GRR Reviews Fierce Bryce by Natalie Ann

Bryce is a certified genius, but he prefers to teach, even if he has to deal with parents who think grades should be "flexible", and students who think blackmailing teachers is tolerable. But he refused to be used... which is why he thought his ideal match would be an intellectual equal. So why was his mind fixated on a blonde bombshell baker? // Peyton had gone all her life without anyone taking her seriously... because she's a blue-eyed blonde with a beach body. Having dyslexia doesn't help. Even her parents told her to use what she's got and she refused. Instead, she's operating a cafe and making simple food people love. She's nowhere NEAR Bryce's league, so why can't she forget about him?

VERY nicely done opposites attract trope story, with nice character arc for both. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Fierce Sam by Natalie Ann

Surgeon Sam Fierce chose early on to close his heart to serious entanglements, knowing that he will fail at times, through no fault of his own, and it is better to not get too attached. So he acts carefree and charming, and women flock to him. // Dani lost her little sister and she still felt guilty a decade later, even though it was a car accident. She went through a wild rebellious phase, but she's done with that now. // When Dani met Sam (through his mother's scheming), there is an attraction, but he won't get close to anyone, and she still feels guilty... can they work past their wounds, and toward each other?

I don't get the part about closing oneself off yet still be compassionate. That sort of cognitive dissonance manifests itself in mental stress, and being a surgeon is stressful enough. It just feels like a VERY amateur psychological profile that doesn't make sense. Survivor's guilt, I do get. The rest of plotting and the back-and-forth is pretty good. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Last Chance by Natalie Ann

Riley left behind her dental practice when she felt uneasy and stalked. The strange empty cards, and phone calls that said nothing kept bothering her. She moved to Lake Placid and met local police chief Trevor when he needed wisdom teeth extracted ASAP. Trevor can tell Riley was afraid of something, and he wanted the life in town to be quiet and placid like the name, so that's why he wanted to 'save' Riley... right?

Good mystery and slow-wooing. The ending was a good twist too.  4/5

GRR Reviews All Or Nothing by Natalie Ann

Ben Harper returned from war broken, having lost his best friend, brother of another mother, Trent. He settled into "director of security" for a hospital, hiding his inner demons from everyone, including himself. Ben came to know Presley, one of the nurses working there. She's vivacious, sexy, doesn't take gruff from anyone (not even him) and she saw through his disguise... because she has a few inner demons of her own. Their attraction is undeniable, but can they work through their own problems so they can love each other?

The beginning was way too much of a teaser, and felt almost unnecessary, just there for the shock value and the tease. The slow burn of the two meeting, slowly seducing each other, yet refuse to disclose their own secrets, is good. It's always the delusion that they can "get it out of their system" by going to bed, only to need more. Yet there's always the secret that festers in the background. The darkest hour feels a bit... forced.  4.5/5

GRR Reviews Take A Chance (Lake Placid) by Natalie Ann

Take a Chance is a childhood infatuation to adult love romance, with both older, and probably wiser...

Rene had been a shy klutz that was always clumsy about Cole. But that had been decades ago. Accepting a position back in town after getting her degree is good, esp. when it brought her back to Cole, who still seems to have that effect on him. Cole is a local cop who came back from the war intact (he's Air Force) after his father died in the line of duty (he's a cop too). He always liked Rene, but Rene was just too shy. Will the Renne now be just as shy, or will she have matured? Will she want to date Cole? Add some family angst, sibling problems, small-town gossip, and it's clear this couple will have to fight for their happiness, esp. when they accidentally got her pregnant...

Rather enjoyed the pretty good twists and deeper family issues, but at times it feels almost a bit TOO long. But still a good read.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman's back in town, always liked the cop even back at school. But will family pressures and other issues keep them apart?

Tropes: return, reunion, law enforcement, family pressure, small town, accidental pregnancy

Overall Rating:  4/5