 5 star review here

Synopsis

Benjamin Porter is one of only two men allowed inside the women's colony of Harper's Station, Texas. A freighter by trade, he works closely with local shopkeeper, Victoria Adams, to transport the colony's goods to market. But it is more than profit that keeps him coming back. He's fallen hard for the shopkeeper and her son. Tori is brave, beautiful, and a savvy entrepreneur--the ideal partner not only for his business but for his life. Too bad she's under the impression that a man, any man, is the last thing she needs.

Despite Ben's consistent kindness, Tori continues to hold him at a distance. His towering height and muscular frame, while attractive, are also dangerous. And she's faced dangerous men in the past and vowed never again.

After Ben convinces Tori to partner with him in a new venture, delivering goods to area farms and ranches, he finally has a chance to woo her in earnest. But when an accident derails his plans, what once was a chance at love may be lost forever.