Coming Home

COMING HOME                                           MARIAH STEWART
Posted: July 20, 2013

Coming Home (Chesapeake Diaries #1)In the wake of his wife’s murder, agent Grady Shields turned his back on the FBI—and everything else—to retreat into the vast solitude of Montana, grieve for his lost love, and forget the world. But after years in seclusion, his sister’s wedding draws him to St. Dennis, a peaceful town on the Chesapeake Bay. Though he swears he isn’t interested in finding love again, Grady can’t ignore the mutual sparks that fly when he meets Vanessa Keaton.

Although her past was marked by bad choices, Vanessa has found that coming to St. Dennis is the best decision she’s ever made. Bling, her trendy boutique, is a success with tourists as well as with the townspeople. She’s made friends, has a home she loves, and has established a life for herself far from the nightmare she left behind. The last thing she’s looking for is romance, but the hot new man in town is hard to resist. And when Vanessa’s past catches up with her, Grady finds that he’s unwilling to let her become a victim again. As together they fight her demons, Grady and Vanessa discover that life still holds some surprises and that love doesn’t always have to hurt.


MY REVIEW:

This author grabs you at the beginning. You want to read the next & then the next. The author is great about responding to her reader to let you know to keep the faith if she leaves you hanging. Which I do love to keep coming back. She also has my husband hooked on her murder mysteries.

Home Again

HOME AGAIN                                                MARIAH STEWART
Posted: July 20, 2013

Home Again (Chesapeake Diaries #2)Dallas MacGregor is living the Hollywood dream. At thirtysomething, she’s an award-winning actress beloved by the public and bound for even bigger success. But when her soon-to-be-ex-husband, producer Emilio Baird, is caught in a sex scandal, Dallas’s charmed life turns tabloid nightmare. Determined to shield her young son, Cody, from the ugly uproar, Dallas seeks refuge in sleepy St. Dennis, Maryland—the Chesapeake Bay town where her happiest childhood days were spent.

Reunited with her boisterous great-aunt, Dallas wants nothing more than to leave her Hollywood days behind. And when she crosses paths with local veterinarian Grant Wyler, her high school summer love, she finds he’s everything she remembers, and more—and that the spark is still there. But Dallas’s promising new life takes a troubling turn when the unimaginable happens and she finds herself living a mother’s worst nightmare—and Emilio storms into St. Dennis to save the day, along with his damaged career. Trapped in the unwanted glare of the limelight once again, Dallas discovers that it’s cool headed Grant who is willing to risk everything to protect her and her son, and to secure the future they were always meant to share.
From the Paperback edition.


MY REVIEW:

I think what I like about this is the relationship between Dallas and her great aunt Berry who use to be an actress. She lives Grand and teaches her son Cody to live Grand also which he needs after having to leave his dad behind in Hollywood. You see his dad has been caught with his pants down with someone that is not his mom. So to save Cody from the press she comes home to her aunt Berry. And runs right into her old flame Grant who is now the town Vet. which brings a dog into Cody's life which bring Grant into Dallas life again. This is a rekindle love romance but to me its more of a family story of love.

Almost Home

ALMOST HOME                                            MARIAH STEWART
Posted: July 20, 2013

Almost Home (Chesapeake Diaries #3)“Warm romance that is as sweet as ice cream and just as perfect for a relaxing spring day.” - Parkersburg, W.V., News and Sentinel.

When she was young, Steffie Wyler always knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life: 1. Make ice cream. 2. Marry the coolest boy in town. 3. Live happily ever after. These days, Steffie is the proud owner of One Scoop or Two, a wildly popular ice cream parlor. But the cool guy left town right after high school, before they could scratch the surface of their mutual attraction to see what, if anything, lay beneath. Steffie’s made a great life for herself in St. Dennis, but true love has never come knocking.

Wade MacGregor left for college in Texas and remained there to start a successful business with his best friend, Robin Kennedy, but he’s always felt something was missing. Then life throws him a curve ball: A third partner has robbed the company blind, and Robin has died—but not before entrusting Wade with a precious secret. Now back in St. Dennis, Wade’s determined to do whatever it takes to protect his friend’s legacy—and to figure out, once and for all, if the sparks that fly whenever he’s with Steffie are just temporary fireworks or the lights in the window leading him home.
From the Paperback edition.


MY REVIEW:

5 stars and so much more.  Wade and Steffie were not ever going to get it right or so it seemed.  But then fate steps in and brings Wade back home after his one partner steals him blind and another passes away and leaves him a secret that no one knows but him. Is Wade a cad or is Wade a hero and the real man Steffie always thought he was and was always in love with?

Hometown Girl

HOMETOWN GIRL                                        MARIAH STEWART
Posted: July 20, 2013

Hometown Girl: The Chesapeake Diaries (Chesapeake Diaries, #4)New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.

Life was always just about perfect for Brooke Madison Bowers. She was the prettiest, most popular girl in small-town St. Dennis, Maryland, a prom queen, local pageant star, and the pride and joy of her loving parents. She even married the man of her dreams. But the promise of happily ever after fell to pieces when her husband was killed while serving in Iraq. Brokenhearted and longing for the solace of better days, she returns to the idyllic world of St. Dennis, and the familiar comfort of the family farm. Surrounded by her loving family and friends, she’s determined to build a new life, complete with her own cupcake bakery. She’s equally determined never to fall in love again.

For Jesse Enright, life has been a challenge. A fourth-generation attorney, he’s spent his life fighting to escape the shadow of his irresponsible father. Now he’s moved to St. Dennis to run the family law practice, and he’s ready to find the right girl, get married, and settle down. But his carefully laid plans go out the window when he meets Brooke and finds himself caught between the unbreakable law of attraction and Brooke’s resolve to go her way alone—despite the undeniable feelings Jesse stirs in her. But just like catching lightning in a bottle, is it possible to fall head-over-heels, heart-and-soul in love all over again?


MY REVIEW:

A total 5 stars and worth all the wait

Home For The Summer

HOME FOR THE SUMMER                        MARIAH STEWART
Posted: July 20, 2013

Home for the Summer: The Chesapeake Diaries (Chesapeake Diaries #5)New York Times bestselling author Mariah Stewart presents a captivating contemporary romance novel in the tradition of Robyn Carr, Susan Mallery, and Barbara Freethy.

Some of Lucy Sinclair’s best days were those spent growing up in small town St. Dennis—working at the family inn and enjoying summers filled with swimming, sailing, tennis, and the company of Clay Madison, her best friend. But Lucy’s darkest day, the one that shattered her innocence with violence and fear, also happened in St. Dennis. And the town she once loved became the place she gladly left behind—along with the terrible secret she’s kept for twenty years.

While Lucy headed off for college and a career, Clay remained—more than satisfied with the life St. Dennis had to offer. But now, even after inheriting his family’s thriving farm and starting up an organic brewery, he can’t help feeling that something’s missing. And when Lucy comes back to town to plan a celebrity wedding at the Sinclair family inn, she and Clay reconnect, and find themselves reevaluating their long-sleeping friendship that could blossom into something deeper. Like a bookend to those distant childhood days, this summer will be Lucy’s chance to finally confront her hidden pain, make peace with the past, and plan her own whole new future.


MY REVIEW:

I did not think Clay & Lucy would ever kiss let alone get together. So you must read to find out how & to find out why Lucy stopped being Clay's best friend. I can't say this was her best work but it was very good.they were friends for so long.



Solitary Man

SOLITARY MAN                                           CARLY PHILLIPS
Posted: July 20, 2013

Solitary ManWhen tough Boston cop Kevin Manning promised to care for his fatally wounded partner’s family, a one night stand with the man’s grieving sister wasn’t part of the plan. No matter how intense the night had been, a woman like Nikki Welles deserves much more than a broken man like Kevin can give, and he leaves the next day. When he returns months later, everything has changed. Nikki can’t forgive Kevin for abandoning her nor can she regret the baby she’s now carrying. And she can’t stop wanting Kevin. But can this solitary man come to believe he’s worthy of love?

MY REVIEW:

I really enjoyed this book. If you are a child, spouse, friend, relative, etc... This book will so touch home for you. I could relate on so many levels. I had been the friend who sat back & watched a friend who watched a friend go through relationships like this of co-dependency. I have gone through this, family members have which has caused warped relationships. But as the author so researched & writes so touchingly in this book that if one member in the relationship is willing to reach out to the program then there's hope as long as tough love is applied & maintained. No cleaning up messes. So, when Kevin was so brain washed by his alcoholic father his whole life he had no way of seeing the steps he needed to walk away from his sick need to bail his father out of trouble when drinking. So, when Nikki comes into his life he feels he has to care for the independent loving feeling talkative woman. Which just totally overloads him mind & emotions. Loved it.

Remembering Zane

REMEMBERING ZANE                              J.S. WILSONCROFT
Posted: July 20, 2013

Remembering Zane by J.S. Wilsoncroft Second Edition. "Pocket Romance" paperback from Write More Publications.

Synopsis: At ten years old, Bonnie Reese knew the minute she laid eyes on Zane Withers that he would forever have a place in her heart. After years of dating, then finally going their separate ways, Bonnie always dreamed that eventually they would find their way back back to each other.
But those dreams were shattered, along with her heart, when she received the devastating news that her beloved Zane had been killed. As she faced her worst nightmare of going to his funeral, Bonnie runs into Zane’s best friend, Jonathan Wood. Little did she know, Jonathan had deep feelings for her since the seventh grade. Now that his best friend is gone, will Jonathan have the courage to tell her that he’s loved her since high school? Or will he keep his secret to himself forever? Will Bonnie let go and let love find her again?


MY REVIEW:

I am glad I read this book it was sad, funny, & heart warming. The characters were well thought out & so well blended with each other so the flow of the storyline was interesting. I just found it sad that if what happened to Zane hadn't happened Jon & Bonnie would not have not gotten together. I am glad it worked out the way it did. I just don't get why Zane & Bonnie didn't stay together?

The Merchant Of Venice Beach

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE BEACH               CELIA BONADUCE
Posted: July 20, 2013

The Merchant of Venice Beach (Rollicking Bun, #1)The Rollicking Bun—Home of the Epic Scone—is the center of Suzanna Wolf’s life. Part tea shop, part bookstore, part home, it’s everything she’s ever wanted right on the Venice Beach boardwalk, including partnership with her two best friends from high school, Eric and Fernando. But with thirty-three just around the corner, suddenly Suzanna wants something more—something strictly her own. Salsa lessons, especially with a gorgeous instructor, seem like a good start—a harmless secret, and just maybe the start of a fling. But before she knows it, Suzanna is learning steps she never imagined—and dancing her way into confusion.

MY REVIEW:


I truly enjoyed this trio of friends. It’s set in California in towns that I have been in before made it all that much more real to me. The characters were very believable and so fun that you totally became invested in them and what was happening to them. This was mainly centered on the life of Suzanna Wolfe, who met her friend Carla when she was five. The families were best friends since Suzanna’s family moved into the Napa Valley. At the age of fifteen Eric came into the girls’ lives. It was known to Carla that he was the object of Suzanna’s desire but that did not stop them from hooking up in their junior year. Which crushed Suzanna but they were still her best friends just not every day best friends. When a new boy came to their school who took a fashion interest in her for good reason she had none and he was her new gay boyfriend. They became the new fabulous four but with discord. College was looming and Eric and Carla had their eye on the ball as Suzanne should have her two professor parents thought she should but she just didn’t know what she wanted to do. Well, Fernando came from a poor family and had to work to save the money and the school he had applied to did not accept him, which was Berkley, like Eric. At least that is where they thought Eric was going. A week before the prom Eric came to Suzanna and said he was going to Boston where he got accepted and Carla told her she got accepted Harvard so you know what she thought. Then, he asks her to the prom. After the prom Fernando and Suzanna decide that they are moving to L.A. to make a fresh start and find themselves. Her parents are not happy but they help them both out and so does his dad. Carla decides she wants to ride with them to help them unpack and will fly home since there is two weeks before she leaves. Fernando is not happy he and Carla have always had a love hate relationship. Carla ask to stop for gum that morning so they do before she gets back in the car Eric jumps in. Says he wants to go on the road trip too. What can they say Hello gangs all there? When they get to the hotel at the mid-point Eric pools Suzanna aside and tells her I’ve decided I want to move in with you and Fernando I don’t want to go to Boston after all. There is so much I am missing and so much to tell of all these fours relationship. This has an excerpt and I can tell you I can’t wait to read it already because it has her quirky sister and her renter in it sounds fun already. Really enjoyed. Courtesy of NetGalley.com.

                                                                      Back to You #1 Hard Crush HARD CRUSH                                  ...