GRR Reviews The Secret Son by Joan Kilby

Alex is taking a few weeks off after making partner in a Seattle marketing firm. But a birthday card from his estranged father brought back some memories... and he detoured to Sweetheart, Montana in search of his past, and a family, for after his mother's passing, he no longer had a family. // Emma is the plain Jane of the family of sisters and a scientist. She had seen rich playboys like Alex... They go for her younger blonde and prettier sisters, not her. Emma didn't count on Alex's connection to her hometown... // Alex went "undercover" and joined the cherry picking crew to learn about his father's "real" family. When he learned that his father kept him a secret, and intended to keep doing so, he can't stay. But will he stay for Emma?

Nice angsty past, where circumstances just happen to break families. Family drama is great. The love here, however, is a bit more nebulous. Somehow I just didn't quite feel the love between the two MCs. 4/5

GRR Her Heart's Promise by Carolyne Aarsen

Nadine is one of the editors of the town newspaper, and she's clashing with the new owner Clint. Nadine's father died under mysterious circumstances at work and was blamed for the accident that took his life, something completely out of character. And Nadine held his employer accountable and suspected a cover-up, and used her position to investigate the company. But Clint, as the owner, knew that the paper is running on paper-thin margins and can't afford a lawsuit, something that big company CAN afford, and he needs her to kill the story. It doesn't help that Nadine had a secret crush on Clint back in high school, only to fall for her younger and prettier sister (like all other men do), then broker her sister's heart. On top of that, her mother's sick, her grandmother is matchmaking her to ANY bachelor in town, and her FAKE boyfriend (one made up to appease grandma) turned out to be a real guy and actually do wanted to date her...

Uh, there's a HUGE plot hole in the background that seems the author forgot. Clint supposedly broke Nadine's sister's heart. In reality, he agreed to keep a secret for her. This was revealed in one of Clint's own musings. Yet he couldn't understand Nadine's hostility toward her. WTF? Is this guy STUPID?! Or just absent-minded?  Clearly, author tried to stack on the complications and forgot to verify that they actually make sense while stacked together.  Some parts of it was quite good, esp. when we got to about the half way point when more secrets are revealed and there was a plot twist, but pace is slow, and add logical errors, the book was "okay". 3/5

GRR Reviews Big Rock by Lauren Blakely

Spencer and Charlotte are business partners and best friends. They co-own a bar. Spencer has a bit of playboy image, appears on gossip rags regularly usually with a different woman on his arm, as he's got the looks, the charm, the personaltiy, and has money. Spencer came from money as his father owned a high-end jewelry chain. His father wanted to sell, and it seems the right buyer just appeared. However, the buyer is an upstanding guy, and Spencer's father asked Spencer to cool off a bit on his love life. Spencer went above and beyond by claiming he and Charlotte are engaged. And after some initial reluctance, she agreed to play along. But will their friendship survive the deception? What if someone learned their secret and was ready to expose it?

Oooh, love the twist at the end, though I wish more clues were dropped earlier. 4/5

GRR Reviews Nightstalker by Riley Edwards

Jasmin knew it wasn't the name she was born with. She knew she was captured and tortured and rescued. But she cannot recall the details. She went back into the field as an operator, being the best shot in the business. So who is Lincoln? Why his words can turn her on like no other? And when he went missing on a mission, can she save him? // Lincoln had been through SEAL training, and later, as a CIA operative. He just returned from a two-year undercover assignment, and there was Jasmin, alive and kicking, and... lost. Lincoln knew Jasmin like no other... but that's a secret Jasmin had to find out for herself, and it's hiding in her own mind. When Lincoln went MIA on a mission, Jasmin may be his only hope...

Okay, good twists and turns and the Red Team stories continue in "Protecting Olivia". The military bits are actually not bad, but the conspiracy and hidden identity stuff seem a bit over the top... Like what happened to Jasmin's head... or her secret relationships with others (some she didn't even know) all in the name of "national security". The meta-story, about someone messing with the US government, as vague and twisty that I'm not too sure if I like it. Overall, the novel is definitely a 4/5 though.

GRR Reviews The Cowboy's Fake Marriage by Bree Livingston

Grace Maddox, interior designer, has been living in a funk ever since her fiancee died a few days before their wedding. When her car broke down in Willow Valley, TX, hours away from her VIP client meeting, she was told to not come back until she has her head together. Now jobless and carless, Grace was actually thrilled to find that the rundown B&B, ran by Jackson, ex-rodeo cowboy, is actually a dream for an interior designer (and restorer) like her. It will take a lot of work... // Jackson had enough of his ex-wife Hannah. She cheated on him, so he divorced her. Now she demands to be back in his life... Which is when Grace came to Jackson's rescue... by pretending to be his new fiancee. Then Hannah played her trump card: Jackson can either take her back... Or her rich daddy will foreclose on the Jackson ranch. Jackson has 3 months to come up with 100K... Or sell it before then. And Jackson is determined to keep the ranch... AND keep Hannah away. Grace will work for room and board... and turn the B&B into a dude ranch. But when Hannah pushed the couple to "prove" they really intend to marry... will they?

Okay, everything fits so far, nobody has any particular TSTL moments. Heck, even Hannah had a bit of redemption by the end. Though Grace accepting Hannah's "help" (and basically forcing Jackson to go along with it) was almost TSTL. But it also sort of make sense as they need every bit of help they can get. It is however, a bit long and "feels" slow-paced. 4/5

GRR Reviews Beware the Rich Man by Laura Landon

NOTE: Regency Romance (Victorian England)

Blake Edison, textile importer, and one of the richest men in London, has no title, but he swore an oath to destroy Duke of Somerset. The heartless bastard, eager to protect his own reputation, allowed Blake's mother to suffer and die by deliberately refusing to help, and Blake ended up an orphan on the streets. But circumstances have changed. Blake had been buying up Duke's debt slowly, and he will destroy Duke's latest plan... To have his son (Blake's half-brother) marry Lady Willow Gilchrist for her dowry left by her grandmother, in exchange for two estates... // Lady Willow understood duty to family. She loves to design clothing, but that is scandalous in itself, so it's only in secret. She met Blake, and they share a common passion: textiles. The attraction is immediate, but neither can act on it. Lady Willow knew she was promised to the son of Duke of Somerset, in order to secure two estates to help her family's future, as the two younger brothers have no estates to support themselves. And Duke of Somerset is eager to get her dowry to fulfill his debts. Yet her heart already belongs to Blake... 

Ah, taboo and forbidden love, good setting, nice intrigue, and good amount of angst. Yet the story just feels... full of logical holes. Being one of the richest men, Blake had no guards or attendants. And why the Duke ordered an attack on him also made no sense. Duke doesn't know Blake was his "bastard son", yet instead of attempting to negotiate for his debt, he simply went ahead and ordered the attack on Blake for POSSIBLY interfering with Lady Willow's plan to marry his son. There was also Blake doing a totally virtuous thing... when he could have seduced Lady Willow just as the Duke feared. And Lady Willow TOTALLY did NOT react when she finally learned WHY. The end also felt a bit deus ex machina, when it was finally revealed that Duke actually doesn't own the estates in question. He sold them off long ago to fund his ill-fated investments. How can Lady Willow's family not insist on some verification before committing their daughter's dowry and future? Feels TSTL. 

4/5

GRR Reviews Royal Catch by Kylie Gilmore

Gabe, the crown prince of Villroy, knew his father's ill and he may be expected to take the throne soon. He understood he needs to take a wife. He didn't expect his parents to arrange for a Survivor meets The Bachelor challenge, with multiple princesses... Nor did he expect for one of the contestants to steal his heart so early... yet so unsuitable for him... // Anna is not a princess, but she's impersonating one. The real princess Polly is in jail for identity theft... because Polly wanted to hide from her family and used a dead person's name to buy a house for her VERY VERY distant cousin Anna (they share a common ancestor six generations ago). Polly can't hire a lawyer to sort out her mess without alerting her family as her money's tied up in the house. Cousin Anna, who really does look like Polly, hopes to get the inheritance money for Polly to sort out her mess, only to land in one of her own... it seems she was lured to the island with false promises, yet there may be a prize at the end. But Anna knew she's not a princess. As soon as she gets enough prizes, she'll go. She didn't expect she and Gabe fell for each other, but she will let Gabe go, even if she has to leave broken-hearted, so he can do his duty. But will he let her?

Well, it's... entertaining. Kylie Gilmore has a knack for setting up comedic yet serious situations in her previous novels, and this is no exception. While the overall plot's been done, this is a fine rendition of it. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews I'm With Cupid by Sarah Spade

Cole is a cupid (yes, no capital C). He was recruited by Eros to help mortals fall in love, yes, arrows and all that. And cupids are immune to the arrows (job security)  He was about to finish his quota for the year, just before the time window closes, when somehow, despite his invisibility shields, he was spotted peeping (just making sure the couple is together) by the female subject's feisty cousin Sheila. Which is then he found out he has ZERO powers. No wings, no arrow, no invisibility shield. Now a mere mortal, Cole's only hope was to convince Sheila that he needs help to go home to Philadelphia and report to his boss Eros... // Sheila has pepper spray in one hand and car keys in the other, and she's chasing down the peeping tom... When he stopped. His story is crazy... Cupid? Arrows? Magic powers lost? But somehow she believed him. Sheila is now on a quest from Salem to Philadelphia to get Cole back so he can get his cupid mojo back. Cole may not be able to fall in love... but Sheila found herself attracted to the wingless cupid...

Ahhhh...... cute! And you'll like the twist (i.e. the reason why Cole's magic vanished)  5/5

GRR Reviews Heartstruck and Heavensent by Kari Trumbo

Madison is a very private librarian. Nobody knows her well, and that's her choice. She based her life on her parents, who are Christians with zero public affections, that love is something to be shamed. So much so, she left Kansas behind and went to New York City. She's even more ashamed because she has a secret side job: romance writer. And she's actually quite decent at it... Until she hit a writer's block. When three of her best online friends roped her into a week at the Broken J Ranch in Wyoming as sort of a writing retreat, she accepted, as anything would be better than writing nothing. Which is where she also met a quiet wrangler by the name of Randall... // Randall has land in Kansas, and he's just working in Wyoming to save up some money to outfit his own ranch. Randall was drawn to Madison, but Randall's leaving soon, and Madison, even sooner. Madison knew that Randall is a Christian, and is strong and good-hearted. But she can't do long-distance, and she didn't like being Christian... or did she misunderstood what being a Christian meant all along? And is there really a chance with Randall, if they can both go back to Kansas?

Okay, this is Christian / Spiritual, but not too obviously so. It doesn't beat you over the head with Bible quotes and such. You can even say it kinda broke the 4th Wall, albeit circumspect, by having characters that are romance novel writers discussing what constitutes a spiritual romance, and even made threw some shade at traditional publishing vs. indie publishing. 4/5

GRR Reviews Ethan (K9 Files) by Dale Mayers

Ethan was medically discharged from the military after an IED ended the life of his K9 companion and left him seriously wounded. Then Titanium Corp found him a job... It seems that the military had lost track of many ex-service dogs, and TC is to track them down. And one of them, "Sentry", was tracked to near Ethan's hometown in Texas. Which brought him to Cinnamon, aka "Cinn". // Cinn is heavily involved in global dog rescues, and when Ethan, who was able to track down a wounded German shepherd and brought the dog to the nearby vet office, she just about swooned, for she saw a lost soul in Ethan, much like the dogs she helped. But Ethan's ability to calm and influence dogs puts him in the path of some dangerous criminals to may have co-opted Sentry for dastardly purposes, and regular police's treatment of dangerous dogs was bullets first, questions later. Ethan will risk his life to save the dogs, but that also brought criminals to Cinn's door...

The dog handling bits are excellent. The plot is actually quite good with a twist at the end that was excellent. Overall, very good romantic suspense with the dog handling bits that put it over the top. 5/5

GRR Reviews Invite Me In by Stephanie Julian

Jared and his brother broke away from their parents and made Haven Hotel a reality. But there is a special part of the hotel that only a VERY exclusive group, less than a dozen are privy to... Where everyone wears a mask, and little else, and sensual pleasures are all that matters. And Jared, having met Belle, decided to invite her in... // Annabelle is an antique appraiser with her own shop, but her cheating boyfriend and her job kept her love life non-existent. That is, until her best friend brought her to the Haven Hotel New Year's Eve party. Meeting Jared was a pleasant surprise. Accepting his invitation to "Salon Games" was... beyond words. But Annabelle is hiding a deep dark secret... and she'll chalk that experience off to a one-time-only. After all, she didn't even leave her real name. However, Jared was intrigued of her conflicting personality and the fake info left behind. And he is determined to find her and her secrets...

Eh... the secret salon games was kinda interesting at first, but not that interesting afterwards. And the secret that was teased? Meh. And Jared's hangup was he can't utter the magic words "I love you." *sigh*  3.5/5

GRR Reviews Cowboy for a Season by Janalyn Knight

Hannah is widow now, having buried her husband, but in her mind, she had been a widow for a while, when she found she can't bear any children, and her husband started cheating (and wasn't even that subtle about it). With no other choice, she had to hire some help fast. She got Alex, a bullrider out on medical leave. But Alex has his own problems. His ex-wife used him like an ATM machine by holding their daughter (because she had custody). Yet it's clear she spent it all on herself, not their daughter. When she dropped off their daughter at his place because she found a gig in Nashville, Alex is angry, sad, and delighted. Hannah is just happy to have a child to care for, even if the child is not hers. But Alex is going back to rodeo soon, right?

Somehow, there's just not much "polish" in the tale, no twists or turns. Meh. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews Who's the Daddy by Taryn Quinn

Kelsey is the pre-school teacher in Crescent Cove, a small town. Her friends are getting married, but she knew she had to change her life, and when she let her ex bad into her bed, once, she decided enough is enough, and left town and resettled in Crescent Cove. Meeting Dare, blue collar single father, as her pizza delivery guy was... unexpected. But Dare was too busy for love. He, however, will gladly give Kelsey a night she won't forget, NSA of course. But later, they found out that his son Wes was in her class. And it seems Kelsey is pregnant. But by her ex Tommy... or by Dare?

Eh... There really was no competition. Tommy is an immature jerk while Dare is an alpha protective guy. The tension is from whether Kelsey can let her guard down to accept Dare. So in a way, the story may not be quite what you'd expect. This is not a triangle at all. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Conflicted Maid of Honor by Sharon Sue Thorn

Sammie is supposed to be the maid of honor for a cruise ship wedding of her best friend. But after a heated argument and waking up late, she decided to shore leave alone on the island of St. Lucia... only to get robbed of nearly everything and scammed by criminals who don't think twice of taking advantage of tourists. Can she ever make it back to the ship for the wedding? Which is when she ran into Dominic... // Dominic was getting a bit tired of his life as a bar owner on St. Lucia. While meeting beautiful women and have plenty to drink and beach view is nice, it's also getting boring. Then in all the bars on St. Lucia, she walked into his... Dom found himself attracted to Sammie and will do everything to help her get back to her ship... AND catch the ones responsible. But is she the right woman to give up his life on the island for?

Hmmm... Pretty good. The reluctance is normal, but Sammie's hesitation seems to be more about "what happens in the Caribbean should stay in the Caribbean", even if the guy was nice and wanted to see where this can go. Call it 4/5

GRR Riviews Riptide of Romance by Jennifer Jones

Justice has finally returned after years of wandering the beaches, catching the best waves, and fixing motorcycles. But his uncle's death brought him back. However, his return also triggered a visit from a bill collector: his uncle's surf shop owes 50K to the bank, and he has 30 days to make up the amount... or the shop will be foreclosed on, and his old rival let him knew that it will be razed and condos be built in its place. The only chance for Justice to save the shop was to enlist the help of the woman he left behind: Lola Cortez, daughter of a surfing legend, and enter a wade pool tandem surfing contest with the grand prize of 100K. However, Lola was also the girl he left behind... and Lola's boss is the banker, and has an axe to grind against his entire family... And he's got the money and skills to back up his threats... Can Justice and Lola triumph after all? Will they rekindle their love?

Eh, the "evil" guy has ZERO good about him, which made him cartoonishly bad. The rest was actually quite good. 4/5

GRR Reviews Love Letters & Home by Danni Roan

Philomena "Phil" is a creative marketer... and a bit stifled in her job. When she suddenly found herself inheriting Broken J Ranch in Wyoming, she decided to move to Wyoming and turn the ancestral ranch into a dude ranch... with help of her cousin, and the handsome cowboy Chase bringing his own stable of horses. // Chase never planned to return to Wyoming... to stay away from his (evil) father. He has horses (directly willed to him by grandpa), but no ranch to house them. He had worked all over just to pay boarding fees for his horses. Now that an opportunity came along that can house his horses AND give him a job? He had to take it. He didn't count on meeting Phil, his boss... being a woman...

While the slow simmer romance is fine, the problem is that there really is no problem. Chase's evil father barely made a peep (tried to claim the old stud horse despite having ZERO legal standing). And problem to the romance? Meh. Didn't feel much tension at all.  2.5/5

GRR Reviews Charmed by the Cowboy: Cooper by Debra Clopton

Beth is just settling into her uncle's little ranch in Ransom Creek with her baby goats. Her evil ex is still looking for her, and she's keeping a low profile. Meeting her neighbor the Presley brothers, esp. Cooper, is nice, for he's helpful, big, strong, and kind. And definitely swoon-worthy. But Cooper has his own evil ex who is always stalking him... always making a scene. And when her evil ex caught up with her, Cooper will be there...

Good, but not extraordinary. The "evil ex's" came off more as "annoying" instead of real threat to their relationships. 4/5

GRR Reviews This Christmas by Sarah Spade

Max and Sarah met one Christmas under the mistletoe. It was a VERY memorable night. But they gave each other fake names and fake phone numbers. So they lost touch with each other, and Sarah felt betrayed. A year later, it's almost Christmas... They met again... which is when Sarah found out, to her horror, that Max is her best friend's brother... and her boss's boss.  // Max didn't want to go that morning, but a family emergency called him away. He thought he could call, but she didn't leave him a real number. A year later, they met again. She wants nothing from him, which is perfectly understandable. But he'll do anything to get another chance... Even if it's to pretend to be her boyfriend for her parents...

While a little on the short side (barely over 100 pages), it's actually quite tightly plotted. It managed to mix rom-com with sweetness and angst. Good job. Even the pivot later into 'fake to real' was nicely done. 5/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire Broker by Deb Goodman

Macey wanted to come back to her grandpa's Irish castle "Declan Mansion" in Gramercy for a while, but she never got the chance. Now that grandpa has passed, she suddenly found herself inheriting the whole thing... NOT her parents... with a budget to maintain it. But the castle is run down, and huge, and requires staff to renovate and upkeep. And Levi, the local real estate star agent, is already there, asking her if she wanted to sell... // Levi is rich in his own right, but he always wanted to please his father, and this one last bit of property, sitting at one end of his father's planned business district, will be the linchpin. But as Levi got to know Macey, it was obvious to him that she won't be selling. He wasn't willing to admit failure, though. so he switches tactics and helps her instead. But the more time they spend together, the more they fall for each other. So will Levi help Macey... or his father?

This wasn't the first novel to use the same plot: son, obligated to help "evil" father acquire property from woman, fell for the woman instead, and must choose between love/justice and duty/family. This one made less sense than usual. WHY was Levi working for his douchebag father if he's supposedly a billionaire, and poster-boy for the real estate agency? And the solution was basically a deus ex machina... Something grandpa "hid". 2.5/5

GRR Reviews Want Me, Cowboy by Sinclair Jayne

NOTE: Part of Wilder Brothers series, Book 1 reviewed earlier

Luke Wilder can't believe he'd got into a fight at Grey's Saloon. All he wanted was a beer. Then someone pretty (judging by her scent) hugged him from behind. He turned around to offer her a smile, she turned white as a sheet and ran off. He wanted to apologize, only to get a punch in the face... from a brother Colt he never knew he had. But Luke is in town for business... talk with fiery redheaded bull breeder Tanner about her bulls joining the IBRA pro league // Tanner is fine being the "quiet" sister (her sister Tucker can take the spotlight). She wants to take over the family ranch and her bull breeding program is already producing results... multiple hundred-percenters (no bullrider made it to full 8 seconds). When IBRA accepts her bulls she would have shown her father she is capable and ready to take over the family ranch, despite NOT being a son. // Luke and Tanner definitely have chemistry, but it's not really proper for an IBRA rep to bed the bull breeder he's trying to recruit. Things got complicated when Luke's famous younger bullrider brother Kane and his mother also showed up in town. THEN Luke realized that he had slept with Tanner's sister Tucker five years ago... And Tucker is also in town...

Whew, it's like a soap opera, cowboy style. And let's just say there are more subplots I hadn't mentioned. You don't need to read Book 1, but you'd get more of the twists and subplots if you do read it first.  5/5

GRR Reviews My Crazy (Sick) Love by Drica Pinotti

Amanda is a New York attorney with a dreaded affliction: hypochondria. She panics at every symptom, has the best doctors on speed dial, self-diagnoses herself with every affliction known to humankind and has a medicine cabinet that rivals a pharmacy. And she's about to turn 30. She has great friends, a stable job, and a supportive family that knows her "condition". Then Amanda met Brian, charismatic restaurant owner. As they get to know each other, will this love be the jolt she needed to cure her affliction?

It's just probably me, but this sense of humor just didn't work for me. All I sense is "drama queen" (unintentional). And Brian showed up late to the novel (we're like, 30 or 40%?)  so the book doesn't "feel" like a romance. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews Maneuver by Chelle Bliss

Delilah barely got out of the car with her baby Lulu when her drunk father sped off... with her purse, phone, and everything else. With nowhere to turn, she entered the bar across the street "just to use the phone" and met Lucio Gallo... Big, gruff, but sweet, protective, and caring. AND he's good with babies. Delilah then learned that she's stranded, as her father had also stolen all her money in her various accounts. But Lucio will save her, get her a job, a place to stay, and treat her like a woman deserves to be treated. It doesn't matter what douchebags she had in her life before this (two men who don't deserve to be fathers). Lucio will be there for her... and his big and boisterous (but loving) family will be hers as well.

Okay, the family is great, and the guy's swoon-worthy. My problem has to do with the opposition, i.e. the two douchebags. "Sperm donor" showed up ONCE near to end but Delilah sent him packing with a few sharp words (if you want us back, are you ready to pay "back child support?"). Her father was practically chased away by the Gallos.  Oh, and the Gallos are nearly "flawless", other than being related to a crime family. *sigh*  Guy's too perfect, and his opposition too lame. 4/5

GRR Reviews Hometown Calling by Lexy Timms

NOTE: Cliffhanger

Chase is attending his best friend's wedding... although his best friend is the bride, and the groom's not happy about it. So why is he interested in the bride's little sister Miranda, aka "Mira", now all grown up?

The book was good right up to the point with the cliffhanger... Chase is leaving, and Mira obviously isn't. A bit of Meh, and there are two more volumes to this. Felt a bit drawn out. 2.5/5 (includes -1 for cliffhanger)

GRR Reviews Finding Eden by Jennifer Mancini

Eden thought her life was perfect. She was the only daughter of a famous singer, and her fiancee is a Wall Street young gun. Her summer at the Moutauk (New York) beachhouse should be completely worry-free... Until "Mac" walked into her life. Now Eden realized her life is actually quite empty, and she needs to decide what she wants before she can get it. But going after something also means sometimes, you will lose...

A pretty good coming of age where Eden basically have to figure out what she wants, and Mac, will be there, as Eden slowly realized that what she had really didn't mean anything. But at 500+ pages, it felt about 100-150 pages too long. 4/5

GRR Reviews Falling For You by Leeanna Morgan

Natalie is burned out after six years of hard work. She went back to her grandparent's lakeside cottage in Sapphire Bay, only to find that she has a house guest... // Gabe was an NYPD detective, retired to become a crime novelist. He's successful now, with multiple bestsellers. But being a private person, he has also picked up a stalker... who is sending increasingly disturbing messages to the publisher... He's hiding in Sapphire Bay, and Natalie is a disturbance he didn't need. But when threat seems to have arrived in town, Gabe will have to become the cop again... to serve and protect.

Finally, this book managed to put the threat PROPERLY. The author was known to have fizzled out the villain multiple times before (in other books), or to have "faked out" threats multiple times. Still, this one is not THAT good as romantic suspense. 4/5

GRR Reviews Engaged to Mr. Right by Lilian Monroe

Max is falling for his physical therapist Naomi. While Max is doing great in his job in the family company, his parents are dropping not so subtle hints about him starting a family. But after having his girlfriend dump him after his knee injury which ended his NFL prospects, he's still not over that, and not ready to get involved with anyone. Naomi's regimen really did help him recover so that his knee is now pain-free. But when Max accidentally met Naomi at a night club, and paparazzi got photos of them together, his father issued an ultimatum: marry this girl, or get disinherited. Completely flustered, Max can think of only one thing to do: fake-propose to Naomi... Yes, they'll fake-engage and if needed, fake-marry. Naomi reluctantly accepted when she just learned that her mother has cancer... and will need money for treatment and existing debt. Then Max learned Naomi's real secret... One that even she doesn't seem to know...

I really wanted to like this one, but the darkest hour really made no sense. Without spoiling the plot, let me just say it MADE NO F***ING SENSE why they can't go through with it. You'll be howling with frustration when you learned the reason. Obviously, they resolved it to get the HEA, but the darkest hour really made no sense. Yes, I'm repeating myself.  Also, I don't understand how they could have found out, if nobody else knew other than Naomi's mom. 4/5

GRR Reviews Delayed Satisfaction by Lauren Blakely

NOTE: This is a prequel novella released as a teaser to Satisfaction Guaranteed

She fell for the karaoke crooner when she heard him for the first time. And they connected instantly. And they fit in every way... even in bed. It was a blissful seven days. Until he found out why they can't continue...

Okay, it ends on a sad note, but that's why this is a prequel to be continued. As is, it's actually quite nice. 4/5

GRR Reviews Life Support by Teagan Kade

Ethan was the paramedic that arrived and found Sofia unconscious, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Sofia woke up with amnesia... She knew nothing about her life. Even the name was from a locket she wore, not from memory. Ethan found himself protecting her, even offering up his own home. When goons showed up, wanting her dead, Ethan had to go back to his old life, as a soldier, to protect who he loved... and as Sofia regained her memory, they will find that very few people can be trusted...

Okay, the action wasn't actually that bad, but big showdown at the end, or what lead up to it, was just plain TSTL. I mean, who drives up to visual distance of the enemy, and not have a perimeter guard?  4/5

GRR Reviews On the Market by Rachael Herron

Liam and his brothers are contractors and house-flippers. Their life is perfect, at least, as perfect as having a foster son driving him nuts can be. Then a TV producer called. They want to do a reality show based on them... with an angle about romance. A woman will buy a house, the brothers will renovate it, and date her. And they'll earn a lot more than just flipping houses. Then the producer, Felicia, arrived. And she fell in love with one of the houses... It's as if it was her dream manifested in reality. Suddenly, she's the contestant, and Liam had to date her. Country boy meets city girl. The Bachelor meets Property Brothers. And their lives will never be the same.

Now that's an interesting setup. Lots of double entendre and hidden meanings. Is it real or is it for the cameras? While reality TV romance had been done many times before, mixing it up with handyman trope is pretty ingenious. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Falling for the Bad Boy by Kennedy Fox

Vada booked an AirBNB to get out of the city and work on her romance novel. However, being a bit threadbare in her own love department means she couldn't quite get the nuances of romance right. When she met Ethan, her host, who greeted her just out of a shower (bare-chested and wet-haired), let's just say, it's insta-lust. But Ethan is a bit more than his bad boy aura projected. He likes to verbally spar with Vada, with some double entendres and innuendos that make Vada blush. But Ethan is that way because he doesn't want to talk about his own past...

While not bad, the connection between the two wasn't that obvious either. While we did get the story out of him much later, there seems to be no particular reason why he's that way with Vada, i.e. "tease the city girl". 3/5

GRR Reviews Helen Heals a Hotelier by Linda K Hubalek

Helen answered a mail-order bride ad and was stranded in Clear Creek Kansas with her four little girls when her groom turned out to be a con man. She needed a job fast. // Ethan was in charge of the family hotel in town while his parents are taking a trip. Ethan still hadn't gotten over his fiancee, Sarah, left him at the altar. When Helen needed help, and she clearly knew what she was doing (she helped ran a hotel in Pennsylvania) Ethan hired her as he can definitely use some help as well. Ethan and Helen make a great couple... In business and in life. Imagine his parents' surprise when they returned to find four kids and various changes to the hotel...

Nice, sweet, with enough comedic moments, tense moments, and satisfying moments (like when the crook got caught), with a good pivot (from he saving her to she saving him). And the family of four girls (all different fathers) was one long tale of heartbreaks. Very good touches. The "big ending", however, didn't feel that big. But it's a minor flaw, IMHO. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews A Secret Buried in the Ranch by Aurora Hanson

Georgie is a rich tomboy and her father's wealth had always kept the bad boys at bay. She prefers riding to romance. But when her father died, the only hope for her to keep the ranch is to marry. And her existing suitor, Leo, is simply not suitable for her. So she put in an ad for mail-order husband... // Jeremy knew he went wrong and his stint in prison was his debt to society paid in full. Unfortunately, the bad people he associated with before wanted him for one last thing: they want the loot they stashed before they got captured. He wanted to thank the man who helped him, only to found him dead... and his daughter in search of a husband. Jeremy wed Georgie, by pretending to be her mail-order husband. But his disguise is thread-bare, and Jeremy had fallen for Georgie already. Can he save everyone he loved? Or will his past bury him like the secret buried in the ranch?

Good setup, okay execution. 4/5

GRR Reviews A Mail-Order Bride to Heal His Heart by Etta Foster

Alexandra always suspected there's a reason why her family didn't love her. When she found the reason, her father refused to answer. Determined to make her own way in life, she left the East coast as a mail-order bride to Caleb out west. While Caleb is a gentleman and richer than he ever expected (in fact, he has a housekeeper to do most of the chores!) Caleb has his own problems... He has an evil cousin who believes that Caleb's ranch belongs to him due to some imagined "injustice" perpetrated upon his father (Caleb's uncle) by their grandpa. And the cousin is the vengeful sort that would sabotage his ranch. In fact, this cousin Zeke married Caleb's first mail-order bride. What has Alexandra gotten herself into?

Eh... the storyline barely makes sense. It's clear cousin Zeke's sole purpose is to mess with Caleb, except none of this harassment actually gets him closer to his goal, unless Caleb gets killed. And how exactly does this affect Alexandra? Sure, Alexandra did show some character growth, as she did learn a little to use a gun and to ride a horse, but that's about it. Meh. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews The Conflicted Billionaire by Sharon Sue Thorn

Jenny is a small-town Kansas veterinarian who wanted simple love, but it's hard to do in a small town full of retirees. After meeting too many douchebags, she met Jeff online, and he seems perfect. Except he lives on the opposite coast. // Owen is a billionaire who keeps finding golddiggers as dates. He joined a dating site... Using his best friend Jeff's name and photo. Then he made a connection with Jenny thousand miles away. They had talked online for months. But now, Owen is torn. If he wanted to meet her, he had to admit he used his best friend's photo and lied. Yet he had to meet her... So he flew into her town, and met her in person, but.. he can't reveal himself just yet. And while Jenny felt an attraction to him, she wanted to know who Jeff is... Then the REAL Jeff (and his wife) came to town to find Owen... just in time for Jenny to show up... OMG!

It's not really a comedy, but more of a tragi-comedy.  Yes, Jenny will EVENTUALLY figure out Owen is a nice guy. But both are just... a bit too stubborn? And he's a bit too TSTL. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Doctor's Love by Jennifer Gracen

Toni's life is difficult enough already. With a boss from hell in an art gallery at work, and a demanding harping mother at home, she really has no time for love. Until she ran into Gavin, brother of her roommate // Gavin is in the US visiting his sister, and met Toni, his sister's best friend and roommate. Gavin is a doctor in Ireland, and he went to the US to get away from his cling-y ex and his own family for a few months. He's attracted to Toni, but knew he shouldn't touch his sister's bestie. When Toni offered him a short-duration NSA relationship, he can't refuse. But as the summer comes to a close, Toni realized that her heart already belongs to Gavin. Can she say goodbye without regrets?

Good slow-simmer romance with time limit and a lot of amily complications.  4/5

GRR Reviews Why Stars Chase the Sun by C R Ellis

Jade, with her best buddy Jasmine, had gotten their wedding planner business off the ground. But her heart still wasn't healed from her fiance's sudden cold feet three years ago. A chance encounter (she threw a branch for her dog at the river) hit Emmett, canoe-ing and looking at her, in the head and they can't quite keep their eyes off each other. But Jade wasn't quite sure what to do with their attraction. After getting to know Emmett a little (who is indeed, charming, sweet, and handsome), and couraged supplied by alcohol, Jade proposed something outrageous (but made sense to her)... a day and a night with Emmett, no strings attached. And Emmett needs a lot of convincing, for he was wrestling with his own demons, having been burned by love before...

Seriously angst-y slow-burn kinda love. It's quite exquisite, as you will have to read quite a bit to find out why Emmett is the way he is. Pace could be upped a little, IMHO. 4.5

GRR Reviews You Deserve Better by A P Watson

NOTE: Sequel to "I Know Better" reviewed earlier

Wren fled the city once to get away from her heartache. She fell for Jacks slowly, until he betrayed her by accepting a position in a different city... along with his ex. While he may not have a say in the matter, it doesn't matter. Betrayal cut like a knife and forgiveness hadn't healed the wound. For before Jacks was Wren's lover, Jacks was Wren's best friend, and she had lost both. She tried to move on and perhaps, find someone else. But Jacks was always on her mind. When he wanted to "just be friends", she said no, but when tragedy struck, she changed her mind. Now she has to choose between a man who wouldn't hurt her (and not Jacks)... or a man that can heal her, or break her completely...

Oooh, again, this is seriously angst-y stuff. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Twice Shy by Mona Ingram

NOTE: Previously published under the title "The Shell Game"

Becky arrived at Waterlilly Bay Lodge too late. She had planned to spend her summer here with beloved Gran, only to learn that she had passed away before she can get here. Then she found that her old boyfriend, Mitch, had been helping Gran for the past four years, while she's in Hollywood busy honing her screenwriting career. They were both shocked when Gran had left the Lodge (B&B) to both of them, with a request that they (Mitch and Becky) should try to run it together for a year. Will they finally learn what took Mitch away that night, and will they finally be over it all? Can they work through the problems that affected the Lodge?

While the tropes are nothing new (weird will, reunion, return), Mona Ingram managed to put minor spin on each that made it fresh, without taking away the conventions. Gran's will is not the kind that would have a lawyer take it away, but rather, a kind request that you don't dare ignore for disappointing her, even after death. And both characters are reasonably well off... So they are doing it for the duty, not the money. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews The Challenge by Deana Farrady

Jasmine and Sara are roommates living across the hall from Matt and Harrison, also roommates. Matt, a "lazy blogger", flirts with Jasmine a lot, but Matt's also never serious about anything. Harrison is on his way to a PhD and is platonic friends with Sara. Then after a get-together, and a lot of wine, Sara proposed "the Challenge"... Jasmine and Matt will pair up, Sunday eight till midnight... go have sex, and work out their sexual tension. Sara and Harrison will do the same. Next week, they switch partners, then switch back the week after. Any of them can call stop. It's NOT supposed to affect their friendships. And all four, after a bit of pondering, agreed. But how can taking that extra step not change their relations fundamentally? As each learned a lot more about their friends, and work through their unrequited love (or lust), each also learned a lot about his or herself. And nothing will ever be the same...

On the surface, the idea seems... preposterous. But the sex is sensual, and the self-discovery exquisite. However, by the end of the book, there's a morose period, where basically Jasmine fell into some serious self-pity. OTOH, I really like the half-Asian angle. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Lost in Paradise by Charlotte Blake

It's been three years since Juliet's failed marriage ended. She spent it mostly alone, but she's starting to regret her decision. When her girlfriends convinced her to go on a Carribean cruise, she can't say no. // Eli is still broken after his divorce. Being an athlete and handsome, he has his choice of bedmates, but he still can't get over his own heartbreak. Getting on a cruise wasn't exactly his idea.  // When Juliet and Eli were both stranded in Cabo San Lucas, and met each other, they sensed each other's loss... and may just be each other's salvation...

Nice and sweet, but also serves as a manual of what to do if you got robbed while on shore leave (and you failed to take precautions, like leaving a copy of your passport and papers in the cabin safe, or not keep everything in a single place that can be robbed...) but it also serves as excellent lead-in to their dysfunctional families and expectations. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Spring Texas Bride by Katie Lane

Waylon, as the sheriff of Bliss, Texas, knew he has big shoes to fill as the previous sheriff was his dad. Finding a stranger in town, Spring Hadley, visiting her brother, the town patron, was somewhat of a shock, as she's sassy, vivacious, and ditzy. When she somehow finagled her way to be his assistant, he saw a side of Spring that he never expected. And days seem brighter... // Spring is free-spirited... and absent-minded. When she forgot to lock the door to the sisters' store one night, and her take-charge sister Summer called her a ditz, she got into a huff and drove off with her new jeep and vintage trailer (bought off her small-time crook father, who may be going legit?) to visit her brother. Now the jeep's not in a good shape (her crooked dad sold her a lemon... surprise), and she needs money to fix things, which is why she needed the job... and to stay away from her sisters. Falling for the grumpy sheriff was not in her plans. Things took a weird turn when her dad suddenly showed up...

Nice, lots of twists and turns. A few characters are from the author's previous series making guest appearances, including the town itself. I think the darkest hour was slightly forced (let's just say a certain jeep and trailer went missing, and Spring was too embarrassed to talk about it.) But the overall charm is there. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews I Know Better by A P Watson

WARNING: Cliffhanger

Wren gave up on her love life and her city and moved to Chicago to start over, even selling her car to finance her move. As an ICU nurse, she makes enough, but not that much. When her two best friends asked her to go out on a blind date with Jackson, she couldn't refuse. But Jackson was nothing like Wren expected. Instead of sex, Jackson offered her friendship. Wren knew Jackson is out of her league, but they can't deny their attraction to each other on a mental level, as they slowly came together. But just as she thought they had a future, came the ultimate betrayal...

Oooh, this slow-burn relationship is exquisite. OTOH, I'm not sure I quite like the cliffhanger ending.

4/5 (includes -1 cliffhanger penalty)

NOTE: Story concludes in "You Deserve Better", review coming soon.

GRR Reviews The Road Leads Back by Marci Bolden

Kara never expected to see Harry again. Twenty-seven years ago, they spent one night together that changed their lives. He disappeared one night, stood her up at the prom. She found she was pregnant, and was kicked out of her home. She ended up on a bus to Seattle and lived in a community of unwed mothers, where she gave birth to Phil and raised him to the best of her ability. It was an itinerant lifestyle, until her art started selling, and they finally settled down. Now Phil is a father, raising a child with Down's syndrome after the mother left. Harry's appearance sent Kara's life into a tailspin. Over almost three decades, without a single letter answered, she had convinced herself that he left her for good. But as both realized to their horror, his mother, in the name of "protect his future", had NEVER told him about her. Kara wasn't ready to reconcile as the pain can't be erased with just a single confession, but Phil, currently unemployed, is desperate for a fresh start, even if it's in Kara and Harry's hometown where Harry offered him a position. And it is there, where all the secrets will be exposed, and no one will ever be the same...

Wow, from such simple "secret baby" and "betrayed by family" tropes, this book really puts your emotion through the wringer. 5/5

GRR Reviews Red Blooded by Cat Johnson

Three military romantic suspense novellas in a single volume

Trey -- To take down the bad guys, Trey is willing to recruit a bartender/bar owner and have her pose as his wife to help rescue a captured agent in enemy territory. The sex is definitely real. But is the love real too?

Jack -- forced to take leave on the family farm after watching the girl of his dreams fall for his best friend, Jack is intrigued to find the latest ranch hand on his family farm may have secrets... and really needs protection (by him, of course)

Jimmy -- posing as waiter to serve as protective detail on the governor, he didn't expect governor's daughter, the fiery red-headed and gorgeous Amelia hitting on him. But he'll maintain cover... and protect her...

Other than the improbable premise (seems most romance authors don't give a **** about the *posse commitatus* act, which states that US military are NOT to be deployed on US soil, and that soldiers can easily go "undercover" like agents or detectives), the three novellas are actually not bad if you ignore the glaring deviation from reality. But you rate the whole book, not the pieces. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews Her Special Forces Billionaire by Eliza Ellis

Zuri is the daughter of the rebel leader hoping to overthrow the despot "President" in the small African country. She immediately clashes with Daemon, head of Knight Security, hired by her father to be her bodyguard. When an ambush killed her father, Zuri is forced into exile under the protection of Daemon in the US, and became the de facto rebel leader, and target of assassination squads. Daemon can keep Zuri safe, but the feisty young woman, matured by fire and loss, enticed him like no other woman. And Zuri, with nowhere to turn, fell for her protector. When a coup started in her home country, she must return. And Daemon will go with her... no matter the danger...

Eh... not too bad, but military bits just feels slightly off. 4/5

GRR Reviews Stay by Tia Louise

Emmy gave Stephen her V-card in a party one night. While she did get an orgasm out of it, he just left in a hurry afterwards. And Emmy swore she hated Stephen ever since. Ten years later, Emmy is a divorced single mom working at a dry cleaner with a son that has a seizure disorder. And the ex-husband Burt? Completely ignores Emmy's parenting ("I want my boy to grow up to be a man") and takes him to contact sports despite warnings not to (head hits may exacerbate the seizures!). Then Stephen showed up. He's out of the Navy and his tech startup is doing great. He's rich, and getting richer. And Stephen knew he wanted Emmy back in his life, and he wanted to help her son. Can Emmy work through her hate to allow Stephen to help, and even marry him, supposedly a marriage of convenience?

One part of it, the sass, is good. But the hate is all emotion, no logic. And this was pointed out to her, MUCH later, how silly the hatred was. And it's ROFL funny. "Magic p****". Muahahahaha! OTOH, I find the ex-husband just doesn't work as a credible threat to Stephen and Emmy's happiness. EVERY TIME he showed up, it's ONLY with bluster. He NEVER follows through with his threats. The ONLY time Burt managed to land a real-blow was to embarrass Stephen at his wedding reception (held long after the fact) by ambushing Emmy with a question, and Stephen managed to land a few good punches before he's hauled off.

4/5

GRR Reviews Falling for the Veteran by Alexa Rivers

Cooper returned home from the Middle East physically sound, but mentally... not quite. He still wakes up at night in a panic. Which is why he can only do NSA one-night-stands. He doesn't want anyone seeing him like this. That is... until he met Sophie. // Sophie thought surprising her beau would be fun. Turns out, he's doing the nasty with his secretary. And this time, she is NOT going to take him back... EVER. Sophie decided to change herself and her circumstances... and the first item on the bucket list is to have an NSA fling with the hot guy... Cooper, who's also her best friend's brother. While one's not supposed to fling with "family", what they don't know wouldn't hurt them. It's just a temporary arrangement. Right?

This storyline has been done MANY MANY times, and while the polish is quite good, nothing else really stands out. 3/5

GRR Reviews Wild Temptation by Mari Carr

May desperately needs her job, as personal assistant to CEO Lochlan, to succeed. It's the only way to stay ahead of the bills for her mom and "her" kids she had to take in. She may be young and looks inexperienced, but she works hard, and she doesn't take charity... Until Lochlan. // Lochlan built his company with a little family help, but it's successful now. He was devastated when his existing PA left to hug her grandkids, and her replacement appears to be young, inexperienced, willowy blonde... who may be a submissive. When trouble at home forced May to reveal her life, Lochlan is going to make sure May understands that Lochlan wanted to claim her... and he protects what is his... And they will enjoy doing kinky things together.

Okay, we've seen the trope about the female who did too much. Work 12 hour days, still gets home to make the meals, even WALKS home to avoid paying for a cab or bus fare... Because she refused to accept ANY HELP. You say independent woman. I say masochist. May here is one of those. OTOH, Mari Carr has a way to get the dom/sub relationship described nicely without getting into cliche or douchebag stage. Sex doesn't enter the picture until late in the book. 4/5

GRR Reviews Misunderstood by Katy Kaylee

Ryder Malloy was the star quarterback of his high school team, and best friend of Katie's brother, and practically second son of Katie's family. Until he wasn't. Katie gave up her V-card to him, only to learn later that Ryder had betrayed her brother, and apparently had sex with her brother's fiancee. Years later, Katie is now a PR agent, and her latest client is none other than the bad boy quarterback Ryder Malloy. Ryder apparently had a history of brawling and desperately needs an image makeover to land some endorsement deals. Katie found herself physically attracted to Ryder, but she can't reconcile the fact that Ryder betrayed her brother, and the Ryder she came to know... What if Ryder was simply... misunderstood?

While I like both characters, I have some problem empathizing with "stoic masochist" characters, i.e. the character who simply sit there, accept abuse s/he do not deserve, all the while staying silent, muttering "why fight, what's the point..."  And Ryder here is one such character. OTOH, the darkest hour and grand gesture are great. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Stepdad Surprise by Caroline Lee

Jackie Novak ran from her abusive gangbanger boyfriend after her daughter Kalli was born. A kind priest sent her to River's End Ranch in Idaho, and even helped her change her name. Content to enjoy life raising her daughter, she did not expect the attention of local cowboy Cooper. // Coop can see that Jackie is keeping the hurt inside, and she does not trust easily. But he can change her mind slowly. Until her evil ex resurfaced, intending to exact revenge...

Okay, a bit formulaic, but with good details and nice use of existing characters. Yes, the fairy lady is still there. (Those who read this series will know what I am talking about. And yes, this is book 53)  :)   4/5

GRR Reviews How to Wed a Quarterback by Genevieve Goodwin

Ruthie never wanted to get involved with an athlete EVER again due to a bad experience. As fund-raising manager for a charity, Ruthie makes sure the events go right, even appeasing the star quarterback Corbett "Super Cooper". That is, until he, trying to throw off his cling-y ex, announced to the public that he and Ruthie are engaged, only fifteeen minutes after meeting her! Corbett now had to undo this, fend off his ex (who's NOT deterred), AND make it up to Ruthie...

Hmmm... Actually quite good, except for his evil ex being completely psycho. That makes her one-dimensional and kinda lame. 4/5

GRR Reviews her Billionaire Lifeguard by Sophia Summers

Trey and his friends/co-workers are vacationing in Mexico. Being half of a top cosmetic company means he hadn't taken time for himself for a while. While on the beach, he found a woman who seems to be immune to his charm. her name is Scottie, and later when they meet again, she mistook him for a lifeguard. And he decided to continue pretending to be a lifeguard. When he found out Scottie is actually the daughter of his deceased hero and business mentor, he's determined to help her, even as he realized she was betrayed by her BF and board, and despite her escape, they were still trying to ruin her, in order to gain full control of her company. But when Scottie learned that Trey may be pondering a business venture with her enemy, will she ever trust him again?

Eh... The resolution was so fast it felt like a deus ex machina. That was not handled well at all. 3/5

GRR Reviews His Dream Baby by B B Hamel

Connor lost his son Ryan when the mother Harper simply disappeared one day with him. Only years later did he find that Harper had died in a different city... and he immediately travelled there. Which is where he met Leah.  // Leah was asked by Harper (her cousin) to be the legal guardian for little Ryan. But Harper is a Gallo, and Gallo is known to be a crime family, and they want little Ryan to be "raised right". When Connor also showed up, Leah had to accept Connor's help, even as she fear that Connor is there to take Ryan away from her. But the Gallos are not giving up to make Ryan theirs...

Uh... For supposedly career criminals and crime family, the Gallos are a bunch of hamburglars. A WRITTEN warning to the couple that outright states that they will DIE if they don't hand the kid over? WTF?! And despite having multiple vehicles and dozen men surrounding the couple, they somehow let them get away? Sure, it's kinda sexy, but enemy is just flat out STUPID. 2/5

GRR Review Her Forever Cowboy by Debra Salonen

Anne is about to get the promotion to executive level in her hotel management job, while being a single mom. But her stepfather's plea brought her and her daughter Zoey back to Silver Rose Guest Ranch for the summer. But it is also here that she will meet the man who broke her heart... the cowboy Will. She can never fall for a cowboy again. // Will had to take several months off recuperating when he was sidelined by a major injury. With nothing else to do, he should enjoy managing his grandpa's guest ranch... But Anne is also there. Will is determined to win the World Championship... and he will return to the circuit soon... even if he had to break her heart again.

Okay, good amount of angst, reunion, and all that.  But the plot doesn't offer that much new. 4/5

GRR Reviews Hiding with the Billionaire by Donna K Weaver

Ahri's husband told her that she needs to leave their home and hide, then left with his own stuff, even leaving his toothbrush behind. When she noticed people who seem to be following her, and her place was broken into, she called her brother, the only other relative for help. And her brother called his partner/boss Rafe as his own project is at a crucial phase. // Rafe rose from poor childhood and emotionally abusive father to billionaire CEO, with his best friends as fellow owners. When one of them asked for a favor, he can't say no. Plus, he was rather fond of Ahri, but he wouldn't woo someone else's wife. Rafe gave Ahri a job under an assumed name, and showed her that his family can be hers... if she wanted. But when the body of Ahri's husband was found, it's clear that whoever killed him is still out there, and still looking for her...

Nice plotting, with all the proper gaming terminologies right. Ahri didn't feel very Asian or Korean, but that could simply be because she was born in the US and received mainly American education. Even the final fight was done properly when two geeks ALMOST committed a TSTL moment. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews The Bride's Billionaire by Sophia Summers

Kayla is in Rio for business, but while there, she went into the world-famous wedding boutique to help a friend shop for a wedding dress... and met a fellow American, Tyler, admiring her looks. Tyler is friendly, gorgeous, and romantic. And they had a great time. They stayed up late till 3AM doing samba and more. It's not until the business meeting next day that they meet again in surprise, and realized they are competing for the same client... And in business, someone must lose... Right?

Ah, VERY sweet. The only problem is at the beginning, where Tyler "slipped a Benjamin"... in Brazil? Tsk, tsk. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Between Friends by Charlotte Blake

Sarah knew Ethan mainly as her roommate's boyfriend... Until her roommate dumped Ethan for someone else. But her roommate is fickle. When she "broke up" with her current BF, she wants to get back with Ethan, only to get back with her current BF again. Sarah didn't like that, but it's not her relationship. She maintained friendship with Ethan and the other guys, but she's wondering what's she doing with life, as she barely survived pre-med in UC Berkeley and didn't bother applying to medical school. Now stuck in dead-end waitressing job, she's pondering when she started to notice that Ethan seems to have feelings for her... more than just a friend. When the four friends scraped together funds for a quick trip to Paris, city of love, Sarah and Ethan's relationship went to a different level... but should what happened in Paris stay in Paris? Or should Sarah and Ethan go public... and risk Sarah's roommate finding out that her roomie is dating her ex? And does that even matter?

Hmmm... I honestly don't recall seeing anything in the girl code that says you can't date your roommate's ex. I guess the only thing Sarah can be blamed for is not come right out and say "I'm going to date your ex". There's some serious angst, but mostly self-inflicted. 4/5

GRR Reviews Not Just Another Billionaire by Emma Kingsley

Logan didn't want any part of his dysfunctional Marshall family and gladly let his brother took the reins of the family "Marshall Resorts" empire. But now, when someone had leaked the plans of their latest development to their competitor, and their competitor managed to launch practically the same project (even in the same zipcode!) ahead of Marshall project breaking ground, Logan is forced to go back and save his family legacy. Imagine his surprise that he saw a familiar face there... // Emily was betrayed by her high school sweetheart who had promised to marry, but then reneged. She dedicated herself to work, and was just promoted to vice president of marketing of the new project. She celebrated by a girl's night out with her bestie, and met a gorgeous man under somewhat awkward circumstances. Then she went to work... only to discover that the project was leaked... and may not need a new VP anymore. Furthermore, she discovered that the hottest guy she'd ever seen was her new CEO. //   The atmosphere is tense, and mood sour. Logan needs a plan, and Emily has an idea. It sounds doable... Until sudden Emily was accused of being the leaker...

It's NOT one-night-stand meets again, so at least that's trope-breaking. I like the twist, and it does make sense. That's pretty good for a short novel. 4/5

GRR Reviews Summer with the CEO by Alexa Rivers

Eli is the CEO of his real estate holdings company. While he's a great CEO, his people skills are practically non-existent, due to his screwed up family. He just bought quite a bit of land in a small town that's going to be a big tourist destination soon, with plans to open up a shopping mall and such. But the locals don't seem to be happy about it. When he saw that a reporter had written an article critical of the project, he's determined to make that reporter see reason... and thus Eli met Aria... // Aria wants the promotion to senior reporter in the local paper, and that means write stuff that locals care about, and the biggest issue is the new development project. Meeting the gruff Eli wasn't a great start, but soon Aria saw through the gruff exterior, and fell for the CEO, while Eli learned that perhaps his people skills can be honed. But a one-night-stand which resulted in pregnancy means Aria and Eli have some huge decisions to make, even as Eli struggles with his sister and his family who can't be civil to Aria...

Not bad, but not that good either. Eli knew he's not a people person, so WHY does he think he can convince the reporter to retract the article? The "evil family" angle was totally trope and cliche, and the epilogue change of heart just feels untrue. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Second Chance on the Corner of Main Street by Meg Easton

Whitney loves fun but lived secretly in fear of people around her leaving. Her mother left. The mentor that taught her everything about running the town newspaper left. Even her high school boyfriend left. All she has is the town newspaper, and that can't leave her... and she can't leave it. Then Eli came back to town... // Eli left town twelve years ago, and built a successful team-building business. But when his father had an accident, he had to come back to help run the outdoor rental business, even if he had to confront a town that never forgets, a father he can never please... and the girl he left behind. // When Whitney and Eli got paired to decorate the Fall Market, they have to confront their old feelings... and old wounds. Will they use their second chance wisely?

Sweet, with just enough angst to keep things interesting. The two are not like outright "enemies", but the "betrayal" 12 years ago is definitely not something that can be easily forgiven. But really, no contact for a dozen years? Really vindictive, the pair. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews A Billionaire of Her Own by Emma Kingsley

Andrew Knight created a social dating network and almost instantly became a billionaire. Being a geek, he detests publicity, despite having model good looks. When his company stock ran into trouble, and his PR team insist that only Andrew himself appearing in public can turn things around, he reluctantly agreed to do an interview for a famous magazine, where he will lie to the world... that he believed in one true love all along and that lead him to create the company. He did not expect Maggie to be his interviewer. // Maggie just landed her biggest assignment as a writer for the magazine, and Andrew is the most gorgeous and enigmatic man she had ever seen. And it's clear that Maggie and Andrew connected instantly. But Andrew had to lie to Maggie about being a hopeless romantic... But which is the real lie?

Good amount of angst, even though the darkest hour feels a bit forced. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire's Secret Heir by Emma St Clair

Beckett just got the ultimatum from his father... He has six months to produce an heir, or the company will pass to his brother. Having been betrayed by his previous fiancee, Beckett has no prospects nor did he plan to get any. Then came the news that he may have fathered a daughter... // Madi is raising Becka alone after death of her sister. But Madi needs child support from the father, whom a friendly lawyer said is none other than Beckett. // Beckett and Madi meet, as Beckett needs an heir, and Becka would do. Madi is not about to give up custody to a cold single businessman, and Beckett can't really let his heir be raised elsewhere... But is Madi a golddigger like her sister? Is Becka really Beckett's daughter? Or does that even matter?

Good twist, and actually quite sweet. The mixed feelings really come through. 5/5

GRR Reviews A Celebrity Proposal by Layla Holt

Tanner is a billionaire CEO who enjoys an annual "break" for a month, living in his hometown and minding the family store so his parents can go on their yearly vacation. It's supposed to be uneventful, and his town knows how to protect him. He didn't anticipate wanting to help the blonde bombshell, Erika, who's the town's kindergarten teacher... But when his attempt to help by pretending to be her fiancee ended up with her picture (and his) in tabloids, and paparazzi appeared in town chasing them, Erika was stunned. She valued her anonymity, preferring to deal with her own loss her own way. But Tanner is too handsome and nice of a guy to pass up, even though he's out of her league. So is the romance real, or just fake?

I honestly didn't feel much of a connection, as the romance started as "just helping out" and became an UNINTENTIONAL "fake engagement" which THEN turned into real love?!  It just feels... lackadaisical. It's sweet, but not much else. 2.5/5