GRR Reviews Guarding the Broken by Kirsty Moseley

NOTE: This is part 1 of the novel. The full novel is more than 600 pages long, so this does end on a cliffhanger.

Anna is the daughter of a senator running for president. But she's broken three years ago, when her boyfriend was murdered and she was raped and held prisoner by sadistic kingpin Carter for months until her accidental rescue during a police raid. But Carter has somehow gotten a new trial when somehow some evidence in his conviction had been "tampered with". // Anna had run off every "near guard" and the senator took the unusual action of entrusting her safety to an untried (but best in class) SWAT agent, Ashton, young enough to pose as her boyfriend, and handsome enough to be believed, yet lethal and protective. // Anna didn't want to be cold and unemotional, but it was the only way she survived her months of imprisonment and abuse. Ashton made her feel something, but she's still not over losing her childhood sweetheart. Can she learn to trust again?

The background of Ashton really makes no sense. SWAT members don't go to separate schools but are regular police that underwent additional training. And police academy graduates don't get to go into SWAT school immediately. Nor are they assigned jobs across the country, as there is no "national school" or even "state academy" for police or SWAT.  The rest of novel basically is Anna slowly succumbs to Ashton's charms and protectiveness, as he was able to read her like a book without touching her... Until exactly when she needed it. Nothing really exciting happens until book 2.  3/5

GRR Reviews Welcome to Riverside Ranch by Sophie Mays

NOTE: Cliffhanger, kinda Happy-for-now ending, 126 page short novel

Piper was just handed her dream: being the assistant director for a film project she wrote. While she planned for a jungle adventure, being told by studio head to change the setting to a Colorado ranch/resort is not bad... but having her crush as the star? Run into production problems? And being attracted to the head cowboy, Blake? That could be a problem... // Blake knew that his family ranch has a ton of tradition, being owned by them for a VERY long time, but tradition won't keep the ranch running in the black. That's why a new wing of the resort is about to be done, and not even a film crew can ruin his good mood. But a feisty city girl named Piper leading the crew? That could be a problem...

Sweet, fun, and romantic, in that they try to accommodate each other. But the story is unfinished, as the Blake wanted to see Piper in her home element: Los Angeles. That's for the sequel... This volume by itself? Technically a cliffhanger. 3/5

GRR Reviews Fake Billionaire Box Set 1 (Books 1-3) by Lexy Timms

NOTE: Box sets are normally not reviewed as a set, but as separate books. However, as each of these books is basically a cliffhanger, I decided to review them together as a single book, as it completes a story arc.

Book 1: Faking It

Allyson is PA to playboy billionaire Dane of Prescott Enterprises. She had a crush on her boss for years. When her family nagged her AGAIN about why is she still alone, how her sister, a cardiologist, is about to marry some hotshot lawyer, she blurted out that she's dating her boss. Now she just has to say he's too busy... But he insisted on being her date... to get away from his own problems... // Dane knew Allyson was the best PA he'd ever had (he had chased away about one a month until Allyson) and he does date heiresses picked by his mom, now that his father has semi-retired and he's running day-to-day operations. But it's never serious. He can't stand uppity b****es who value him for what he can give, not for him. Pretending to be Allyson's BF would be refreshing... but it may change everything...


Book 2: Temporary CEO

Dane had a taste of Allyson, but it can't continue, esp. when rumors of their marriage spread (she was testing a wedding gown for her sister) and they didn't fight it. The merger went through, but the "scandal" about the fake marriage sent their stock into a steep dive. Dane has to give up his CEO position. Can Allyson work for someone who may be out to ruin Dane? // Dane knew the world of bluebloods is bad place to be, unless you're trained for it, and Allyson isn't. He has to save Allyson, even at the expense of their relationship... if necessary.


Book 3: Caught In the Act

Allyson had enough of the pressure. She broke up with Dane and left for the Bahamas. But Dane followed her there, determined to win her back. He succeeded, only to be informed upon his return that his merger partners had executed a coup-de-tat... And gained control of his company, and his legacy, leaving his family with almost nothing. Now Dane and Allyson must execute the ultimate gambit to regain control of his legacy by pulling off a fake breakup and divorce. After all, they fake married once already, right? How hard can a fake breakup and divorce be?

Review

I have problems with self-suffering heroines who really believed they *should* suffer even when nobody said they should. Somehow, Allyson took upon herself that EVERYTHING, up to and including Dane having lost his company, is somehow HER fault (I shouldn't have roped him into being my fake BF) multiple times, and that's just cringe-worthy to read at times. And the boardroom antics was a bit nebulous, so was the final gambit to regain control. Other parts are good.  3/5

NOTE: There's book 4 and book 5 to the series.

GRR Reviews Irresistible: What He Wants by Elizabeth Nelson

NOTE: Cliffhanger, you may want to read "Irresistible Complete Set" via KU instead.

Hillary needs a job when she was recruited by Brad for a very special club... No sex, just flirt and tease, and MAYBE touch... But behind Brad is Adrian, a mysterious boss with his own intentions toward Hillary. And Maxwell, a hunky TV star, seems to be monopolizing Hillary's time...

This is 1/3rd of a book, and it shows. Hillary started as an innocent ingenue, and even on her first night out, turned into a master cocktease, but she can't decide who she wanted to f***... Brad the charmer, Maxwell the TV hunk, or Adrian, the mysterious alpha? Frankly, reading a cliffhanger doesn't make me want to buy the next 2 books, as not much here really happened. In fact, there is no sex, just a lot of heavy petting and making out. (Technically, there is ONE sex scene, but it's NOT with Hillary, our FMC). 1.5/5 (includes -1 cliffhanger penalty)

GRR Reviews Dirty Billionaire by Meghan March

WARNING: Cliffhanger, part 1 of 3

Creighton "Crey" is a handsome billionaire who's also very good in the sack, but he never attaches. Holly is a new country music star and her agent wanted her to "date" a fellow star for publicity, and she didn't want to. She needed a hot man to help her forget, and when a bad suitor tried to feel her up at the hotel bar, Crey came to her rescue. And they had a VERY memorable night. But she left a fake name and number and disappeared. But he knew what he wanted, so he published a very public "Missed Connection" classifieds that got the whole nation talking....

The problem is even at almost 200 pages, this is 1/3rd of a book that ends on a huge cliffhanger. Sex is hot, but the D/s aspects had no talk about consent or negotiation. Complications are minimal, as not much actually happened. 2/5 (includes -1 cliffhanger penalty)

GRR Reviews Hometown Calling by Lexy Timms

NOTE: Cliffhanger

Chase is attending his best friend's wedding... although his best friend is the bride, and the groom's not happy about it. So why is he interested in the bride's little sister Miranda, aka "Mira", now all grown up?

The book was good right up to the point with the cliffhanger... Chase is leaving, and Mira obviously isn't. A bit of Meh, and there are two more volumes to this. Felt a bit drawn out. 2.5/5 (includes -1 for cliffhanger)

GRR Reviews A Debt Owed by Clarissa Wild

WARNING: Cliffhanger

Easton viewed the Davis family with utter hostility, and he planned to ruin them all, while claiming Charlotte Davis for his own. The older Davis worked Easton's chef father into an early grave (heart attack), and blackballed Easton himself just for talking to Charlotte ONCE. Now the revenge is complete: The older Easton, Charlotte's father, offered Charlotte up as Easton's wife if Easton will stop collecting on the 20 million that was owed. // Charlotte was horrified when she was offered up like property by her father, but when Easton threatened her father's life, she had no choice but to comply. Kept like a bird in a gilded cage, and moved to the Netherlands, she has to play the reluctant wife, even as Easton seduces her with taboo sex and ultra luxuries. But she will always look for a way out...

Eh.... While Easton justifies his actions, he just comes across as a jerk, stealing her diary like a burglar and use it to gaslight her. Charlotte shows some backbone and sass. I guess I just didn't like dark romances overall. At least this one doesn't deal with non-consensual stuff.  Oh, and the book ends on a huge cliffhanger.  3/5  (includes -1 for cliffhanger)

GRR Reviews Love Damaged by Kelli McCracken

NOTE: This is volume 2 of 3. See Volume 1 review here

At the end of book 1, Mia ran away when Izzie arrived with shocking news that she's pregnant with Ayden's child. However, Izzie's a habitual liar and Mia's return (and unharmed) gave Ayden a chance to reconcile with Mia, only to have Izzie's pregnancy drama interrupt them time after time. (Did I mention Izzie is Mia's half-sister?)  When Izzie fell off the stairs trying to attack Mia, and miscarried, the drama is hardly over, because there are signs of coverup, missing files from her medical records, and more. Then Mia had her own surprise, and one she may not share with Ayden at all...

While I appreciate the emotional roller-coasters, a lot of which feels very... forced. If Ayden told Izzie he won't see her again until she had the paternity test, then Ayden manged to break that promise more than once when Izzie threw a hissy fit, how are we supposed to take Ayden seriously?

Oh, and it ends on ANOTHER cliffhanger. Albeit a bit less so this time.

3.5/5

GRR Reviews Love Desired by Kelli McCracken

Mia inherited a famous music retreat from her grandpa, and wanted to keep it great. She wants to find the "gems in the rough", the bands that need a little help to make it into the big times, and she believes she found one... Breaking Silence, and the leading man, Ayden. But having an evil ex Leslie had soured her to men in general... yet there's an undeniable attraction between her and Ayden... // Ayden and his band can't break out of the local scene, and the invitation from Mia to spend time in Music Haven was a dream come true. Ayden had been burned before... He really thought Izzie loved him, but he's never going back. Mia clearly cared, and the attraction is mutual. But Leslie has plans, just as Izzie revealed that she's actually Mia's half-sister. Ayden and Mia's relationship will be put to the ultimate test...

WARNING: Ends on a HUGE cliffhanger. Must read Volume 2: Love Damaged.

I have a little problem with Leslie and Izzie. I don't sense their "purpose", the reason for them being evil. It's as if they are evil just because they can, just to mess with the main characters. And for a music retreat, the band doesn't seem to do much of anything musical there. But the twists and turns are good enough I'm giving this a good rating... -1 for cliffhanger.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5   (includes -1 for cliffhanger)

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

GRR Reviews Snowed In With the Billionaire by Christine Kersey

WARNING: Cliffhanger

Ashley was heading to Reno to start her new life when she drove through a "no cell service" area in a snowstorm and skidded out. She was rescued by Colton Drake, who's heading toward his "cabin" to relax from his job as a billionaire CEO. Ashley wasn't sure if Colton is really a serial killer, but she's definitely single. Colton is glad to just be himself, instead of Mr. Moneybags. He can see Ashley is interested, but he has a girlfriend... sort of, and Ashley is nothing like that. They fight their mutual attraction, but Ashley needs to go when the snow cleared (and when her car's towed and fixed). Then Colton's GF showed up...

Book 1 of 4, the rescue and subsequent push-pull was good... until Colton turned into a limp wiener and told Ashley that "it's been fun, but I have second thoughts about breaking up with my GF to be with you, even though we just made out moments ago" for no particular reason. Generally, a change of heart is prompted by external circumstances or at least some sort of a reminder. This is more like "morning regret", and more of a WTF.

The story also continues, as Colton's company is in Reno, where Ashley is headed... and you know she's gonna be working for him...

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

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

GRR Reviews A Chance at L.O.V.E. by K L Myers

WARNING: Ends on cliffhanger

Lincoln Oliver Vincent Eastwick (AKA L.O.V.E.) is a rich man who hadn't feel love, and refused to settle. For a good cause, he allowed himself to be a part of bachelor date auction... masked. In the meanwhile, his nephew is to undergo heart surgery for a congenital defect. And the doctor's name is Lillian Vicci... a very lovely vision indeed. // Dr. Lillian Olivia Vicci (AKA L.O.V.) is a pediatric cardiac surgeon who barely escaped from her mafia family. She moved to Virginia to setup her practice, but she can't settle down, for she's barren. When her best friend used her paddle to win the date with Linc, she's horrified and elated... For Linc is handsome and rich, but also her patient's surrogate father. But their chemistry cannot be denied. That is... Until her father suffered a heart attack and will soon retire... and she will be married off to the *consigliere* soon to be promoted to godfather...

Auction and date was good, the rest was meh. Add to the -1 for cliffhanger.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2.5/5 rounded up

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

GRR Reviews His Secretary Vol 1 of 3 by Harmony Raines

Helen is a single mom with two girls struggling to make ends meet after her husband skipped town. Her brother's fiancee got her a one-week temp gig as a secretary, only to find out the company is in turmoil when the boss is sick in the hospital... and his nephew, Oliver, is here to oversee the potential deal. And Oliver picked Helen to work with him for the week. Oliver is a taskmaster, and most days ended up overtime, as Oliver sensed there was something wrong with the deal yet having no numbers to back it up, despite his and Helen's analysis. Oliver realized he had been missing a family... even as Helen realized her desire for a career may be too big a price to pay. And Oliver does NOT date employees. When Oliver asked Helen to go with him to Monaco to convince his uncle, will he be able to admit his feelings for Helen?

Eh, not feeling much there. AND it's only book 1 of 3.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5 -1 for cliffhanger

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

GRR Reviews The Law of Attraction (Lawyers in Love) by N.M. Silber

The Law of Attraction could have been excellent rom-com, except this is only one part of the series, and ends in a cliffhanger, Furthermore, the characters felt very... cliche.

Gabrielle is a public defender, and Branden is an assistant DA. Their jobs may collide, but they are well acquainted with each other... in and out of court (and bed). They want to take their relationship to the next level, but that couldn't work when they are technically on opposite sides of the court system... so they keep putting it off until their love/lust started to affect their performance. Add to the various criminals and judges they had to deal with, and the journey toward love is never a straight line... and often, uproariously funny line.

If you like the rom-com style of writing, you should like this fine, but the characters really did feel like cliches, basically romance archetypes, and are not that deep. It felt a bit like "The Office" or "Silicon Valley", even with a dash of "Dilbert", albeit, with lawyers.

Category: Contemporary / Comedy

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews This Love by Emily Snow

Veronica is the daughter of the housekeeper that grew up alongside the ultra-rich Delaney brothers, esp. Bennett. They have had affairs on and off, but she knew she can't be with him. They are from different worlds... But the heart wants what it wants... Until secrets came to light... and everything changed...

Good back and forth, reluctant lovers and all that, but it's a cliffhanger which gets -1 automatically.  And where's the sequel?

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews Intercepted by Love (Book 1) by Rachelle Ayala

Cade Prescott is the notorious QB who had just lost the Superbowl with a pass that everybody warned him not to make. He decided to hide out in disguise, only taking his dog with him. // Andie Wales is a librarian who likes to research ancient kings, and her only constant companion is her dog. // When her dog and his dog ended up doing the deed (neither were fixed) they ended up meeting, and both were charmed. But then Cade's real life intrudes when someone recognized him...

Cliffhanger, and this runs on for SIX volumes. Each about 150-170 pages. It's charming, but not top of the line. Subtract the cliffhanger and it's average.

Category: Contemporary / Sports

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews The Proposition (Vol 1 of 3) by Katie Ashley

Emma Harrison came from a big family, and she wanted one of her own, but she's approaching 30, and seems to only attract losers. When even her gay best friend backed out of donating sperm for her IVF, and she's refusing to pick from the sperm bank, she's out of options... Until Aidan intervened. Aidan is the company's resident womanizer, and no one ever refused him... except Emma at the company Christmas party. When Aidan heard about Emma's "problem", he offered up himself... with a requirement... He'll be the sperm donor, but the conception must occur naturally. Yes, he will make love with Emma. Emma was initially horrified at the idea... this is basically unmarried sex, but soon she decided why not, Aidan is that charming. And Aidan proved to be a consummate lover. But as they spent month and more together, they've basically fallen for each other... if they can admit it to themselves...

The story actually ended up a cliffhanger and continues in Volume 2: The Proposal when Aidan, basically messed up. There's a reason he's the way he was... a womanizer, and he's yet to reveal why. He thought he can never commit to any woman, and Emma almost changed him, but not quite. I am not spoiling the cliffhanger, which is rather fun. I'd given this 4/5 except for the cliffhanger.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5 -1 for cliffhanger = 3/5

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

GRR Reviews Dane (MacKenzies) by Liliana Hart

Dane is a prequel chapter that was so short (it's only 40 some pages) it created more questions than answers.

Bad boy Dane MacKenzie is returning to Surrender, Montana after 10 years being away... hoping to reclaim the woman he left behind after making a name for himself. But Charlotte Monroe has no intention of accepting that... Dane's betrayal is not forgivable, esp. when she has a reminder of him every day. She desperately tried to protect the son from the heartbreak that she was sure that's coming for Dane won't be staying... but Dane has other ideas...

With only 40 some pages to work with, it's mostly setup than resolution. This is NOT a standalone story, or even a novella. This is a teaser. You get 1/3rd of the book for free so you'd buy the rest.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2/5

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

GRR Reviews Wired (Vol 1 of 3) by Evelyn Adams

Claire English is an electrical contractor running the company her father started when he was no longer able to. She knew there are those misogynists that don't believe a woman can be just as competent. But with her house flip projects, sabotage on the primary job site, and her father's care bill all coming due, she needed a miracle... She got Luke Masters. Luke Masters is a billionaire that made his way up from simple construction jobs to a mogul, and he's as handsome as sin. Women flock to him, so he's delighted to find Claire, someone who challenged him. But who is sabotaging his project, and who painted threats on one of Claire's flip houses?

The book ends on a cliffhanger, and Luke came out to be really really flat with no powers other than he can be handyman despite being rich, and he's rich. Meh.

Category: Contemporary / Different worlds / Billionaire

Primary Plot: Woman busy as contractor providing for her family meets rich construction mogul (who came from blue-collar backgrounds, and is very handsome)

Overall Rating: 1/5

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

GRR Reviews Love Disrupted (Ardent Billionaire) by Shyla Starr

Love DIsrupted is really 1/3rd of a book, and we're left on a huge cliffhanger. Characters are shallow and trope.

NOTE: Cliffhanger automatically gets -1

Deidre was a black girl working multiple jobs to support her family. Her only indulgence was to sing one night a week at a jazz club. Her life changed one night when a white guy named Parker approached her. He was friendly but slightly evasive. After a drink or two led to a date, she found out he's heir to a software empire, and he wanted her. But when one of Deidre's extra jobs came back to haunt her, Parker broke off their relationship...

And we're left there, lots of stuff unresolved on a cliffhanger. I'm not too sure I want to read more. Diedre is an obviously poor girl with heart of gold, and Parker is the typical white savior billionaire, who obviously decided Deidre's "other job" made her a golddigger despite he's the one that approached her Trope as heck, I said. Trope as heck.

Category: Contemporary / Interracial / Billionaire

Primary Plot: Busy black woman who moonlights as jazz singer was wooed by rich white guy, but one of her other jobs made him broke it off

Overall Rating: 1/5

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

GRR Reviews Fallacy (Apprehensive Series Book 1) by K.A. Berg

I hate it when the author failed to think through their plot and left a HUGE f***ing hole to drive a space shuttle through...

Quinn's life had been railroaded by her father, a financial mogul in one of the biggest venture cap companies. She didn't really even want to be in this business initially and had the VP position dangled in front of her for months... years, but she can never do something right. She encountered Alex, a physical trainer in the NFL, who's actually sweet and did not want more than she can give. What was supposed to be a one-night-stand turned into two years. But when threatened by her father that she's "slacking", Quinn ran, just as Alex got a great offer... thousands of miles away. Two years later, Alex is now head trainer of a premier NFL team, and Quinn STILL hasn't made VP. Now her father, after losing several bets on startups (often due to NOT following Quinn's advice), intends to force Quinn to marry a rival's single son to "unite" the two empires... And he'll do ANYTHING to force Quinn, including blackball her so she'll never work in this town again by manufacturing evidence of embezzlement against her...

At this point, I stopped reading. Evil father's reason for doing this is "to secure my legacy". But you can't threaten the only piece on the board. Blackballing her and/or putting her in prison will destroy that legacy. It made NO SENSE. Yet she falls for the gambit and starts to plot with the other family's son, who's supposed to be a platonic friend (who also do one-night-stands only, kinda like a male version of her) to plan a marriage of convenience, merge the company, then force her father out, when she should be yelling "F*** YOU. Go ahead, do your worst. It's YOUR legacy you're f***ing with. Remember, anything happens to me reflects on you!"

I'm sure the rest of the book is Alex going back to the city, and trying to win Quinn back, only to find her engaged. But sorry, this is supposed to be a woman who handle huge venture cap funds, yet she can't even do a cost/benefit analysis... Tsk, tsk.

The cliffhanger leading to two additional volumes did not help at all.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman found a guy who doesn't want her for sex or money, but her controlling father forced her to abandon him...

Overall Rating: 1/5

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