Ruthless: (Nashville Lights #3)

RUTHLESS: NASHVILLE LIGHTS #3      CHERYL DOUGLAS



Ruthless (Nashville Nights #3)

 
Marisa Turner has wanted her brother's best friend, Luc, forever, but she also wants a baby and it seems Luc isn't up to the challenge. She has to choose between the man she loves and the family she hopes to have. Fortunately, there's another man waiting in the wings to make her baby fantasy a reality.
Luc Spencer is tired of hearing about marriage and babies. He loves Marisa, but he can't promise her forever. After two years together, she tells him it's over. He's not worried, he believes she'll be back. But what will happen when he finds out there's another man waiting to take his place?


MY REVIEW:
What a really good book. That storyline really keeps your interest peeked. Luc & Marisa have a long history albeit one sided for many of those years. Mostly because Luc was the best buddy of her much older brother. So, since she was a tweeny she was in love with him & he did not even really notice her until she was much older & did not even date her until she came back from college. Luc just never wanted to be a husband or father so Marisa was cutting him loose because she wanted a husband & children. All the characters were well developed & all blended well together. The difficult moments that the author brings out at different times were very moving.

His Island Bride

HIS ISLAND BRIDE                                     SHADONNA RICHARDS

His Island BrideShe wasn't looking for love, but love found her...while vacationing on the sunny island of Jamaica.

With mixed emotions, Jessica Mills can't wait to escape to the Caribbean--away from an arranged marriage agreement to honor her new found heritage. She is to meet her potential groom-to-be in two weeks. She finally books her long-awaited vacation to a resort in Jamaica only to be double booked in the same suite as a gorgeous, irresistible stranger--who happens to get under her skin.

Sexy, undercover billionaire, James Carrington has more on his mind than relationships. On the verge of making an important business decision that can affect his entire future and everything he's worked for, he goes to Jamaica to think and indulge in recreational activities. He did not count on having a beautiful brunette in his suite--a pleasant but ill-timed distraction. There's no mistaking the sparks that fly between Jessica and James at one of the island's hottest resorts. But Jessica is betrothed to someone else...which direction will her heart follow?


MY REVIEW:

I thought this was a very endearing book, I must say. It was nice to read where the everyday girl, Jessica, gets the handsome rich guy, James.
The way the storyline was written was very cute in  the way of mishaps at the hotel & their "cute meet". It made me sad to hear the mother thought of her daughter as homely, not a beauty, & slightly overweight. Yet, when James sees her for the first time he sees a curvy, voluptuous, & sexier then hell woman. I just thought the whole arraigned marriage thing was just a weird kind of funny way to write this story. Yet, in a strange way it work very well. I enjoyed it.

Color Blind

COLOR BLIND                                            TOM DUNKEL
Posted: June 26, 2013

Color Blind: The Forgotten Team That Broke Baseball's Color LineCOLOR BLIND is a prelude to Jackie Robinson’s Major League debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Semipro baseball was highly competitive in the 1930s, so competitive that even out on the Great Plains a lot of money got bet on games between rival towns. Car dealer Neil Churchill managed Bismarck, North Dakota's team. He began muscling up by luring players from the Negro Leagues, the biggest prize being the great-but-perpetually-unpredictable Satchel Paige, who shocked the baseball establishment by heading west to where the buffalo roam. Paige pitched for Bismarck at the tail end of 1933 and all of 1935. The focal point of the book is that 1935 season, when events take an odd turn toward Kansas.
COLOR BLIND is written with an eye beyond baseball. The narrative touches upon moonshine, gambling, Depression hard times, Dakota pioneer days and, of course, racial discrimination. Sitting Bull, Franklin Roosevelt, and Carl Sandburg are among the famous faces who make cameo appearances


HUBBY'S REVIEW:

This is a good old fashion baseball story from the mid-west.  North Dakota, in the town of Bismark. This story takes place many years before Jackie Robinson, broke into baseball. But a car sales man put together a semi-pro team that broke the color line years before. He brought together the best players he could find.  It just happened that some of the players were from the Black baseball teams, who either did not play or did not get payed, for one reason or another. Then he brought in maybe the best pitcher of that time the great SATCHEL PAIGE. This story took many hours of research and it was well worth it. This is a great book not just about baseball but how people in charge of the rules
made it to where these men could not be a team any more. For really one reason they were winning. The sad part is that not only did people of that time miss out on some great baseball, but the people of Bismark lost baseball. The man who put everything together was not going to be told how to run his team and that his team could only be white. He being white himself knew the game would not be the same and it was not for many, many, years. If you love baseball you should read this book not every white person was wanting for segregating, they just were not in charge. A great injustice but this is a great story.

Me and Brad

ME AND BRAD                                              MAL OLSON
Posted: June 26, 2013

Me and Brad
 



 
A feel good short story where a forlorn dog plays cupid to a lonely young woman and the sexy sheriff who pulls her over for speeding.
MY REVIEW:


I totally enjoyed this story of this unsung hero "Soldier". It is a storyline from the headlines everyone could relate to yet with a continuation that allows you to imagine what may have happened & its happy resolution. The fact that it was such a shot story was not a deterrence to the well developed characters & the feel that the story gave you a sense of this duty to country this dog gave. I recommend this short but sweet love story.
 


Daisy Darling Meets A Man

DAISY DARLING MEETS A MAN             L.A. DALE


Daisy Darling Meets A ManWhat would you do if you opened your door in the dead of night to find a handsome man on the other side? Holding an orphaned lamb.

After being dumped by her husband, Daisy Darling wants nothing more than to curl up in her pyjamas every night and drink herself into sleep. She doesn't want to face her life. Then, one night, a storm brings a stranger to her door. A stranger who turns out to be the most famous rock star on the planet, Hawk Moon.
Hawk is nothing like Daisy imagined a rock star would be. He's honest and down to Earth and in the short time he's in her life, Daisy finds herself feeling emotions she hasn't experienced in a very long time. There's something about Hawk that makes her want to start her life over.

But Hawk and Daisy will never be an item. Hawk is on tour. Daisy lives in the country. She's small town and he's the universe. Their worlds can never collide. Or can they?


MY REVIEW:


Ok, not just any man but the man of her rock & roll dreams.
Daisy a newly divorced woman of a thirteen year old daughter who is away at school. She is wallowing in the fact that her good for nothing husband left her for a skinny busty 19 year old bimbo. But, on his way out proceeds to tell her he doesn't love her & oh by the way I haven't wanted to make love to you for a while because your hips have gotten to big. Yet, after he leaves she can't eat & loses a bunch of weight plus his dead weight let's say now she is to thin. Then, one cold & rainy night a knock on her door comes. On the other side stands a man holding one of her lambs & is soaking wet. She allows him in & what luck that is for it is Henry Hawk that's who. But the name at first does not ring a bell. Until he gets ready to shower while waiting for his ride since he is soaked & removes his hat. Then she sees he is her rock & roll idol. This night changes both their lives. What a sweet honest look at what you can only imagine these celebrities really go through. Just wanting to be normal & treated normal. That is what Daisy gave to Henry as a gift "normal." Very good short story

Heartfire: Search for Love

HEARTFIRE: SEARCH FOR LOVE          KAREN ROSE SMITH


HeartfireTessa Kahill, renowned journalist who travels the world, is falling in love with her best friend's husband all over again. A rocky road, a man and woman who are searching for love and a little boy who holds his own secret. They could become a real family if they all become vulnerable and honest with each other. A heartfire has been burning for years. Will it lead to everlasting love?





MY REVIEW:

Max's wife Leslie passes from cancer & her best friend Tessa stays in contact with her son Ryan. Ryan is Tessa's Godson. Now it has been three years since Leslie has passed & since her parents have moved out of town & Tessa can no longer stay with them. Ryan ask Max if she can stay there to visit with them this time, of course Max says yes. The sticky wickette is that Max & Tessa use to date nine years ago so feelings start to surface leaving both of them on very shaky ground. Once she is in the house life becomes intense. Their turmoil is always the making of an interesting romance novel. You should really like this book.

 

Crazy for Cowboy

CRAZY FOR COWBOY                                 ROXY BOROUGHS
Posted: June 26, 2013

Crazy for CowboyShe’s through with cowboys. But this one’s the ‘reel’ deal.

Equine veterinarian, Emily Grant, has had her share of cowboys, and they always break her heart. After vowing to give them up forever, Brandon Hollister strides into her life.

He’s a different kind of cowboy, one that works on the silver screen. But is he just playing the part when it comes to love? Or can this handsome hunk get past a case of mistaken identity to become the man to win Emily’s heart.

A 50,000-word sweeter romantic comedy.


MY REVIEW:


What a refreshing short story. It was just sweet, funny, & a wholesome love story. You have Emily who is a lady veterinarian & Brandon who is an actor posing as a cowboy. At first he does it as a gag just to meet her & also gives her the false name of Houston. The next day he runs into her again purely by accident & allows the lie to spin out of control as well as their attraction for one another. Can he fix it & tell the truth when he hears from others that she really loves cowboys. Does he truly want to? The craziness that follows is worth the read. It is fun. It is clean. & It is real. The characters are well developed as well as the storyline. Enjoy!

Sweet Seduction

SWEET SEDUCTION                                  JUDY ANGELO
Posted: June 26, 2013

Sweet Seduction (The Bad Boy Billionaires, #6)Jake McKoy moves to a tiny town in upstate New York to escape a painful secret from his past. He has no idea that it is here that he will find healing and strength and a new start in life. And that healing comes in the form of a fresh-faced woman who steals his heart.

Samantha Fox was only a month away from her wedding day when her fiance broke the engagement. He'd found a more 'suitable' bride. Haunted by the constant fear that she's not 'good enough', Sam finds it hard to give her heart to another man. And when that man happens to be a billionaire who can't let go of his past, things become complicated indeed.
Can Jake and Samantha overcome their difficult pasts to forge a bright future together?

MY REVIEW:

Jake poor guy is one fickled man. He is a billionaire mystery writer who moves into small town America. Springs a leak in the basement & has to call in a plumber. In walks Sam as in (Samantha) she is tiny, petite, & just down right beautiful even dressed like a man. Even though he is trying to out run a tragic past he can still see & lust over Sam. I have to say the overall story was good & sometimes funny. Yet, a lot was just heart breaking & so true when grieving goes on. I did enjoy it but Jake's wishy-washiness did drive me crazy at times. What else that was refreshing he wanted to wait to have sex until after marriage once the heavy petting started.

Restorations

RESTORATIONS                                          BONNIE BLYTHE


RestorationsIn a small Oregon community, Sara Andersen finds herself in possession of an old farmhouse in desperate need of renovations. Brian Farris is a builder who is new in town, but intimately acquainted with Sara. His purpose is not to restore only the house, but his relationship with her. The only problem is that Sara doesn't believe Brian has undergone any soulful renovations of his own.

MY REVIEW:

Sara & Brian are a couple who took their walk with God at different times & down different paths at the beginning. So, when their human choices to a scary turn in their relationship, they were caught, on so many levels they took it as a booming hand of God.   God's way to punish her. Therefore, she ran instead of talking to him. Which is really the theme of this whole story lack of mature adult communication. Praying to God is wonderful but expecting a different answer then what is presented then running from it then blaming the other person is not the answer. Love is a gift. Run to it but be mature enough to know there are hurdles to get over, but it is so worth it. I very much enjoyed this book I just got frustrated that they would not talk about their thoughts & feelings.

Country Practice

COUNTRY PRACTICE                                ROSIE GRAHAM


Country Practice by Rosie GrahamDr. Ally St Clair is a fish out of water in a remote country town in New Zealand, where she has been called in to help a local doctor. But with one look at her, the local doctor, Sam Livingstone, decides that this city girl belongs to him. If only he can persuade her that in the country is where she really belongs.




MY REVIEW:

This is a full on novel for a kindle book. I got it for free & I have to say I loved it. Was frustrated throughout most of it the way these two tip toe around each other. Meaning Sam & Ally, leaving poor William, Sam's son, to suffer thinking Dr. Ally will be his new mommy. The towns people where funnier then heck. I am sure in real life not so much. This story takes place in Australia so words, phrases, & spellings are different so you need to understand that before you start to read it. All in all a fun book.

Donovan's Angel

DONOVAN'S ANGEL                                  PEGGY WEBB
Posted: June 26, 2013

Donovan's Angel (Donovan's of the Delta #1)When Martie Fleming breezed into small town Pontotoc, Mississippi, determined to settle down and teach jazzercise in her home studio, she never expected to land next door to the minister. She never expected her playful golden retriever to steal his shorts right off the clothes line. And she certainly never expected to fall in love.

Everybody in town would agree they are so wrong for each other – everybody but Paul Donovan. With her gypsy outfits, her lively music and her irrepressible spirit, Martie is exactly the angel the preacher needs. But can he convince her? Can their love and his career survive the small town gossip and the fireworks Martie creates wherever she goes?

The other books in this romantic comedy series are Sleepless Nights (2), Hallie's Destiny (3), Any Thursday (4) and Higher Than Eagles

MY REVIEW:

This had to be one of the funniest books I have read in a long time for a romance. Marti is just so flamboyant as a character she just jumps right off the pages at you. Yet, so very sweet & not over powering at the same time. As in Paul's character is just so easy going & gentle that you can see by the author's words just how much he loves Marti from the second she falls out of her tree into his yard. Ms. Beulla is a pain in the behind but she adds spice that the this already to funny story.  It just fuels Marti's flames & makes Paul chuckle. (Oh by the way did I mention Paul is the pastor of the town?) Making all of Marti's antics stand out more. What an enjoyable book, with no erotica so people beaware but I guarantee you won't miss it & it's just a feel good book.

The Reluctant Rancher

THE RELUCTANT RANCHER                   PATRICIA MASON, JOANN BAKER


"Luke Tanner and women didn't mix, plain and simple."

Luke Tanner learned early on that no one cared enough to look past his rough-hewn appearance and sour attitude to discover what lay beneath the surface - other than his wallet. When Mary Carter hits him up for a loan, he makes her a proposition she can't refuse.

Mary fantasized about Luke Tanner since her first glimpse of the veritable mountain of a man. She knows there's more to Luke than his bank account. Though she tries to hide her feelings, a fire burns between them. Will it end in ashes - or forge a love that would last a lifetime


MY REVIEW:

The was way better than I ever expected for sure. I thought that Luke who started out being portrayed as a hard-nosed, uncaring, s.o.b. is really a scared little boy betrayed by those he loved. As for Mary, she was a spun spitfire from the start. Yet, with a huge complex body image & weight issue. She too has been betrayed & bullied about this by those around her. For her putting on a happy face to his scowl seems to work for them until they start to realize just how lonely they are for a true love & a meaningful relationship. They live in Fiddler's Creek where everyone knows each other & helps each other. The town is close & when Mary helps Luke become a part of that all their lives change. Joseph, Luke's grandpa the man that raised him is a sweetheart & a joy to see how he guides all this to come about with either of them knowing. This book was a quick read something along the lines of what 180ish pages, I actually paid for this book for once so my review is harder so you know I liked it. 

Her Heart for the Asking

HER HEART FOR THE ASKING                LISA MONDELLO
Posted: June 26, 2013

Her Heart for the Asking (Texas Hearts, #1)Mandy Morgan swore she’d never step foot in Texas again after Beau Gentry left her for life on the rodeo circuit eight years before. He once promised he'd love her forever. But he'd abandoned their love for the rodeo and she hadn't seen him since. Now she's back in Texas. Her uncle’s heart is failing and Mandy has to convince him that surgery will save his life. She never dreamed the first thing she’d see when she stepped off the plane would be her biggest nightmare...the one man she’d never stopped loving.

Beau Gentry had the fever for two things: the rodeo and Mandy Morgan. But for Beau, loving Mandy was complicated by his father’s vendetta against her uncle and a promise he'd made to an old friend. Hank Promise, Mandy's uncle, was more like a father to Beau than his old man had been. The hardest thing Beau had ever done was leave Mandy behind for the rodeo. He can still see the bitterness and hurt on her face. It has killed him all these years to think Mandy had forgotten him...maybe even in the arms of another man. But now they’re both back in Texas, and Beau's going to do all he can to win back her love.

MY REVIEW:

Mandy was madly in love a bronco rider & cowboy Beau at sixteen. They had met at her uncle & aunt's ranch that she went to every summer from the age of 7. She went with Beau to a few of his rodeo gigs & loved it. Mainly she just loved being with him since she loved him with all of her sixteen year old heart. Beau was 4 years older & bronco riding was in his blood like it had been in Mandy's uncle's who trained Beau. So, all that summer of her sixteenth year she talked to him about her hopes & dreams for the future & yet at the same time running away with him when he was leaving that same summer. Beau made a decision that he couldn't let her do that. So, he tells Mandy he doesn't love her, never did & was not taking her with him. She was crushed. Her world felt like it was coming to an end. As much as she loved her aunt & uncle she could not go back to the ranch.
Nine years have passed when she gets a call from her mother saying she must drop everything & go check on her uncle something is not right. She says she can't since now she is working for her hard Ass dad who she is always trying to win his approval. Then her mom says those dreaded words no child likes to hear no matter how old you are..."I'm not asking you I'm telling you." What could a girl do. When her flight ends guess who's there to pick her up? Oh yeah! Life is about to change forever for everyone. What a great short story highly recommend. Several twist & turns.

Abby: Mail Order Bride

ABBY: MAIL ORDER BRIDE                      VERNA CLAYA
Posted: June 26, 2013                          

Abby: Mail Order Bride (Unconventional Series, #1)Brant Samson: Not only has Brant fallen on hard times, but his beloved wife died a year earlier of lung fever. Left with three children, he's desperate to find a mother for them. Ten year old Jenny does her best in caring for two year old Ty, and fourteen year old Luke works the ranch with his father, losing himself in dime novels to ease the pain of his mother's death. Brant's options are limited. Eligible women seldom pass through Two Rivers, much less settle in the small Texas town. In desperation, he places a classified advertisement for a mail order bride. Marrying a woman he'll come to know through a newspaper ad scares the bejesus out of him, but at this point, he's out of options.

Abigail Mary Vaughn: In her youth, Abigail dreamed of having her own family, but caring for her elderly parents, as well as working as a teacher to help with finances, ended that dream. Her parents are now dead and she's faced with the reality of her dismal existence. After reading Mr. Samson's advertisement in the Philadelphia Inquirer, she garners enough courage to respond. Since she is considered an old maid at the age of thirty-eight, she'll more than likely spend the rest of her life in gut-wrenching loneliness unless she does something unconventional.


MY REVIEW:

I cannot RAVE enough about this story. I normally do not like to read period piece but this caught my eye since I adopted three children at once. All the characters in this story steal your heart right from the start & hold it all the way through. Don't want to give anything away but have tissues ready for one part tears at your heart fiercely. A must read.

Hungry For More

HUNGRY FOR MORE                                  CHELSEA SCOTT
Posted: June 26, 2013

Hungry For MoreHeat...spice...chemistry...

Celebrity Chef Paul Devoe has no problem handling those elements in the kitchen- but when Nanny Bridget Parker introduces them into his every day life, he quickly realizes that he is out of his league!

Ex-patriate British Nanny Bridget Parker has raised "Tad" Devoe since he was born. He's much more of a son than a charge. Overweight and struggling with binge eating and self-esteem issues, Bridget doubts that she will ever have a real family of her own. Tad is everything to her. When her employer dies in a skiing accident, Bridget is devastated to learn that she might lose Tad when he goes to live with his negligent father.

Bridget knows more about Paul from his television shows and cookbooks than she does from interacting with him in real life. She can count on one hand the number of hours that he's spent alone with his son. She is certain that Paul is not suitable to raise a little boy alone. Bridget will do anything to keep Tad safe and secure- but she never realised that her heart would be on the line.

Bridget's first impression of Chef Devoe is that he is nothing more than the self-absorbed, nuclear-tempered chef that his public image suggests, but she slowly uncovers a softer side that craves human interaction and love, while Paul learns that his warm, pretty nanny is struggling with demons of her own. They are both HUNGRY FOR MORE.


MY REVIEW:

This was an A++ story of larger size woman in a HEA romance. Not a trashy no storyline but a true heart felt story.
This authors storytelling ability is so good she takes you on a wild ride in her stories. All the things that happen keep you from wanting to stop part way this journey. The characters are all so engaging & lovable. A total must read.

Hero of Her Heart

HERO OF HER HEART                              LINDSEY BROOKES


Hero Of Her HeartFrom the moment Bethany Warner was born, Sheriff Tanner Montgomery was on the run. And he was only four at the time. Their mothers' matchmaking efforts finally ended when Bethany's family moved away. Now, ten years later, she's coming back to Ruby Creek and his mother is up to her old tricks again.

Tanner is happy with his life just the way it is. No emotional entanglements. No wife or child to worry about leaving behind if something should happen to him in the line of duty. Then Bethany returns, all grown up and sexier than sin. Now he's on the run for a whole new reason.

Growing up, Bethany idolized Tanner. He was the HERO OF HER HEART. But to him she'd been nothing more than a tag-a-long little kid. Too tall, too thin, with unruly curls and teeth she could whistle through.

That was then. Now she's coming back to Ruby Creek, a successful, confident businesswoman, and no longer the ugly duckling she had once been. Can Bethany convince Tanner to give love a chance? And if she does, will it be everything she had always dreamt it would be?


MY REVIEW:

What an absolutely funny happy HEA love story. I was laughing out loud with this story. To the point where I was dragging my husband into the storyline cuz he wanted to know what was so funny. The characters were so loving thought out & real that I could see so many different parts of my own friends. You will not be disappointed if you read this story. Maybe frustrated at times because Tanned is wishy Washy at the enth degree. But he recovers well.

Confessions of a Chalet Girl

CONFESSINS OF A CHALET GIRL                   LORRAINE WILSON
Posted: 26, 2013


 
Set in the exclusive Swiss ski resort of Verbier, the winter playground of the rich and famous, Confessions of a Chalet Girl is a fun and flirty contemporary romance novella from the fabulous Lorraine Wilson.The slopes seriously start to heat up when chalet girl Holly is propositioned by her sexy new boss!The slopes seriously start to heat up when chalet girl Holly is propositioned by her sexy new boss!
 
 
MY REVIEW:

This story revolves around the main character Holly. She gets hired on at a ski resort in Switzerland with on minor problem she does not ski but since they never mention it in the interview no worries. She was only taking this job to get out of her home town and her friend Pippa talked her into it. Pippa said it was a good way for them to meet new and exciting people like the rich and famous and snag a rich husband. One snag there too, Pippa got Prego so can't go since boyfriend and her getting ready for baby coming. So, Holly begrudgingly goes anyway. This book opens with her and her fellow employees at a local bar that the tradition is that the girls have to win a drink by taking off their bra to hang above it to win a shot. To be part of the Chalet Girls she has to do it. Luckily one of the girls told her a trick and it works. When across the room she catches the eye of a handsome man. He smiles and mouths, "Not your" looking up at the bra. She can't believe he said that, yet she can tell he is being cheeky. So, she decides she is going to go over and give him what for and when she does there is a major sexual attraction on both their parts. They start to banter back and forth then when it gets interesting one of the girls shows her and tells her to stop flirting with their boss because he never sleeps with any of the Chalet Girls. She just wants to die. She tries to say goodnight and that she has to make a phone call but she a little slow on the draw due to the drink. She starts to leave when he ask to go with since he has work to do at the Chalet. This where the fun begins for this couple.

This was a cute couple it was just not an emotional enough of a story though. It felt like it was almost there but just missing it. I felt like I was not connecting all the way with them. Just when I was starting to it would switch on me. I would recommend but not more for the younger crowd for sure. There is mild sex scenes compared to what is out there. 20 New romance or YA
Courtesy of NetGalley.com

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