GRR Reviews The Billionaire's Christmas Bundle of Joy by Holly Rayner

Mia, second anchor at SNO News, loved her job, despite being relegated to "fluff" news items. She was covering a story about a man who refused to pull down his Christmas decorations even though it's April, when her boss, James, the media mogul (who owns her station and many more across the country), arrived in town. He's a man's man, gorgeous, but hates Christmas. But when a freak snow storm stranded him in town with her (let's just say a Porsche 911 isn't good in the snow) in the station, they ended up doing the horizontal tango after quite a bit of wine. Then he left the next day, and that's that. Until she learned that she'll be giving him a Christmas present... as apparently they forgot to use a condom...

A bit of meh. Really didn't feel it much that would lead to a one-night-stand, and other than the open mike oops, there really isn't much of a conflict. 3/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire's First Christmas by Holly Rayner

The Billionaire's First Christmas is a rather charming, but ultimately barely-above-average Holiday Romance with no standout qualities.

Aaron Winters is handsome, rich, but hated the Holidays, esp. Christmas. He gave generously, but he lost his Christmas spirit a very long time ago. That is, until Robyn Hurst. Robyn is a new employee in Aaron's company, and got "volunteered" for a date with the highest bidder at the Christmas charity dinner... and saved by a mysterious bidder... after handing out gifts dressed in an elf costume, she was surprised to find her date is none other than Aaron Winters himself. Aaron was fascinated by Robyn, who was full of life and hope, and Robyn found that Aaron was not an old grouch the senior employees assumed he was. But can Robyn really break the shell around Aaron's heart and have him enjoy the real joy of Holidays?

So basically, you have the grouch-y boss and the way-too-vivacious employee. It's trope, and it's cliche with minimal twists.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Young woman employee found the winner of her date (won at Christmas charity auction) was none other than her CEO, and he's interested in her personally...

Tropes: Holiday, Hot for boss, auction, opposites attract,

Overall Rating:  3/5

GRR Reviews Stolen: The Billionaire Deception by Holly Rayner

Stolen: The Billionaire Deception doesn't make sense on a logical level. Add that to a really shallow male protagonist, and you are left with a below average romance involving hidden identities.

Adele Morgan was still in elementary school when she found out the terrible news that her parents were both killed in a car crash, and no family can be located. When her nanny took her in, she also found that she will lose all the mansion and money and other privileges she used to enjoy. Only when she got older that she realized what had happened... James Hunter had stolen the business from her. The business, now known as Hunter Corp, had thrived, and Adele, having graduated school, is determined to get back what is hers... She went undercover in Hunter Corp as Erin Summers, hoping to find evidence of wrongdoing. She did not count on meeting the interim CEO, Seth, son of James... and he's so handsome and kind and charming, so unlike his father. She can't fall for the enemy... but is Seth her enemy?

A couple things begs belief. 1) A family can afford a mansion and staff and luxuries, but did not setup a life insurance policy and and will to take care of the kid? 2) A company that rich but doesn't check the new hire for a diploma?  Seth has no faults other than lack of backbone. This is a mediocre attempt to create conflict.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman goes undercover in the company that used to belong to her family, fell for the current CEO. But his father stole the company away from her father (and thus, her)...

Tropes: revenge, disguise, different worlds, evil parent, hot for boss, orphan

Overall Rating:  2/5

GRR Reviews Exposed - My Mountain Man Protector by Alexa Ross and Holly Rayner

NOTE: This review is based on exclusive ARC

Exposed tries to setup the opposites attract trope (mountain man vs. city woman) and forced cohabitation due to evil ex. However, it seems the author never bothered to research police procedures and their sense of reality had taken a leave of absence, resulting in several WTF moments that made absolutely no sense, not to mention too-stupid-to-live moments. The romance was fine, the rest of the story is nonsensical.

To recap... Wife saw something she shouldn't and ran for her life. Husband was really in the mob and sent out killers after her. She ran to Aspen, temporarily lost her pursuers, and hiked a trail, almost got mauled by a bear and was saved by "Blake" a recluse in the mountains. She temporarily shacked up with him, and he chased away a goon (posing as a cop). They camped in the wilderness, and he finally convinced her to come clean and talk to his FBI friends, she had to go back to her car... only to find...

WARNING: SPOILER AHEAD

Blake realized the car was rigged with a bomb just as Wife attempted to move the car. Blake managed to drag her away before the car exploded. Blake had a Mexican standoff with the evil husband, wife tricked evil husband and Blake subdued him. Wife ran down to the local pharmacy, bought rope, and came back to truss up the evil husband like a bad bondage movie. Then they call the police, who threw the evil husband to the back of cruiser and congratulated the two. They went back to their cabin and made passionate love, then came back to town to answer questions, got congratulated again, and she decided she'll stay. The end.

Let's just name the problems:

• FMC decided to move the car when all she needed was a photocopy of her ID in her glove box? Really? 
• A car bomb that does NOT immediately blow up upon starting? Really? Blake has time to drag the FMC out of the car, run away, THEN it blows up?  WTF?
• A car bomb goes off in downtown Aspen, and NOBODY called the police? (So the heroine has time to run down to the local pharmacy to buy rope AND waited in line? WTF?!)
• Why would the evil ex be there in Aspen when he had sent goon(s) before?
• When police finally *did* show up, they didn't ask any questions, and just took FMC and MMC's word that the guy they trussed up was the bad guy, without even "inviting" them to "come downtown and chat"? 

The plot to resolve the suspense is utter NONSENSE!  Therefore, this book is nonsense. When you take the suspense out of romantic suspense, you end up with nonsensical bits of romance that don't fit together. This is one such instance: utter nonsense.

Category: Romantic suspense

Primary Plot: Wife running away from her mob husband who is out to kill her found a recluse mountain man who can protect her... maybe?

Tropes: protector, woman in peril, different worlds, forced proximity, mafia,

Overall Rating:  2/5