GRR Reviews Rising Star by Terri Osburn

Nashville DJ Charley is living her dream as a radio host in the heart of country music... but she is concentrating on her career. She had a one-night-stand with a hot cowboy Dylan, but decided that's it and snuck out next morning. Unfortunately, he's not done with her... He's actually a country star who's launching his new single, and when he appeared in her studio for a live performance, it's not exactly a happy reunion... But he wanted to woo her, and she gave in... as he is sweet and caring... But when his career took off, and he stopped returning calls, Charley found that a surprise "gift" will show up in nine months...

Nice mix between angst and comedy. The development later was almost a trope, and somewhat expected. It's still good though. 4/5

GRR Reviews His First and Last (Ardent Springs Book 1 by Terri Osburn

His First and Last is about homecoming and a second chance at love, and it managed to surprise me with a couple plot twists.

Lorelei Pratchett hated her town of Ardent Springs because her mother is a single parent who claimed she didn't remember who the father was. At eighteen, she left to chase her Hollywood dreams, leaving behind her boyfriend Spencer Boyd, vowing never to return. Twelve years later, she's back, her dreams went nowhere, her mom's gone but the town has changed... and has long memories. And Spencer is still there and still waiting. Lorelei threw herself into the fundraiser trying to save the downtown theater and tried to start a side-business on baking in her grandma's kitchen. But her rivals are still there, sabotaging her plans, then Spencer's ex showed up...

Without spoiling the story, let's just say Lorelli will find out who her father *really* is, despite her mom previously claiming she didn't know. But there's a reasonable explanation for why. The grand gesture was perfect, and let's just say Spencer will find a big surprise from Lorelli (no, she's not pregnant...) and it'll be both... very nice and very angry kind of surprise. I very much enjoyed reading this book.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman heading back to town, to see boyfriend she left behind; can they get back together, even as secrets are unveiled?

Tropes: return, single parent, reunion, triangle, small town, family secrets

Overall Rating:  5/5

GRR Reviews Meant to Be (An Anchor Island Novel) by Terri Osburn

Meant to Be is about start loving oneself and stop pleasing everybody else, as well as loving the "wrong" person, with clear character arc and growth for both FMC and MMC. No obviously "too stupid to live" moments, and in fact, a lot of LOL/ROFL moments. Only lack of karma for the few evildoers marred this from being a must-read book.

Elizabeth spent her life pleasing everybody else. She went to law school to make her grandparents happy. She agreed to marry her workaholic boyfriend Lucas to make him happy. Despite her fear of boats she took a ferry to see Lucas' parents on Anchor Island to make them happy... She had a panic attack onboard but was talked down/saved by a tall handsome stranger... who turned out to be Lucas' older brother Joe, who was deeply hurt from his own previous engagement to the wrong girl. Elizabeth found herself drawn to Joe, as Lucas stayed at mainland to handle a case... and did not come back. But Joe's ex was on the island trying to buy it from the residents to make a huge resort... Was it just to get back at Joe? Joe wanted Elizabeth even though he could not possibly take his brother's girl...

The book was a lot of fun to read as there are many sitcom-worthy uncomfortable moments that would have you howling or ROFL. Imagine this scene: FMC was drunk with Joe's head mechanic, a girl named Sid, who's model pretty but prefers greasy coveralls and muck with engines... and had a thing for Lucas, yes... Elizabeth's betrothed. They got drunk together after playing dressup. Sid was supposed to get the truth from Elizabeth on what was she hiding (she works at the lawfirm who also contracted with Joe's nemesis ex's rich daddy), but instead both got skunk drunk and had to be carried home, by Randy (Sid's brother) and Joe respectively. Elizabeth then kinda confessed, threw up in Joe's restroom, and passed out, and Joe had to undress her (dress covered in vomit) and clean her up and tuck her in. Talk about temptation! :D And obviously she remembered nothing next morning except a vague sense of "OMG, what happened?" The secondary characters were added in without making them feel useless.

All in all, enjoyed the book a lot even though the darkest hour wasn't as bad as it could be, and the grand gesture was not that grand. And karma, but I said that. Still, fun read.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: People-pleaser woman visit BF's home without BF, comforted by BF's brother, ended up falling in love with brother... but someone else wanted petty revenge...

Tropes: small town (island), triangle, sibling problem, unrequited love,

Overall Rating:  4/5