Simply Sinful

SIMPLY SINFUL                                          CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Simply Sinful (Simply #1)Detective Kane McDermott might be fighting a bad case of burnout, but that doesn't mean he's taking things easy. His latest assignment is to investigate Kayla Luck, to discover if the etiquette school she runs for awkward businessmen is really some kind of escort service. It looks cut-and-dried... until he sets eyes on Kayla. She's smart, but she's also trusting to a fault--and the heat that flares up between them keeps getting in the way of Kane's best intentions. But if Kayla ever suspects his real motives, Kane will be the one who ends up getting burned... .

MY REVIEW:

I enjoyed the dynamics between Kayla & Kane. Right off the bat there was a spark. It was an interesting twist with the whole investigation going on as well as the romance. It was a good read.

Simply Scandalous

SIMPLY SCANALOUS                                  CARLY PHILLIPSA
Posted: July 18, 2013

Simply Scandalous (Simply, #2)Wealthy Assistant D.A. Logan Montgomery needs to ruin his reputation--fast That's the only way he'll be able to convince his father that he's not cut out to follow the family tradition of going into politics. His plan? To indulge in a "very public" fling with a woman whose family is a scandal in itself. It should have been the perfect solution... . Only, the more time Logan spends with Catherine Luck, the more he realizes he'd give up his reputation--and "everything" else--for just one night in her bed...

MY REVIEW:

I really enjoyed this story of a couple who was brought together by a very sneaky grandmother, Emma, she is grandmother to Logan. She wants to see him married off before she dies. Off course she healthy as an ox now after a mild heart attack which she uses to her advantage. She meets Cat & likes her instantly & knows with her shady background that she could kill two birds with one stone. Get her grandson off the fast track that his father wants Logan on to be mayor & give him a scandal at the same time by falling for Cat. Things go hay wire because Cat has trust issues & when they are by themselves all is good but when the outside world gets in Prince Charming does not seem to meet her fears with the press jumping into the mix during a touchy moment. This is a good book I recommend.

Simply Sensual

SIMPLY SENSUAL                                       CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Simply Sensual (Simply, #3)When P.I. Ben Callahan agreed to take the job of watching over spoiled heiress Grace Montgomery, he figured it would be easy money. Then he discovered that gorgeous Grace had a reckless streak a mile wide and was a serious threat to his libido. Ben wasn't worried about being able to keep Grace safe from outsiders. But who would protect her from Ben?
Grace Montgomery was finally free—free to find out who she was and what she wanted. And who she wanted right now was her sexy new neighbor. She planned to explore her sensual side, to shed all her inhibitions and discover what it was to be a woman—Ben s woman. Only, she hadn't known that Ben had been paid for
the
privilege....

MY REVIEW:

Okay, I would have to say i would give this really a 3 1/2 - 4 star. It was not as good as the first two books but it was still good. Just took me a while to get into it but once I did it took me no time at all to read. The characters I was interested in but the story line just did not grab me at first like the other two did.

Body Heat

BODY HEAT                                                 CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 28, 2013

Body Heat (Simply, #4)Physical therapist Brianne Nelson has never worked on a body this hot before....Injured detective Jake Lowell is determined to get his man. Only, he finds his woman first.Night after night, Brianne has fantasized about the sexy stranger she met at the cafe where she works part-time. She never guesses that stranger will turn out to be a client....Thanks to his wealthy sister, Jake is the recipient of Brianne's personal services for the next month. Only, Jake isn't in any hurry to return to a cop's life--he has to find the guy who shot him first. Still, he does need therapy. And Brianne's definitely making him feel much better....


MY REVIEW:


If I am being honest I would give this a 3 1/2 stars. I read romance books so I don't have to think, just be swept away. With this book I had to think & worry about the characters. It took a lot of energy. I was also distracted a lot during reading of this book to, that may have added to my not totally getting into it. I did enjoy the end. Even though it was totally unbelievable it caught me off guard since I was not expecting it.so it worked & I am glad I read it.

Simply Sexy

SIMPLY SEXY                                               CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Simply Sexy (Simply, #5)What do women want? Newspaperman Colin Lyons needs to figure it out--fast Because advice columnist Rina Lowell is waging a sexual campaign against him that he can't withstand for long. Not that he wants to.... Rina is as irresistible to him as her column is to her readers. The problem? The newspaper's in the red, and all fluff pieces have to be cut. Still, faced with Rina's seductive powers of persuasion, Colin can't resist taking her to bed. Little does she guess he's about to put her out of a job, too....

MY REVIEW:

Loved, loved, loved this book & the way she wrapped up all the characters. I just love the character she created named Emma who was in all but one of the books & of course that was the book that was the hardest for me to get through. She just brings life to the pages a slunk that you want her as you 80 yr. Old friend. The fact that she befriends Rina just adds more levels to this book since Rina is looking to start her life over in a new town after her husband's passing & her realizing with it her identity which she know now she really didn't care for. So, self appointed matchmaker Emma is there to help she thinks. I highly recommend this book.

The Bachelor

THE BACHELOR                                         CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013

The Bachelor (Chandler Brothers, #1)Foreign correspondent Roman Chandler has always prized his freedom above all else. Now losing a coin toss has sealed this youngest brother’s fate. Finding someone to escort down the aisle is the easy part—every wannabe bride in sleepy Yorkshire Falls is itching to get hitched to this gorgeous, globe-trotting Chandler man. But Roman still lusts after the woman who got away. Stunning heart breaker Charlotte Bronson has come home to put down roots and get her erotic lingerie business off the ground. She wants a man that won’t go chasing off to the far corners of the earth for a breaking news story. He wants her to say “I do.”



MY REVIEW:

The Chandler Boys are just like a lot of brother relationships out there even nicer to one another then some. But the kidding around then doing the coin toss is just so like real brothers. The love interest between Roman & Charlotte was comical to say the least. The extra characters just add to the total story. Enjoyed! 5 star!!!





The Playboy

THE PLAYBOY                                             CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013


The Playboy (Chandler Brothers, #2)There isn't a woman in town who's immune to the legendary Chandler charm. Yet so far single cop Rick Chandler has managed to fend off the marriage-minded advances of Yorkshire Falls' entire female population. A past mistake has taught him never to put his heart on the line ... until he answers the SOS of a real-life runaway bride. In spite of her pearly gown and tiara, Kendall Sutton vows to never wed- which makes her the ideal pretend lover who can ward off Rick's legion of admirers. When their passionate charade flames into the real thing, Rick is suddenly thinking about two words that spell forever after. But will Kendall ever say "I do?" Can a woman who's had it with weddings tie the knot with the town's most popular playboy?


MY REVIEW:

Rock is the Chandler brother all the women loved the most. Available, emotionally there when you need a shoulder to cry on or just to laugh & be a friend. But not as a boyfriend especially because of his past. So, with him being the town cop has to rescue a motorists that broke down & its a young beautiful woman he was thinking my mom is up to her matchmaker ways again. He was not happy. Especially, when he lends her a hand & they touch & there are sparks. He sees his life flash & its not good. The antics of him, his mom, the town & brothers makes for a great story just as good as the first in the series if not better. Love scenes will overheat you too. LOL

The Heartbreaker

THE HEARTBREAKER                              CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 18, 2013

The Heartbreaker (Chandler Brothers, #3)As the eldest of three rebel-rousing brothers, Chase Chandler has waited a long time to leave his small-town roots behind. All bets are off when the single journalist meets a redhead who arouses a lot more than lust. Yet Sloane Carlisle isn't just any woman. She's a senator's daughter who is about to thrust him into the eye of a breaking political scandal-and a shot at a story that's already making headlines. All Chase has to do for an exclusive is keep her out of harm's way.

A woman who refuses to play the Washington game, Sloane has just been hit with a bombshell that calls her entire identity into question. Feeling vulnerable, she does something completely out of character: She spends an incredible, passionate night with a handsome stranger. The last thing she expects is to ever see him again. But when she goes to the Chandlers' hometown of Yorkshire Falls to uncover the truth about her family, there he is! Not only that, her sometime amour Chase Chandler is sticking closer than a Capitol Hill groupie and igniting more sparks than the Fourth of July.

Suddenly a guy who has always steered clear of marriage is falling for a serious-minded woman with a family secret that could land them both in danger. If they survive the fallout, what will it take to get Sloane to say the two words that could turn the town's most eligible bachelor into the world's sexiest spouse?


MY REVIEW:

What a great ending to the brothers Chandler ending. I loved it & all the ins & outs of the story & all the characters that were woven in it. Chase & Sloane were a hot steaming couple right off.

Wyatt: Return of the Cowboy

WYATT: RETURN OF THE COWBOY       CATHY McDAVID
Posted: July 18, 2013

Wyatt: Return of the CowboyNot much had changed in the twelve years since Wyatt Malone left Roundup, Montana. Except for Paige St. John, his once loyal childhood friend. As teenagers, they had planned to leave their small town behind together. But a falling out with his father drove him from Roundup and Paige—and she has not forgiven Wyatt for striking out on his own.

Now Wyatt is back, hoping to reconcile with his family—and with Paige. She's turned into the kind of woman he's always wanted. But she's been burned by handsome cowboys before, including the one that left her to raise her son alone. Can Wyatt convince Paige, and the rest of Roundup, that he's a man she can count on?

Harts of the Rodeo prequel novella.


MY REVIEW:

This is a very short but sweet story of two friends Wyatt & Paige who say they will remain friends forever. But due to a freak accident that he takes the blame for that he did not cause he feels he must leave town on the rodeo circuit & says when he gets settled he will send for Paige. 12 yrs. Have passed a near death experience & he has been invited back home for his parents anniversary but slowly finds out family is still angry & don't want him around so who or what is causing this? Total worth a short read time.

Once A Cowboy

ONCE A COWBOY                                        LINDA WARREN
Posted: July 18, 2013

Once a Cowboy (Harlequin American Romance)Brodie Hayes is a former rodeo star, now a rancher--a cowboy, through and through. But when he finds out some shocking news about the circumstances of his birth, he begins to question his identity. Luckily, private investigator Alexandra Donovan is there to help him find the truth about who he is. Along the way, he discovers that even a man who thought he'd be alone for the rest of his life can fall in love.

For Brodie, love was something you did once--and for always. But is Alex the type of woman who can take on a stubborn man like him? Because there's one thing about him that will never change, no matter what they find out about his past--once a cowboy, always a cowboy.

MY REVIEW:

Brodie Hayes & Alex Donovan are the type of people you want to read about in a cowboy love story. It was filled with twist & turns that all romances do but this came at it in a real off beat angle. It had a mystery within it also Is well as a lot of humor. Alex's grandma is a hoot. A totally must read. Short but sweet.

ALREADY HOME (SON OF CHANCE)

ALREADY HOME                                         VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON
Posted: July 18, 2013

Already Home (Sons of Chance #6.2)Daredevil videographer Langford "Hutch" Hutchinson has put his career on hold to help his widowed father run their family store in Wyoming. He doesn't mean to stay in town for long—though it's long enough to rekindle his lust for Trina Bledstone. Hutch always had a thing for Trina, but she's his best friend's sister—and that meant hands off!

But Trina still has the power to set his pulse racing—and her brother isn't around to stop them from exploring their sizzling chemistry this time….

A Sons of Chance series novella



MY REVIEW:

This was really a very funny believable or should I say hopeful type of reunion of two old friends. Really it was the younger sister by two yrs. All grown up with a career & home a visit & runs into heart heart throb her brothers friend who is also back home for awhile to help out his dad. Just when things start to get comical, romantic, uncomfortable between there parents & soul search,boom the story ends. 30 or so pages really & that's it? It really leaves you hanging with so many question. Fun banter of how they felt as teenagers & then the whole scene at his dads. To funny.

Destiny

DESTINY                                      ANSLEY GILMORE                                   
Posted: July 18, 2013


Destiny by Ansley GilmorePretty ladies used to smile at James when they saw his muscular features and thick dark hair. They often had initiated conversations with him. He had always felt comfortable talking to a lady that approached him, and asking her out for the first date.

When an IED blew up his Hummer in Iraq, everything changed. Now, when the ladies see the Lieutenants artificial hand, they quickly turn their heads. This hurts, a lot. If he could only erase that horrible day in Iraq.

One day, while feeding the squirrels after his morning jog, James meets Liz. Like previous attractive ladies, she approaches and introduces herself. She's young, smart, and sexy. She can have any guy. She doesn’t seem to care whether James has a prosthesis. Why is she different? Does she like James? Is there hope for romance in the life of this wounded soldier?

This short story is a wounded soldier romance that takes a fresh look at perfect love, perfect timing, and the perfect match.


MY REVIEW:


I thought this was a very sweet story of two of our honored service men & women. Who not only have give their time away from home & family & friends but sometimes their lives. Or like maybe sometimes a limb. Which can cause them to see themselves as invisible or as a non-member of society. This short shows another view. Almost to sugary sappy of a story in some was but still nice.

Edge of Forever

EDGED OF FOREVER                                 SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Edge of Forever / A Natural FatherEdge Of Forever

River Glen was at the edge of nowhere--a tiny, sleepy town nestled on the shores of the Potomac. It was perfect for Dana Brantley, who, after a rocky couple of years, was looking for a peaceful place to start over. But the townspeople had other ideas for the new librarian. They thought she was perfect for their most eligible bachelor, Nick Verone. So did Nick's ten-year-old son, Tony. And so did Nick, himself. He was intrigued by the mysterious Dana, and determined to find a way through her reserve. But what he discovers is a wounded and fragile soul. It will take more than his usual charm to convince her that in River Glen--and with him--she has found the edge of forever Natural Father

Pregnant, single and expanding her business--Lucy Basso's hands are definitely full. As it that's not enough, Dominic Bianco is showing more than a little interest in her. And when Dom isn't fazed by her impending motherhood, she begins to think that perhaps he's a natural father.


MY REVIEW:

Two stories in one book:
"Home Sweet Home"
This was a really good story with an underlying message that carried a lot of romance, laughter, tears, suspense, & mystery. Between Dana & Nick the two love interest with Nick's sweet boy who brings them together.


"A Natural Father"
I really enjoyed this stayed for just the Italian family alone.  I enjoyed all the bantering that goes on between each of the different characters Lucy (main character) & her sister Rose. Rose & her husband. "The Dom" (Lucy's love interest) & Lucy. The main characters with their parents. They are just to funny, tender, & sometime just so sad. All of it works in order to make life easier on Lucy who has found herself a unwed, Catholic, & Italian woman. just hearing all those words together just make me laugh. A must read.



The Inn At Eagle Point

THE INN AT EAGLE POINT                       SHERRYL WOODS
Point: July 18, 2013

The Inn At Eagle Point (Chesapeake Shores, #1)"New York Times"-bestselling author of the Sweet Magnolia series welcomes readers to Chesapeake Shores, a Maryland town built by the father of Abby O'Brien Winters, who returns after years away to renovate the charming Inn at Eagle Point with her younger sister. Original.

It's been years since Abby O'Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores. The Maryland town her father built has too many sad memories and Abby too few spare moments, thanks to her demanding Wall Street career, the crumbling of her marriage and energetic twin daughters. Then one panicked phone call from her youngest sister brings her racing back home to protect Jess's dream of renovating the charming Inn at Eagle Point.

But saving the inn from foreclosure means dealing not only with her own fractured family, but also with Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago. Trace can be a roadblock to her plans...or proof that second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.


MY REVIEW:

Abby is an O'Brien daughter who is divorced and raising two twin daughters in New York. When she left years ago to pursue her career as broker in firm managing investments for clients she was in love with young man named Trace.  When she did she left behind a broken hearted Trace Riley.  Trace real life is a Abby has been now asked to come home by her sister Jess because Jess is about to loose her Inn because she has ADHD and got involved in remodeling and forgot about doing the books. She needed help and the bank said they needed a guarantee so Abby was it.When she got home who was she to deal with none other then Trace because His father got him to agree to work for the bank for awhile but then told him that he was not made for this job his sister who had always lived breathed a followed him around should have it. Trace has successful business as a freelance commercial artist doing ads for large companies   His father eventually said OK but...was of the belief that women belonged at home more or less.

Flowers on Main

FLOWERS ON MAIN                                   SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Flowers On Main (Chesapeake Shores, #2)When her last two plays are dismal failures and her relationship with her temperamental mentor falls apart, writer Bree O'Brien abandons Chicago and the regional theater where she hoped to make a name for herself to return home. Opening Flowers on Main promises to bring her a new challenge and a new kind of fulfillment.But not all is peaceful and serene in Chesapeake Shores, with her estranged mother on the scene and her ex-lover on the warpath. Jake Collins has plenty of reasons to want Bree out of his life, but none of those are a match for the one reason he wants her to stay: he's still in love with her.

Jake might be able to get past that old hurt if he knew Bree was home to stay, but is she? The only way to know for sure is to take a dangerous leap of faith.


MY REVIEW:

This is one explosive family to say the least.  There is never a dull moment when it comes to the O'Brien's.  They are trying to get use to the idea of this divorce that their parents went through now that they are adults and starting to have their own relationships to not bring it into their own and it is not working. Now they are slowly finding out that after 15 years apart their parents may be dating and getting back together. WHAT!!!  Bree was a playwright in Chicago and then it was not working out anymore after 6 years well on top of that her man was screwing around on her if truth be told. So, it was time to come home and get her barrings straight. She has to help out with wedding flowers and guess what she has found her calling in life.  This is what makes her happy and she is good at it. So, what are the steps she needs to take.  Oh no! Her ex-Jake is the wholesaler that she would need to get her wholesale products from and since he would have been her baby daddy if she wouldn't of had a miscarriage, been to scared to settle down or got stuck here in town before going after her dream. This makes going after this new dream a bit more of a challenge.  Now that is a story you can sink your teeth into.

Harbor Lights

HARBOR LIGHTS                                         SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: 18, 2013

Harbor Lights (Chesapeake Shores, #3)Struggling in his role as a newly single father, former army medic Kevin O'Brien moves home to Chesapeake Shores. He wants a haven for himself and his toddler son, surrounded by the family he knows he can count on, and a future that's nothing like his past. But Kevin is suddenly facing a risk he hadn't anticipated, in the form of Main Street bookseller Shanna Carlyle.Shanna immediately recognizes Kevin as a wounded soul—she's had way too much experience with the type. Still, this charming O'Brien man and his son are almost impossible to resist.

Then, just when the barriers are toppling, someone from Shanna's past appears. Confronted with a threat to their hard-won serenity, Kevin and Shanna face their toughest challenge—learning to trust again.


MY REVIEW:

This was a story of a son Kevin from the O'Brien Clan who has lost his wife after she went back to Iraq. Where they both met by the way. Their family was not to happy about that by the way as told in the book prier to this.  This book revolves around him and his son coming home to Chesapeake Shores after a year.  He is in a deep depression and the family needs him to snap out of it for Davey.  He does not feel there is anything wrong with himself but the family sees it a different way.  He wanders into the local bookstore and meets Shanna Carlyle and she sees him as he is a wounded soul but he is not looking for anything from anyone he is still mad at the world.  It isn't until Someone from Shanna's past threatens her and she is in fear for the Son she had to leave behind.  It may not be her blood child but it is the child of her heart. Together they both have figure out how to come out of their tail spins will they make happen alone or together?

A Chesapeake Shores Christmas

A CHESAPEAKE SHORES CHRISTMAS     SHERRYL WOODS



A Chesapeake Shores Christmas (Chesapeake Shores, #4)After years apart, Mick and Megan O'Brien are finally ready to make it official …again. Most of their grown children couldn't be happier about their rekindled love and impending marriage this holiday season. Only Connor is a holdout. Driven to become a divorce attorney after what he views as his mother's abandonment of their family, Connor's not about to give his blessing to this reunion romance.The last thing Megan wants to do is hurt her family again. After all, is she really sure she and Mick can make it this time around? And when an unexpected delivery causes chaos, it seems only a miracle can reunite this family.

Of course, it is Christmas—the season of miracles.


MY REVIEW:


To me this is a book of a mothers love for her son as well as her love for her family and her soon again husband to be.  Megan knows she has to mend fences when it comes to her family and getting them back after her long absents after her split with their father years ago.  But their father and her have worked out their differences and all but one of her children have given their blessing.  Although Mick wants to move up the wedding she can't not until she can mend the fence between her and her son Connor. Connor seems to have been the most scarred from the divorce and has the most hateful things to say to Megan's face and well she just takes it all.  She has to if she wants to get him back in the family and she has to say it's not something she has not said to herself a thousand times before. He finally gives his blessing but he is still giving it with a chip on his shoulder and his attitude is still on the rude side but he is going to have to do better. Because now he has his own fish to fry with Heather and son of his own to raise and that son ends up on his family's door step. And once all the men present denies its theirs they find out by one of the brothers who it belongs to and now Connor has some explaining to do.

Driftwood Cottage

DRIFTWOOD COTTAGE                            SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Driftwood Cottage (Chesapeake Shores, #5)Single mom Heather Donovan's dreams of home and family are tantalizingly within reach when she settles in Chesapeake Shores. The welcoming arms of the boisterous, loving O'Brien clan embrace her and her son. But accepting their support seems to further alienate her son's father, Connor O'Brien. His parents' divorce and his career as a high-powered divorce attorney have left him jaded about marriage.Then everything changes. Will the possibility of a future without Heather make Connor look at love and his career differently? Heather's just about given up on her old dreams—of love, of family and especially of Driftwood Cottage, the home she secretly wishes were hers. It's going to take a lot of persuasion—and some help from the O'Brien family—to make Heather believe that some dreams are worth fighting for.

MY REVIEW:

This was a very intense book to read in many was. Being a child of divorce I don't take this subject lightly. I could understand where they both were coming from because I was Conner at one time but when children are involved I do understand where Heather was coming from there is a strong feeling for a mother to make sure that your child feels secure and does not feel different from the other kids.  It is hard enough with children of a divorce let along them trying to explain a different life choice that their parents chose for them. This O'Brien family can and does stick their noses in where it does not belong a lot but in this case it had to in order for Connor to confront the anger issues with his mother leaving but at the same time he had to confront the anger and the feelings there were with his father and how his mother was feeling at the time and what role his father played in that and what role he played in his role with Heather leaving. This is a must read.

Moonlight Cove

MOONLIGHT COVE                                      SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Moonlight Cove (Chesapeake Shores, #6)Jess O'Brien has overcome a lot—the challenges of attention deficit disorder, the near bankruptcy of her beloved Inn at Eagle Point and her self-perception as a screw up in a family of overachievers. Now she's ready to share the future with a man. Her friends persuade her to join a dating service—but she gets no takers! Which is fine with her childhood friend, psychologist Will Lincoln, who's already chosen the perfect man for Jess: himself.
Will has loved Jess practically forever. He knows her faults and her strengths. But for all Will's sincerity and charm, Jess fears he views her as some psychological case study. With her family and the town of Chesapeake Shores behind him, Will finally makes his case. But is it enough to convince Jess to take the risk of a lifetime?

MY REVIEW:

Jess is one of my favorite characters of all the O'Brien's.  She is a tell it like it is kind of girls. she is a girl who suffered in school with a learning disability and was made fun of and considered a trouble maker rather then a child that needed more help with the work.  So, she just started to believe what everyone started to say, but in the back of her mind as she got older she wanted to buy the inn. Well, somehow she makes that dream come true. As it has and she is more settled she is ready to start dating or at least her friends tell her she is so they set her up with a new local dating service. She gets not one bite. Which is fine with the psychologist in town Will because he has been in love with Jess this they were kids they are good friends but as far as a date that can't happen because every time they are alone she feels like he is listening to closely like she is a patient. Like he is trying to fix her. Come see if he can figure out a way to make Jess see things his way and make her fall in love with him. You will love this book as much as me I know you will. Jess just jumps off the page.

Beach Lane

BEACH LANE                                               SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

Beach Lane (Chesapeake Shores #7)In the close-knit community of Chesapeake Shores, Maryland, Susie O'Brien and Mack Franklin's "not dating" claim befuddles everyone, especially since the two spend every spare minute together. Susie's thrilled when their friendship finally heats up. Then, just when happily-ever-after seems within reach, Mack loses the job he loves and Susie faces a devastating diagnosis.
But O'Briens always unite in a crisis. Even her cousin Jess, Susie's rival for most of their lives, becomes her staunchest supporter—especially when Mack's former lover comes to town. The stakes are higher than ever before, but Susie's definitely up to the challenge…as long as Mack's right there by her side.

MY REVIEW:


Mack and Susie are most dating non dating couple I have ever seen.  They are the best couple and friends I have ever seen but not a couple.  She is so in love with him she can't see straight and he with her but he is a sport personality and she knows he is a player and will never be able to settle down and she can't risk her heart ever.  He is a man who lives on dreams of them being together forever and just when he finally ready to ask her to marry him he loses his job as a sports writer.  Then she finds out she has The "C" word. Their lives are on a crash course and can they keep it together. Can the O'Brien family help them out and keep them together or will the love and friendship suffer a blow? This is a good book to read as a cancer surviver I know you will need tissues and the feel relieved at the end too.

An O'Brien Family Christmas

AN O'BRIEN FAMILY CHRISTMAS          SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

An O'Brien Family Christmas (Chesapeake Shores, #8)Dating Matthew O'Brien—a playboy and a younger man—cost Laila Riley her career and her parents' respect. A high price, even for love—and when Laila decides it was just a fling, she breaks it off, despite Matthew's objections.But the O'Brien family has other ideas, and they conspire to get Laila to join them on a Dublin holiday. It's a great time to get away from it all, but Laila has reservations about the trip. Matthew's bound to be there, and she's far from immune. What if she can't resist temptation?

Meanwhile, the O'Briens are in an uproar over matriarch Nell's unexpected romance with an old flame. Will she follow her heart despite the risks? And will Laila discover that some risks are actually once-in-a-lifetime opportunities?



MY REVIEW:

Laila is an older woman in so many was compared to Matthew so she thinks that she takes it way to far that she leaves the relationship before it gets started. She starts this secret fling with him because it is exciting I believe to really snub her father but... when her father finds out.  He feels she has not used good judgement because one Matthew is not a younger man and he and not really the type of man she should be marrying.  Which doesn't reflex well on the bank therefore she quits before he can ask her to leave and goes to work for Matthew's sister at the inn. The next thing she knows all of his family is asking her to go to Ireland with them for his grandmother wants to go back to her homeland one more time before she gets to old. With the pressure of the job loss at the bank and the new job she breaks up with Matthew and now the whole family is in on trying to get her back with him and Ireland is the best time to do it and a wedding right?  Well, with she think so?  And Nell ends up finding her own Surprise in Ireland too and will her family be surprised or not?

The Summer Garden

THE SUMMER GARDEN                            SHERRYL WOODS
Posted: July 18, 2013

The Summer GardenFalling for "Maddening Moira" O'Malley was the unexpected highlight of Luke O'Brien's Dublin holiday. So when she pays a surprise visit to Chesapeake Shores, Luke is thrilled…at first. A fling with this wild Irish rose is one thing, but forever? Maybe someday, but not when he's totally focused on establishing a business that will prove his mettle to his overachieving family.Given Luke's reaction, Moira has some soul-searching of her own to do. Scarred by her father's abandonment, she wonders if Luke, with his playboy past, is truly the family man she longs for. Adding to her dilemma, she's offered an amazing chance at a dream career of her own.

Deep down, though, Moira knows home is the real prize, and that love can be every bit as enchanted as a summer garden.


MY REVIEW:

OMG, I LOVED THIS FINAL BOOK IN THIS SERIES!!! I wish it would not end because I happen to love the characters so much but especially Moira & her spunkiness. I like how Nell has a soothing affect over her when she allows Luke to act or say or not to say things that make her feel insecure. Maybe, really I believe they both are just scared. Dreams are a funny thing even when we wish, want & hope for them we still have to go after them & work at them & that is where things get interesting. I highly recommend this book. 5*****

High Country Rebel

HIGH COUNTRY REBEL                            LINDSAY McKENNA
Posted: July 18, 2013

High Country Rebel"Talented Lindsay McKenna delivers excitement and romance in equal measure." —RT Book Reviews
Battle-weary former Navy SEAL Talon Holt’s top priority is to defend his own. With a military dog to care for and his traumatized soul to mend, he hitchhikes from California to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, hoping for a fresh start and Tobe with his ailing mother. But he can’t outrun the ghosts of war—especially when a ferocious storm forces Talon to accept the help of paramedic Cat Edwin. The gorgeous rescuer wants to heal his wounds inside and out, but the fear in her arresting blue eyes calls to his instinct to protect.

Trust just doesn’t come easy to Cat, who, thanks to a troubled past and a violent ex, tries to keep Talon at arm’slength. Yet attraction draws them together despite the very real danger each of them brings to the other. Now Talon is driven to save Cat, even when it leads to a high-country showdown that could cost them love…and their lives.            

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

This was a good book. The story is about a Navy Seal who after his last mission gets a medically discharged. He then finds his way home to Wyoming. That is where the rest of the story takes place and he finds that the people of the town he left behind are there for him and his mother. He is also dealing with P.T.S.D. and this is mainly from his last mission. He does meet a women who has some of the same problems, so slowly they have a relationship. The good thing about this book is that it felt real at times about getting help and talking about his and her problems. Also not everything is a quick fix it takes time, but there are people around to help if you let them. A good book.

THE STORY OF CHESS RECORDS

CHESS RECORDS                                         JOHN COLLIS
Posted: July 18, 2013

The Story Of Chess RecordsIf one man can be credited with creating the language of rock 'n' roll it is Chuck Berry. In the early 1950's he was just an ambitious Nat "King" Cole imitator gigging in St Louis, but ten years after moving to Chicago and cutting is first hit, "Maybelline", in 1955, he built a catalogue of classics that inspired the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and every rock musician since.

Meanwhile his Chicago rival Bo Diddley, the earthiest and arguably the most exciting of the rock 'n' roll performers, was reminding us that this music was just a step away from the blues. Although he was raised in Chicago, his music was a bizarre, electric version of the blues of his birthplace, Mississippi.

Between them Chuck and Bo caused a revolution in Chicago blues, hitherto largely unknown to white America and the mass market. Both were signed to Chess Records, established by Eastern European immigrants, the Chess brothers, who provided the shop window for Chicago blues men, while also conforming to a now all-too-familiar pattern, as white entrepreneurs exploiting black talent.

Chess Records both examines the subject of exploitation within the record business and celebrated the music of two unique and important artists and the extraordinarily fertile blues environment out of which they grew.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

This was a good book about the history of blues music and not just about the Chess label. There is a lot of information about the people sing blues music before Muddy Waters really made it popular. Also there is a lot of information about how the label came to be. The other parts of the story are good, it is just some of the stuff from other labels. How the record company cheated them out of money maybe it happened, maybe not. Not every singer said the same thing. But I am sure some of that had to be going on there if it was going on at other places in the 50's. A good book about the lives of some of the biggest blues singers and musicians that was really good reading about. Overall a good book.

Gwynneth Ever After

GWYNNETH EVER AFTER                         LINDA POITEVIN
Posted: July 18, 2013

Gwynneth Ever AfterGwyn Jacobs doesn’t believe in fairy tales. Ever since her ex-husband walked out, leaving her alone with three small children, Gwyn has been mother, father, and bread-winner all rolled into one. Her own scarred heart aside, she refuses to open up her children’s lives to the possibility of another heartbreak, and so she has an unbending policy of no dating and no unattached men in their lives.

Until her very own fairy tale falls into her lap...and the hero won’t take no for an answer.



MY REVIEW:


This was such an engaging story I just did not want to put it down. These two characters Gareth an actor very famous doing a movie in the U.S. but is from Wales. This story takes place where he spent his summers with his cousin at his grandparents in Canada. This is where he meets Gwynneth with two "n"s. She is a divorced mother of three children who goes to the theater to do sketches of the different scenes for the writer/director's birthday. She is suppose to have a private box. But Gareth being famous is a game changer. This is the beginning of the end for their hearts because their hooked on contact. The wild fun ride is funny, sexy, touching and real. Take this enjoyable journey where a happy family of children will steal your hearts. A must read. Read for free compliments of NetGalley.com

Breaking

BREAKING                                                    CLAIRE KENT
Posted: July 18, 2013

Breaking (Escorted, #1.5)He spent years selling his body, having sex with women for money. He could please them better than anyone else.

Now he has only one woman to please.

He knows what to do with her body. He wants her, needs her, takes her--until she can't take any more.

But what they have is so much more than bodies moving together. He loves her, loves her, loves her.

He still doesn't always know how.

Breaking is an erotic novella (21,000 words) that can be read as a standalone, although it features characters from Escorted.


MY REVIEW:

I did read this as a stand alone book.

Ander use to be a gigolo turn archaeologist working on his dissertation for lack of a better word. He was in love with a virgin client who is a published romance novelist, Lori. He is now engaged to her but on his arrival home early from a six week dig he come home different she can tell. She ask him about it but says nothing is wrong. He uses sex to push away his thoughts and tries to sideline her questions. But great sex only goes so far. Walk through this erotic landmine with this couple as they try to resolve this overwhelming issue & pain. I gave this 4 stars for the way the author works through this couple's issues at the end. I do have to say there were times I thought this is just a salacious book about sex and a selfish man. But, it was more then that in the end. A free read courtesy of NetGalley.com

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