For Those About to Read

Against the Wall by Jill Sorenson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I had no idea Against the Wall was a second book in a series until I started reading it. It doesn't impact anything, though. This story, as well as the first, is a standalone with an HEA. I enjoyed this new-to-me author's writing. I laughed at the characters a couple of times, felt sorry for them in other situations, and held out hope that Eric would go straight.

Three years ago, Eric Hernandez went to prison for manslaughter. Because he didn't want his then girlfriend, Meghan, to sit around and wait on him, he pushed her away. He told her he didn't want her anymore, even though she was all he thought about during his prison stint. He survived inside those walls by drawing sketches and tattooing. Not to mention his best friend Junior with ties to the Mexican Mafia. When Eric is released he goes to stay with his ex-sister-in-law and her new cop husband, Noah, who is Meghan's brother. Noah helps him get his foot in the door of a tattoo parlor where he becomes a somewhat jack-of-all-trades to prove himself worthy of the job.

Meghan has moved on from Eric. Her new boyfriend, Chip, is the rich, athletic type. However, his growing aggression is coming between them. A gap that is made even wider with the return of Eric, the first guy she ever loved and who still holds her heart. He may be a criminal, but she knows he is a good person. Besides April, she's the only on who can see past the dangerous persona he tries to embody.

There are some issues this book deals with that are hard to ignore. However, I liked the protectiveness of not only Noah, but Eric as well when it came to Meghan. Their romance gets a second chance although Eric is still trying to protect Meghan from him, for her own good. I was amazed at how strong a friendship Junior and Eric have. The sacrifice he makes for Eric at the end took courage and heart, even though he's a gang banger and drug dealer. You know what they say, the devil protects his own.

This is not the darkest romance I've read. If overcoming a rough past and trying to improve your future is something you like to read about, then I think you should take a chance on this book.

~ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review~
Releases 2.2.16


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On the Naughty List by Lori Foster
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, I feel like I'm probably on the Naughty List just by reading this book! As with all anthologies, some stories were better than others. A couple of them are pretty high on the spice meter and a couple of them are tame in comparison but good, nonetheless. You have to expect insta-love in these short stories but it was the ones with a slower build that I enjoyed the most.

I can't decide whether I like Some Kind of Wonderful by Beth Ciotta or Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas by Sugar Jamison the best...but they were my favorites. Some Kind of Wonderful is a sort of modernized re-telling of A Christmas Carol, complete with ghostly visits. Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas is just a lovely little story involving a single mother and her ten-month-old baby boy, Dash, who finds himself a daddy just in time for Christmas.

I think this book would be a good addition to any romance lovers Christmas reads list. Recommended!

ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Conspiracy of Angels by Michelle Belanger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Copyright Night Owl Reviews

When I realized Michelle Belanger was trying her hand at writing fiction, I knew I had to check it out. The books she wrote before were all non-fiction topics on the paranormal and so it just seems right that she would follow along that path with her fictional debut. Even though, out of all the paranormal subjects, angels are probably my least favorite fictional characters, I do still enjoy reading books involving them as long as the story is good. Conspiracy of Angels is just that...a good story.

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Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ashley Davison finds herself in quite the predicament. The clerk at the airline counter won't sell her a plane ticket to Seattle to surprise her mom for Christmas, and she is too young to rent a car. But salvation comes in the form of ex-soldier Dash Sutherland. Who was trying to convince Ashley to let him ride with her, since it was the very last car and they were both going to Seattle, but Ashley refused until she was told she wasn't old enough to get a rental. Then she changed her tune and found herself on a long drive with a handsome, somewhat frustrating man.

Ugh...I really hate when I have to give lower ratings, but I cannot honestly give this book more than two stars. I was disappointed too because I was looking forward to reading this.

The storyline was fine, but my complaint was the writing. None of it seemed to connect for me. If there is such a thing as over simplifying, it happens in this book. Some things that didn't really need to be explained were elucidated thoroughly. There were other instances that did need more details, but they weren't provided.

Ashley really takes those Snickers 'you're-not-you-when-you're-hungry' commercials to heart because every time Dash gets cranky or upset she convinces him that he's hungry. Like he can't just be frustrated? It was starting to get annoying.

The Hallmark Channel did make a movie of this that premiered last night and is waiting on my DVR to be watched. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but the movie may actually be a better experience for me than the book was. (Update: It wasn't.)

One thing I really liked about this book was the cover.

There are a lot of people who love this author's work and I would probably read something else by her just to see if it was this story alone that I can't connect with. So, if you're already a fan, you may like it and it doesn't take that long to read.

I won this book through Goodreads Giveaways

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Taming Lily by Monica Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Taming Lily is the third installment in the Fowler Sister's series. I have not read any of the previous books and although things were mentioned about the other storylines, I had no problem reading this as a standalone. This is a contemporary romance with the island of Maui as a backdrop. The two main characters are used to having control over every aspect of their lives. But when things start to heat up between them, Lily doesn't seem to have much trouble relinquishing the power to Max, at least in the bedroom.

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Crashed Out by Tessa Bailey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sarge is coming back home after being away for four years. He is now a renowned rock star, but the band is taking a break before making a huge decision for their future. So Sarge went back to New Jersey to meet his three-year-old niece, visit with his sister, and tell the woman he's loved for years how he feels about her.

I haven't read anything by Tessa Bailey before this, but I have heard a lot of good things about her books. The cover was what caught my attention at first but the story itself held on to it. One thing I can say about Sarge is that he was determined. I was afraid that the romance would feel too rushed but I was worrying over nothing because the lifelong affection Sarge had for Jasmine took care of all that.

If you are looking for your next guilty pleasure, you have found it. The instant chemistry between Sarge and Jasmine was combustive when they give in to their desires. Greatly recommended to fans of contemporary romance.

ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review



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Erin Robinson is having an epically bad year. Her blossoming career on Broadway tanked, forcing her to crawl back to home to Wellington. The icing on her failure cake? Her former on-again, off-again fling is in town, and the sexy Marine is taking up way too much space.

Warren Davis always knew Erin was special, which is exactly why he can’t have her. A girl like her deserves something permanent—something neither of them wants. But now that they’re both back in town and she’s right there in front of him, a challenge in her eyes he’s never been able to resist, he’s questioning everything.

That challenge quickly escalates into an epic game of Truth or Dare. Erin’s sure she’s got him on lock, but as the night progresses, Warren’s dares intensify, drowning her in lust. But with the past still breathing down their necks, there’s no way either of them can win…

Say You're Mine by Diane Alberts


Navy SEAL Steven Thomas has only ever been able to count on three things: waking up in the morning, going to sleep sometime during the night, and Lauren Brixton. She’s been his best friend since grade school, and what they have is the only relationship he’s managed not to ruin.

Until one drunken night puts that all in jeopardy.

Lauren’s watched Steven flit from one-night stand to one-night stand, seemingly not interested in something more. So when the long-ignored attraction between the two of them blows up in their faces, she does the only thing she can—she pretends she doesn’t want him. But all’s fair in love and war, and Steven’s not about to lose the only person in his life who matters…
Find your copy of Say You're Mine by Diane Alberts: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Entangled | Goodreads

 

 

 

Intimate by Kate Douglas
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well it seems as though Kate Douglas has proven me wrong. In my review for the prequel novella to this story, which was featured in , I had stated that I didn't much care for stories involving vineyards, that they were boring. Well, this book is certainly not boring and I did enjoy it.

Jake had found the perfect model to photograph wearing his best friend's debut jewelry pieces. Her name was Kaz and she was edgy, with her tattoo and piercings, exactly what they were looking for. Unbeknownst to Jake, she was also what he had been searching for. They hit it off instantly and the more time they spend together, the closer they get. But when someone from Jake's past, who has concealed their identity, starts to interfere with their budding relationship and their lives, Jake realizes that he should have been honest with Kaz from the beginning.

I really liked the build of Jake and Kaz's relationship. It wasn't slow, but it also didn't seem rushed. It really was one of those 'meant to be' cases. This story felt like it had two different parts. The first was the person causing them trouble. Which, by the way, must have been the worst bad guy in history because of all the times he attempted harm to Kaz and Jake. It made me think of Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner. The second part involved Jake's family, it was like ending a chapter of his life while starting a new one.

This was a good suspense-filled romance with an HEA. Ben and Lola's book is coming next and I hope it's soon because I certainly want to read it. Recommended!

**ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**



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'90s Playlist by Brighton Walsh
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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With this anthology, you'll step back in time. Back to the days of Walkmans and flannel shirts. I was really hoping for this book to be 'all that and a bag of chips' for me, but it missed the mark a little. I really enjoyed the first story, My Strongest Weakness by Brighton Walsh, and the last story, Little Red Thong by Jennifer Blackwood. However, the rest of them were just average. That's not a bad thing but as a '90s chick myself, I was wanting to be propelled back to my high school days.

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A Very Nantucket Christmas: Two Holiday Novels by Nancy Thayer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

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I wanted to read A Very Nantucket Christmas because it is now time to get into the holiday spirit. This book is made up of two holiday novels, although I would call them novellas. The first is A Nantucket Christmas and the second, An Island Christmas both by Nancy Thayer.

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Forgetting August by J.L. Berg
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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When starting Forgetting August, I just knew I was going to like it. The plot is interesting as well as the characters. This is the first book I've read in a long time in which the main male character and the secondary male character were both equal when vying for my attention. Until the end of the book when I realized there is a different side to August.

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Hold Me Close by Megan Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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Hold Me Close was my first read by author Megan Hart and I was impressed with the way she could take something so horrendous and make into something kind of beautiful. She has brought us a story about love being born from the darkest of situations. This story is not one for the tenderhearted. Oh, you could get through it. It would be challenging, but worth it.

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Denial by Lisa Renee Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Denial is the first book in a new series by Lisa Renee Jones. It's a spinoff from her Inside Out series, of which I have only read one book. Therefore, this story can be read without the knowledge of her previous series. I have enjoyed every book I've read by this author so far. Her writing style makes is easy to fall into her stories and she always has as strong female character to root for.

I really enjoyed the way this book focused on developing Kayden and Ella's relationship. We know there are dangerous people after Ella. We know that Kayden has sworn to protect her. We know that she has amnesia. Hence, we really need to see that trust build between the two. Even if, when she thinks she can trust him the most, she happens upon a secret he's kept.

Another interesting portion added in to the story was Ella's memories that we get to experience at the same time she does. Small pieces of her life coming together. It's so great to see her forming relationships with these strangers based on just her instincts.

I am very intrigued with the beginning of this series. I can't wait to find out more. This book ends on a cliffhanger and I really need to know the answer to her question! If you've read any of this author's work before or if you're a fan of romantic suspense or contemporary romance, I think you should read this book!

ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review



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Paradise Road by C.J. Duggan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review may contain spoilers if you have not read the first book.

I can honestly say that I have enjoyed the heck out of my trip back to Paradise City, with it's white sand shores, crystal clear waters, bonfires on the beach and an incredibly hot tattooed bad boy. The second book in C.J. Duggan's Paradise series picks up with Lexie back in Red Hill and heartbroken, but yet dying to return to Paradise City.

After Ballantine's no show, Lexie mopes around for a while... until her uncle comes up with a brilliant idea, a way for her to go back to Paradise City. Back to Ballantine. However, things are not as she expected them to be upon her return. Her cousin is friends with Lucy, the one girl Lexie hates the most, her only friend rarely has time for her anymore, and the boy she was looking for is not the one she found.

I felt everything Lexie was feeling in this book. C.J. Duggan has an uncanny talent for placing me right in the story. It happens with every book she pens, that I have read. At the end of Paradise City, I was hoping for more Dean Saville. And, boy, did I get more. Although I would be lying if I said my heart didn't start racing with the rumor of Ballantine coming back to town. They are like the Salvatore brothers on The Vampire Diaries, so hard to choose between the two. As is the case with the Salvatore brothers, I like the older one just a teeny bit more and I am elated to have more of him in this story.

If you're a fan of Abbi Glines, you should give this Australian New Adult romance a try. I loved it! Highly recommended to everyone!

ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review



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