Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens

Moonlight and Oranges

by Elise Stephens

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Romance | Young Adult

Review on behalf of AToMR Blog Tours

A timeless tale of young romance.

Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin’s long, tarnished history of relationships. When Lorona’s curiosity leads her to Kestrin’s journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush?

Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.

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Nell by Jeanette Baker

Nell

by Jeanette Baker

Genre: Contempory Fiction | Romance | Historical

Jillian Fitgerald, whose grand house had 60 rooms, grew up together with Frankie Maguire, the kennel keeper's son, in Northern Ireland. That she was rich and he was poor did not daunt their dreams of someday marrying. But Jillian was headed for a privileged life and the university. Frankie, drawn into the nationalist cause, faced a charge of murder and the dark walls of a jail cell.

With their lives torn apart, there seemed no chance for Jillian and Frankie. But the heart owns knowledge to which the mind is not privy. Generations before, an Irish princess, Eleanor "Nell" Fitzgerald, her family killed, her life in jeopardy, her beloved torn from her arms, was preparing to reach out to another woman who shared her heritage...a woman in another century. Now, from the court of Henry VIII to the violent streets of modern Belfast, Nell and Jillian will become two souls joined in one courageous battle to prove that neither prison bars nor the hands of time can stop the power of love...

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The Time-Traveling Fashionista by Bianca Turetsky

The Time-Traveling Fashionista
on board the Titanic
(The Time-Traveling Fashionista, Book #1)
by Bianca Turetsky

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Time-Travel | Fantasy | Historic | Young Adult

What if a beautiful vintage dress could take you back in time?

Louise Lambert has always dreamed of movie starlets and exquisite gowns and longs for the day when she can fill the closet of her normal suburban home with stylish treasures. But when she receives a mysterious invitation to a vintage fashion sale in the mail, her once painfully average life is magically transformed into a time-travel adventure.

Suddenly on-board a luxurious cruise ship a hundred years ago, Louise relishes the glamorous life of this opulent era and slips into a life of secrets, drama, and decadence....

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According to Jane by Marilyn Brant

According to Jane
by Marilyn Brant

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Romance

In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart...

It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there.

Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the trauma of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go, but Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham.

Still, everyone has something to learn about love -- perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond all she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending...

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All For You by Lynn Kurland

All For You
(de Piaget Family Series, Book #17)

by Lynn Kurland

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Time-Travel

FALLING THROUGH TIME IS DANGEROUS… Peaches Alexander is thrilled to receive an unexpected invitation to a weekend party given by the handsome, eligible Duke of Kenneworth. The only problem: Stephen de Piaget, a stuffy medieval studies scholar who seems determined to get in the way. Peaches has absolutely no desire to get involved with Stephen, until a quirk of Fate sends her hurtling through time…

UNLESS THERE’S SOMEONE TO CATCH YOU. Stephen de Piaget has been leading a double life: respectable professor by day, knight-in-training during holidays and summer terms. When Peaches goes missing, Stephen knows he’s the only one that can rescue her from medieval peril. Little do they know that the greatest danger they’ll face won’t be the business end of a sword, but their own unruly hearts….

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Fall For You by Cecilia Gray

 Fall For You: 
A Modern Retailing of Pride and Prejudice
(Jane Austen Academy, Book #1)

by Cecilia Gray

Review on behalf of AToMR Book Blog Tours

Genre:Young Adult | Contemporary Romance

To say Lizzie and Dante are polar opposites is the understatement of the century. He’s a snooty Exeter transfer with more money than Google. She’s a driven study-a-holic barely keeping up with tuition. It’s obvious that Dante thinks he’s way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pushing her buttons.

But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie’s quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets… Secrets Lizzie can’t seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries…

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The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

The Winter Sea

( UK Title: Sophia's Secret )

by Susanna Kearsley

Genre: Contemporary | Romance | Historic

History has all but forgotten the spring of 1708, when an invasion fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown. Now, Carrie McClelland hopes to turn that story into her next bestselling novel. Settling herself in the shadow of Slains Castle, she creates a heroine named for one of her own ancestors, and starts to write. But when she discovers her novel is more fact than fiction, Carrie wonders if she might be dealing with ancestral memory...making her the only living person who can know the truth of what did happen all those years ago - a tale of love and loyalty...and ultimate betrayal. 

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The Girl Who Chased The Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

The Girl Who Chased The Moon

by Sarah Addison Allen

Genre: Contemporary Fantasy | Young Adult

Emily Benedict is about to find out if wallpaper can change pattern on its own, if a cake can bring back a lost love, and if there really is a ghost dancing in her back yard.

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Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen

Garden Spells

by Sarah Addison Allen

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Fantasy
 

Claire has everything she thinks she needs, until one day she wakes to find a stranger has moved in next door and a vine of ivy has crept into her garden... and her carefully tended life is about to run gloriously out of control.

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All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire
Love At Stake Series, Book #5
by Kerrelyn Sparks

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Toni Davis’s Christmas Wish List

1. Springing my best friend from the psych ward.
2. Living somewhere that doesn’t have coffins in the basement. Occupied coffins.
3. Finding Mr. Right. Please make him tall, dark, handsome, and ALIVE.

This Christmas isn’t so merry for Toni. Her best friend’s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she’s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she's bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.

Although Ian’s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk. How can a dead man be so damn sexy? Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

Toni had a very rewarding goal in life (to open up an orphanage for abandoned children) that she and her two closest friends were working years towards before vampires attacked and ruined everything. Now, Toni's best friend (and financial support) is in a mental ward and Toni finds herself in a reckless vampire job that could one day set everything right again ... or at least she hopes! If she can prevent herself from being tempted by the newly returned Scottish warrior, Ian, or accidentally revealing her plan of action in proving that vampires truly exist, she could set everything back to their original course. Yet, as things begin to heat up with Ian and the vampire society line between good & bad becomes more visible, Toni finds her future plans have changed whether she likes it or not.

For me, this was an okay book from the Love to Stake series - not one of my favorites and definitely not one of the worst. Thus, it was an overall so-so read. I wasn't that much of a fan of Toni, becasue she was either too tough or lacking from too little confidence for me to truly enjoy as a character. And, I couldn't escape the memory of Ian as a young boy as well - so sadly I was kind of ruined from the beginning with really losing myself in their budding relationship. It's always a joy though to catch up with other favorite characters from past books in the series and becasue of that I continue to follow the story and enjoy the ups and downs of each tale. Plus, the Christmas feel to this book really made for a festive read!

Likes: I'm also not that much of a fan of small talkative children in romance stories, but Constantine was quite adorable.

Dislikes: Ian's dating insecurities were somewhat boorish and vexing at times.

Rating:

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Persuade Me by Juliet Archer

Persuade Me
(Darcy & Friends, Book #2)
by Juliet Archer

Genre: Contemporary Romance

When do you let your heart rule your head?

When it comes to love, Anna Elliot is stuck in the past. No one can compare to Rick Wentworth, the man she gave up ten years ago at the insistence of her disapproving family. What if she’s missed her only chance for real happiness?

Since Anna broke his heart, Rick has moved on – or so he thinks. Out in Australia, he’s worked hard to build a successful career – and a solid wall around his feelings.

The words ‘forgive and forget’ aren’t in Rick's vocabulary. The word ‘regret’ is definitely in Anna’s. So, when they meet again on his book tour of England, it’s an opportunity for closure.

But memories intrude – the pure sensuality of what they once shared, the pain of parting … And she has to deal with another man from her past, while his celebrity status makes him the focus of unwanted attention.

With Anna’s image-obsessed family still ready to interfere and Rick poised to return to Australia, can she persuade him to risk his heart again?

Anna comes off easily as a down-to-earth college professor; she's got the education & great friends but is deeply anguished by past events. When her old flame, Rick Wentworth, now a famous author, comes to do a UK book tour, Anna is ready for all the discomforts & remorseful remembrance that his visit will bring. Yet, the long-ago heartache appears to still be fresh between both her and Rick and while there is much bitterness and distrust to overcome, both are determined to fight in their own way for second chances.

A contemporary re-telling of Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion. Full of heated romance, painful regrets & intense attractions and though it follows closely to the original tale, the new twist of Wentworth's thought process adds much to the overall story. Persuasion is by far my favorite Austen book and this contemporary tale was a joy to read.

Likes: Rick was a great masculine character and his persistent actions toward Anna were wonderful proof that true love never fades!

Dislikes: You really cringe during many of Anna's families scenes, but then again, that ever-growing hatred toward their egotistical mannerism could be a perk for the book since it created a nice emotional aspect for the reader.

Rating:

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Forgotten by Cat Patrick

Forgotten
by Cat Patrick

Genre: Young Adult | Mystery | Contemporary

Past. Present. Future. Which matters most?

Each night when 16 year-old London Lane goes to sleep, her memory of that day is erased. In the morning, all London can “remember” are events from her future and the people who will play a part in it. In order to get by, London relies on reminder notes and a trusted friend to navigate relationships and high school life. Adaptable by nature, she tries to view her memory loss as a fact of life rather than a condition. But when London starts experiencing disturbing flashbacks, or flash-forwards, as the case may be, she realizes that in order to understand her present and her future, she must solve the mystery of her past.

10/14 (Thurs.)

Outfit:
-Straight-leg jeans
-Navy tunic with the little flowers
-Blister-inducing red flats

School:
-Bring book for English
-Get Mom to sign permission slip for history
-Spanish quiz tomorrow (not on syllabus)
-Read over history homework in the morning. . .too tired. . .

Imagine living your life from notes. Notes that remind you of the last 24 hours; who you met, what you wore, where you went, and what you're to do next -- that's London's life. She can't remember the past and struggles with it day by day, but the perk is. . .she can see glimpses of the future. She knows what actions will trigger events years down the road and can easily remember the people she'll know later in life. Even though her world is a crazy juggling act of lie after lie to get by at school, London can blow it off -- since the next day she won't remember a thing. Yet, when a new boy begins to appear more often within her notes and strange dreams begin to keep her up at night, London begins to question her past, as well as her future, and just what both may have planned for her.

Interesting concept even though it was a bumpy ride. London is easy to like and the reading is just as intriguing since much of it is in diary-format, but the overall book was a classic example of 'beginning with a bang and ending with a whimper' since it starts out enjoyable and quickly fizzles out. I felt the mystery part of the story was all over the place since halfway through the book, London switched focuses all together (no longer about Luke) and begins this new plot (about her odd dreams) without any real connection between the two. Also, the story was well rounded at the beginning but near the end became apparent that Mrs. Patrick wanted to create a continuing series, thus leaving some mysteries unsolved (personally...it really felt like she got tired of writing and wrote a quick/abrupt finish) All in all, Forgotten was an okay read but very disorganized & cluttered with gaps that it had me, the reader, questioning "What just happened here?" Maybe I just fizzled out near the end at well and lost focus, but here's hoping you may enjoy it more than I did!

Likes: Ha! Loved Luke's minivan ;)

Dislikes: Sucks not to remember your first date!

Rating:

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The Sleeping Beauty Proposal by Sarah Strohmeyer

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal
by Sarah Strohmeyer

Genre: Contemporary Romance

At thirty-six, Genie Michaels feels like she has hit the snooze button on her life one too many times. When her "commitment-phobic" boyfriend Hugh proposes on national television-not to Genie, but to an unknown mystery woman- Genie's wisecracking friend Patty does hesitate to give her some tough love: "You remind me of that idiot Sleeping Beauty, lying around like a zombie waiting for your price. Well, guess what, he rode right past your castle and no you have choice-you can either go back to bed or you can wake up!"

Genie chooses to wake up. After some questionable advice, her first step is to allow everyone to believe she's Hugh's fiancee. (She'll let him be the one to explain the mistake.) Naturally the good news travels fast and, in a heartbeat, Genie's parents are booking a reception hall while friends are showering her with gifts. Genie feels ad about the deception, but at last everyone is dancing to her tune, and she can't help but enjoy it. Particularly when a certain to-hand-some-for-his-own-good Greek carpenter shows up on the scene thinking he's hotter than Tabasco.

Genie realizes that she never needed a man to start her life-to buy a home, to get a better job, or even to wear a diamond ring. And if Prince Charming wants to show up while she's at it, she just might teach him a thing or tow.

Genie is in a rut and she doesn't know it, until her life turns up-side down. Now she (with the sly help of her friend Patty) is on a new "road to marriage" with no groom in sight; "let the chips fall where they will." (page 75) Yet, as more of her family becomes involved with the marriage plans and things of the side begin to heat up with another guy , Genie begins to confront some stagnant details of her life. Details that may just just lead her in a direction for a better life overall, with a little revenge for Hugh, her "fake" fiancee, of course.

If you feel like a fluffy, lite read - this will do. Something silly for a Saturday afternoon! It was fun to see Genie evolve throughout the story, not necessarily for the better, but a least enough to make some drastic changes in her life. Sure she had a lot of help from her family/friends, so don't expect something based in reality here. The plot does point out some prejudices related to marriage and singe-women - sucks how some mind-sets just never go away. As well as just how wrong the whole concept of "good things come to those who wait" can truly be. Yet, the main thing I got out of the book was that one must be either brazen, bizarre or both to live ones life to the fullest.

Likes: It was enjoyable to read about Genie's close family, even if they were little (sometimes a lot) chaotic!

Dislikes: I have to agree with Genie's mother, Patty (Patricia Ann Minelli McGowan Pugliese) annoyed me as well!

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Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz

Witches of East End
The Beauchamp Family Book # 1
by Melissa de la Cruz

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Fantasy

It’s the beginning of summer in North Hampton, and beautiful Freya Beauchamp is celebrating her engagement to wealthy Bran Gardiner, the heir to Fair Haven and Gardiners Island. But Freya is drawn to Bran’s gorgeous but unreliable brother Killian, and sparks fly when the two decide to play a dangerous game, following an ancient story of love, betrayal and tragedy that harks back to the days of Valhalla.

Witches of East End follows the Beauchamp family—the formidable matriarch Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid. Freya, a sexy bartender, has a potion to cure every kind of heartache, while Ingrid, the local librarian, solves complicated domestic problems with her ability to tie magical knots. Joanna is the witch to see when modern medicine has no more answers; her powers can wake the dead. Everything seems to be going smoothly until a young girl, Molly Lancaster, goes missing after taking one of Freya’s irresistible cocktails. As more of the town’s residents begin disappearing, everyone seems to have the same suspects in mind: the Beauchamp women.

Fraught with love, small-town secrets, and witchcraft, Witches of East End will capture any reader who craves a page-turning, heart-stopping story of myth and magic from an author who knows how to deliver.

Witches of East End revolves around two sisters and their mother in a small coastal town. With a long, colorful & paranormal past, all the Beauchamp women currently settle for a mundane lifestyle within the community while silently mourning the loss of their powers. When tragedy strikes, the family chooses to take risks using their forbidden magic for good which in turn gives them each a new purpose in life. With the plot colliding between such movies scripts as "Thor" and "Practical Magic", these powerful witches/women created by de la Cruz discover joy, adventure, heart-ache, and inner strength in this new magical series.

While all the Beauchamp ladies are "neither old nor young", "their physical appearances [correspond] to their particular talents" (pg. 29) :

Freya, the young vibrant one, can pull off looking within the age ranges of 16-23 and has a passion of igniting passion and is often characterized as "the first blush of Love". She can easily brew concoctions for all types of romance, but internally struggles with her own upcoming marriage.

Ingrid, the strong silent type, works for the locally under-funded library and can appear "anywhere from 27-35" years old. Known as the "Keeper of the Hearth," she is mostly stubborn and strongly believes in the rules (especially regarding her job), but slowly lets down her rigid guard in more ways than one throughout the book.

Joanna, the wise mother, has the heart of a child but carries the features "of an older woman in her early sixties". She's been around for centuries and carries dark secrets from her daughter while anguishing over past losses.

I had high hopes for this book, eagerly anticipating the whole witch theme since I'm a fan of de la Cruz's Blue Blood series, but, sadly, this story was a let down. To me, it felt like it was all over the place, either in the present or past, either in this sisters head or a side characters and, honestly, I would expect that from a book later on in a well-rounded series, but not from the first story. In my opinion, the tale would have flowed better if the author would have stuck to one family member per book - it would have created more interesting character development, a richer in-depth setting, and helped the reader better grasp this new

Beauchamp world full of witchy powers. Yet, what the reader received at the end of page 323 was a jumble of short stories that felt more like an anthology than an actual novel.

Other than that, the story dragged immensely, but I'm still holding out that this series can turn itself around since it took reading the first three books chronologically of de la Cruz's popular vampire series to become a favorite on mine. These characters have promise, the current story did contain some nice twist/turns, and the plot (though slightly lacking right now) can really expand into many intriguing areas in the future - IF - the author would actually work on creating a tale meant more for an adult audience (since Witches of East End could easily fall into the 'advance' young adult category -- nothing too hot & heavy/ deadly & devious in this tale to cast it into an "R" rating) So, here's hoping that something 'wicked' cool comes from the Beauchamp women in Book #2!

Likes: I'd be tempted to taste Freya's new cocktail menu at the North Inn Bar :)

Dislikes: I wanted to get immersed in the story, but due to the plot being all over the place I was overwhelmed more often than not.

Rating:

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Naked by Megan Hart

Naked
Megan Hart

 Genre: Erotic | Contemporary Romance

 No Strings.  
No Regrets. 
And No Going Back.

I didn’t think he wanted me. And I wasn’t about to get involved with him, not after what I’d heard. Alex Kennedy was tall, dark and unbearably hot, but I’ve been burned before. Maybe it was stupid of me to offer but he needed a place to crash and I needed to pay the rent, but now he’s my tenant…with benefits. And now that we’ve crossed that line, I can’t seem to find my way back.  But I can’t give my heart to a man who’s so…unconventional. His last sexual relationship was with a married couple. It’s enough that my ex-fiancé preferred men, I won’t take that chance again no matter how much my body thrives on Alex’s touch. I can’t risk it, but I can’t resist it, either.  Alex can be very convincing when he wants something.  And he wants me. Me.

Olivia is a 28-year-old photographer who doesn't quite know who she is.  She was adopted into an all white family even though she's not white, she has to deal with her family being divided between two religions every holiday, and she's having a difficult time trusting herself after a troubled love life.  Yet, the night she sees Alex Kennedy, everything changes.  She doesn't listen that "he's trouble" or care about his sexual history.  Together they fit and for once, she's content.

"I didn't have to decide if I was one thing or another.  If I was both and neither.  Everything and nothing.  It's okay to struggle to find our place in this world and the person who will take us for who and what we are.  Sometimes we dress ourselves in layers that only get peeled away in the end, to leave us as we should be.  Naked." 

This was a classic story of opposites attract, meet, fall in love! :)

*SPOILERS*

Olivia, aka "Liv", is struggling to get her own advertising/graphic design business off the ground while living in a newly purchased building that had once been a firehouse.  She hasn't had the best track record in relationships and has even had a few other life hiccups as well.  She lived a lie back in college upon dating Patrick for three years and two weeks before they were due to walk down the aisle at her father's church, she found out Patrick was really gay and sleeping around.  Yet, Olivia took the full blame for their failed marriage on herself and even went back to Patrick so they could remain friends. She keeps living a lie since she's still in love with her gay best friend, even when he continues to get jealous and steer her away from any potential relationships.  

Alex, on the other hand, is financially stable, an international globe trotter, and is the walking fantasy of both men and women.  He's back in the states after living recently in Japan, Scotland, Singapore, and Holland and is being a "professional house-guest" (aka mooching off the hospitality of friends and their couches) all while avoiding the final stop of visiting his parents in Sandusky, Ohio.  He believes "sometimes, the longer you stay away from something the harder it is to go back there."

This was the second book by Hart that I've read; my first being Deeper. The story flows smoothly and the characters are very realistic.  I'm not a fan of rushed relationships, but I really felt Alex and Olivia had a nice bond even though within four months there were engaged.  I kept waiting for Alex to cheat on Olivia or something similar (I'm not sure why I expected that?) but overall their relationship throughout Naked was solid.  In short - It's a mishmash of couple meeting, couple falling in love, couple meeting each others family/friends, and couple accepting each others past and loving them for who they are.  It's an erotic read, so expect some juicy love scenes. 

Likes:  I enjoyed Olivia describing how she "hadn't been raised stupid, but sure ended up feeling dumb" during certain points in her life.  I find that's a common aspect many women keep secret. 

Dislikes:  I wished to have seen the wedding.  The story kind of dropped off before that, leaving my things up in the air . . . like what church/religion did Olivia decide to get married under or if Alex got around to extending an wedding invitation to his father or not?  Plus Alex's marriage proposal still bothers me.

Rating: 

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The Dangerous Protector by Janet Chapman

The Dangerous Protector
(Puffin Harbor Book #2)
by Janet Chapman

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Willow Foster is committed to protecting Maine's precious coastline. She's equally committed to avoiding her one-time fling, Duncan Ross, the rugged Scotsman who's got her hometown believing she's the love of his life. But when Willow goes home to uncover the mystery behind a worrisome lobster catch, she learns that pub owner Duncan holds some mysteries of his own...and that taking a chance with her heart might open her life up to passion beyond her wildest dreams.

When a lobster-man, Ray Cobb, alerts Maine Assistant Attorney General Willow Foster to the presence of contaminants and dead lobsters in Puffin Harbor, she begins a personal and secret investigation. She's unofficially assisted by bar owner and former Navy-man Duncan Ross, whose offers of both marriage and passion she's been resisting since a one-night stand 18 months earlier. As the two explore both the corporate paper trail and the local seascape, Duncan reveals that he's actually a Scottish lord, while Willow is forced to grapple with her fear of commitment.

Occasionally I like to mix it up and read a nice historical romance or some hot contemporary story.  This was definitely a likable read, plus it's been sitting on my library shelf for years (yes, years!) unread.   Right off the back, Duncan (aka Dunky) and Willow (aka Counselor) steamed up the pages with their chemistry.  Duncan's made it clear his ready to take the next step while Willow is hesitant and basically goes the opposite directions every time a serious relationship talk comes up.  They blend together so well from the beginning that it's hard not to enjoy them as a couple.  Duncan moved to Maine from Scotland and opened a bar two years previously, while Willow is a local AG and works on cases non-stop unless she's visiting her sister, Rachel, in Puffin Harbor.  Whenever Ducan and Willow see each other, they bicker, they flirt, they secretly share kisses and more . . . and now the whole town is placing bets on their wedding even though neither are officially together.  Too fun!  This was a quick read for me, maybe since it was a nice change from my normal reading style, and the mystery part to the story flowed smoothly throughout.  Didn't feel rushed or bada-bing-bada-bang (abruptly finished) at the end, like some stories can be.  Nothing Paranormal.  Nothing Supernatural.  Nothing Fantasy related.  Just an easy HOT read . . . just what I wanted!

Likes:  I enjoyed the town's betting pool for when --or rather if the wedding between Duncan and Willow will take place and having the various citizens of the Harbor admit who (and how much) they bet on.

Dislikes:  There are definitely a lot of characters going on throughout the story and perhaps if I would have read Book #1 (The Seductive Impostor) first, I wouldn't have been confused trying to remember who was who.

Rating:

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Revenge of the Cheerleaders by Janette Rallison

Revenge of the Cheerleaders
by Janette Rallison

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Romance | Young Adult

Chelsea's school year has taken a turn for the worse. After being dumped by her boyfriend and humiliated at the pep assembly by her younger sister's boyfriend, Rick, she's just concentrating on avoiding any other major embarrassments. That's when Rick and his band debut their new album, complete with a whole set of songs bashing cheerleaders. Chelsea's humiliation has reached a whole new level now that everyone is walking down the halls singing the words to -Dangerously Blonde. It's time to make Rick pay. All he wants is to win the High School Idol audition, so he can be on his way to rock star fame and fortune. But with the help of her best friends, Aubrie and Samantha, Chelsea is going to steal his victory right out from under him. The characters from All's Fair in Love, War and High School are back, only this time it's payback.

Having the same characters as All's Fair in Love, War, and High School, Revenge of the Cheerleaders deals with Chelsea dealing with some senior year drama which consists of her rocky relationship with her younger sister (Adrian) and her sis's emo boyfriend (Rick). Rick's band's popularity is taking off with his catchy, but mocking songs about cheerleaders - including Chelsea in particular. So, what's the girls to do? Beat him at his own game and win the local musical idol competition at their high school.

Rallison's book are just pure fun. Cute & Cheery. Easy to read and full of humor. Very realistic, but enough silly actions to make it all blend smoothly. She also creates characters that you just hate at the beginning but near the end, flip feelings toward. Plus it was nice catching up with Samantha and Logan again from the previous book.

Likes: The hunting reference for looking for guys and Chelsea & Tanner's first couple of meet-ups.

Dislikes: "Bad boys have a certain attraction, but they grow up to be bad men, and we all know where that leads." I felt the father's alcoholism wasn't fully addressed, but I guess that would take away from the cheeriness of the story.

Rating:

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All's Fair in Love, War, and High School by Janette Rallison

All's Fair in Love, War, and High School
by Janette Rallison

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Young Adult / Romance

Samantha has bombed her SATs, and her prospects for college are looking dim. What can she do to redeem herself in the eyes of college admissions? Head cheerleader isn't exactly awe inspiring, so she decides that politics is her salvation, and she begins her campaign for student body president with the help and support of her fellow cheerleaders. Branching out of her clique to enlist others to help leads to a bet with Logan, her eighth-grade boyfriend, that she cannot go two weeks without insulting someone. In the process, Samantha makes new friends, loses old ones, dates a hunk from her past, and learns something about character.

Sam is keeping her SAT scores on the down-low after scoring a little over 800. She's nurvous about college admissions and decides the only way she can gain more leadership skills is by running for the student body President position. Should be an easy win for the popular head chearleader, right? But, two weeks before the elections, Sam makes a bet with Logan (her co-worker and ex-boyfriend) that she cannot insult anyone . . . not her fellow schoolmates, not her teachers, and especially not Logan (who she almost insults everyday). It's a challenge that changes her more than she realizes.

I know . . . you look at the title of this book and the comical image and think . . . what is she reading? That's just some shallow-prissy high school tale, but it's got great ratings on Amazon.com and Rallison has this brilliant way of writing that the characters come off as very realistic and funny as heck and after my enjoyment with My Fair Godmother, I checked out other books by the same author. I wasn't disappointed with this one as well. It's a fun, easy, light-hearted read that cracks the reader up and easily absorbs you into the story. GREAT summer book and I promise you'll be surprised how much you like it as well!!!

Likes: Logan's persistence.

Dislikes: The few spurts of high school silliness.

Rating:

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Dirty Little Secrets by C. J. Omololu

Dirty Little Secrets
by C. J. Omololu

Genre: Contemporary Fiction / Young Adult 

Everyone has secrets. Some are just bigger and dirtier than others. For sixteen years, Lucy has kept her mother's hoarding a secret. She's had to—nobody would understand the stacks of newspapers and mounds of garbage so high they touch the ceiling and the rotting smell that she's always worried would follow her out the house. After years of keeping people at a distance, she finally has a best friend and maybe even a boyfriend if she can play it right. As long as she can make them think she's normal. When Lucy arrives home from a sleepover to find her mother dead under a stack of National Geographics, she starts to dial 911 in a panic, but pauses before she can connect. She barely notices the filth and trash anymore, but she knows the paramedics will. First the fire trucks, and then news cameras that will surely follow. No longer will they be remembered as the nice oncology nurse with the lovely children—they'll turn into that garbage-hoarding freak family on Collier Avenue. With a normal life finally within reach, Lucy has only minutes to make a critical decision. How far will she go to keep the family secrets safe?

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s has one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

I finished this book in one night. Though I was fascinated with the overall plot of 'hoarders' in the story, I felt it ended too quickly. There was so much more that I felt needed to be told, but at least you get to enjoy a short interesting story of Lucy's finial decisions of her families "truths". It's a quick read, but you do get some unknown insight into a world many never see.

Likes: All the childhood objects Lucy discovered that triggered memories while cleaning.

Dislikes: Lucy was quite unemotional throughout the story, so I'm assuming it was shock.

Rating:

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