NOTE: Lucy Kevin is Bella Andre's "sweet" pen name.
Julie's restaurant didn't make it, esp. after a 2/5 review from a celebrity chef / reviewer was made public. Julie ended up working as the chef for Rose Chalet, a full wedding venue, taking over from her aunt who had to retire for health reasons. And guess who's the first client for her first tasting? None other than hot celebrity TV chef Andrew Kyle, the person who gave her that 2/5 review, as the groom's brother. Andrew told Julie that while her technique is good, her creations have no spark. Incensed, Julie wanted to give Andrew a piece of her mind, but was instead invited onto his cooking show in a live cook-off. And it's clear they have chemistry together... On and offscreen. But getting involved with a client is a definite no-no at the Rose Chalet... While Andrew wanted Julie, Julie can't decide whether her career or her food is worth risking for a chance for love with Andrew...
Eh... not feeling too much with this one. Firing Julie from Rose Chalet seems really dumb, and the first "experimental meal" was created without ANY input from the couple, which is just stupid. Seems Julie only works in extremes... Either super conservative, or super-creative. Took her until end of the book to balance the two, which actually is character growth, but still, it's just stupid to create a menu WITHOUT looking at the client. Chemistry between Andrew and Julie also was unexplained. 3.5/5
Showing posts with label Bella Andre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bella Andre. Show all posts
GRR Reviews The Beach Wedding by Lucy Kevin
NOTE: Lucy Kevin is Bella Andre's "sweet" pen name.
Jason is a successful novelist, but he always wondered if he could have made it with his one-time fiancee Liz. Now that his famous niece is getting married, he wants to arrange the perfect wedding for them, not stalked by paparazzi. So he went to Married in Malibu, who specialized in celebrity weddings. And guess who is in charge? None other than his ex-fiancee, Liz... // Liz let Jason go a long time ago, because he needed to be free of her to become successful. Meeting him again was... complicated. When news of marriage leaked, Jason and Liz must put on a show to distract the paparazzi from the real wedding couple, including dinners and more. But soon, the pretend romance turned very real indeed...
Oh, nice. Good plotting, with intertwining plots and motivations, further complicated by prior history and current circumstances. 5/5
Jason is a successful novelist, but he always wondered if he could have made it with his one-time fiancee Liz. Now that his famous niece is getting married, he wants to arrange the perfect wedding for them, not stalked by paparazzi. So he went to Married in Malibu, who specialized in celebrity weddings. And guess who is in charge? None other than his ex-fiancee, Liz... // Liz let Jason go a long time ago, because he needed to be free of her to become successful. Meeting him again was... complicated. When news of marriage leaked, Jason and Liz must put on a show to distract the paparazzi from the real wedding couple, including dinners and more. But soon, the pretend romance turned very real indeed...
Oh, nice. Good plotting, with intertwining plots and motivations, further complicated by prior history and current circumstances. 5/5
GRR Reviews Sparks Fly by Lucy Kevin (aka Bella Andre)
Angelina is a Feng Shui consultant, who was hired by a woman to consult with CEO Will Scott. The woman was Will's ex-wife. Turns out, Will's ex-wife wants him back, and Angelina had a bit of reputation of bring people back together and was dubbed "Feng Shui Cupid". After being ignored by Will and completely forgotten, Angelina barely accepted Will's apology and agreed to a second consultation... and found herself falling for him... // Will had always worked hard... he had no life and he didn't want children... He's afraid he'll end up like his father, abandoning the family. With boardroom stuff taking up most of his time, he killed his marriage through neglect. Somehow, Angelina's advice did make him feel better after implementing them. Then his mother got involved, determined to bring them together...
Sweet. There is sex, but it was glossed over. The plot moves fast (book is barely over 100 pages) and there isn't really a dull moment. The setup was good as there are both push and pull factors aligned and setup properly. Good read. I do have a slight bit of question... Where did she get her feng shui training? :)
Category: Contemporary
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.
Sweet. There is sex, but it was glossed over. The plot moves fast (book is barely over 100 pages) and there isn't really a dull moment. The setup was good as there are both push and pull factors aligned and setup properly. Good read. I do have a slight bit of question... Where did she get her feng shui training? :)
Category: Contemporary
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.
GRR Reviews Love Me by Bella Andre
Luke finally realized he was burned out as an ER trauma surgeon when his hands won't stop shaking just before an operation. He hadn't slept properly in 24 hours, and the only place he wanted to be was with a woman he should not want... His best friend's little sister, Janica. Losing control, he arrived at Janica's door... // Janica is a fashion designer who never was afraid to flaunt her sexuality... and she had a crush on Luke for a long time... but things went awkwardly when her calm older sister married Luke's twin brother... // Luke had finally lost control after five years of denying his feelings. For one night, it will be all about him... and Janica is happy to oblige, even though she doesn't like being submissive in bed... but for Luke, she will... And the sex was out of this world good. Until he walked out the next day, cold as winter. Janica knew Luke had already stolen her heart, but will Luke realize it?
Bella Andre always had a knack of crafting likable characters within just a few pages of the opening, and not let up the momentum. The sex is hot, and the emotions raw. The darkest hour, due to him being a doctor, is expected, which I won't spoil, but you'll recognize it when you read it. It ties nicely back to the beginning. All in all, good read.
Category: Contemporary
Overall Rating: 4/5
NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.
Bella Andre always had a knack of crafting likable characters within just a few pages of the opening, and not let up the momentum. The sex is hot, and the emotions raw. The darkest hour, due to him being a doctor, is expected, which I won't spoil, but you'll recognize it when you read it. It ties nicely back to the beginning. All in all, good read.
Category: Contemporary
Overall Rating: 4/5
NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.
GRR Reviews Breathless in Love by Bella Andre and Jennifer Skully
Will came from a bad childhood and a dark past that he didn't want to talk about, until a chance encounter with a sweet couple brought him several brothers (not by blood) and a chance to reinvent himself. He made it rich, and is known as one of the five maverick billionaires, with an extensive car collection. He was feeling his own loneliness when a letter from a boy brought Harper into his life... // Harper had to raise her brother after a car accident had him, a teenager, regressed to that of a 7-year old. His enthusiasm about cars let him to write Will, and surprisingly, Will invited them to visit his private car collection, and fell for Harper right there. Will wanted to keep Harper around, but Harper chose to back off, for she cannot allow her brother to be hurt. But soon she realized there's a lot more to Will than just his fortune... But when his brother vanished while they went on a trip to London, Harper chose to cut off all connection after her brother has been found... Is she holding on too tight? Can Will convince her it would be better to be together?
The plot itself is basically conflicting obligations between "caring for my brother" and "loving Will". While there were some hints deeper issue, like Harper just didn't trust her brother to grow up and be responsible for himself, there really wasn't much deeper. It's basically Harper doing "hard to get" mostly with good intentions. The "one incident, causing her to run away" served as darkest hour, and that's a bit cliche. But the other touches are good.
Category: Contemporary
Overall Rating: 4/5
NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below.
GRR Reviews I Only Have Eyes For You (The Sullivans) by Bella Andre
I Only Have Eyes for You by Bella Andre was full of tropes, but Bella Andre, a veteran romance writer, was able to massage the elements into a sweet romantic tale.
Sophie Sullivan is the "nice" twin in the Sullivans family with SIX brothers to watch out for her. She yearned to be noticed by the man she wanted the first time she saw him... Jake McCann. Jake always worked hard and now Jake owned a chain of Irish pubs. Women loved him, but he only wanted one girl, his best friend's little sister Sophie that he should never desire. When one of the Sullivan brothers got married, Jake and Sophie fell for the atmosphere... and they consummated their relationship... but both felt ashamed... Sophie for succumbing to lust, and Jake for inadequacy ("I am no good for her"). Then Sophie discovered she's pregnant... When Sophie appeared on Jake's doorstep, and Jake accepted the news, he realized he must marry her... but she won't accept, believing he doesn't love her. Jake must convince her to stay... but to do so, he may have to give up his most shameful secret...
The tropes are numerous (accidental pregnancy, bestie's little sister, sexy librarian, bar owner, overprotective brothers...) but they fit together well enough and polished well by the author. Jake's... secret wasn't really that devastating, and Sophie, well, really does feel like a real person, with not too angst-y emotions. Enjoyed the novel.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Bar owner fell for the one girl he should not want, his best friend's little sister. But she wanted him too... Then she found out she's pregnant... by him... after one drunken night!
Tropes: accidental pregnancy, best firend's sibling, library, bar owner, protective siblings, different worlds, no good for you
Overall Rating: 4/5
GRR Reviews One Perfect Night (Contemporary Roman by Bella Andre
One Perfect Night is a novelette (only 60-some pages!) that proves Bella Andre can write both long and short forms and deliver a hot romance, though I don't think this quite measure up to her longer-form novels. The 4 star rating is meant to be 3.5 stars, but Amazon doesn't do half-stars. :)
Noah Bryant met Colbie Michaels on the slopes near Lake Tahoe, and it was love at first sight. Then Colbie panicked and ran, without exchanging phone number or even a last name. A week later, serendipity dictated that they meet again, in Seattle, as they actually have mutual friends, and both had somehow hired the same detective to find each other. And this time Noah won't let Colbie get away. Colbie was gun-shy from a relationship, believing Noah will leave her broken, but Noah went on to prove he's around to stay, intent on fulfilling all her secret desires, and make every night one perfect night...
The sex is hot, and it didn't bother me. The serendipity was a bit too much of a coincidence, as usually, people with mutual friends should know each other, but perhaps they only know each other by reputation before the advent of social networks. It's about learning to love again, and that never gets old.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Chance encounter on ski slopes and regrets lead to another meeting in Seattle...
Tropes: fling to a thing, resort (ski), scars, reunion
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
Noah Bryant met Colbie Michaels on the slopes near Lake Tahoe, and it was love at first sight. Then Colbie panicked and ran, without exchanging phone number or even a last name. A week later, serendipity dictated that they meet again, in Seattle, as they actually have mutual friends, and both had somehow hired the same detective to find each other. And this time Noah won't let Colbie get away. Colbie was gun-shy from a relationship, believing Noah will leave her broken, but Noah went on to prove he's around to stay, intent on fulfilling all her secret desires, and make every night one perfect night...
The sex is hot, and it didn't bother me. The serendipity was a bit too much of a coincidence, as usually, people with mutual friends should know each other, but perhaps they only know each other by reputation before the advent of social networks. It's about learning to love again, and that never gets old.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Chance encounter on ski slopes and regrets lead to another meeting in Seattle...
Tropes: fling to a thing, resort (ski), scars, reunion
Overall Rating: 4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)
GRR Review The Way You Look Tonight (Seattle Sulli by Bella Andre
WARNING: This review contains spoiler.
"The Way You Look Tonight" featured a simple and popular plot: boy left town, became successful, went back a dozen years later, and found the girl next door (who had a crush on him) is now all grown up. They proceed, through some bonding activities, settle down to become friends with benefits, then lovers, then some dark secret blew them apart, and one side has to do some grand gesture to heal their wounds and get back together to achieve the HEA.
While both characters are very nicely written, both with emotional wounds that lead them to rather rash decisions (he's a cynic of human nature and assume the worst until proven otherwise, she's had enough of everybody assuming she's a screwup due to a single lapse in judgment a decade ago) the trigger to "darkest hour" is... a background check. Really? That's it? That just feels so... trivial. Which also means the subsequent grand gesture feels somewhat trivial as well, as FMC was pretty much on her way back already.
But that's not the author's forte. Author's forte is creating a rich background, about the siblings of the main character Rafe, about the lakeside cottage, about the FMC Brooke's truffle business, about how this cabin was once owned by the Sullivan family and is now owned again... and how the epilogue shows Rafe giving his parents the deed to the lakehouse, now all restored, as anniversary present, that you can almost forgive the simplistic and almost cliche plot, and the lame conflict that leads to darkest hour, which wasn't even that dark.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Man went back home, found neighbor girl is all grown up, but secrets and distrust are not unlearned overnight...
Tropes: Return, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5
"The Way You Look Tonight" featured a simple and popular plot: boy left town, became successful, went back a dozen years later, and found the girl next door (who had a crush on him) is now all grown up. They proceed, through some bonding activities, settle down to become friends with benefits, then lovers, then some dark secret blew them apart, and one side has to do some grand gesture to heal their wounds and get back together to achieve the HEA.
While both characters are very nicely written, both with emotional wounds that lead them to rather rash decisions (he's a cynic of human nature and assume the worst until proven otherwise, she's had enough of everybody assuming she's a screwup due to a single lapse in judgment a decade ago) the trigger to "darkest hour" is... a background check. Really? That's it? That just feels so... trivial. Which also means the subsequent grand gesture feels somewhat trivial as well, as FMC was pretty much on her way back already.
But that's not the author's forte. Author's forte is creating a rich background, about the siblings of the main character Rafe, about the lakeside cottage, about the FMC Brooke's truffle business, about how this cabin was once owned by the Sullivan family and is now owned again... and how the epilogue shows Rafe giving his parents the deed to the lakehouse, now all restored, as anniversary present, that you can almost forgive the simplistic and almost cliche plot, and the lame conflict that leads to darkest hour, which wasn't even that dark.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Man went back home, found neighbor girl is all grown up, but secrets and distrust are not unlearned overnight...
Tropes: Return, scars
Overall Rating: 3/5
GRR Review: Can't Help Falling In Love by Bella Andre
"Can't Help Falling In Love" by Bella Andre is a contemporary romance set in San Francisco. It is sweet, it is well polished, and it definitely enjoyable.
Being a resident of San Francisco I enjoy books set in the city. Everything fits in this book. I guess my main... nit to pick with this book is the amount of... self-sabotage that counts as internal conflict, in that the woman basically destroys the relationship before it starts because of some... tilted perspective due to some old wound she had to work through, i.e. I've been hurt once, I'd rather not feel ANY happiness than to deal with the POSSIBLE pain that may come. That is just... illogical, but then, this is about love, and logic be (bleep)ed.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Widow with daughter can't deal with man in dangerous profession, but firefighter who rescued her wanted her anyway
Overall Rating: 4/5
Gabe Sullivan is a firefighter that just saved Megan Harris and her daughter Suzy from a house fire in San Francisco. Gabe was injured in the rescue, so had to go to the hospital, and Megan felt bad that she visited him and brought cookies to the firehouse. Gabe was smitten, but Megan still hadn't gotten over her husband's death several years ago and can't deal with anyone in dangerous professions. But there is no denying that they can be good together... esp with a bit of prodding by Gabe's family and Megan's daughter Suzy...
Being a resident of San Francisco I enjoy books set in the city. Everything fits in this book. I guess my main... nit to pick with this book is the amount of... self-sabotage that counts as internal conflict, in that the woman basically destroys the relationship before it starts because of some... tilted perspective due to some old wound she had to work through, i.e. I've been hurt once, I'd rather not feel ANY happiness than to deal with the POSSIBLE pain that may come. That is just... illogical, but then, this is about love, and logic be (bleep)ed.
Category: Contemporary
Primary Plot: Widow with daughter can't deal with man in dangerous profession, but firefighter who rescued her wanted her anyway
Overall Rating: 4/5
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