GRR Reviews Love on the Boardwalk by Nikki Lynn Barrett and Shannyn Leah

Eva is back in Cinnamon Bay to run the boardwalk cafe she inherited... AND hide the fact that her ex-fiancee was a cheating bas****. She took "Cafe Amour" off the menu because it's just bunk. It's NOT a love potion even if two people share it... // Mack is in Cinnamon Bay to search for the family that gave him up for adoption way back when. But what he found instead was Eva, a delicious coffee drink, and a legend about love and a lighthouse. Sharing the coffee with Eva was nice, but what will he discover about his own past, and does that mean a chance with Eva... or not?

Series starter, good setup, if a bit quirky about love and lives lost, and unusual circumstances. 4/5

GRR Reviews On the 12th Date of Christmas by Nikki Lynn Barrett

Robin has PTSD from being mugged. Now almost fearful of the public, she has anxiety attacks. But she was vivacious and self-reliant before, and Christmas is coming, and a lot of people are relying on her. Then she met Jonas again... // Jonas knew he should have never left town a year ago, but he let his parents pressure him into accepting the international internship. But he's back now. He was shocked to see Robin's transformation from a happy girl into the sad shell of a person. Desperate to get her back (in more sense than one), he teased her into accepting his cheesy proposal: go on twelve dates with him. Can he help her find herself again? Will he be there?

Not bad plotting, if slightly forced, but it's meant to be light-hearted and cheesy, signs of a sweet rom-com, albeit dealing with angst-y issues. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Complicated Christmas by Nikki Lynn Barrett

Caitlin has a friends-with-benefits arrangement with widower Ron. She was destroyed by her fiancee for his personal gains, and she wasn't ready to love again. He did not want to replace his dead wife even after four years. So some physical release for both should be just perfect. So they had secret liaisons after Ron's two teenage children are asleep. It wasn't about love at all. But it seems this year will be different from the rest, as one shock comes after another. First Ron's son (17) confessed that not only is he dating, he just knocked up a girl and intends to marry her. Then Caitlin found out that she's pregnant... Is she ready to be... step-grandma? How do they confess their relationships to the small town? Will Ron's children accept her? Will they ever get married?

Lots of complicated relationships but also kept things light. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Fallen Idol by Nikki Lynn Barrett

Kyra was a teen country sensation until a car accident got someone killed and crippled another for life. Kyra was convicted of manslaughter, sending her into a downward spiral that ended with her taking a long hiatus from her career. Six years later, she's on the verge of her comeback tour, with a new single on the radio. But a fire in her hometown that put her parents into the hospital sent her driving straight back to Texas from her Nashville flat... But in the storm, she backended another car, only miles from home, and came to meet the Greer family... // Matt Greer is still dealing with the aftermath when his ex-wife ran off, leaving their teenage son and him, to pursue her "music career". He's had enough musicians for one lifetime... but Kyra is making him reconsider. But Kyra is dogged by hate mail and other problems, including a stalker who definitely didn't want her on her comeback tour. When both her Nashville flat and Matt's auto shop were broken into and defaced, it's clear someone is close by, and her entire family is targeted... and new information about the car accident six years ago shows that perhaps someone wants to keep the truth buried...

There's a MAJOR problem about the initial premise, that accident that changed everything, and the idea almost works, but something just didn't quite make sense. The plot just didn't *quite* feel right.

Spoiler

Ahead

You've been warned

There were two cars, and somehow a semi was involved, and one car crashed, and Kyra was somehow found in driver's seat of one of the cars, even though she did not remember driving, or even drinking much. She was somehow convicted of manslaughter. Six years later, she found out that other survivors of the trip received threats that they had signed some sort of affidavit or NDA and they'll be ruined if they try to discuss the case. At the very end, we finally found that it was her main rival, another country teen star, who was in the other car, that set them up. They were supposed to die as they were drugged at the party. The other car's occupants were staging them when the semi plowed into them both. When Kyra went into hiatus, the other star decided not to pursue any further, but she's not ready to share the limelight again, so her boyfriend was the stalker, and also tried to sabotage her family by befriending Kyra's sister... and threaten her family...

I like the back and forth, but some bits of the suspense didn't quite work for me.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below. 

GRR Reviews So Unlike Me (Winning Your Heart Book by Nikki Lynn Barrett

So Unlike Me is an interesting "twin-switcharoo" romance involving a bit of disguise, and a blast from the past (i.e. reunion). And it's clearly going to get volume two since we need a book for the other twin.

Lizette Monroe and her twin Nola had been devastated after their parents' death. Mother was killed by a stray bullet, and father died two weeks later from a heart attack. Being practically heiresses, they have plenty of money... but no love. Nola, normally vibrant, became agoraphobic. And Lizette just had her ex-fiancee jump on a reality TV show and making more drama for her. When Nola won a sweepstake trip to Paris, it seems like a perfect chance for Lizette to get away from all the drama, except Lizette had to impersonate Nola. Then Nola and Lizette discover the winner is going to Paris, Tennessee, not Paris France. And there, Lizette (pretending to be Nola), actually encountered a blast from the past... Dirk Ramsey, Nola's best friend since middle school. When Dirk fell for the girl, did he fell for Nola... or Lizette?

Twin-switcharoo stories are plentiful, but hard to do well. This one is pretty good as Dirk did figure out it was Lizette, not Nola. There were also some parallel plots where Nola, stuck at home, may or may not be imagining threats to them. All in all, good.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Twin pretending to be her sister is headed to a town for vacation, and found a good guy in town she can fall for...

Overall Rating: 4/5

NOTE: Tropes are now in the "Labels" below. 

GRR Reviews The Secret Santa Wishing Well by Nikki Lynn Barrett

The Secret Santa Wishing Well tries to infuse a bit of Christmas magic but the unclear motivation of an evil ex made the whole story confusing instead.

Jacob has a sister in the hospital with very aggressive cancer and no one knew how long she'd last even with the best treatment possible. But she wanted him to get some holiday spirit and volunteered him for Secret Santa at the mall. Jacob encountered a little boy Ben who made a very special wish... well, two wishes. Ben was Cheyenne's son. Cheyenne was struggling to raise two kids after her BF ran off, and the BF even refused to acknowledge the baby daughter. But Ben's own kind actions brought Jacob into her life, and the two were attracted to each other. Jacob was forever worried about his sister in the hospital, and Cheyenne is worried when her ex suddenly showed up demanding to reconnect with Ben, when her ex clearly has no idea how. He even brought his pregnant girlfriend along! Can the two let go of their ghosts of Christmas past and make a life together, when things took a turn for the worse for both of them?

I still don't get why the evil ex showed up. It really made no sense whatsover. Maybe I just missed something. Overall, the book has some good points, but mostly "meh". All in all I can only rate this average.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Can a mall's Secret Santa grant a wish or two for the boy and his single mom, also caring for a baby daughter?

Tropes: different worlds, single parent, holiday, triangle, sibling problem

Overall Rating:  3/5

GRR Reviews It's Always Something (Life Won't Wait) by Nikki Lynn Barrett

It's Always Something is a sweet family tale of contemporary romance set in the background of country music of an existing couple dealing with the pressure of celebrity life. It was quite sweet.

Country star celebrity couple Tucker and Quinn McGinnis wanted to spend the holidays together, but their obligations are sending them in separate directions. Tucker is one of the hottest country music stars around, but stress is causing his Turette's to manifest again. He missed his wife Quinn, but he has concerts and appearances around the country. Quinn was temporarily substituting as the star of a children's show while the regular star is taking some personal time. And all around them marriages are crumbling under stress. Can this couple stay together despite the odds?

The pressure of professional vs. personal life, family stress and obligations, plus celebrity and paparazzi stress sure makes things interesting. It was charming and fun read.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Country star couple must stay together in spite of professional, familial, and other obligations keeping them apart

Tropes: on the rocks, perrformer, evil boss,

Overall Rating:  4/5