GRR Reviews A Will of Her Own (Hidden Springs Book by Kristine Raymond
A Will of Her Own is another novel set in the Hidden Springs Western Historical Romance series, between two reluctant characters, neither of which wanted to fall in love, but did so anyway.
She is Carly Fitzpatrick, who married for love, had two beautiful kids, only to lose him in a tragic accident. And she was not ready for love. He is Will Buchanon, who is on a mission to reclaim his family heritage and get justice from a con man that had scammed his way across the country. He was not ready for love either. Yet when the two meet, there is no denying the sparks between the two. But Carly knew Will will be leaving... But Will may be ready to settle down and abandon his quest, for he can't live peacefully with vengeance in his heart... but someone in Hidden Springs is watching... And he's closer than everyone thinks...
The mystery part was well done as the characters are careful in releasing what info they know, and there were lots of red herrings. And yes, they did get the bad guy. And there is an HEA. That's not much of a spoiler, right?
Category: Historical Western
Primary Plot: Guy who's on a mission; Single Mom who Lost Her Mate; Is he leaving? Does she take a chance with her heart?
Tropes: single parent, disguise, fated mate, scars
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews The Sinful Bride by Rebecca Elyon
The Sinful Bride is a story about sin, and redemption. While it followed a pretty typical formula (as I've read a contemporary romance with essentially the same plot including the twist) with proper karma payoff at the end (the bad guys get their comeuppance) and the HEA.
Cassie was engaged to the man of her dreams until he disappeared on her wedding day... and left her pregnant, and this was 1902. Cassie was bundled up and sent to a faraway conservative town to aunts that hated her for being a sinner, always being whispered about. She had been studying to become a nurse, but that's obviously no longer possible. She can only be menial help. And the only one kind to her in town was the young doctor, Will, who even offered to train her to be his nurse. But can love survive when the entire town is against them?
Good twists at the end, even though the plot was somewhat tropish. And the religious intolerance in this book was... devastating, though again, a bit stereotypical.
Category: Historical Western
Primary Plot: Pregnant girl in age of intolerance was exiled to small town with her only friend the town doctor
Tropes: small town, hot for boss, evil ex
Overall Rating: 3 / 5
GRR Reviews Winters Heat (Titan Book 1) by Cristin Harber
Winter's Heat is about an ex-SEAL Colby working security for Titan Group. He was trying to retrieve a document, only to see it snatched by a woman ahead of him... Then some goons snatched the woman AND the disc. He rescued the woman and the disc, and he needed to keep the woman around to learn how did she learn about the disc, while convincing her he's not the bad guy. Her name was Mia Kensington, and she's a military psychologist trying to fulfill a last wish of one of her patients... Convincing her was easy as goons came after them, no matter how well they hid. No matter which no-name motel they used, or Titan safehouse, or even Colby's own home, bad guys found them and eventually, when Colby's out, they took Mia, and now Colby must mount a rescue mission backed by the might of the Titan Group.
Frankly, while the idea of a non-spy getting into the middle of a spy drama works as a high concept, continued presence begs belief. Why would a psychologist try to retrieve the file herself, and not involve the MP or NCIS? How did the goons manage to track them down despite every bit of caution to threw them off? (i.e. the magically omniscient bad guy) Why kidnap Mia if they don't have the disc? The reasoning for the motivation is lacking, as are the attraction between the two other than forced proximity.
Category: Romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Man saved woman and the document she retrieved; why are people coming after them for it?
Tropes: different worlds, woman in peril, protector, kidnapping, forced proximity
Overall Rating: 2 stars
GRR Reviews Secret Maneuvers (Ex Ops Series Book 1) by Jessie Lane
Secret Maneuvers tries to bring together two angst-driven former lovers but the chemistry was barely there and the "secret baby" formula just barely works. The sudden kidnapping simply made no sense other than to give them an excuse to mount a rescue. The background doesn't work either.
Bobby Baker had forever regretted his "Dear John" letter he sent to his high school sweetheart Belle after promising he'll be back for her after joining the army. He wanted her to get the subsequent message about how stupid he was, but she was never found again. Fifteen years later, Bobby is a part of EX-OPS team assisting the ATF on some arms smugglers when Belle walked back into his life... this time as a tough no-nonsense ATF agent. And she doesn't want to talk to him, because she has a secret she kept... for 15 years. But Bobby was not about to let her walk out of his life a second time...
There are two problems with this idea... 1) CIA have a "deniable" team assisting ATF in taking down arms smugglers? Really? Why not just call in DEA, FBI, and others to assist? 2) The team seems to have a lot of free time sitting around doing nothing so Bobby and Belle can go off doing their own things. Still, nothing overtly wrong with the military stuff, or with the overall plot other than "wait, what?" problems identified earlier. The pacing, however... A good portion of the book was about domestic problems and how Bell tried to hide the kid. The mission was really lame and seems a pretty large team was there sitting around doing nothing.
Category: Contemporary / Military
Primary Plot: Soldier with Regret Found the Girl He Searched For 12 years, but She Wanted Nothing To Do With Him
Overall Rating: 2/5
GRR Reviews Fated Mates: Book 1 of True Mates by Alicia Montgomery
Fated Mates, being the first volume in the True Mates series, managed to introduce a world without being wordy by making the book action oriented and the background incidental relying on werewolf tropes. However, some of the events were almost superfluous, and the attraction between FMC and MMC chalked up too much to fate, as he was the first to confront her.
The Fenrir Corporation, one of the most powerful in the nation, is merely a front of the Wolfshifters (or Lycans, if you will) that had been among us for centuries. And Alynna Chase, private investigator, suddenly found herself smack in the middle of Lycan clan when her heritage was revealed during visit to a Lycan club... by Alex Westbrooke, Lycan security detail of the club. Alynna is actually 100% Lycan, which means she was a true mate offspring between her human mother and Lycan Alpha father. Forced by circumstances to join the Lycan society, Alynna felt inexplicably drawn to Alex, now assigned to her security detail. Alex was also drawn to Alynna, but knows that he can never have her. He is a newcomer to the clan and merely a bodyguard. When a new threat to the clan threatened Alynna and forced Alex to get closer, Alex will do anything to protect Alynna, even if it means he must challenge the Lycan hierarchy for her love.
The attraction between the two was not as well explained. It wasn't until the end of the book that it was revealed that true mates have a special scent that each other can detect. The threat to Lycans was so... nebulous and secretive here that it never was explained well. Few realized they were under attack until near the end. The pretty tame "coming out" party for Alynna for the Council was where the attack took place. For bodyguard love type novel, mixing in Lycans turned out quite well.
Category: Contemproary / Paranormal / Romantic Suspense
Primary Plot: A girl suddenly found herself focal point of Lycan society, and attracted to a guy she was not supposed to want
Tropes: protector, woman in peril, fated mate, different worlds, shifter, disguise
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Diesel (BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Ro by Terra Wolf
Diesel is a light BBW paranormal shifter romance. There really wasn't much of a conflict other than the FMC, Sadie not realizing her beau, Diesel, was a bear shifter, even though she knew there's something strange. about him.
Sadie was visiting her sister Reagan in Alaska when she ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, and she fainted when she saw a bear approaching her. She woke up in someone's wood cabin, with all her clothes on. And a very handsome guy came in... her rescuer, who called himself Diesel, and he's very shy. He also has two brothers, Hunter and Blaze, and together they are known as the Grizzly Brothers. Diesel took her to her sister's place, but they got very very frisky, then her sister and his brothers came back! Sadie knew it's fun to imagine a life with Diesel, but she's heading back to her life in a week or two. Diesel knew she is his intended mate, but how does one convince a girl that her lover is a bear-shifter that once scared her to a faint? Other than the "how do I tell her" there wasn't really much of the darkest hour, though Diesel attempting to ride in a puddle-jumper to mainland US (trying to convince Sadie to come back) would count as a grand gesture (though it's futile, but for why, you'll have to read the book).
It's a fun little quick read, but there's just not too much struggle in the book. Nor did the girl have a particular BBW issue.
Category: Paranormal / Contemporary
Primary Plot: Shy bear-shifter fell for young woman visiting her sister in town, except she faints at the sight of a bear...
Tropes: insta-lust, disguise, protector, small town, shifter
Overall Rating: 3/5
Sadie was visiting her sister Reagan in Alaska when she ran out of gas in the middle of nowhere, and she fainted when she saw a bear approaching her. She woke up in someone's wood cabin, with all her clothes on. And a very handsome guy came in... her rescuer, who called himself Diesel, and he's very shy. He also has two brothers, Hunter and Blaze, and together they are known as the Grizzly Brothers. Diesel took her to her sister's place, but they got very very frisky, then her sister and his brothers came back! Sadie knew it's fun to imagine a life with Diesel, but she's heading back to her life in a week or two. Diesel knew she is his intended mate, but how does one convince a girl that her lover is a bear-shifter that once scared her to a faint? Other than the "how do I tell her" there wasn't really much of the darkest hour, though Diesel attempting to ride in a puddle-jumper to mainland US (trying to convince Sadie to come back) would count as a grand gesture (though it's futile, but for why, you'll have to read the book).
It's a fun little quick read, but there's just not too much struggle in the book. Nor did the girl have a particular BBW issue.
Category: Paranormal / Contemporary
Primary Plot: Shy bear-shifter fell for young woman visiting her sister in town, except she faints at the sight of a bear...
Tropes: insta-lust, disguise, protector, small town, shifter
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews The Montana McKennas: Prequel by Maddie James
The Montana McKennas prequel is about James, and how he came to know Liz.
James is a widower trying to raise 2 kids, Parker and Callie, after his wife died of cancer. A blind date had him met Liz and her son Brody from her previous marriage (technically, she got pregnant first, by a cowboy, who married her, only to divorce her eight years later) and they were both interested. Then James got Liz pregnant... but Liz refused to marry him just "to make things right"... Can they successfully blend their families together? (Also sets up the four siblings: brother, sister, half-sister, and step-brother for their own romances later)
A short novella sets up the four kids on their own romance series, this is a quick and short but sweet read.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Widower meets Divorced Mom, and Got Her Pregnant... How to Blend Their 4 kid family?
Tropes: Single parent, blind date, accidental pregnancy
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Daisy Does It All (Clover Park, Book 2) by Kylie Gilmore
Daisy Does It All is about fame vs. love, lie vs truth, and pretense vs. reality.
Single mom Daisy Garner wrote a blog post about life with "Darling Husband" and "Baby Delight" in a Victorian house, and it went viral... and it brought a national talk show to her door. The problem is... She made it all up. The baby was fussy as heck, and there is no husband, because she had rejected the baby's daddy THREE TIMES, and she had divorced twice before. And she lives in an apartment. But she's not about to pass up the opportunity to make her blog famous... So she borrowed her sister's Victorian and asked baby's daddy to get married (for show). And he, desperate for a family he never quite had, agreed. But before the wedding can happen, the weather brought the TV crew ahead of time, and the host was hungry for ratings (through any means necessary)... and the producer turned out to be one of Daisy's ex, who wanted to offer her more if she'll take him back. When a winter storm trapped them all within the house. Can the fake marriage lead to real love? Or will reality crash every one of Daisy's dreams?
Rom-com stuff where pretense turned real. The darkest hour is when the TV host exposed every one of Daisy's scenarios as lies. Grand Gesture is baby daddy married her anyway. Fun if you like rom-coms
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Single Mom Pretends to Have the Perfect Family by Pretend-Marrying Her Baby's Daddy; Is it Real or Is It Fake?
Tropes: reality show, fake engagement, single parent, reunion
Overall Rating: 4/5
Single mom Daisy Garner wrote a blog post about life with "Darling Husband" and "Baby Delight" in a Victorian house, and it went viral... and it brought a national talk show to her door. The problem is... She made it all up. The baby was fussy as heck, and there is no husband, because she had rejected the baby's daddy THREE TIMES, and she had divorced twice before. And she lives in an apartment. But she's not about to pass up the opportunity to make her blog famous... So she borrowed her sister's Victorian and asked baby's daddy to get married (for show). And he, desperate for a family he never quite had, agreed. But before the wedding can happen, the weather brought the TV crew ahead of time, and the host was hungry for ratings (through any means necessary)... and the producer turned out to be one of Daisy's ex, who wanted to offer her more if she'll take him back. When a winter storm trapped them all within the house. Can the fake marriage lead to real love? Or will reality crash every one of Daisy's dreams?
Rom-com stuff where pretense turned real. The darkest hour is when the TV host exposed every one of Daisy's scenarios as lies. Grand Gesture is baby daddy married her anyway. Fun if you like rom-coms
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Single Mom Pretends to Have the Perfect Family by Pretend-Marrying Her Baby's Daddy; Is it Real or Is It Fake?
Tropes: reality show, fake engagement, single parent, reunion
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Her Secret Prince (Rags to Riches Book 2) by Madeline Ash
Her Secret Prince is a second chance story combined with secret family. There just wasn't much tension in the story, and the meet-cute was just slightly tense. The author needs to have a better plot.
Dee Johnson fell in love with Jed Brown at 16, only to see him vanish with his mother one night. Ten years later, Dee is a screenwriter in LA, having been left behind by everybody she knew... Her parents, her friend Alexia, and her stream of lovers. Suddenly Jed appeared at her door, asking for her help. She was not ready to let Jed back into her life, and only to see him leave again. But Jed knew Dee was where he belonged, even as he needed Dee's help... He suspects that he's the illegitimate son of a genuine European Royalty... And he needs Dee by his side when he finally meets the man that made his mother uproot them every few years, forever on the run... Until he refused to run anymore. And the revelation may break them apart forever...
The re-encounter is sweet, and soon Dee gave in despite all her attempts to harden her heart. So the meet-cute didn't last long. The trip to Europe did not surprise, as Jed suddenly found himself a potential prince, being the illegitimate son of the Prince Regent. Jed's decision to stay in Europe, however, was a surprise, and the only reason he could give was "I feel a connection here", even though this was his first visit there! So what exactly was the darkest hour? There really wasn't much of one or even a grand gesture. In other words, there was not much tension and makes you excited to read what will happen to their love. The mom was barely mentioned and was portrayed as paranoid. All in all, the relationship between Jed and Dee was just lukewarm ("I'll follow you anywhere, despite I haven't seen you in 10 years"), and everything just worked out. Where's the tension?
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Woman fell for the guy who disappeared one day with his mother. Years later, he's back, asking for his help; who was chasing after him?
Tropes: secret family, reunion, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
Dee Johnson fell in love with Jed Brown at 16, only to see him vanish with his mother one night. Ten years later, Dee is a screenwriter in LA, having been left behind by everybody she knew... Her parents, her friend Alexia, and her stream of lovers. Suddenly Jed appeared at her door, asking for her help. She was not ready to let Jed back into her life, and only to see him leave again. But Jed knew Dee was where he belonged, even as he needed Dee's help... He suspects that he's the illegitimate son of a genuine European Royalty... And he needs Dee by his side when he finally meets the man that made his mother uproot them every few years, forever on the run... Until he refused to run anymore. And the revelation may break them apart forever...
The re-encounter is sweet, and soon Dee gave in despite all her attempts to harden her heart. So the meet-cute didn't last long. The trip to Europe did not surprise, as Jed suddenly found himself a potential prince, being the illegitimate son of the Prince Regent. Jed's decision to stay in Europe, however, was a surprise, and the only reason he could give was "I feel a connection here", even though this was his first visit there! So what exactly was the darkest hour? There really wasn't much of one or even a grand gesture. In other words, there was not much tension and makes you excited to read what will happen to their love. The mom was barely mentioned and was portrayed as paranoid. All in all, the relationship between Jed and Dee was just lukewarm ("I'll follow you anywhere, despite I haven't seen you in 10 years"), and everything just worked out. Where's the tension?
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Woman fell for the guy who disappeared one day with his mother. Years later, he's back, asking for his help; who was chasing after him?
Tropes: secret family, reunion, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
GRR Reviews PROTECTOR: Bad Boy Mafia Novella by Piper Page
I personally don't see why is there a fascination with "Bad Boy Mafia Romance" borders into dark romance when the FMC was kidnapped by the MMC and somehow the FMC falls for the MMC. At least this one is relatively gentle (i.e. she was not forced in any way except cowering at his powerful presence...
Allie was supposed to just be normal college girl enjoying a bachelorette party with her girls on San Juan Puerto Rico when she heard something she wasn't supposed to, and got hauled off by Santiago, an enforcer in the PR Mafia family. The fact that she's the daughter of a US Senator made no difference to the thug... but Santiago was not merely a thug, and when everybody else told him to slit her throat and dump her, Santiago refused. All he needed is a little time for the mission to take place, then what she knew wouldn't hurt her and he can let her go unharmed... but would he want to?
I have no problem with an anti-hero MMC, but FMC, after having been kidnapped, gagged, tied up, and hauled off caveman style, and listen to all the other bad boys yammering about just slit her throat and dump her, and STILL proceed to fall for the MMC, just screams of Stockholm syndrome (i.e. Patty Hearst) rather than real love. It basically boils down to "he's bad, but he's good to me". At least the FMC here is not a total doormat, and the fact that he got her over the fear of being touched by a male (due to prior trauma) would have helped a little. That's why this book gets a 3 star... The two characters are actually quite decent.
Category: romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Vacationing Girl on Puerto Rico Witnessed Something She Wasn't Supposed to and Hauled Off by PR Mafia Bad Boy
Tropes: kidnapping, protector, woman in peril, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
Allie was supposed to just be normal college girl enjoying a bachelorette party with her girls on San Juan Puerto Rico when she heard something she wasn't supposed to, and got hauled off by Santiago, an enforcer in the PR Mafia family. The fact that she's the daughter of a US Senator made no difference to the thug... but Santiago was not merely a thug, and when everybody else told him to slit her throat and dump her, Santiago refused. All he needed is a little time for the mission to take place, then what she knew wouldn't hurt her and he can let her go unharmed... but would he want to?
I have no problem with an anti-hero MMC, but FMC, after having been kidnapped, gagged, tied up, and hauled off caveman style, and listen to all the other bad boys yammering about just slit her throat and dump her, and STILL proceed to fall for the MMC, just screams of Stockholm syndrome (i.e. Patty Hearst) rather than real love. It basically boils down to "he's bad, but he's good to me". At least the FMC here is not a total doormat, and the fact that he got her over the fear of being touched by a male (due to prior trauma) would have helped a little. That's why this book gets a 3 star... The two characters are actually quite decent.
Category: romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Vacationing Girl on Puerto Rico Witnessed Something She Wasn't Supposed to and Hauled Off by PR Mafia Bad Boy
Tropes: kidnapping, protector, woman in peril, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
GRR Reviews Rescued: a Lighter New Adult Romance by Phoebe Rose
Rescued is a romantic comedy of an unlikely couple united by a semi-feral cat and her kittens.
Thomas is a geek entrepreneur on top of his game at mere 23, having founded a major wearable company, and he's too busy for a girlfriend. But a family of stray kittens and their mama cat lead him to meet Tessa, a college senior trying to get her psych degree, got heartbroken by a cheating BF, and rather be rescuing kittens than studying for tests. Each finds the other fascinating. Tessa enjoyed Thomas' naive yet straightforward (if a bit chauvinistic) attitude, while Thomas enjoyed Tessa's joy of life and dedication to her cause. And the cat and family were their common bond. But can such a relationship work?
The story felt a long longer than it should, as there were many extra plots, like Thomas saw his company pivoted away from his control and lost focus, and Tessa's parents take a vacation, and so on. Somehow those events don't feel if they integrate that much into the romance. The ending was sort of forced proximity when Tessa had a vision about something very bad happened and needed Thomas' help. The darkest hour and grand gesture were hard to recognize. Still, the rest of the book seems to make up for it.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: A Stray Cat and Her Kittens United a Psych Student and a Geek Entrepreneur
Tropes: animals, opposites attract
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Thomas is a geek entrepreneur on top of his game at mere 23, having founded a major wearable company, and he's too busy for a girlfriend. But a family of stray kittens and their mama cat lead him to meet Tessa, a college senior trying to get her psych degree, got heartbroken by a cheating BF, and rather be rescuing kittens than studying for tests. Each finds the other fascinating. Tessa enjoyed Thomas' naive yet straightforward (if a bit chauvinistic) attitude, while Thomas enjoyed Tessa's joy of life and dedication to her cause. And the cat and family were their common bond. But can such a relationship work?
The story felt a long longer than it should, as there were many extra plots, like Thomas saw his company pivoted away from his control and lost focus, and Tessa's parents take a vacation, and so on. Somehow those events don't feel if they integrate that much into the romance. The ending was sort of forced proximity when Tessa had a vision about something very bad happened and needed Thomas' help. The darkest hour and grand gesture were hard to recognize. Still, the rest of the book seems to make up for it.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: A Stray Cat and Her Kittens United a Psych Student and a Geek Entrepreneur
Tropes: animals, opposites attract
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews DRAGON SECURITY: Volume 2 by Glenna Sinclair
Dragon Security Volume 2 managed to retread the formula by adding twists and turns to the formula, where the first 5 novels actually set up the background for the sixth where all of the topics are tied together into one grand finale. And each novel has their own twists and turns.
Security stories also have plenty of forced proximity, conducive to romance, and the high concepts here are definitely interesting, as they include being framed for murder, UFO investigations, falling for the boss (while he's pining for someone else), and more. While the characters are established, many of them are new, and some of them have profound shifts from Volume 1. Peter (from Volume 1) is back and leading the first novel. Rhett is new but her client... was a return from Volume 1 as well. Kevin was mentioned before, but this time he went back to his hometown, and found his girl framed for murder. Kasey's new as well, and he's going to look for someone who's seeking... UFOs? Amelia is replacing Samantha from Volume 1 (you'll need to read Volume 1 to know what happened to her) and fell for Hayden as well, but Hayden still has his heart pining for Sam... Until Hayden and the rest of Dragon security figure out someone is out to get Hayden by toying with Dragon's cases...
In a way, all the linked novels make the reading fun, even if it's a bit formulaic.
Category: Romantic suspense
Primary Plot: N/A, collection
Tropes: woman in peril, protector, unrequited love, hot for boss, scars, stalker, evil ex
Overall Rating: 4/5
Security stories also have plenty of forced proximity, conducive to romance, and the high concepts here are definitely interesting, as they include being framed for murder, UFO investigations, falling for the boss (while he's pining for someone else), and more. While the characters are established, many of them are new, and some of them have profound shifts from Volume 1. Peter (from Volume 1) is back and leading the first novel. Rhett is new but her client... was a return from Volume 1 as well. Kevin was mentioned before, but this time he went back to his hometown, and found his girl framed for murder. Kasey's new as well, and he's going to look for someone who's seeking... UFOs? Amelia is replacing Samantha from Volume 1 (you'll need to read Volume 1 to know what happened to her) and fell for Hayden as well, but Hayden still has his heart pining for Sam... Until Hayden and the rest of Dragon security figure out someone is out to get Hayden by toying with Dragon's cases...
In a way, all the linked novels make the reading fun, even if it's a bit formulaic.
Category: Romantic suspense
Primary Plot: N/A, collection
Tropes: woman in peril, protector, unrequited love, hot for boss, scars, stalker, evil ex
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Once More With Feeling by Jackie Smith
Once More with Feeling is about serendipity, about how two people can connect in the oddest circumstances... or no circumstances whatsoever. It's about the possibility of love, and the ability to recover from a loss and take a chance...
Jonas pulled into the bar named Giddiup for a quick beer before resuming his trip home and found a lone girl sitting in a corner nursing a beer, and she intrigued him, but she had steadfastly rebuffed his advances. Only after multiple trips did he learn her name was Emma-Lou, and she felt responsible for the death of her family, and she was still not yet ready to move on. However, they both loved books, and it was with that did he slowly drew her out of her shell, for he was obsessed with this girl, while he had to work through his own issues. But he knows that she was his happily hereafter if only he can make her see that...
The meetcute was somewhat refreshing, as that's how serendipity was supposed to go, as was the build-up on how he got her to open up... a little. There was a LOT of back and forth, and the build up is almost TOO slow at time, that you don't feel the ebb and flow. But for people who enjoy the slow romance of two damaged souls, this book is just about perfect. People expecting a fast read, however, will probably find the book excruciatingly slow.
Category: Contemporary / Western
Primary Plot: Cowboy on his way home saw this girl sitting in a bar, nursing a beer... Who is she, and why was she so intriguing to him?
Tropes: cowboy, bar, boy meets girl
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Jonas pulled into the bar named Giddiup for a quick beer before resuming his trip home and found a lone girl sitting in a corner nursing a beer, and she intrigued him, but she had steadfastly rebuffed his advances. Only after multiple trips did he learn her name was Emma-Lou, and she felt responsible for the death of her family, and she was still not yet ready to move on. However, they both loved books, and it was with that did he slowly drew her out of her shell, for he was obsessed with this girl, while he had to work through his own issues. But he knows that she was his happily hereafter if only he can make her see that...
The meetcute was somewhat refreshing, as that's how serendipity was supposed to go, as was the build-up on how he got her to open up... a little. There was a LOT of back and forth, and the build up is almost TOO slow at time, that you don't feel the ebb and flow. But for people who enjoy the slow romance of two damaged souls, this book is just about perfect. People expecting a fast read, however, will probably find the book excruciatingly slow.
Category: Contemporary / Western
Primary Plot: Cowboy on his way home saw this girl sitting in a bar, nursing a beer... Who is she, and why was she so intriguing to him?
Tropes: cowboy, bar, boy meets girl
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Running On Empty: An LCR Elite Novel by Christy Reece
If the plot in Running On Empty made more sense, it may have received a higher score. But the fact is the plot really made NO SENSE if you think about it. It's a lot like a Hollywood action movie... all flash explosions, and some intense situations, but ultimately completely forgetable.
WARNING: This review contains spoilers.
WARNING: This book contains extreme violence (scenes of torture)
Running on Empty is an interesting start to a series, about a rescue organization (Last Chance Rescue Elite) mixed with spycraft taking on extremely high-risk rescue missions. While the high concept was interesting, that the MMC was brainwashed into believing FMC had betrayed him, and vowed to exact revenge on her, that can't sustain the book and it was resolved easily at 25% point with MMC basically switching sides. And while the FMC and MMC had to undergo trials and tribulations to stay together and find and defeat the enemy, the idea that the bad guys basically spent a TON of money and operatives for NO appreciable gain except they get to, uh... torture two operatives was just... nonsense!
To recap... Sabrina Fox was one of the best female agents ever produced by The Company. She eventually tired of the game and was transferred to the civilian organization LCR (Last Chance Rescue) rescuing victims from the most volatile regions in the world. Her marriage to Declan Steele, her trainer, lover, and fellow Company employee, was a secret, but she was elated when he said he was contemplating retirement. Then he disappeared. Then months later she got a text to meet him in Paris... she thought she saw him, then just as she approached the cafe, it exploded. She eventually recovered physically, but she was dead inside, having locked down her emotions and continued on her missions...
But Steele was not dead. Whoever captured him tried to torture secrets out of him, and brainwashed him into believing that his wife was the traitor that set him up. Months later, he was rescued, and the only thing on his mind was revenge... how he will get his hands on her... But when he finally did get her... he couldn't quite do it. As his memories came back, he slowly realized that he had been played... and there was a mole in the company that he was trying to find... But whoever that was, he was very very close, and very very good. As they narrow in on the traitor, the traitor kidnapped Sabrina and tried to torture secrets out of her instead. Now Declan must race against time, with the rest of LCR on his side, to rescue the only woman who has his heart.
The characters are nice and detailed and mentally broken in many ways. But the main plot... doesn't make sense. Capturing Steele to get secrets out of him didn't work. So why release him as a trick? Why go after Sabrina later? It makes no sense! Who spent this much money to fake a death for nothing? Then kidnap Sabrina and transport to a different nation, and setup fake clues, again, for no gain? What was their motive? Makes no sense except to setup for the rescue! That's why I can't give this book more than an "OK" rating.
Category: romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Woman lost her husband, a fellow operative, but he's not really dead. He's been brainwashed into believing she had betrayed him... and now he's free, he'll hunt her down...
Tropes: enemies to lovers, scars, disguise, spy, amnesia, reunion
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
WARNING: This review contains spoilers.
WARNING: This book contains extreme violence (scenes of torture)
Running on Empty is an interesting start to a series, about a rescue organization (Last Chance Rescue Elite) mixed with spycraft taking on extremely high-risk rescue missions. While the high concept was interesting, that the MMC was brainwashed into believing FMC had betrayed him, and vowed to exact revenge on her, that can't sustain the book and it was resolved easily at 25% point with MMC basically switching sides. And while the FMC and MMC had to undergo trials and tribulations to stay together and find and defeat the enemy, the idea that the bad guys basically spent a TON of money and operatives for NO appreciable gain except they get to, uh... torture two operatives was just... nonsense!
To recap... Sabrina Fox was one of the best female agents ever produced by The Company. She eventually tired of the game and was transferred to the civilian organization LCR (Last Chance Rescue) rescuing victims from the most volatile regions in the world. Her marriage to Declan Steele, her trainer, lover, and fellow Company employee, was a secret, but she was elated when he said he was contemplating retirement. Then he disappeared. Then months later she got a text to meet him in Paris... she thought she saw him, then just as she approached the cafe, it exploded. She eventually recovered physically, but she was dead inside, having locked down her emotions and continued on her missions...
But Steele was not dead. Whoever captured him tried to torture secrets out of him, and brainwashed him into believing that his wife was the traitor that set him up. Months later, he was rescued, and the only thing on his mind was revenge... how he will get his hands on her... But when he finally did get her... he couldn't quite do it. As his memories came back, he slowly realized that he had been played... and there was a mole in the company that he was trying to find... But whoever that was, he was very very close, and very very good. As they narrow in on the traitor, the traitor kidnapped Sabrina and tried to torture secrets out of her instead. Now Declan must race against time, with the rest of LCR on his side, to rescue the only woman who has his heart.
The characters are nice and detailed and mentally broken in many ways. But the main plot... doesn't make sense. Capturing Steele to get secrets out of him didn't work. So why release him as a trick? Why go after Sabrina later? It makes no sense! Who spent this much money to fake a death for nothing? Then kidnap Sabrina and transport to a different nation, and setup fake clues, again, for no gain? What was their motive? Makes no sense except to setup for the rescue! That's why I can't give this book more than an "OK" rating.
Category: romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Woman lost her husband, a fellow operative, but he's not really dead. He's been brainwashed into believing she had betrayed him... and now he's free, he'll hunt her down...
Tropes: enemies to lovers, scars, disguise, spy, amnesia, reunion
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
GRR Reviews It's In His Heart (A Red River Valley Novel) by Shelly Alexander
It's in His Heart is an unexpected romance between a grieving widow and her husband's best friend, both slowly coming to the realization that perhaps love can come again.
Ella Dennings just wanted to get away to her late husband Bradley's Red River Valley cabin. He had died a long painful death due to cancer. Her car skidded in the mud and stuck in a ditch. She had to walk to the cabin with her beloved bulldog Winston in a raging rainstorm, already muddy from several falls, only to find the cabin was occupied... by her late husband's best friend, Cooper. Cooper was hiding from the public having been falsely accused by an ex of sexual impropriety and had to sell his old home to cover his legal fees for the court battle. He had nowhere to go except the cabin, and the last thing he wanted was to spend time with his (dead) best friend's widow that he was also very much attracted to, even if Ella was willing to move on. But Ella's keeping a secret... To partly escape from her reality she had taken to erotic romance writing, and wrote novels where she hoped what she'll do with her husband should he recover. The first two were major hits that she no longer had to teach. When the pair finally got it together, Ella based subsequent volumes on her encounter with Cooper. When Ella's secret came to light and rocked the small town, will it doom Cooper's chances in court? Or be his ultimate salvation?
The pivot from "why not it's just a fling" to "going long-term" was done nicely and the darkest hour was done very well when the idea that Coop's lawsuit can be undone by the novel, but so was the grand gesture and the resolution. But you'll need to read the novel to find that out. The characters are sympathetic and good to each other.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: New Widow Was Forced to Cohabitate Cabin with Dead Husband's Best Friend, and Fell for Each Other
Tropes: dead spouse's best friend, grief, romance writer, fling to a thing, hiding out
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Sweet Home Alaska (Alaskan Hero Book by Rebecca Thomas
Sweet Home Alaska is about a second chance at life, and lifelong ambitions, but also, about coming home. There was mainly sweetness, not too much conflict. While the main thing is about food, there doesn't seem to be any attempt to incorporate food into the romance.
Lauren Kinkade left Alaska and her grandma's bakery behind to pursue a dream of acting in Hollywood and got nowhere. Instead, a chance encounter leads her to her passion for catering. When her grandma passed away and left her the bakery, it is time for Lauren to go home. But the town wasn't that welcome, so Lauren had to concentrate her efforts on convincing the one guy that can make a difference... Trey Briggs, owner of the local hotel that is holding his grand opening in a few weeks. However, Trey was always intimidated by Lauren's beauty back when she was around in high school, and he got his nickname "Crash" because he was always clumsy around her. So he'd rather not see her... ever. But soon Lauren got him to change his mind... and a lot more... But is Lauren's ambition enough for her to stay in Alaska? Can Trey gamble his heart?
NOT a clean romance, the sweet tone turns into steamy sex later. Darkest hour was definitely there as there was doubt that will Lauren stay in Alaska when she was summoned by Food Network to discuss something... And the resolution was sweet, though there wasn't much of a grand gesture.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Girl is going home and needs to talk to the guy that had a crush on her way back when to give her a chance at catering
Tropes: hot for boss, reunion, return, scars
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Relentless by Lauren Landish
Relentless at its heart is a bodyguard vs. stalker story with some added complications that the bodyguard was NOT supposed to touch the VIP he's guarding, as she's the Don's niece, and NOT supposed to be touched. It's a decent romantic suspense, if a bit long-winded.
Daniel is one of the enforcers for Don Carlo, the Don of the Bertoli family in control of the Seattle-Tacoma area. Dan is well known for his simple lifestyle, brutal efficiency, and utter cold-bloodedness that he's sometimes known as Terminator. But this latest assignment is going to be sheer torture... For the VIP he needed to guard with his life is none other than Adriana Bertoli, niece of Don Carlo, under threat of death that NOBODY is to touch her. But when she wants to touch him... this will be difficult. He would have asked for another assignment, but a serial killer is after her, having already killed her roommate. As the forced proximity and danger pushed them together, they surrendered to their passion... but to what consequences?
Both characters did undergo a bit of transformation through the novel. Daniel's cold demeanor was cracked and he did warm up, and demonstrated that he does have a heart. Adriana changed from the Mafia princess (but not spoiled) yet willing to tease and tempt Daniel into someone who's willing to stand up for herself and be responsible. However, sometimes the story just feels... wordy, as if we're getting more info dump than actual plot. But there are no obvious holes in the plot.
Category: Contemporary / Romantic Suspense
Primary Plot: Mafia Enforcer Must Guard Don's Niece with His Life against a Serial Killer, but it's His Heart that is in Danger...
Tropes: mafia, stalker, woman in peril, protector
Overall Rating: 4/5
Daniel is one of the enforcers for Don Carlo, the Don of the Bertoli family in control of the Seattle-Tacoma area. Dan is well known for his simple lifestyle, brutal efficiency, and utter cold-bloodedness that he's sometimes known as Terminator. But this latest assignment is going to be sheer torture... For the VIP he needed to guard with his life is none other than Adriana Bertoli, niece of Don Carlo, under threat of death that NOBODY is to touch her. But when she wants to touch him... this will be difficult. He would have asked for another assignment, but a serial killer is after her, having already killed her roommate. As the forced proximity and danger pushed them together, they surrendered to their passion... but to what consequences?
Both characters did undergo a bit of transformation through the novel. Daniel's cold demeanor was cracked and he did warm up, and demonstrated that he does have a heart. Adriana changed from the Mafia princess (but not spoiled) yet willing to tease and tempt Daniel into someone who's willing to stand up for herself and be responsible. However, sometimes the story just feels... wordy, as if we're getting more info dump than actual plot. But there are no obvious holes in the plot.
Category: Contemporary / Romantic Suspense
Primary Plot: Mafia Enforcer Must Guard Don's Niece with His Life against a Serial Killer, but it's His Heart that is in Danger...
Tropes: mafia, stalker, woman in peril, protector
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Hiding Out in Hollywood (A Hollywood D by Jennifer Farwell
Hiding out in Hollywood is basically a rich alpha trying to woo a plain girl, but can plain girl deal with the papparazi if the romance works out?
Emily had a quick fling with superstar singer Cory, but when Cory went on to someone else, then she had dinner with yet someone else, the tabloids got hold of her photo and portrayed it as a "betrayal" and basically destroyed her career when Cory's fans complained vociferously and that lead to sponsors withdrawing their offers. Now shunning publicity, she was surprised to see TV/movie superstar Raine Kingston, in her morning yoga class... and he wanted to date her. But everything in her scream "no" because she has had it with the paparazzi. But Raine's persistent, and he has means to ensure their privacy. However, secrets always leak, esp. when Cory's publicist are willing to pounce on any sort of publicity, even when it involved an "ex". And soon Emily have to make a choice: give up the relationship for the anonymity and privacy she craved... or go with the man that made her happy and be hounded by paparazzi?
With the backdrop of Tinseltown gossip, the story was used to good effect, esp. when Emily helping at least one such gossip rag. The mental anguish is real, and conflict is true... How much privacy is there when everybody has a camera phone and everybody can be a blogger?
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Plain Girl Burned Out by Paparazzi Wooed By Superstar... Can she take the heat that comes with the love?
Tropes: different worlds, performer
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Winter Thaw (Port Charlotte) by Alexis Jacobson
Winter Thaw is a novel about a girl's self-discovery... how much does she love her fiancee, and how much does she love herself?
Forced to go on a couple's ski trip alone ("I can't make it, hon.") Jenna met up with hunky Brett on the slopes, and there was some instant chemistry between the two. Brett set her mind on fire that her fiancee never did, but her engagement... can what happened on the slope, stay on the slope? Can she lie about her engagement to make out with Brett? Can she live with herself if she did let go? Or even if she didn't?
The twist was expected, and that was combined with the darkest hour. The resolution, however, was lame enough about how HEA was later achieved. That caused the -1 star.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Girl alone on a couple's ski trip finds a man worthy of a fling... but can she do it while she's engaged?
Tropes: resort, fling to a thing, triangle, resort,
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Forced to go on a couple's ski trip alone ("I can't make it, hon.") Jenna met up with hunky Brett on the slopes, and there was some instant chemistry between the two. Brett set her mind on fire that her fiancee never did, but her engagement... can what happened on the slope, stay on the slope? Can she lie about her engagement to make out with Brett? Can she live with herself if she did let go? Or even if she didn't?
The twist was expected, and that was combined with the darkest hour. The resolution, however, was lame enough about how HEA was later achieved. That caused the -1 star.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Girl alone on a couple's ski trip finds a man worthy of a fling... but can she do it while she's engaged?
Tropes: resort, fling to a thing, triangle, resort,
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Collision Course by Chuck Gleason
Collision Course was a LONG novel that documented the LONG courtship between Kelli and Lincoln, that lasted almost SIX YEARS!
Kelli meets Lincoln at Denison college, but due to a bad impression he made (he criticized her writing) she hated him for a long while and hooked up with a sophomore, but she found she doesn't love him, and later, realized he went home and was also f***ing a hometown girl. This soured her for a while on relationships, while he pursued her but she keeps turning him down. Linc was also being groomed at home for a position in the family store, even though he hated so. The two continued to hit and miss each other, going to school dances but did not hook up, even though they loved each other. Linc joined a literary agency as Kelli finished her novel, and Kelli got the blow-off by Linc (even though she used a pen name). A different agent loved the book and it became a national bestseller, but against kept the couple apart... Basically, these two kept circling each other but never quite staying together until... The wedding!
It's just a bunch of scenes that covered the 6 years of their lives, from the meet to the wedding. The struggle? Hmmm... I guess there's enough push pull to make it fun. And Linc's mom? TOTAL douchebag, even to the end, so egotistical and oblivious to the world she's almost comic relief instead of "evil". Things basically happen, and both MMC and FMC react to it. Their decisions seem to have very little effect on their emotional lives. There seems to be no major ups and downs in the emotions in the romance area.
Overall, I guess I did get some warm fuzzies. But that's about it.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Courtship of a Couple that Lasted Six Years, from College to Career Beginnings, When They Finally Gave In.
Tropes: reunion, enemies to lovers,
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
Kelli meets Lincoln at Denison college, but due to a bad impression he made (he criticized her writing) she hated him for a long while and hooked up with a sophomore, but she found she doesn't love him, and later, realized he went home and was also f***ing a hometown girl. This soured her for a while on relationships, while he pursued her but she keeps turning him down. Linc was also being groomed at home for a position in the family store, even though he hated so. The two continued to hit and miss each other, going to school dances but did not hook up, even though they loved each other. Linc joined a literary agency as Kelli finished her novel, and Kelli got the blow-off by Linc (even though she used a pen name). A different agent loved the book and it became a national bestseller, but against kept the couple apart... Basically, these two kept circling each other but never quite staying together until... The wedding!
It's just a bunch of scenes that covered the 6 years of their lives, from the meet to the wedding. The struggle? Hmmm... I guess there's enough push pull to make it fun. And Linc's mom? TOTAL douchebag, even to the end, so egotistical and oblivious to the world she's almost comic relief instead of "evil". Things basically happen, and both MMC and FMC react to it. Their decisions seem to have very little effect on their emotional lives. There seems to be no major ups and downs in the emotions in the romance area.
Overall, I guess I did get some warm fuzzies. But that's about it.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Courtship of a Couple that Lasted Six Years, from College to Career Beginnings, When They Finally Gave In.
Tropes: reunion, enemies to lovers,
Overall Rating: 3/5 (rounded up from 2.5/5)
GRR Reviews Every Wrong Reason by Rachel Higginson
Every Wrong Reason is a book about the separation between a formerly loving couple. After seven years, the fire had died and the two can no longer stand each other. This book can be hard to read sometimes, as the emotions run raw between the fighting couple, often over the most trivial of reasons, which is both laughable and cryable.
Kate Carter thought she married the right guy Nick, and will achieve her happily ever after. Seven years later, she decided she had made a mistake, they are no longer in love, they are miserable together, and she wanted a divorce. But as both Nick and Kate found out, separating actually hurts even more, as they are forced to confront the people they've become. When Nick refused to cooperate at the asset division (fighting tooth and nail for both the house and the dog) Kate had to decide... is Nick just trying to make her life miserable... or is Nick telling her that their relationship is still worth fighting for?
In a way, it's like a second-chance romance, but unlike the typical romances where the MMC and FMC meet again after several years, the couple barely separated in both physicality and time. But it is definitely a fight for love. If you can empathize with the way married couples fight, often without using words or go melodramatic, this book would be right up your alley. If you can't understand why the people can be so... petty, then no, this book would make no sense.
Primary Plot: Couple who can no longer stand each other found separation hurt even more when they have to confront whom they've become
Tropes: on the rocks
Overall Rating: 4 /5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Planning Bliss (Bliss Series Book 1) by Michelle Jo Quinn
Planning Bliss, (previously published as Confessions of a Wedding Planner) can be best described as a reformed rake trying to woo a girl who got her heart broken and ground into dust, but it's for real this time. It was at times tropeish, rom-com-y, and sentimental. Which makes it a good read.
Wedding planner Veronica had her heart broken when her boyfriend (whom she thought she'd marry) moved on to engage with a French socialite. She had her heart grounded into dust when he came to her wanting her to plan his wedding. Then she found out the bridezilla wanted a huge wedding in merely 1 month, involving 400+ guests across two continents, and a gown flown in from France. Her work ethics demanded she gave it her best, even as her heart bleeds. She was not ready for attention from the best man Levi, a known playboy. He wants to get into her pants, she's not in the mood. But Levi is actually royalty, and rich, and have plenty of patience. And he's actually serious this time, but how does a rake convince everybody, esp. the girl, he's no longer a rake?
I have a little problem seeing the chemistry between Veronica and Levi, though I guess it could work. The book tried to throw in a bunch of prequel scenes to explain Levi's earlier attraction to "Nica" (at prior events) but it wasn't until this wedding that he could act on the urges. It doesn't quite build-up right. The rest of the book kinda makes the whole thing worth it once you get past this point.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Broken-hearted Wedding Planner (planning her ex's wedding) Wooed by the Best Man (and a rake/playboy)
Tropes: jilted, wedding planner, commitment-phobe, reformed rake, best man
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Logan's Redemption: Redemption Book 1 by Cara Marsi
Logan's Redemption is about a second chance at love, but complicated by hidden identity issues and stalker. It just felt at times, a bit long, as if very little happened yet pages had been read.
Doriana Callahan and Logan Tanner had a thing together. They imagined a future together. Until one day, he disappeared, leaving her broken-hearted... and pregnant with a son. Twelve years later, he's back, placed by her father as her temporary assistant (her regular assistant is going on maternity leave) against her protests. Someone is trying to ruin her company through vandalism and sabotage. Someone is stalking her, calling her at night with threats. Someone was leaking bids to competitors. Are they connected? Are they connected with Logan? Why is he back now? Logan did not know about his son, but Logan is still in love with Doriana and promised to protect her with his life... but can Doriana let her guard down to let Logan back in? Will Logan go away? Is that a good reason to keep him at arm's length?
A decent romantic suspense setup the stakes seems to be a bit remote (It's a company getting ruined, the stalker didn't emerge till later), and the bad guy was pretty lame evil, not motivated except being a sociopath and abuser. Logan and Doriana are pretty adorable together, and problems between them are resolved pretty quickly.
Category: Romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Guy who left girl pregnant 12 years ago is back as her assistant, just as company and personal problems are piling up for the girl, but he's really there as her bodyguard...
Tropes: stalker, woman in peril, reunion, disguise, protector
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Doriana Callahan and Logan Tanner had a thing together. They imagined a future together. Until one day, he disappeared, leaving her broken-hearted... and pregnant with a son. Twelve years later, he's back, placed by her father as her temporary assistant (her regular assistant is going on maternity leave) against her protests. Someone is trying to ruin her company through vandalism and sabotage. Someone is stalking her, calling her at night with threats. Someone was leaking bids to competitors. Are they connected? Are they connected with Logan? Why is he back now? Logan did not know about his son, but Logan is still in love with Doriana and promised to protect her with his life... but can Doriana let her guard down to let Logan back in? Will Logan go away? Is that a good reason to keep him at arm's length?
A decent romantic suspense setup the stakes seems to be a bit remote (It's a company getting ruined, the stalker didn't emerge till later), and the bad guy was pretty lame evil, not motivated except being a sociopath and abuser. Logan and Doriana are pretty adorable together, and problems between them are resolved pretty quickly.
Category: Romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Guy who left girl pregnant 12 years ago is back as her assistant, just as company and personal problems are piling up for the girl, but he's really there as her bodyguard...
Tropes: stalker, woman in peril, reunion, disguise, protector
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews LOVING ELLIE by Lindsey Brookes
Loving Ellie is an interesting tale of "falling for my brother's girl" but there's also a second romance to confound. Also, the girl seems to be just a bit too stubborn but not like completely unreasonable. Add it together and you end up with a novel that's just a bit too long.
To recap: Lucas Tanner returned from Brazil to handle his late brother's estate. He did not expect to find his brother's very pregnant fiancee living in the ranch house, tending to the animals, AND running the coffee house in town. Lucas had borne the burden of watching his wife die with their child... She had a heart condition she refused to disclose. And watching his brother's girl with child brought out all of his protective instincts. But Ellie does not want his help. Everybody she loved left her. Her father ran off. Her mother left her at grandmas. When grandma can't handle it she was left at her aunt, who sent her into the foster system later. She loved Jarett, and one night lead to... pregnancy. And Jarrett didn't love her but want to make things right. And Ellie refused to be made a charity case... i.e. marry not for love, but for the child. She believed herself to be incapable of love that a child needed. And her decision to give the child up for adoption sent Lucas' blood boiling... for a different reason... Lucas may have fallen for his brother's girl...
There was a secondary romance, between Blaine (the sheriff) and Victoria (his love, but with a son not by him). The son was being unreasonable, but one talk with Blaine fixed that (wow, great for a guy with no kids)
There really wasn't much of a darkest hour or grand gesture. Basically, it's Ellie holding out and finally gives in to Lucas's love. The book just felt too long and the extra elements are a bit meh.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Brother falling for his dead brother's pregnant girl, but she believes herself incapable of love and refused him
Tropes: sibling problem, pregnancy, forced proximity
Overall Rating: 3/5
To recap: Lucas Tanner returned from Brazil to handle his late brother's estate. He did not expect to find his brother's very pregnant fiancee living in the ranch house, tending to the animals, AND running the coffee house in town. Lucas had borne the burden of watching his wife die with their child... She had a heart condition she refused to disclose. And watching his brother's girl with child brought out all of his protective instincts. But Ellie does not want his help. Everybody she loved left her. Her father ran off. Her mother left her at grandmas. When grandma can't handle it she was left at her aunt, who sent her into the foster system later. She loved Jarett, and one night lead to... pregnancy. And Jarrett didn't love her but want to make things right. And Ellie refused to be made a charity case... i.e. marry not for love, but for the child. She believed herself to be incapable of love that a child needed. And her decision to give the child up for adoption sent Lucas' blood boiling... for a different reason... Lucas may have fallen for his brother's girl...
There was a secondary romance, between Blaine (the sheriff) and Victoria (his love, but with a son not by him). The son was being unreasonable, but one talk with Blaine fixed that (wow, great for a guy with no kids)
There really wasn't much of a darkest hour or grand gesture. Basically, it's Ellie holding out and finally gives in to Lucas's love. The book just felt too long and the extra elements are a bit meh.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Brother falling for his dead brother's pregnant girl, but she believes herself incapable of love and refused him
Tropes: sibling problem, pregnancy, forced proximity
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews A Good-Hearted Man by Barbara Kaylor
A Good-Hearted Man is a Christian Romance about forgiveness and faith. There are barely any kisses and definitely no sex, and liberal doses of Bible quotes and Christian values. However, the plot was actually quite good, and it followed all the romance structure, from the meet-cute to the escalations up to the darkest hour, and even the resolution. The main problem, however, was the pace, as the novel just feels... SLOW.
Sarina Bridges is on her own. After death of her parents and constant berating by her two spinster aunts that she's worthless and useless, she finally leaves for Nashville, but her plans were ruined by theft of her travel funds, and she drifted into town, and sought shelter in a shed, after trespassing onto private property, only hoping to spend the night. That's where Jess Slinger found her. Jess was a former wrestler, and now the town farrier. He had inherited the farm from the couple who took him in at his lowest, at death's door and lead him to the Lord. He had desired a wife and family, and the appearance of Sarina can only be a sign from High Above, so instead of calling the sheriff, Jess offered a helping hand, and earned the enmity of bitter locals who are afraid of strangers, esp. the "law-breaking kind". Jess is determined to protect Sarina, but is Sarina staying around, or will she leave to give Jess peace? Esp. when Sarina was accused of a crime she did not commit? In times of need, will the couple turn to love and faith of each other?
If you need a feel-good novel that is really slow paced, this book should be quite good, and it could be even YA even though the characters are quite a bit older. Non-religious folks may be a bit turned off by liberal use of Bible quotes and vast amount of faith displayed by both. It didn't bother me.
Sarina Bridges is on her own. After death of her parents and constant berating by her two spinster aunts that she's worthless and useless, she finally leaves for Nashville, but her plans were ruined by theft of her travel funds, and she drifted into town, and sought shelter in a shed, after trespassing onto private property, only hoping to spend the night. That's where Jess Slinger found her. Jess was a former wrestler, and now the town farrier. He had inherited the farm from the couple who took him in at his lowest, at death's door and lead him to the Lord. He had desired a wife and family, and the appearance of Sarina can only be a sign from High Above, so instead of calling the sheriff, Jess offered a helping hand, and earned the enmity of bitter locals who are afraid of strangers, esp. the "law-breaking kind". Jess is determined to protect Sarina, but is Sarina staying around, or will she leave to give Jess peace? Esp. when Sarina was accused of a crime she did not commit? In times of need, will the couple turn to love and faith of each other?
If you need a feel-good novel that is really slow paced, this book should be quite good, and it could be even YA even though the characters are quite a bit older. Non-religious folks may be a bit turned off by liberal use of Bible quotes and vast amount of faith displayed by both. It didn't bother me.
Category: Contemporary / Christian / Clean Spiritual
Primary Plot: Girl with nowhere to go; Guy wanting a wife and family; A Town Weary of Strangers; Is there a happily ever after?
Tropes: different worlds, spiritual, clean, christian, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Broken Love (Love Stings Series Book 1) by Evan Grace
Broken Love, as the cover suggested, is an interracial love story, but the race was so downplayed that you barely noticed it was there until it reared its ugly head until the very end for the final resolution and closure. It is also about survival and love after trauma, and the consequences.
Abby was raped one night, and it almost destroyed her. The rapist was never caught. It took 18 months of self-destructive behavior (one-night stands, etc.) and therapy to allow her to feel somewhat normal. Only her passion for children gave her solace, as she took up a job as children's dance teacher, and that brought her into contact with Natalie, one of her students, and deputy Ben James, Natalie's father. (The fact that Ben's black, and Abby's white, was mentioned in passing so fast that you'd never notice) The interest is mutual, and Natalie would want to bring them together if possible. And their respective families are quite supportive of such. But someone close to Natalie doesn't want her to get together with Ben, first with threatening notes, then Ben's truck was defiled. And Abby... can't really get intimate with Ben, but Ben slowly brought her around. But Abby was forever doubtful... Would Ben still want her after he found out how messed up she was? And that rapist is still out there...
The darkest hour was nice, and the resolution was through Abby's own effort which made it sweeter. the racial aspect was mentioned in passing and I practically forgot about Ben's race through the book until it was made relevant again for the climax (but probably not in the way you expect) All in all enjoyable book.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Love of a Child Brought Together a Traumatized Dance Teacher and a Deputy, But Can She Overcome Self-Doubt?
Tropes: law enforcement, single parent, scars, teacher/student, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5
Abby was raped one night, and it almost destroyed her. The rapist was never caught. It took 18 months of self-destructive behavior (one-night stands, etc.) and therapy to allow her to feel somewhat normal. Only her passion for children gave her solace, as she took up a job as children's dance teacher, and that brought her into contact with Natalie, one of her students, and deputy Ben James, Natalie's father. (The fact that Ben's black, and Abby's white, was mentioned in passing so fast that you'd never notice) The interest is mutual, and Natalie would want to bring them together if possible. And their respective families are quite supportive of such. But someone close to Natalie doesn't want her to get together with Ben, first with threatening notes, then Ben's truck was defiled. And Abby... can't really get intimate with Ben, but Ben slowly brought her around. But Abby was forever doubtful... Would Ben still want her after he found out how messed up she was? And that rapist is still out there...
The darkest hour was nice, and the resolution was through Abby's own effort which made it sweeter. the racial aspect was mentioned in passing and I practically forgot about Ben's race through the book until it was made relevant again for the climax (but probably not in the way you expect) All in all enjoyable book.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Love of a Child Brought Together a Traumatized Dance Teacher and a Deputy, But Can She Overcome Self-Doubt?
Tropes: law enforcement, single parent, scars, teacher/student, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Breaking Up with Barrett by Katy Regnery
Breaking Up with Barrett is a romance between a gardener/housekeeper's daughter engaged as a fake fiancee by an alpha billionaire, who actually had a secret plan in motion. The characterization and the twist were actually good, but I don't like the manipulation by the MMC and the not-quite-reasonable reaction from the FMC.
Barrett "The Shark" English is the tough head of the most prestigious investment banking firm in Philadelphia, who always gets what he wants, even if he had to play a little dirty. When his reputation started to affect his business deals, he was advised to find a fiancee... and he picked a fake one... Emily Edwards, daughter of his family gardener/housekeeper, someone who was forever at the periphery of privilege... but only as an observer. In fact, she's being paid for each appearance alongside Barrett to his functions. And Emily had a crush on Barrett for a long time, even as she knew she did not belong in that esteemed circle... and one way, she will have to break up with Barrett, for real. But what the Shark wants, the Shark will get...
WARNING: spoilers follow
Turns out Barrett had an eye on Emily for a LONG time, ever since he was a child and she was a baby. This whole "hire her to pose as fiancee" and "chance meeting" were NOT coincidences, but engineered situations, because she always thought she never had a chance, she was never good enough not being a blueblood, and so on. And he, through his manipulations, hope to get her to see she can be with him. My problem with this book is mainly with how Emily reacted when she learned that she had been manipulated all along. She accepted such trickery as evidence of his love rather than his manipulation almost immediately. I'd think most people would at least be outraged initially by the manipulation. She's clearly not a doormat, but this sort of thought process is almost fatalistic and indicates a low-self esteem when it comes to him.
But the twists are good, as it's a constant push-pull between them, she enjoys being his girl, even if it's merely acting, but when she realized she had actually fallen in love (even though he was sort of her crush) and kissed him with real passion, she basically gave the ring back and ran from his life, believing she had failed as his fake fiancee, that he had to engineer a new situation to force her back to see him. Is this doormat, or strong woman? You be the judge.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Can a common girl love a blueblood? How about pretending love? Can such pretend love turn real? Or was he playing her all along?
Tropes: fake engagement, family pressure, unrequited love, hot for boss
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Barrett "The Shark" English is the tough head of the most prestigious investment banking firm in Philadelphia, who always gets what he wants, even if he had to play a little dirty. When his reputation started to affect his business deals, he was advised to find a fiancee... and he picked a fake one... Emily Edwards, daughter of his family gardener/housekeeper, someone who was forever at the periphery of privilege... but only as an observer. In fact, she's being paid for each appearance alongside Barrett to his functions. And Emily had a crush on Barrett for a long time, even as she knew she did not belong in that esteemed circle... and one way, she will have to break up with Barrett, for real. But what the Shark wants, the Shark will get...
WARNING: spoilers follow
Turns out Barrett had an eye on Emily for a LONG time, ever since he was a child and she was a baby. This whole "hire her to pose as fiancee" and "chance meeting" were NOT coincidences, but engineered situations, because she always thought she never had a chance, she was never good enough not being a blueblood, and so on. And he, through his manipulations, hope to get her to see she can be with him. My problem with this book is mainly with how Emily reacted when she learned that she had been manipulated all along. She accepted such trickery as evidence of his love rather than his manipulation almost immediately. I'd think most people would at least be outraged initially by the manipulation. She's clearly not a doormat, but this sort of thought process is almost fatalistic and indicates a low-self esteem when it comes to him.
But the twists are good, as it's a constant push-pull between them, she enjoys being his girl, even if it's merely acting, but when she realized she had actually fallen in love (even though he was sort of her crush) and kissed him with real passion, she basically gave the ring back and ran from his life, believing she had failed as his fake fiancee, that he had to engineer a new situation to force her back to see him. Is this doormat, or strong woman? You be the judge.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Can a common girl love a blueblood? How about pretending love? Can such pretend love turn real? Or was he playing her all along?
Tropes: fake engagement, family pressure, unrequited love, hot for boss
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Lovers' Quarrel: A Sweet Romance by Jessica L. Randall
Lover's Quarrel is a romantic comedy between radio personality Karina Kruz and wedding planner/ all-around good guy Ben Adler who was ruined by Karina's on-air ambush. It's basically "enemies into lovers" trope set in a small town with talk show radio as background. It was definitely LOL funny at times, and sweet at others.
To recap, radio DJ Karina Kruz hosts Lovers' Quarrel, the hottest confrontational call-in show that vowed to confront infidelity in the city, one caller at a time. However, she seems to have met her match in Ben Adler, after a confrontation caused him his career as a wedding planner in the city AND his girlfriend. Hoping to redeem himself, he gets on the show and ended up with a wager against Karina... If Karina can dig up dirt on him that proved he's a cheating bastard, Karina will apologize on air and pay for the engagement ring, else Ben gets roasted on air... again. When Karina went to Ben's hometown Willow Grove hoping for dirt, Ben joined her program on air, the town folks are caught in the crossfire for popularity ratings... in very unexpected ways. And as Ben and Karina found out a lot about each other (as they went to dig up dirt on each other), they found that perhaps, they are not as hostile to each other as they thought... and they really do have their own demons they must confront...
In a way, this is a subtle dig on why must there be truth all the time? Not all deception is ill-intentioned, and trust is a must in any relationship. And once you've bared your soul, what else is left?
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Enemies to Lovers, On-Air Ambush Radio, and Lack of Trust in a Relationship
Tropes: reality show, enemies to lovers, small town
Overall Rating: 4/5
To recap, radio DJ Karina Kruz hosts Lovers' Quarrel, the hottest confrontational call-in show that vowed to confront infidelity in the city, one caller at a time. However, she seems to have met her match in Ben Adler, after a confrontation caused him his career as a wedding planner in the city AND his girlfriend. Hoping to redeem himself, he gets on the show and ended up with a wager against Karina... If Karina can dig up dirt on him that proved he's a cheating bastard, Karina will apologize on air and pay for the engagement ring, else Ben gets roasted on air... again. When Karina went to Ben's hometown Willow Grove hoping for dirt, Ben joined her program on air, the town folks are caught in the crossfire for popularity ratings... in very unexpected ways. And as Ben and Karina found out a lot about each other (as they went to dig up dirt on each other), they found that perhaps, they are not as hostile to each other as they thought... and they really do have their own demons they must confront...
In a way, this is a subtle dig on why must there be truth all the time? Not all deception is ill-intentioned, and trust is a must in any relationship. And once you've bared your soul, what else is left?
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Enemies to Lovers, On-Air Ambush Radio, and Lack of Trust in a Relationship
Tropes: reality show, enemies to lovers, small town
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Healing Her Heart (Crystal Lake) by Laura Scott
Healing Her Heart is a tight romantic suspense and betrayed trust with a secondary plot of domestic violence. All the plot was resolved in less than 100 pages, which is very nice and tight plotting. Doctor Gabe Allen had a rule about never dating nurses because he was forced from a major metro hospital when a nurse who seduced him found that he had no intention of going long-term and accused him of sexual improprieties. When treating a domestic abuse victim, he came to know ER nurse Larissa with a generous heart. But Larissa also came to the small town to escape a past. Gabe wanted to know Larissa better, but both are hesitant to profess their love with their baggage. When the crazed abuser took Larissa hostage in the hospital, only Gabe may be Larissa's last hope for survival and redemption...
As said before, the plot was tight and all the stuff was wrapped up nicely in such a short novel where everything tied together. The only... "problem" was the MMC did not actively resolve the problem, but he made it possible to delay the gunman so police can arrive and take care of the problem.
Category: Contemporary
As said before, the plot was tight and all the stuff was wrapped up nicely in such a short novel where everything tied together. The only... "problem" was the MMC did not actively resolve the problem, but he made it possible to delay the gunman so police can arrive and take care of the problem.
Primary Plot: Doctor who vowed never to date nurses again found the one nurse he'd really want to date, but will she have him?
Tropes: hot for boss, spiritual, scars, hospital, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Some Girls Do (Outback Heat Book 1) by Amy Andrews
Some Girls Do is a romance set in Australia between Lacey, the fashion student desperate to go home from loneliness, and a much older male friend Coop whom had the hots for her for a long time but left her alone because she's also his best friend's little sister. The push-pull tension was very realistic, and the pretense they had to maintain was perfect rom-com.
To recap, Fashion student Lacey Weston is tired of being shoved around by her 3 big brothers. Their mother, on her deathbed, made the brothers vowed to keep Lacey in design school, but Lacey, missing home too much, has turned self-destructive, including sleeping with professors. One night, betrayed by said professor (he's married with children), she almost froze to death on her friend Coop's door. Coop was in Brisbane watching out for Lacey, despite Lacey's previous pining for Coop when she's only 19. Now years older, Coop still wanted Lacey, but still knew he can't touch her. So he took her home instead. Upon meeting the three brothers, none of whom wanted Lacey to stay, Lacey played the ultimate gambit: threatening that she's pregnant... and then Coop stood up and claimed he's the father, and took a blow in the jaw for it. Now Lacey can stay... and Coop had to stick around... for a little while. Now he and Lacey are living together (platonically), he's the substitute town mechanic, and they're going out as BF/GF. How can Lacey and Coop figure their way out of this mess... and confess their feelings for each other?
Lacey was being a bit immature, being of college age, and just getting rebellious including falling for a professor (who's married! with kids!) but it seems she always had a thing for older men... including Coop who was her brother's best friend. Coops is almost 10 years older, ex-cop, and auto mechanic, strong, with a sense of justice, and protective toward Lacey, but also know that he can't touch her, even with her permission. When Lacey played the pregnancy gambit, Coop decided to stand up and help her with her fiction (he knew she wasn't pregnant!) and that was awfully noble of him...
SPOILER AHEAD
But that also made him very... passive. In fact, one of the darkest moments in the book is when he sent her away to Brisbane so she can pursue an internship with one of the best fashion designers in Australia (after proving her worth when she had to construct a wedding gown in mere hours and was recognized by a local TV station for being a savior). But soon she was sad and moody, and finally realizing she needs to be home... and love Coop.
So what's my beef with the story? The guy's a bit too noble and passive. The girl at least uses tactics to get what she wanted, even if it was being deviously lying. It's almost as if the guy's being the doormat in this story.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Young woman wants to go home, her brothers don't, she got an old friend to help her claim she's pregnant (by him)
Tropes: pregnancy, disguise, friends to lovers, best friend's sister
Overall Rating: 4/5
To recap, Fashion student Lacey Weston is tired of being shoved around by her 3 big brothers. Their mother, on her deathbed, made the brothers vowed to keep Lacey in design school, but Lacey, missing home too much, has turned self-destructive, including sleeping with professors. One night, betrayed by said professor (he's married with children), she almost froze to death on her friend Coop's door. Coop was in Brisbane watching out for Lacey, despite Lacey's previous pining for Coop when she's only 19. Now years older, Coop still wanted Lacey, but still knew he can't touch her. So he took her home instead. Upon meeting the three brothers, none of whom wanted Lacey to stay, Lacey played the ultimate gambit: threatening that she's pregnant... and then Coop stood up and claimed he's the father, and took a blow in the jaw for it. Now Lacey can stay... and Coop had to stick around... for a little while. Now he and Lacey are living together (platonically), he's the substitute town mechanic, and they're going out as BF/GF. How can Lacey and Coop figure their way out of this mess... and confess their feelings for each other?
Lacey was being a bit immature, being of college age, and just getting rebellious including falling for a professor (who's married! with kids!) but it seems she always had a thing for older men... including Coop who was her brother's best friend. Coops is almost 10 years older, ex-cop, and auto mechanic, strong, with a sense of justice, and protective toward Lacey, but also know that he can't touch her, even with her permission. When Lacey played the pregnancy gambit, Coop decided to stand up and help her with her fiction (he knew she wasn't pregnant!) and that was awfully noble of him...
SPOILER AHEAD
But that also made him very... passive. In fact, one of the darkest moments in the book is when he sent her away to Brisbane so she can pursue an internship with one of the best fashion designers in Australia (after proving her worth when she had to construct a wedding gown in mere hours and was recognized by a local TV station for being a savior). But soon she was sad and moody, and finally realizing she needs to be home... and love Coop.
So what's my beef with the story? The guy's a bit too noble and passive. The girl at least uses tactics to get what she wanted, even if it was being deviously lying. It's almost as if the guy's being the doormat in this story.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Young woman wants to go home, her brothers don't, she got an old friend to help her claim she's pregnant (by him)
Tropes: pregnancy, disguise, friends to lovers, best friend's sister
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Someone To Believe In (The O'Neils) by Kathryn Shay
Someone to Believe In deals with gang violence, and two people on opposite sides of the issue. It is intensely emotional, with violence (hinted at murder) near the end as well as the description of violence (gang initiation) as background for the romance, as it is the issue that divides the MMC and the FMC.
She is Bailey O'Neil, aka Street Angel, an anti-gang specialist who wanted funding to get kids out of gangs. He is Clayton Wainwright, US Senator ( a shoo-in for VP in the next election) who believe that gangs are a law enforcement problem, not a social welfare problem. More than ten years ago, he put her behind bars (as district attorney) for harboring a gang member accused of murder. When the anti-crime bill needed the state to allocate funds, and the party chairman told him to bury the hatchet with her, they found they are attracted to each other, and slowly the two came to fall in love, and compromise their position... somewhat. But can they keep their romance a secret against paparazzi? And when Street Angel finally got one of the girls out of the gang, but her homies came gunning for Street Angel for "taking her away", how far will he go to protect her, even if it was to betray her trust and her mission? Can their love survive such challenges and betrayal?
INTENSELY emotional near the end, it was truly the darkest hour when she realized the depth of his betrayal of all that she believed in, and he knew all that and did it anyway, in order to keep her safe. It was what a romance should have... a deeply dividing darkest hour that you wonder if they will ever get back together... However, the grand gesture was rather weak compared to the depth of the darkest hour.
Category: contemporary
Primary Plot: man and woman on different sides of gang mitigation found they were attracted to each other, but can they live with each other's "betrayal"?
Tropes: different worlds, opposites, attract, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5
She is Bailey O'Neil, aka Street Angel, an anti-gang specialist who wanted funding to get kids out of gangs. He is Clayton Wainwright, US Senator ( a shoo-in for VP in the next election) who believe that gangs are a law enforcement problem, not a social welfare problem. More than ten years ago, he put her behind bars (as district attorney) for harboring a gang member accused of murder. When the anti-crime bill needed the state to allocate funds, and the party chairman told him to bury the hatchet with her, they found they are attracted to each other, and slowly the two came to fall in love, and compromise their position... somewhat. But can they keep their romance a secret against paparazzi? And when Street Angel finally got one of the girls out of the gang, but her homies came gunning for Street Angel for "taking her away", how far will he go to protect her, even if it was to betray her trust and her mission? Can their love survive such challenges and betrayal?
INTENSELY emotional near the end, it was truly the darkest hour when she realized the depth of his betrayal of all that she believed in, and he knew all that and did it anyway, in order to keep her safe. It was what a romance should have... a deeply dividing darkest hour that you wonder if they will ever get back together... However, the grand gesture was rather weak compared to the depth of the darkest hour.
Category: contemporary
Primary Plot: man and woman on different sides of gang mitigation found they were attracted to each other, but can they live with each other's "betrayal"?
Tropes: different worlds, opposites, attract, woman in peril
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews His Promise (Married in Montana Book 1) by Lorhainne Eckhart
His Promise is basically the first 3rd of a book, about a couple that promised each other to hold on... but didn't. Years later, they came back together. Things changed, as they both realized neither were totally at fault, while believing the other was at fault... and the truth was somewhere in between... Though the devices used are pretty... trope-ish.
Kim and Bruce were inseparable as teens and have promised to wait for each other... Then when Bruce went off to medical school, and didn't come back, Kim married someone else. Years later, when both returned to town after Kim's divorce, they tried to avoid each other, but both have a lot to say, each believing the other left and broke the promise... but each found that it wasn't the whole truth, and each wanting to find what will they do about such...
With way too much left to say in the subsequent values, this can, at best, be considered a teaser volume.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: man and woman, childhood sweethearts, separated when he went off to college and never came back. Years later, they reunited... Can they get back together?
Tropes: childhood sweethearts, cliffhanger, reunion
Overall Rating: 3/5
Kim and Bruce were inseparable as teens and have promised to wait for each other... Then when Bruce went off to medical school, and didn't come back, Kim married someone else. Years later, when both returned to town after Kim's divorce, they tried to avoid each other, but both have a lot to say, each believing the other left and broke the promise... but each found that it wasn't the whole truth, and each wanting to find what will they do about such...
With way too much left to say in the subsequent values, this can, at best, be considered a teaser volume.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: man and woman, childhood sweethearts, separated when he went off to college and never came back. Years later, they reunited... Can they get back together?
Tropes: childhood sweethearts, cliffhanger, reunion
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews Wishing in Wisconsin (At the Altar) by Kirsten Osbourne
A modern variation of mail-order bride, the At the Altar series is an interesting scenario... marriage first, love later.
Cindy, the owner of a B&B in Wisconsin, was blindly matched with Trey, a web developer from Texas. The premise is the psychologist prescreen the candidates and match them up, but neither knew about the other and they meet at the altar, where they get married immediately. Cindy grew up in the town and there are no eligible bachelors around she'd marry while running her B&B. Trey, on the other hand, was tired of his crazy sister's plan to match him up with every OTHER crazy girl she can get her hands on back in Texas, and she had been doing this since she was a teenager. So as Trey settled into his life in Wisconsin (as a web developer he can work anywhere) Cindy started to learn about the quirks (like Trey prefers to work in just his boxers). Then Trey's crazy sister showed up with a girl in tow insisting that's the right girl for Trey, despite Trey having already married...
There really isn't much of the darkest hour or grand gesture, and the sister really needs psychological help, but the story was sweet and interesting otherwise. It's like having dating life and married life compressed into a few short weeks.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Trey, eager to get away from his crazy sister, married Cindy sight-unseen and moved to Wisconsin; can such a match actually work?
Tropes: different worlds, mail order bride, sibling problem
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Forever Dreams (Montana Brides) by Leeanna Morgan
Leeanna Morgan's Forever Dreams felt just it ran too long with too many complications along the way.
Gracie Donnelly, from New Zealand, is visiting Montana, ostensibly for a visit and exchange with a local school district. She's really here to locate her birth father, who left her mother pregnant and alone back in New Zealand decades ago. Locally, she fell in with ranch owner Trent McKenzie, who can't trust another woman after the betrayal of his first wife. Yet Gracie stirred something in Trent's soul that hadn't flickered in a while. And Trent figured out who Gracie's birth father is... but telling her may lead to her leaving. NOT telling her... will DEFINITELY lead to her leaving when she found out. So what will it be, cowboy?
Frankly, having the push-pull between the Kiwi girl and the Montana Cowboy should be enough, but the author managed to dilute the plot with friends, neighbors, a Las Vegas Wedding nowhere near the end that left her shackled to him with some insincere apologies, not to mention lack of research about horseback riding and wolves as well as some mix-up in dialect with Montana folks speaking Kiwi English that shook you out of the narrative. It was pretty obvious the author was NOT American.
Category: Contemporary / Western
Primary Plot: Woman in search of her birth father was attracted to a rancher, who figured out who her birth father is. But telling her vs. not telling her would both result in her leaving...
Tropes: different worlds, cowboy, disguise,
Overall Rating: 2/5
GRR Reviews Cowboys Don't Cry (Tanner Brothers) by Anne McAllister
Cowboys Don't Cry is a "Western Romance" (which basically means it involves cowboys) between the ranch foreman Robert Tanner and the new owner of the ranch, who happened to be a city girl and school teacher, Maggie MacLeod. Maggie was a tempting redhead who knew nothing of ranch ops but willing to learn, and someone everybody talked about in private but shows deference to in public... Except for Tanner. Tanner had trust issues after his wife had a miscarriage and basically refused to come back to the ranch. Tanner should have left the ranch but his promise to the previous owner to help with the transition must be kept. But the more he stayed, the more inappropriate things he wanted to do with Maggie... And the affection is mutual...
SPOILER AHEAD
Tanner is one tortured soul with conflicting views to Maggie and eventually, when temptation was too strong, he did a runner to sort out his feelings, by working his way across the west for many months. When he finally admitted to himself that he wanted Maggie, he came back, but will Maggie be waiting around for him? Frankly, this sort of "run away to sort feelings" belongs to BEGINNING of the book, not as the end resolution of the book. It's horribly annoying to read.
Category: Western
Primary Plot: Ranch foreman conflicted between his view on woman and his promise to teach the new owner all he knew, except he's attracted to the feisty city-woman...
Tropes: different worlds, cowboy, scars,
Overall Rating: 3/5
SPOILER AHEAD
Tanner is one tortured soul with conflicting views to Maggie and eventually, when temptation was too strong, he did a runner to sort out his feelings, by working his way across the west for many months. When he finally admitted to himself that he wanted Maggie, he came back, but will Maggie be waiting around for him? Frankly, this sort of "run away to sort feelings" belongs to BEGINNING of the book, not as the end resolution of the book. It's horribly annoying to read.
Category: Western
Primary Plot: Ranch foreman conflicted between his view on woman and his promise to teach the new owner all he knew, except he's attracted to the feisty city-woman...
Tropes: different worlds, cowboy, scars,
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews His Tempting Bride (BBW Western) by Jenn Roseton
His Tempting Bride is a romance novella between Gage, a ranch owner in Montana, and Heather, an event planner in New York. The romance between the two and the affection seems genuine. The problem is there is really NOTHING keeping them apart aside from her own inadequacy issues i.e. "How can he want me? I am so unworthy!" (not exact words)
To recap, Heather was working in a New York hotel as an event planner when she had to sub for front desk duty, and met Gage Coltson a guest. Heather is a BBW and basically figured that no man would be interested in her. Gage was checking in and lost his wallet, and Heather impulsively trusted Gage to pay for his hotel room herself and let him check in, trusting him to pay her back later. Next day he paid her back and took her out for a memorable drinks and dinner, and declared his intention to woo her, but he was going so slow she wasn't sure. Then he invited her to visit his ranch in Montana (that he shared with his 6 brothers) for a two-week vacation and she went there, and he was still going so slow she wasn't quite sure. it didn't help when her sister showed up with her boyfriend... Turns out they were distant in-laws (back in their grandpa's generation) and sorta enemies each believing the other had wrong them. More than a week passed before he finally got her into his bed, as they keep getting interrupted. Now Heather needs to make a choice: go back to New York and settle back into her life... or take a chance on Gage and live in Montana?
As explained before, the family issues were resolved in merely a few pages. There wasn't really much tension in the whole thing. Pretty "cozy" romance.
To recap, Heather was working in a New York hotel as an event planner when she had to sub for front desk duty, and met Gage Coltson a guest. Heather is a BBW and basically figured that no man would be interested in her. Gage was checking in and lost his wallet, and Heather impulsively trusted Gage to pay for his hotel room herself and let him check in, trusting him to pay her back later. Next day he paid her back and took her out for a memorable drinks and dinner, and declared his intention to woo her, but he was going so slow she wasn't sure. Then he invited her to visit his ranch in Montana (that he shared with his 6 brothers) for a two-week vacation and she went there, and he was still going so slow she wasn't quite sure. it didn't help when her sister showed up with her boyfriend... Turns out they were distant in-laws (back in their grandpa's generation) and sorta enemies each believing the other had wrong them. More than a week passed before he finally got her into his bed, as they keep getting interrupted. Now Heather needs to make a choice: go back to New York and settle back into her life... or take a chance on Gage and live in Montana?
As explained before, the family issues were resolved in merely a few pages. There wasn't really much tension in the whole thing. Pretty "cozy" romance.
Category: Western / Contemporary
Primary Plot: Woman visits a rich guy on a ranch after having done him a favor; she really liked the place, but is he inviting her to stay long-term?
Tropes: different worlds, cowboy, Montana
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews Texas Cowboy (Whiskey River Series) by Eve Gaddy
Texas Cowboy throws together two neighbors... Trey Kelly, horse breeder and co-owner of Kelly Ranch, and the reclusive neighbor, Arianna Wright, who was scarred in an auto accident, and heart-broken. The two characters are drawn nicely, esp. Ariana, but Trey was a bit, bland.
Trey Kelly is the oldest son of Boots Kelly, and runs the Kelly Ranch, as well as his horse breeding business, but his love life is... negligible. Plenty of women wanted to warm his bed, but he can't seem to find one he wanted to keep... until he spied his neighbor, Ariana Wright. Ariana was jilted when her fiancee ran off the road with her in the car and scarred her for life, right on the cheek, then dumped her when she's no longer beautiful. Now she's a recluse on her lavender farm next to the Kelly ranch with her cousin creating a new line of lavender-based beauty products, but felt ugly and broken. However, she looked fine to Trey. Can Trey convince her of that and to give him a chance for her heart?
She's somehow convinced herself that she's ugly after the accident and no man would ever want her again, and Trey has to work on her to convince her she's beautiful. Trey here is a bit bland, but the idea of help a girl out of her depression is to the sweet after is a lot of fun.
Category: Western (contemporary)
Primary Plot: Hurt man meets scarred woman on the neighboring ranch... she's the only woman he wanted, but is she ready to love again?
Tropes: different worlds, scars, cowboy
Overall Rating: 4/5
Trey Kelly is the oldest son of Boots Kelly, and runs the Kelly Ranch, as well as his horse breeding business, but his love life is... negligible. Plenty of women wanted to warm his bed, but he can't seem to find one he wanted to keep... until he spied his neighbor, Ariana Wright. Ariana was jilted when her fiancee ran off the road with her in the car and scarred her for life, right on the cheek, then dumped her when she's no longer beautiful. Now she's a recluse on her lavender farm next to the Kelly ranch with her cousin creating a new line of lavender-based beauty products, but felt ugly and broken. However, she looked fine to Trey. Can Trey convince her of that and to give him a chance for her heart?
She's somehow convinced herself that she's ugly after the accident and no man would ever want her again, and Trey has to work on her to convince her she's beautiful. Trey here is a bit bland, but the idea of help a girl out of her depression is to the sweet after is a lot of fun.
Category: Western (contemporary)
Primary Plot: Hurt man meets scarred woman on the neighboring ranch... she's the only woman he wanted, but is she ready to love again?
Tropes: different worlds, scars, cowboy
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Cassie (Brides of the Rockies Book 1) by Carré White
Cassie is a Western Romance that falls back to the basic reformed rake/enemies into lovers formula, and the attraction was a bit vague.
Cassie Bjorn had always hated Nathan Carroll since they were kids. He dipped her blonde braids in ink, poured honey in her school bag, and more. When he grew up, he was a womanizer and drunkard with appalling manners. Unfortunately, he's also son of the sheriff, and their mothers were best friends, so despite Cassie's utter hatred for Nathan, their families want them to marry. When a shootout caused an unexpected kiss between the two, the town soon was flooded with rumors... But if Nathan is willing to change for Cassie, can Cassie change her mind about Nathan?
Frankly, with the amount of hatred that Cassie displayed toward Nathan (and how her parents were discouraging her other suitor) Cassie should be piping mad refusing all contact with Nathan. Instead, she seems to be secretly enjoying the attention of the alpha male / reformed rake, and there really was not much of a hint of this half-sweetness and conflicting emotions in the first half of the book (she's too busy running around being mad). Being left with only one choice is not a choice. It's being forced into it. And the "jail wagon" idea was the most stupid thing ever.
The whole thing just felt too long, the chemistry is unexplained, and thus, the romance feels... forced.
Category: Western historical
Primary Plot: Woman HATED the man she was paired up with since they were kids. When a shootout caused to to kiss him (fearing imminent death), can she change for him, and he for her?
Tropes: reformed rake, enemies to lovers
Overall Rating: 2/5
Cassie Bjorn had always hated Nathan Carroll since they were kids. He dipped her blonde braids in ink, poured honey in her school bag, and more. When he grew up, he was a womanizer and drunkard with appalling manners. Unfortunately, he's also son of the sheriff, and their mothers were best friends, so despite Cassie's utter hatred for Nathan, their families want them to marry. When a shootout caused an unexpected kiss between the two, the town soon was flooded with rumors... But if Nathan is willing to change for Cassie, can Cassie change her mind about Nathan?
Frankly, with the amount of hatred that Cassie displayed toward Nathan (and how her parents were discouraging her other suitor) Cassie should be piping mad refusing all contact with Nathan. Instead, she seems to be secretly enjoying the attention of the alpha male / reformed rake, and there really was not much of a hint of this half-sweetness and conflicting emotions in the first half of the book (she's too busy running around being mad). Being left with only one choice is not a choice. It's being forced into it. And the "jail wagon" idea was the most stupid thing ever.
The whole thing just felt too long, the chemistry is unexplained, and thus, the romance feels... forced.
Category: Western historical
Primary Plot: Woman HATED the man she was paired up with since they were kids. When a shootout caused to to kiss him (fearing imminent death), can she change for him, and he for her?
Tropes: reformed rake, enemies to lovers
Overall Rating: 2/5
GRR Reviews Mail Order Bride: A Bride for the Deputy ( by Emily Woods
A Bride for the Deputy is a good twist on the mail order bride, by remixing it with a couple different romance tropes: mistaken identity, and stalker.
Claire fled west from the ruffians that killed her fiancee to collect on a debt, then tried to squeeze money out of her. Upon arriving in Bozeman, Montana, she was mistaken for the mail-order bride by a handsome man. She made the snap decision to embrace the mistake... only to find that her "intended" Wesley, is a deputy in town, having had his own heart broken back in Texas and is not kind toward liars. Can Claire confess before Wesley finds out that she's a liar? Can Wesley accept a liar, but only forced by circumstance?
There was a twist later which I will not spoil, but the novelette was a good change of pace without too much angst. There was a bit of suspense at the beginning and the end, and some tension about the potential discovery of the lie. Good pace and read overall.
Category: historical western, mail order bride
Primary Plot: Girl on the run was mistaken as a deputy's mail-order bride; Can she confess before he finds out?
Tropes: woman in peril, mail order bride, stalker, mistaken identity, law enforcement
Overall Rating: 4/5
Claire fled west from the ruffians that killed her fiancee to collect on a debt, then tried to squeeze money out of her. Upon arriving in Bozeman, Montana, she was mistaken for the mail-order bride by a handsome man. She made the snap decision to embrace the mistake... only to find that her "intended" Wesley, is a deputy in town, having had his own heart broken back in Texas and is not kind toward liars. Can Claire confess before Wesley finds out that she's a liar? Can Wesley accept a liar, but only forced by circumstance?
There was a twist later which I will not spoil, but the novelette was a good change of pace without too much angst. There was a bit of suspense at the beginning and the end, and some tension about the potential discovery of the lie. Good pace and read overall.
Category: historical western, mail order bride
Primary Plot: Girl on the run was mistaken as a deputy's mail-order bride; Can she confess before he finds out?
Tropes: woman in peril, mail order bride, stalker, mistaken identity, law enforcement
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews Mail Order Mishap: Book 1 Kansas Brides by Barbara Goss
For a mail-order bride story, Mail Order Mishap sure has twists upon twists.
Amber Wakefield traveled to Huner's Grove Kansas to marry a hotel owner, only to find her betrothed, Charles Turner, to be rather NOT attracted to her, but to her dowry. Charles' brother, Garrett Turner, was downright hostile to her. When Amber's chaperone in town fell ill, Amber was forced to stay in town, and learned Charles and Garrett were keeping a secret... and Amber found herself liking Garrett instead. When Charles sent Garrett pretending to be Charles to consummate the marriage, Amber was very tempted to let Garrett (pretending to be Charles) take advantage of her, but he got to the 2nd base, then ran off. What was the secret and why are they behaving this way?
The twist was, well, let's just say Charles has different leanings, while Garrett has the hots for Amber. So how's this triangle going to resolve? For that, read the novel.
Category: Western Historical, mail order bride
Primary Plot: Just arrived mail order bride prefers her intended's brother instead...
Tropes: triangle, sibling problem, mail order bride, disguise
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Amber Wakefield traveled to Huner's Grove Kansas to marry a hotel owner, only to find her betrothed, Charles Turner, to be rather NOT attracted to her, but to her dowry. Charles' brother, Garrett Turner, was downright hostile to her. When Amber's chaperone in town fell ill, Amber was forced to stay in town, and learned Charles and Garrett were keeping a secret... and Amber found herself liking Garrett instead. When Charles sent Garrett pretending to be Charles to consummate the marriage, Amber was very tempted to let Garrett (pretending to be Charles) take advantage of her, but he got to the 2nd base, then ran off. What was the secret and why are they behaving this way?
The twist was, well, let's just say Charles has different leanings, while Garrett has the hots for Amber. So how's this triangle going to resolve? For that, read the novel.
Category: Western Historical, mail order bride
Primary Plot: Just arrived mail order bride prefers her intended's brother instead...
Tropes: triangle, sibling problem, mail order bride, disguise
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews The Convenient Mail Order Bride (Chance by Ruth Ann Nordin
The Convenient Mail Order Bride was a pretty "cozy" western mail order bride story that started with a deception and ended up with proper karma for all.
Phoebe answered a mail order bride advertisement when she and her mother was about to be tossed into the street. They arrived only to find that her intended groom, Abe, did not place the ad... It was written by his rival hoping to "distract" Abe from pursuing the disputed land. What's worse, Abe is half-Native American, and he had been looked down upon in town. His prickly exterior was the way he had to deal with life, and the Eastern proper lady and her mom would never understand the harsh realities of frontier life, not when his own mother was raped and his uncle killed in front of him. He was determined to send the little lady and her mom back on the stagecoach back East when it comes back. However, Phoebe turned out to be tougher than expected and had NO reservations about taking a half-breed as a husband and learning the frontier life. But with danger everywhere, can there be love as well?
Both characters are nicely written. Phoebe is both innocent AND tough (but perhaps not as tough as she imagined to be), while Abe... well, Cranky Abe would be accurate, yet there's a soft interior that well hidden, and with Phoebe's persistence, she managed to get inside. This is NOT a Christian romance (i.e. clean) but sex scenes are minimal. All in all, a pretty good variation on mail order bride that started with an oops. The ending seems a little convenient though. Mother didn't play much of a role though.
Category: Western historical, mail order bride, romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Woman and her mother arrived in frontier town only to find her intended groom did not place the ad... it was placed by his rival as a "distraction". Can she still love him? Does he want to be loved?
Tropes: mail order bride, different worlds
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Phoebe answered a mail order bride advertisement when she and her mother was about to be tossed into the street. They arrived only to find that her intended groom, Abe, did not place the ad... It was written by his rival hoping to "distract" Abe from pursuing the disputed land. What's worse, Abe is half-Native American, and he had been looked down upon in town. His prickly exterior was the way he had to deal with life, and the Eastern proper lady and her mom would never understand the harsh realities of frontier life, not when his own mother was raped and his uncle killed in front of him. He was determined to send the little lady and her mom back on the stagecoach back East when it comes back. However, Phoebe turned out to be tougher than expected and had NO reservations about taking a half-breed as a husband and learning the frontier life. But with danger everywhere, can there be love as well?
Both characters are nicely written. Phoebe is both innocent AND tough (but perhaps not as tough as she imagined to be), while Abe... well, Cranky Abe would be accurate, yet there's a soft interior that well hidden, and with Phoebe's persistence, she managed to get inside. This is NOT a Christian romance (i.e. clean) but sex scenes are minimal. All in all, a pretty good variation on mail order bride that started with an oops. The ending seems a little convenient though. Mother didn't play much of a role though.
Category: Western historical, mail order bride, romantic suspense
Primary Plot: Woman and her mother arrived in frontier town only to find her intended groom did not place the ad... it was placed by his rival as a "distraction". Can she still love him? Does he want to be loved?
Tropes: mail order bride, different worlds
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Reviews Nellie (The Brides of San Francisco Book by Cynthia Woolf
Nellie is a decent variation on the mail order bride trope that sends a widow with two kids from the East all the way to San Francisco... as the wife of a saloon owner.
Nellie, the namesake of the novel, was married and bore two kids for her husband despite her husband being somewhat of a sadist in bed. But after the husband died in the Civil War, her in-laws don't really want her around. She married herself off to the West Coast to Blake Malone, a saloon owner in San Francisco. Nellie had a hard time loving the guy because she thought sex equals pain and she didn't want to confuse the kids. Blake, despite being a saloon owner (who also employed a lot of "working girls") loved the kids, but his previous marriage didn't work out (not spoiling it here) and have a current woman after him (who's a bit psycho)...
The book was just slow as heck at times. Blake is just a little too perfect in the present despite his past actions, and Nellie, despite her marriage and kids, is about as shy as an ingenue. The tension started to creep up when the psycho ex of Blake started to plan her dastardly deeds, but that was drawn out for a LONG while with other characters introduced possibly for subsequent volumes. There were TWO separate darkest hours, one from her ex-in-laws, and one from the psycho-ex, and thus there were two endings.
All in all, the setup and the time period does make a different type of mail-order bride story, but the diffused threat from two fronts as well as some excess of plot points made the book less enjoyable than it could be.
Category: Historical western / mail order bride
Primary Plot: Widow with two kids married herself to San Francisco to a saloon owner with "working girls"... Can he show her that sex is actually wonderful and she can be loved?
Tropes: mail order bride, different worlds, scars, evil in-laws, single parent, widow, bar owner
Overall Rating: 3/5
Nellie, the namesake of the novel, was married and bore two kids for her husband despite her husband being somewhat of a sadist in bed. But after the husband died in the Civil War, her in-laws don't really want her around. She married herself off to the West Coast to Blake Malone, a saloon owner in San Francisco. Nellie had a hard time loving the guy because she thought sex equals pain and she didn't want to confuse the kids. Blake, despite being a saloon owner (who also employed a lot of "working girls") loved the kids, but his previous marriage didn't work out (not spoiling it here) and have a current woman after him (who's a bit psycho)...
The book was just slow as heck at times. Blake is just a little too perfect in the present despite his past actions, and Nellie, despite her marriage and kids, is about as shy as an ingenue. The tension started to creep up when the psycho ex of Blake started to plan her dastardly deeds, but that was drawn out for a LONG while with other characters introduced possibly for subsequent volumes. There were TWO separate darkest hours, one from her ex-in-laws, and one from the psycho-ex, and thus there were two endings.
All in all, the setup and the time period does make a different type of mail-order bride story, but the diffused threat from two fronts as well as some excess of plot points made the book less enjoyable than it could be.
Category: Historical western / mail order bride
Primary Plot: Widow with two kids married herself to San Francisco to a saloon owner with "working girls"... Can he show her that sex is actually wonderful and she can be loved?
Tropes: mail order bride, different worlds, scars, evil in-laws, single parent, widow, bar owner
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Reviews Commanding Her SEAL (ASSIGNMENT: C by Kat Cantrell
Commanding Her SEAL is a quick "vacation romance" that's basically "fling to a thing".
Charlie St. Croix, a SEAL on leave, met marine biologist Audra Reed on the beach. Both "did not do relationships", yet felt a connection. How far will they go, and can they leave it all behind?
This romance is basically they have very enjoyable days and nights while slowly admit they are falling for each other. There really wasn't much of a conflict, just some very hot nights between two lovely people who wondered what took them so long to find each other.
Category: Contemporary / Military
Primary Plot: SEAL on Vacation found Marine Biologist on Vacation in the Caribbean and had hot steamy times
Tropes: Fling to a thing, commitment-phobe, resort
Overall Rating: 4/5
Charlie St. Croix, a SEAL on leave, met marine biologist Audra Reed on the beach. Both "did not do relationships", yet felt a connection. How far will they go, and can they leave it all behind?
This romance is basically they have very enjoyable days and nights while slowly admit they are falling for each other. There really wasn't much of a conflict, just some very hot nights between two lovely people who wondered what took them so long to find each other.
Category: Contemporary / Military
Primary Plot: SEAL on Vacation found Marine Biologist on Vacation in the Caribbean and had hot steamy times
Tropes: Fling to a thing, commitment-phobe, resort
Overall Rating: 4/5
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