Book Review: Playing with Trouble

Recently divorced, Laura Baughman is taking her life back. After a decade away, she’s returning to Yachats, Oregon—the small town she couldn’t wait to leave after graduation—to take over her late mother’s beloved flower shop. Yet once she arrives, Laura discovers the store has been neglected and her father has partnered in construction with Jake Lock. The once-scrawny high school band geek is now successful—and irresistibly sexy—and set to inherit her family’s business. That is, unless Laura can prove in the next thirty days that she has what it takes to run the company.

Despite the heat between Jake and Laura, romance is out of the question. After her last disastrous relationship, Laura has sworn off men—especially one bent on crushing her dreams. That’s just fine with Jake, who thinks the gorgeous blonde is a pain in the neck…though admittedly one he’d like to put his lips all over.

Jake has a proposal to mix business with pleasure. But when a deal goes south, Laura is ready to pack up and skip town all over again. Does he have what it takes to convince her to stay?

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I do have a tendency to avoid books with a lot of explicit sex because all too often I have found that as more sex that is added plot is removed.  I am so happy to say that this wasn't the case with PLAYING WITH TROUBLE.  It has a solid story line that will keep the reader interested along with some sex scenes which really heat up the pages.

I really enjoyed the characters especially some of the secondary ones such as Roberta, Laura's father's girlfriend.  She's a down to earth, big hearted woman with good advice who just happens to run a lingerie shop and a dirty book club.  I would also like to see a book about Hannah who is Laura's best friend.

All in all, I would give this book a thumbs up because it has a solid plot line, good pacing, great characters and witty dialogue.  I think that any of my readers who enjoy contemporary romance with some heat would enjoy this book.  There are some graphic scenes though so perhaps not appropriate for the younger generation.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions expressed within are my own.

Book Review: Take Me Back

Hallie Cavanaugh’s late father just left her millions of reasons to stay away from Jim Lawson, deputy sheriff of Paradise, Idaho, and the man who broke her heart fourteen years ago. Hallie has worked hard for independence, but she can’t dismiss a massive inheritance, even if she has to follow her father’s manipulative terms to get it. How hard can it be to spend six months back in Paradise—and not sleep with her old flame?

Former Army Ranger Jim just wants to do his job, raise his daughter…and resist the gorgeous, redheaded reminder of his bad-boy past. Their one unforgettably hot night together had major consequences, and now there’s a fortune and a family legacy at stake. But when Hallie is threatened amid a storm of uncovered secrets and conflicted loyalties, protecting her becomes more than a duty: it’s a deeply personal fight Jim’s heart won’t let him lose.

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I really liked the characters in this book.  They are all so realistic with their faults and strengths that they almost jump right off the pages.  Hallie is a really good person which is a testament to her strength of will since her mother was absent even when she was right there and her father was a real piece of work.  Jim has grown into a wonderful man who is open to learn from his experiences.

The unfortunate part is that someone is determined to see that Hallie doesn't meet the requirements of her father's will and won't stop at anything to ensure her failure.  It made for a great story to see how Hallie, Jim and their friends work together to ensure her safety and to ensure that she is able to inherit the money her father left to her.

I really enjoyed this book.  The villain in this story really worked behind the scenes up until the very end which made for a surprising finish.  I think that my readers who enjoy a contemporary romance with a bit of danger tossed in would really like this book.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions expressed within are my own.

Book Review: The Fallen Kingdom

The long-awaited final book in the Falconer trilogy is an imaginative tour-de-force that will thrill fans of the series. Aileana Kameron, resurrected by ancient fae magic, returns to the world she once knew with no memory of her past and with dangerous powers she struggles to control. Desperate to break the curse that pits two factions of the fae against each other in a struggle that will decide the fate of the human and fae worlds, her only hope is hidden in an ancient book guarded by the legendary Morrigan, a faery of immense power and cruelty. To save the world and the people she loves, Aileana must learn to harness her dark new powers even as they are slowly destroying her. Packed with immersive detail, action, romance, and fae lore, and publishing simultaneously in the UK, The Fallen Kingdom brings the Falconer's story to an epic and unforgettable conclusion.

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While I really enjoyed the first two books, THE FALLEN KINGDOM swept me away.  I became so invested in the world and in the characters that when a death occurred, I was in tears.  Now I don't know about you but very few books cause me to cry.  

This entire book was very emotional.  You have fantastic characters that are all too easy to relate too in a great setting.  There is the love between Aileana (Kam) and Kiaran, the friendships between Kam, Derrick, Charlotte and Aithinne,  Sorcha's hatred and jealousy.  Oh and let's not forget the dialogue.  It will have you laughing at times and ready to sniffle at others.

This is seriously a wonderful book and I recommend that anyone who enjoys fantasy rush out and get this series!  It goes among the top three or four that I have ever read.

*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.  All opinions expressed within are my own.