GRR Reviews Nina (Beach Brides) by Stacey Joy Netzel

Nina was a diehard romantic and had been let down by love. She went with eleven other book club friends to Enchanted Island, and in their final night, she was supposed to toss a wish of her ideal boyfriend into the ocean as a "message in a bottle". But she brought it back with her. Eight months later, Nina was visiting a Wisconsin town. As the personal assistant (and best friend) to a Hollywood star, she promised to attend the Valentine's Day charity auction in place of her boss. It's almost fate that she ended up sharing a house with Finn (who was promised by her boss's brother to renovate house). // Finn was medically discharged from the military after almost losing his leg. Returning to his hometown, he's smitten with Nina after that fateful meeting. But Nina wasn't quite ready to try again. Finn wasn't giving up though, esp. after finding her message in a bottle of her "dream hero"...

Sweet, and good use of dog (very appropriate name and eyes), plus a darkest hour and grand gesture that makes sense. 4.5/5

GRR Review Mistletoe Magic (Romancing Wisconsin B by Stacey Joy Netzel

Mistletoe Magic is a predictable Christmas story between two folks who were started friendly may end up as enemies... if they don't resolve that problem, before Christmas.

Mark Riley quit soldiering and went home to assuage his guilt of leaving his town behind. He was also playing Court Jester to Janelle Walsh's Snow Queen at the town Christmas Parade, and there was an instant connection between the tall and handsome major and the cute redhead (whose grandpa is playing Santa). When Mark learned that the property he had purchased also housed Janelle's animal rescue, and he just kicked her and all her animals to the curb by serving an eviction notice on them, it's going to take some serious holiday magic to for a happy ending.

While the eviction trope was pretty standard, this book did not kowtow to a full change of heart, but instead, without spoilers, managed to find a middle ground that allowed both characters to change and meet halfway.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Prodigal son returns to hometown to invest and decompress, found the girl, only to find he just evicted her animal shelter...

Trope: return, holiday, disguise, enemies to lovers

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Review: Kidnapped by Stacey Joy Netzel

Kidnapped by Stacey Joy Netzel was previously published as "Lost in Italy", and it's a good adventure suspense with a dose of romance. The female protagonist seems to be a bit too headstrong at first, and the Hollywood star is, well, doing Hollywood things, even in real life.

TV producer "Halli" Sanders was enjoying a vacation with her brother and sister in Italy when she lingered a bit too long taking photos at Lake Cuomo and got left behind. She was fuming when international movie star Trent Tomlin pulled up in a convertible to ask her if she needed a ride. When she declined, Trent pulled her into the car and pulled off when hostile cars shot at them...  Halli had filmed someone's death, and Trent needed those photos to find the culprits who killed his brother. When the evil perps kidnapped Halli's brother and sister, and launched a manhunt for Halli and the camera, can they survive Italy, bring the guilty ones to justice, and each other? 

The book reads like a Hollywood movie, complete with diving off an exploding boat and such. scenes.  Flirting was plentiful, but only one sex scene. It is full of tropes, but that's the fun of it, right?

Category: Contemporary / Suspense

Primary Plot: Woman accidentally filmed a murder and was rescued/kidnapped by a movie star; they have to save her brother and sister kidnapped by bad guys, while they fall for each other

Overall Rating: 4/5