REVIEW: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

 

OUR REVIEW:

Malibu Rising is a deep dive into the Riva family over the course of 24 hours and had I not read Taylor Jenkins Reid before, and loved her, I might have been a smidge skeptical about this premise. But, it's Taylor Jenkins Reid. Annnnd I've enjoyed all of the novels I've read of hers so I jumped into Malibu Rising with two feet and I'm so glad I did. While the story itself is probably as old as time--failed relationships, longing, and hope for something better--it's the multiple perspectives and the pure love between the matriarch, June, and her children--Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit that made this a stand out. Her love, despite her flaws, made her someone I felt so deeply for. And of course, the dynamics between each of the siblings and their stories, intertwined with June and Mick's, had the pages turning.

Not only was this family drama one that I couldn't put down, but the pop culture references of the 80s and the side stories of the many others who popped into the storyline made this an unforgettable story.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3gZ1KJ9

SYNOPSIS:

Malibu: August 1983. It’s the day of Nina Riva’s annual end-of-summer party, and anticipation is at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be around the famous Rivas: Nina, the talented surfer and supermodel; brothers Jay and Hud, one a championship surfer, the other a renowned photographer; and their adored baby sister, Kit. Together the siblings are a source of fascination in Malibu and the world over—especially as the offspring of the legendary singer Mick Riva.

The only person not looking forward to the party of the year is Nina herself, who never wanted to be the center of attention, and who has also just been very publicly abandoned by her pro tennis player husband. Oh, and maybe Hud—because it is long past time for him to confess something to the brother from whom he’s been inseparable since birth.

Jay, on the other hand, is counting the minutes until nightfall, when the girl he can’t stop thinking about promised she’ll be there.

And Kit has a couple secrets of her own—including a guest she invited without consulting anyone.

By midnight the party will be completely out of control. By morning, the Riva mansion will have gone up in flames. But before that first spark in the early hours before dawn, the alcohol will flow, the music will play, and the loves and secrets that shaped this family’s generations will all come rising to the surface.

Malibu Rising is a story about one unforgettable night in the life of a family: the night they each have to choose what they will keep from the people who made them . . . and what they will leave behind.

REVIEW: Changing the Rules by Catherine Bybee

 

OUR REVIEW:

Catherine Bybee was one of the first women's fiction/contemporary romance authors I read when I rediscovered my love of romance many many moons ago. So when I saw she had a new series, I thought I'd see what this version of her writing was all about. 

In Changing the Rules, the characters are working undercover to break up a human trafficking ring that seems to be originating in a high school. Interesting, right? Yeah, the premise is interesting and the intricacies involved must have taken a huge white board to keep it all straight. And that may have been part of my problem with parts of this novel--I sometimes felt like I had a lot of information coming at me and I couldn't always keep it straight. I also got the distinct impression that these characters, who were new to me, were probably not so new to fans of Bybee and so I always found myself wondering what I was missing--what piece of the puzzle did I not know that would make all of their connections all click? The romance part also was unusual for me--it's rare when one party in a party of two is so completely clueless about the feelings of the other, but that was definitely a thing for our main characters. It grew on me, but at first it was a little ....strange. 

All of this to say that Changing the Rules was probably a great read for her fans but it just didn't always work for me. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3tfXvv2

SYNOPSIS:

As an employee of MacBain Security and Solutions, Claire Kelly can certainly hold her own. Armed with an impressive set of covert skills, she’s more than prepared to tackle any job that comes her way…except one involving Cooper Lockman.

Cooper and Claire used to work together before his feelings for her sent him packing to Europe for six long years. But now he’s back and determined to ignore the still-smoldering heat that lingers between them.

Their current mission: go undercover together at a California high school to root out the mastermind behind a prostitution ring targeting young girls. The closer they get to the truth and the closer they get to each other, however, the deadlier their task becomes. As Claire and Cooper risk their lives to bring down their target, will their hearts be the final casualties?

REVIEW: Wild North by J.B. Salsbury

Wild North, an all-new “stunning and soul-searing” standalone featuring a damaged hero from New York Times bestselling author JB Salsbury is available now!

OUR REVIEW:

Wild North is part nightmare and part fairy tale and as crazy as it sounds, it works...and I'm totally here for it. As the synopsis tells us, Jordan is rescued at the bottom of a ravine by this reclusive, rude, territorial Grizzly Adams (minus the warm fuzzies) dude. A total nightmare, right? Seemingly so. But as the days drag on, and he tends to her injuries and keeps her alive, it's clear that this Grizzly guy is just not good at peopling and really, he's not so bad. A strange bond is formed between them that becomes less strange and more than just him taking care of her and her annoying him to death--it's playful and broody and hard to stop reading. Of course, right? It's a romance. 

What makes this nightmare turn into a strange-but-I'm-here-for-it fairy tale is what happens when they leave the mountain and return to the city. More and more of his story is revealed, as is hers, and it turns out they really are a good fit. She's unfiltered, honest, and not easily impressed and he's focused and completely in to her and still an aloof asshole but somehow it really works for him, for her, and for us. 

I don't know if I'm selling this but I can tell you that as with every single J.B. Salsbury novel I've ever read, I couldn't stop reading it. This has got to be one of the strangest mix of tropes I've read in a while and I truly loved every second of it. The characters were fun to read, the conflicts kept the tension at just the right level, and the romance of it all was just not as conventional as you'd expect, which made it a fun read. 

Added bonus? This is just one of hopefully many --there a lots of North brothers and none of them are attached yet. I AM SO HERE FOR THIS SERIES. Hurry up JB, and get us our next addictive read. 

To me, he was Grizzly.
To the world, I would learn, he’s someone else completely.

I should have died on that mountain.
But he rescued me.

More animal than man, he’s cold, distant, and fiercely territorial. He seems to hate me for simply breathing, and yet, he brought me back to life.

After my return to the city, I can’t stop thinking about him. His rough hands, intense glare, and the way he cared for me as if I meant something to him.

He tells me he’s dangerous. That I’m not safe around him. I would eventually understand why he warned me away. But by then it’s too late. My heart is his.

Grab your copy now!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3a4T53v
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WildNorth
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3s9EkCB
Nook: https://bit.ly/3eazOip

Add Wild North to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3tu4Sjn

About JB Salsbury
JB Salsbury, New York Times Best Selling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.

Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.

Since 2013 she has published six bestselling novels in The Fighting Series and won a RONE Award.

Connect with JB
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3stLCRV
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mZRQaR
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3stsCms
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3dtpF0X
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3x7WCbh
Website: http://jbsalsbury.com/

REVIEW: The House Swap by Jo Lovett

OUR REVIEW:

When I read the synopsis for The House Swap it kinda reminded me of that movie The Holiday, minus the actual holiday. You too? So I jumped right in. 

There are many things to enjoy about this novel. If you love British characters, as we do over here at MRBoD, then this will hit that spot for you. The slang, the various places visited, even the snobbery of the main male character and the quirkiness of our main female character are all good stuff. There's also the quaint and lovely American village that seems sweet and romantic and small town--lots of good stuff there. 

But really, the novel is captured in phone calls, text exchanges, and the adorable annoyance that each of these characters have for each other. It's through these exchanges and the down time between them that we get to know their histories and broken hearts. It's through these exchanges that they learn more about each other, let down their guards, and become genuine friends and companions...lovers and a couple. 

While there were definitely times when I felt that the writing was a bit long and more verbose than I normally like, I did ultimately enjoy the premise and characters. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/2Ro0eWd

SYNOPSIS: Island house off coast of Maine, with private beach, sea views and the occasional farmyard animal, seeks super swanky Central London penthouse overlooking Holland Park, complete with concierge service and spurned ex-lovers…

When thirty-somethings Cassie and James find each other on a home swap website, it feels meant to be. City hotshot James needs a bolthole after a relationship goes sour and Cassie needs to leave the comfort of her little island to research her new book.

Soon, James is living in Cassie’s cute but ramshackle beachside cottage, and Cassie’s living in James’s luxurious London apartment. It’s the perfect solution.

Except James didn’t imagine he’d be sharing his home with eleven chickens and three alpacas, not to mention the unusually friendly neighbours, who seem to find any excuse to drop by. And Cassie is less than impressed when James’s ex-girlfriend turns up at his door, demanding to know where he’s gone.

The more Cassie and James talk, the more the tension between them mounts. But as the insults fly so do the sparks, and when the time finally comes to swap back, Cassie and James find they aren’t quite ready to give each other up.

But there’s more than just distance between them – and when Cassie makes a surprising discovery, the pair are forced to confront their feelings and decide what kind of life they really want.

REVIEW: The Heiress Gets a Duke by Harper St. George

 

OUR REVIEW:

This is a new historical romance writer for me and I enjoyed it so much that I have already procured a copy of the next novel, in the  hopes that it follows August's sister (or brother). In this particular novel, we have an American mother, in particular (though abetted by the father), who wants to rise above her New Money station and she sees an opportunity by marrying off a daughter to a Duke. And, we have a Duke whose family is in dire financial straits and needs the funds marrying an American heiress could provide. So as you can see, these two families can each fulfill a desire or a need of the other. The only problem? The potential bride in question wants nothing to do with it....so we're off on an adventure of figuring out how these two families will find their HEA.

One of the things I enjoyed about this particular historical romance was how independent our heroine, August was. She was raised and allowed to pursue her interest in the family business and so she was reticent to give that up. She liked her freedom and the respect she felt her position gave her--more so than your average woman in that time. I also enjoyed that Rothschild (Evan), found her spirit and independence as positives and had no desire to see those things stripped from her. While there things about both of them that were annoying and frustrating, that they were evolved and on the same page about progressing the rights of those around them was refreshing. These were no simpering fools.

I also enjoyed that the writer made me love to hate August's mom and dad the more they revealed who they were. I loved that undercurrent of conflict and how August just refused to capitulate...or Evan refused to let her; even before they were officially a 'team', they were a team. 

There were a few parts that felt a little slow, but maybe I was just eager to see them end up together? And this was definitely a s-l-o-w burn so if you don't have the patience for that, know that upfront. All that being said, though, I'm eager to read another one.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3h347dM

SYNOPSIS:

Even a fortune forged in railroads and steel can't buy entrance into the upper echelons of Victorian high society--for that you need a marriage of convenience.

American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British Lord she wants wrapped around her finger--it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the Duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.

SNEAK PEEK: Wild North by J.B. Salsbury

Wild North, an all-new standalone romance with a broody and swoon-worthy mountain man from New York Times bestselling author JB Salsbury, is coming May 18th and we have the first look!

Jordan 

I’m warm. 

The temperature is the first thing I recognize as I wake up in a strange place. I blink open my eyes, grateful to see more clearly as I stare at the horizontal logs of a ceiling. Heat blazes from my left side. I cautiously turn my head to see a fire through the soot-stained glass of a woodstove. Everything is quiet except for the distant sound of wind and rain. Heavy weight presses down on me from my toes to my throat, and the musky scent of wet animal hangs heavy in the air. I wiggle my fingers on my stomach and realize I’m wearing nothing but my long underwear. I tilt my chin to see layers of weighted blankets covering me—no, not blankets. Animal hides. 

I work my mouth and clear my dry throat. My lips are rough and cracked as I lick them with a parched tongue. I try to think back. To remember how I ended up here. Did I manage to crawl here on my own? Is this heaven? Hell?

I try to swivel my head slowly, taking in as much of the space as I can with only the muted light from the fire to expose my surroundings. Everything outside the fire’s glow is black. I need to sit up and get to my feet. As I take a deep breath to gather my strength, my ribcage roars in protest. 

“Ow, fuck.” A moan works its way up my throat as I lie helplessly on my back. Tears spring to my eyes. Shallowly breathing, I lift my head then try to wedge my elbow underneath. I cry out in pain and drop my head back. 

“Don’t move.” The deep, booming command comes from somewhere in the dark.

“Who are you?” My voice is weak and shaky and doesn’t sound like my own. A rush of energy fuels my muscles, and I attempt to move again. Gritting my teeth through the pain, I roll to my side toward the heat source. 

“I wouldn’t do that,” the masculine voice says in a tone so deep it’s almost hard to hear. 

Sweat breaks on my brow. My teeth clench until my jaw aches. I breathe through my nose, waiting for the pain to subside. That’s when I see a large mason jar filled with what looks like water sitting within arm’s reach. I scramble for it and slosh some over the rim while sloppily bringing it to my mouth. With greedy gulps, I down the glass, and water streams down my neck to my chest because of the odd angle. With a blissful sigh, I ease to my back with relief. 

“Can I have more water, please?” My voice already sounds better, stronger. 

He doesn’t answer. 

“Hello?” I stare blindly at the roof of what I’ve gathered to be a log cabin. “Did you bring me here?”

Silence. 

“Where am I?” 

He’s so quiet in the dark, I wonder if he’s disappeared. 

“Do you have a phone? A car? I need a hospital. I slipped and fell. I remember tumbling and—” I gingerly reach up and touch my shoulder, moving my fingers over it, and press on the tender muscles. “I think I landed in a ditch or something. I blacked out. I don’t remember how long…” Was I lying there, dying, for days? “What day is it?” 

My questions are met with more silence. 

“Are you there—”

The sound of wood scraping on wood echoes around me, and I feel the air in the room shift. We must be in a small space because I can hear every step he takes. Wood creaks under his weight, and in the dim light of the fire, I see the faint outline of a large man, the yellow light glinting off his tan, bare torso as he climbs a ladder and disappears into more darkness. 

“Hello?” 

The rustling of blankets is my only response. 

“Why won’t you answer me—”

“Go to sleep.” Another growled, irritated command. 

A flutter of panic works its way to my chest. Who is this guy? And what does he plan to do with me?

The question sends a ripple of fear through me. I’m completely helpless at the mercy of what could be a deranged outsider living like a wild animal in the mountains. 

Not exactly the kind of thoughts that usher in sleep. 

Alexander 

A woman. 

A woman in my fucking space. And the only person I have to blame for this royal shitstorm is myself. 

But what should I have done? Left her out there to die? And she would surely have died. She was nearly hypothermic when I found her, and that was before the temperature dropped and the storm rolled in. 

Goddammit, how unlucky can one son of a bitch be?

My answer lies in the form of a woman injured and obnoxiously curious on my cabin floor. 

After a sleepless night, I feel her eyes on me before my foot hits the last rung of the ladder from my sleeping platform. My grip on the wood tightens, and I rein in my frustration at her intrusion. When I turn around, I’m surprised to see her sitting up, her back to the wall, still mostly covered in deer hides. Her fiery gray eyes are unflinching as I scowl back at her. 

Yeah, I can ask questions, too. Like, how the hell is she sitting up with what I’m guessing is at least one broken rib? And how utterly stupid does a person have to be to wonder the Adirondack Mountains alone and untrained in survival? And furthermore, why the hell is she looking at me like I’m the one who pushed her off that ridge rather than the man who saved her life?

I rip my gaze from hers, not because she wins, but because my guess is she’ll be glaring at me all day, and I have more important shit to do than play the blinking game with this unwelcome pain in the ass. 

After tossing more wood into the fire, I pull back the rustic shutters on the window to check the weather. “Shit,” I mumble to myself as I become aware of the grim truth.

An ice storm holds me prisoner inside my own cabin with a woman who irritates the fuck out of me by simply breathing. And it’s my fault she’s still breathing.

I go about making my breakfast, uncomfortably aware of her watching my every move. The kettle on the woodstove is already steaming, and I pull out my single bowl as well as a mason jar and add instant oatmeal. I pull out my instant coffee and grind my molars when I consider having to share my limited resources with my unwanted guest. 

“Hello,” she says behind me. “Can you at least look at me when I’m talking to you?” 

My hands freeze on the mason jar. An old memory nips at my nerves, causing an internal storm to simmer with a threat to rage. Abandoning breakfast, I grab my coat, slip on my boots, and throw open the front door, sending a gust of freezing ice inside.

“Where are you go—”

Her words are silenced by the door clanging behind me and the roar of the wind in my ears. I push through the waves of stinging ice to the outhouse, where I close myself inside, grateful for the slice of privacy.

If only the weather were clear, I’d have a shot at getting her out of here and back to wherever she came from. But neither of us is going anywhere until the storm moves through.

Reserve your copy today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3a4T53v
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/WildNorth
Kobo: https://bit.ly/3s9EkCB
Nook: https://bit.ly/3eazOip

Add Wild North to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3tu4Sjn

Synopsis

To me, he was Grizzly.
To the world, I would learn, he’s someone else completely.

I should have died on that mountain.
But he rescued me.

More animal than man, he’s cold, distant, and fiercely territorial. He seems to hate me for simply breathing, and yet, he brought me back to life.

After my return to the city, I can’t stop thinking about him. His rough hands, intense glare, and the way he cared for me as if I meant something to him.

He tells me he’s dangerous. That I’m not safe around him. I would eventually understand why he warned me away. But by then it’s too late. My heart is his.

About JB Salsbury
JB Salsbury, New York Times Best Selling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.

Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.

Since 2013 she has published six bestselling novels in The Fighting Series and won a RONE Award.

Connect with JB
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3stLCRV
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mZRQaR
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3stsCms
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3dtpF0X
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3x7WCbh
Website: http://jbsalsbury.com/

REVIEW: Here With Me by Samantha Young

 

 OUR REVIEW:

I've always enjoyed Samantha Young's novels, especially the ones that she sets overseas--they feel like love notes to the area that she's writing about. In the case of Here With Me, I want to see the Scotland that she weaves into the background and fall in love with as much as her characters do. 

In this novel, which after THAT ENDING!!! appears to be the first in a series of standalones, we follow the story of Robyn and Lachlan. She's in Scotland to try to figure out if there's any chance to have a relationship with her dad. She's had a near death experience that pushes her to live the life she wants, rather than one she'd created because of or in spite of her life leading up to it. She's a strong character, who slowly learns how to make peace with her vulnerabilities too. She's spunky and kind and a great match to the broody Scot, Lachlan. Like Robyn, he's also a strong character whose past life plays a huge part in the decisions he makes about his career and his relationships. He's protective of the people he cares about and exudes a confident arrogance that antagonizes Robyn like nothing else. Both he and Robyn are a perfect match in that neither of them back down, they're quick to make snide remarks, and are stubborn--all things that make their inevitable fall for each other that much more fun. 

All of this plays out against a background of family issues with Robyn, and to some extent, Lachlan, and an escalating stalker situation that drags all of the major and minor characters into it. Between the push and pull of attraction between Robyn and Lachlan and the stalker, the pages of this 500 + page novel go quickly. And have I mentioned that ending?! That ending just guarantees that I'll be back for what comes next with all of these characters; I'm definitely intrigued.

Here With Me by Samantha Young is now live!

 

Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner --ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair--and it's poised on the edge of a dark scandal.

After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she's long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she's not yet ready to give up on her father.

Determined to ensure Mac's safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.
While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future ... if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn't do the job first.

 

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/39MCem8

Apple Books: http://apple.co/2YIp1Ve

Nook: http://bit.ly/3rneRWu

Kobo: http://bit.ly/39Pta08

 

Add to Goodreads: http://bit.ly/3oRdCgi

 

 

Meet Samantha

Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Connect with Samantha

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamanthaYoung/

Website – http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/authorsamanthayoung/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.co.uk/samyoungauthor/

Amazon - http://amzn.to/2H47kEP

Goodreads - http://bit.ly/2FWgYdn

Bookbub - http://bit.ly/2D241eO

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.co.uk/samyoungauthor

Book+Main- https://bit.ly/2P6faUB

REVIEW: The Songbook of Benny Lament by Amy Harmon

OUR REVIEW:

 I *think* this is the first novel I've read by Amy Harmon and I can see why she has a huge fanbase. 

I finished reading The Songbook of Benny Lament several days ago and I'm still thinking about these characters as if they were living, breathing people in the world. There are layers to this story--the outside layer of Benny being interviewed by a radio DJ on the last night of 1969, a middle layer that shares the stories of Benny and Ruth and their backgrounds and families, and the innermost layer that is full of love and angst and action. All of these layers work seamlessly as you move between the various stories and time hops and you can't help but root for them all to find success, love, and acceptance. Between Benny and Ruth's squabbling, the complicated history Benny has with his father and The Family, and the constant worry I had about what was going to happen next and would everyone be okay, my emotions were all over the place. Additionally, the allusions to the Great Migration, plunging us in the middle of the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, and seeing characters trying to navigate the racist views of America were all important pieces to this narrative--honestly, this novel wouldn't exist the way it does without all of these moving parts. 

Part history, part family drama, part music, and part romance all add up to The Songbook of Benny Lament.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3gXENWH

SYNOPSIS: 

New York, 1960: For Benny Lament, music is his entire life. With his father’s deep ties to the mob, the Bronx piano man has learned that love and family can get you in trouble. So he keeps to himself, writing songs for other musicians, avoiding the spotlight…until the night his father brings him to see Esther Mine sing.

Esther is a petite powerhouse with a gorgeous voice. And when Benny writes a hit song and performs it with her, their collaboration thrusts the duo onto the national stage…and stirs up old issues and new scrutiny that the mob—and Benny—would rather avoid.

It would be easier to walk away. But the music and the woman are too hard for the piano man to resist. Benny’s songs and Esther’s vocals are an explosive combination, a sound that fans can’t get enough of. But though America might love the music they make together, some people aren’t ready for Benny Lament and Esther Mine on—or off—the stage.

REVIEW: The One That Got Away by Karina Halle

 

OUR REVIEW:
Are you ready for a ramble? If not, scroll down and you'll probably find a more succinct synopsis of my thoughts on The One That Got Away. 

So it's currently the beginning of May 2021 and as I'm looking at the blog social media and reviews I realize that it's been over a month since I've really posted anything--that should tell you how busy my life as a teacher of senior English students has been. IT HAS BEEN INSANE. Completely crazy in a way that I don't remember in the millions of years that I've been teaching. So when I could finally catch my breath and just devote time to my reading life, I decided to finally read The One That Got Away. It had been on my TBR pile since it came out and I knew with Karina Halle as the writer, that I would be immersed in the narrative within pages...I was right. 

Not only was I interested in the story of Ruby and Luciano because of the hint of their story in The Forbidden Man but I was ready to fall in love with whichever geographical location she put me in (and fall in love I did). 

So, Ruby. Ruby was someone I empathized with--she had this charming personality that tried to hide her insecurities and doubts. She was at a loss as to how to climb out of the hole she seemed to find herself in (no real job, no real home, no real connections to loved ones), even though she had a plan and skills to help her move up and out. She got sidetracked, lost, and in her frustration, she'd make these really impulsive or rebellious decisions that made her life more challenging. Gah. She was maddening at times; though, even when I found her choices irritating or confounding, I really liked her. I respected that she often made poor decisions for the right reasons, even when those decisions were devastating.

Likewise, I really enjoyed Luciano. He was a really kind and decent guy who, despite terrible circumstances in his childhood, he excelled and tried hard to do the right thing, even when it hurt him. If Ruby frustrated me because of her sometimes crazy decisions, he frustrated me with his loyalty; I wanted him to just look out for his best interests every once in a while and it was maddening that he let some people treat him the way that they did. 

Ultimately, these two and their whirlwind romance, that spanned over a decade, had my full attention and their story was so good and angsty and maddening and hot and wonderful that I hated that it ever had to end. I also have added Lisbon to my bucket list of places to visit and fall in love with and I can't wait until the day comes that I can visit. 

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SYNOPSIS:
An epic standalone sports romance

Ruby Turner was never meant to be mine.

When I first met her she was a fresh, young American sports journalist trying to find her footing in a new life abroad. She was the one interviewing me for an article, yet I wanted to know more about her. She captivated me.

But she went home with Marco that night.
My agent.
My brother.

And I did what I could to pretend I was fine with it. After all, I’m Luciano Ribeiro. As the captain of Real Madrid, and Portugal’s National Team, it’s my job to be cool, calm, and collected, not easily rattled.

Only what I felt for Ruby over time, shook me to my very core. It made me do things I never imagined I would do.
It started with a stolen kiss in the middle of the night.
It led to a passionate tryst.
It created a burden of guilt that I had to carry, as Ruby came in and out of my life until she left for good, leaving her mark on me.

Now, seven years later, she’s back.
She was the one that got away.
I don’t think I’ll let her go this time.
But I might not have a choice.
Because my heart still belongs to her.
And her heart might belong to my brother.

REVIEW: Broken French by Tasha Boyd

OUR REVIEW: I recently read a book that was primarily set in Lisbon and now with Broken French, I am fully on board to make 2022 a year where I travel more...fingers crossed.

Not only was Broken French a love letter to Charleston and France, it was a love letter to the unexpected. This romance was a slow burning delight. Both Josephine and Xavier tried really hard to do the right thing and avoid the incredible chemistry that burned between them but as we all know, it was impossible, though I really loved that they tried really hard to avoid the inevitable, lol. It was the trying and avoidance that let us really get to know them outside of their lust for each other, which made their falling that much sweeter and acceptable when it finally happened, seeing as she was the nanny and he was her boss. It also made the inevitable hurts and angst that much more hurtful and angsty. But then again, those hurts made the HEA the sweetest too. 

If I had one little quibble it's that when we get to the HEA it ends so quickly that I felt like I wanted more page time with all of these characters, which really just goes to show you how enjoyable I found them all and the storyline of Broken French.

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SYNOPSIS:

Josie thought she was getting a promotion at her architectural firm, but instead her career implodes. She impulsively takes up her roommates' offer to nanny for a little girl on a mega yacht in the South of France. Even though she can't stand boats, this seems like fate giving her an opportunity to lick her wounds in a bucket list paradise while she figures out how to get her life back.

But this little girl she's arrived to look after has a daddy. A widowed, hot, billionaire of a daddy. And if there's anything that Josie needs less than having to be stuck on a yacht, no matter how luxurious, it's an inconvenient and highly-combustible attraction to her new boss. A man who, for all his wealth, is grumpy, conceited, and utterly closed off.

Xavier Pascale is on an emotional island of his own making. It's just him and his daughter and he likes it that way. He works hard, his shareholders are happy, his best friends are his body guard, and the people who work for him. What's wrong with that? But then he meets Josephine Marin. Her arrival in his life is like a deep ocean tremor along a catastrophic emotional fault line. And now... well, now, he's very, very aware of his isolation and his very human need. But he can't be distracted. When he gets distracted terrible things happen.

He should send the nanny home.

He really should.

But what if he just takes what he wants, just this one time ...

This is a standalone, contemporary romance. It includes luscious scenes of sparkling blue ocean, and tantalizing, seductive food, was well as a smoking hot, dirty-talking Frenchman. If traveling scares you, or sexy times scare you, then this book is not for you. But if you're looking for a decadent armchair vacation after being stuck in one place for over a year--a story that will make you laugh, swoon, fan yourself, and cry--then this one is for you!