GRR Reviews Claim My Baby by Taryn Quinn

Oliver is half of the Hamilton Twins... rich, handsome, single. His brother is married, has a daughter, and another one on the way. Oliver is never getting married... he enjoyed the single life too much...  He didn't want any commitment. He'll never be as sappy as his brother. That is, until her brother's wife asked him for a favor... Watch out for Sage, her best friend, during a trip to Vegas. Oliver had always been Sage's nemesis... They've been teasing each other since... very young children. Oliver will show Sage a good time in Vegas... TOO good of a good time, it seems, since V-card was taken, and a condom malfunctioned... Sage is pregnant, but Sage is like... "I don't expect you to get involved". Now Oliver is going to claim Sage... and his baby.

Good frenemies to lovers movement.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4.5/5 rouned up

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

GRR Reviews Sparks Fly by Lucy Kevin (aka Bella Andre)

Angelina is a Feng Shui consultant, who was hired by a woman to consult with CEO Will Scott. The woman was Will's ex-wife. Turns out, Will's ex-wife wants him back, and Angelina had a bit of reputation of bring people back together and was dubbed "Feng Shui Cupid". After being ignored by Will and completely forgotten, Angelina barely accepted Will's apology and agreed to a second consultation... and found herself falling for him... // Will had always worked hard... he had no life and he didn't want children... He's afraid he'll end up like his father, abandoning the family. With boardroom stuff taking up most of his time, he killed his marriage through neglect. Somehow, Angelina's advice did make him feel better after implementing them. Then his mother got involved, determined to bring them together...

Sweet. There is sex, but it was glossed over. The plot moves fast (book is barely over 100 pages) and there isn't really a dull moment. The setup was good as there are both push and pull factors aligned and setup properly. Good read. I do have a slight bit of question... Where did she get her feng shui training? :)

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Gold Rush Brides: The Beginning by Cassie Hayes

Delilah was supposed to marry when she got off the ship at San Francisco, having survived the hellish journey from East Coast by going around the Cape. However, she was greeted only by a note that her fiancee had married someone else, and here's $20 for her trouble. Fortunately, she found a kind boardinghouse keeper. "Del" did not want to return to East Coast, and became the new housekeeper. Boarders come and go, but one annoying man stayed, Jack Dalton... // Jack struck it rich and is spending plenty of money in dance halls and saloons. He's enjoying his wealth and various lady's attention. He couldn't figure out why so many want to get married... or why he enjoyed teasing Del... or he would call her, "Miss Priss", which is exactly what inspired Del next: she wants to launch the Nupital News... where single men can advertise for brides from the East... But when a conman was about to destroy Del's dreams, Jack had to step in to save the day...

Lots of adventure, with a clean romance, it's "enemies to lovers" trope, but more teasing than outright hostility. The ending wrapped up all quite nicely, perhaps a shade TOO neatly, but it's a good tale.

Category: Historical

Overall Rating: 5/5

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

GRR Reviews Sophie by Kelsie Rae

Sophie and Nathan are mortal enemies... even when they shouldn't be. Sophie and Nathan had a one-night stand, and sex was phenomenal... Until he reminded her it's supposed to be NSA.. and walked out the door. Now they greet each other with cutting remarks and pranks. But their best friends are getting married... and they have to be civilized to each other... for several weeks... in the Maldives for a destination wedding. But as they actually got to know each other, Sophie starts to understand why Nathan is a commitment-phobe... he doesn't believe in love because he never had any... and Nathan starts to understand why love is not that kind of 4-letter word... Then a surprise discovery leads to a showdown with Sophie's big brother...

Excellent character arc for Nathan, as the author managed to convert him from a jerk to a proper lover in the length of the book. And all the characters, esp. the supporting cast, are good as well. No TSTL moment, good snarky wit when called for.  This book is a standalone, but you'd get more out of these books by reading them in order so you understand more about the other characters, who have their own books. All, in all, excellent.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 5/5

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

GRR Reviews Men of Inked (3-book collection) by Chelle Bliss

NOTE: This is a 3-book collection, it'll be rated separately, and there's an overall rating.

Throttle Me -- Suzy had mapped out her life: work hard, get her own career established, find a stable man, get married, live happily ever after. Unfortunately, her plan got derailed when "City", a tattooed Harley rider who works in a tattoo shop, came into her life, by rescuing her one night. They had chemistry together, but City had his heart broken at college and is now a rake and a commitment-phobe. But their relationship had both of them question everything they thought they knew about what they wanted... and City is keeping a secret...

Not bad, different worlds novel is pretty obvious, and scars are pretty trope, but there's some good polish on it and multiple layers of tropes, like biker, Italian, and even a bit of disguise. 4/5

Hook me -- Michael Gallo is the MMA fighter who enjoys the physical domination of his opponent, but a fight ended up with him in the ER, and met Dr. Mia Greco. Mia is having nightmares about all the people she can't save in the ER, and she prefers running the neighborhood free clinic. Michael, who's actually quite smart, wanted to woo Mia, and they have chemistry together, but Mia can't reconcile the fighter who damages people with the caring and sensitive man Michael seems to be...

I honestly don't feel the conflict other than she can't see past his gruff tattoed exterior. 3/5

Resist me -- Isabelle "Izzie" Gallo is the baby of the family, and even though she trash-talks just like her brothers, in secret she loves a man who can dominate her, which can be difficult when no one dare get close with so many brothers around. She got one great night with an undercover cop handler James, who was alpha enough for her... But she figured it's one-night, and she snuck off. Later, she went off with one guy "Flash" for a MC weekend in Daytona, and ended up in a MC club, where she was almost claimed by the MC VP... until a disciple stepped in... It was her older brother Thomas, in deep undercover. And Thomas had to call in James to rescue her. She's just too much sass... and he's just too much alpha. But he needs to watch out for her brother Thomas, and she has her own life...

A bit too much sex, as things got a bit kinkier, but other than initial chemistry, and basic inadequacy issues, there isn't much threat to the relationship. 3/5

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3/5  (average of all 3 ratings)

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

GRR Reviews Beginnings by Katina Gavin

Angel is retiring from DEA after leaving the SEALs on medical discharge, having lost most of a leg. He has one last assignment... deal with a bunch of pot growers who may have killed two hikers who stumbled upon their camp. In town, he came into contact with Lindsey, who lost her husband in 'stan 8 years ago, and still grieving. Elsewhere in town, super genius Devin, hiding in town with his handlers and security team, had fallen for Lindsey's little sister Jamie, despite his complete lack of social graces. Angel's old SEAL buddy Joe had always loved Lindsey's twin Sydney, but Sydney refused to commit because she had no intention of becoming a Navy wife... or widow. Can these three couples sort out their differences?

A bit scatter-brained, I'm afraid to say. The novel had ballooned to over 500 pages due to cramming three separate plots together and they don't integrate well, even though it's in the same town. The characters definitely have their moments, but the plot could have been handled better, IMHO, or separate into two novels or something.

Category: Contemporary / Military / Romantic suspense

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews Taming Him by Kennedy Fox

Alex is the sweetest cowboy playboy in Texas. He's a gentleman and his mama taught him manners. He worked on the family Bishop Ranch as a genuine cowboy and he can wine-and-dine girls with the best of them... and he's great in bed too. But he's not a commitment kind of guy... Esp. not when his brother and him ended up in Key West, Florida for a two week vacation... // River is a pediatric nurse who thought she found the love of her life, and carried a relationship for six months... Only to realize he's married and hiding a wedding ring from her. To get away from it all, she reluctantly tagged along with her BFF and her fiancee for a trip to Key West Florida. When Alex's best friend almost drowned after falling off a boogie board, River was there doing CPR and mouth-to-mouth. Alex fell for her right there... and was determined to show her a great time. And River was able, for a while to forget the troubles... and it will be only two weeks of bliss... Except they are getting a surprise that will make its debut nine months later...

While charming, the rest of the story didn't really follow the momentum. The fun was half the book, the rest was she moved to Texas and the how the rest of the Bishop clan accepted her. Not much conflict.

Category: Contemporary / Western

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews Playing Games by Liliana Rhodes

Cassie finally got her physical therapy degree and moved to Canyon Cove for her dream job. Things got a bit messy when she found her boss in the shower. Ex-MMA fighter Gabriel has a complicated life, but he made his money by rising from the Octagon himself. He knew he wanted Cassie, but his complicated life won't let him commit just yet. He will, however, protect Cassie to the best of his abilities, including letting her use his apartment (more of a penthouse) and all expense account, for Cassie reminded him of someone. However, when Gabe keep disappearing at night, is Cassie going to tolerate the suspicion of being a "kept woman"?

Meh, not feeling much about this one. Cassie is jealous and suspicious and Gabe rather than explaining things just being mysterious, which only make things worse. The guy's schizophrenic, hot and cold. Sometimes I wonder if he had brain damage or something from his time in the ring. This is not being 'strong silent type.'

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2/5

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

GRR Reviews After All (Sapphire Falls) by Erin Nicholas

Peyton Wells can't do relationships... Her parents were never the nurturing type, and they free-ranged her the entire life. She puts up a front as the premiere party girl in Sapphire Falls, and she's an excellent event planner... However, nobody saw through that facade... Except for the one guy she can't bare her heart to... the hot cop Scott. Peyton has wet dreams about Scott, but Scott doesn't do one-night stands (and Peyton can ONLY do one-night-stands, as she doesn't know what love is). When Scott was injured on the job, it is up to Peyton to play nurse... and Scott is ready to show her that relationship is not a swear word... but Scott's nickname for Peyton is Trouble... and there will be trouble aplenty.

Light rom-com with some serious issues about trust and lust, and even a lesson on gun safety (Scott was accidentally shot by mayor's kid, who got a gun for his birthday, WITHOUT any lessons first!) The part about him running off to join a task force on trafficked women and going undercover was a bit offputting though. Still, the trust and stuff in town made up for it.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman who can't do relationships, nonetheless got one with the man who wanted her...

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Leashed (Going to the Dogs Book 1) by Zoe Dawson

While light and fun, Leashed ultimately failed to deliver something really cute, with the triangle and complications being a bit too obvious.

Callie Lassiter's Great Dane Jack had run off and done the deed with neighbor's Great Dane Jill. It's really embarrassing because Callie is a professional dog trainer... and Jill's owner is the scorching hot nightclub owner and playboy Owen McKay... who's everything a girl like Callie wanted to avoid. Owen is perfect comfy with his "reputation", but the neighbor girl aka "The Dog Whisperer" is... well, perfect, and may be enough to tempt him into settling down... But someone closer to Owen may have other ideas...

The complications and triangle / jealousy are a bit too obvious. While the dogs are charming, the romance is not quite as much so, and the character arcs seem a bit short.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Can a dog trainer let herself loose on a handsome nightclub owner despite their dogs caused them big embarrassments already?

Tropes: pets, enemies to lovers, different worlds, commitment-phobe, triangle

Overall Rating:  3/5

GRR Reviews When Love Comes (Diamond Creek, Alaska) by J.H. Croix

When Love Comes is about getting past loss into a possibility of love. The family secret was just some additional complications.

Hannah Gray returned to Diamond Creek Alaska after the death of her parents in a plane crash. Her sense of adventure was gone, and so was her expectation of love. When she met Luke Winters, she felt a sense of attraction, but she told herself, it will pass. Luke Winters, one of the 3 Winters brothers, makes his living in Alaska by doing the outdoorsy things, but having been burned by a bad ex, he only does casual flings. When Luke saw Hannah, he was intrigued by the young woman with haunted eyes, and similar loss, but he can't do relationships, "too busy", he told himself. When Hannah, cleaning out her parent's belonging, came across a huge secret about her family, she found Luke the only one to confide in. When Luke's family and ex intrude, it would be up to Luke and Hannah to fight for their happiness... together.

Interesting "wound and scars" about the family secret... which I won't spoil. But J H Croix was pretty good in doing the Alaska romance thing.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman's return to hometown was haunted by her loss and family revelation; can a hot wilderness guide save her heart?

Tropes: commitment-phobe, return, evil ex, family secrets,

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews What You Do to Me (The Haneys Book 1) by Barbara Longley

What You Do To Me is a story of two broken people, one man with a reputation he did not deserve, and one woman with a betrayal she cannot escape from. When the two meet, it's sparks and rom-com.

Twin Cities handyman Sam Haney is one delectable handyman, and he didn't mind the attention from his female clients if they are otherwise unattached. Unfortunately, after an impulsive call-in to a radio show, he's now notorious as the "Handiest handyman Haney", even though after the death of his parents, he can never give his heart... to anyone. Haley Cooper got jilted 2 weeks before her wedding. Her BF just suddenly left town... and settled in Indonesia, no explanation whatsoever, leaving Haley with a house that was too big, half-wrecked in the middle of a project... and too many painful memories. When Haley's mother decided Haley need a nudge, she hired Sam Haney to help Haley remodel, hoping Haley would be flattered by the attention. Unfortunately, Haley knew about Sam's reputation all too well... but Sam, pride wounded, is determined to show Haley the REAL Sam... Now this handyman may have to build the one thing he doesn't know how: a real relationship...

The relationship is cute, and rom-com situations are a-plenty. Getting come-ons all the time gets tiring for Sam, and Haley is getting tired of interference from her mother who's forever yakking about how she had to "move on"... It's definitely LOL at spots, or at least worth a few chuckles. And there seem to be very few cliches here. Definitely a worthy read.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Can the handiest handyman in the city build the only thing he doesn't know how to build: a relationship, with a jilted woman?

Tropes: handy man, jilted, matchmaker, opposites attract, commitment-phobe

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews 10 Dates: A fun and sexy romantic comed by Emily James

10 Dates is hardly the first novel to use "looking for love in all the wrong places" plot, and it wasn't the best either. But it was competently written with some good moments.

Joanie Fox wanted to settle down and marry the man she had been living with for years. He kept saying he'll marry her after the dating app launched. It's been TWO YEARS since it launched. On the night of the company party, instead of announcing his proposal to her, he instead announced he's jetting off the New York to sell the app to the Yanks. When her BF just packed a bag and left, Joanie wanted to just sleep in her bed and sulk. Her friends staged an intervention... on a scale enough to make anyone cringe... 10 Dates in 10 Days. And the results... won't be pretty. But there is one guy, her next door neighbor in apartment number six, that makes her heart go peter-patter. Too bad he isn't interested... or is he? Will she even survive all ten dates?

Definitely a good bit of rom-com, and some of the scenes are LOL funny, but not to the scale of the masterpieces, like OPERATION: DATE ESCAPE. Still, it's quite good.

Category: Contemporary / Rom-com

Primary Plot: A woman jilted by her boyfriend for YEARS had to go on 10 dates with 10 guys, but maybe her neighbor is interested... ?

Tropes: everyone but you, jilted, commitment-phobe

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews The Real Thing (The Mackenzies Book 1) by Diana Fraser

The Real Thing has some problems with the Chinese references, and both commitment-phobes ended up in HEA was a bit hard to imagine, but the rest was a lot of fun.

Lucia Rossi had a terribly lonely childhood. Her father is Italian, and her mother is Chinese. When her mom decided to leave for China with her little brother after her father was simply too busy to be around, she felt abandoned when she's moved to a boarding school. When her father died, she went to live with her mother in Beijing for a while, but the death of her brother send her fleeing again, this time to New Zealand, where she works as an art restorer. She wanted a real family for herself, including the white picket fences, and she refused to get involved with a commitment-phobe... and that included her last liaison... Dallas McKenzie. Dallas knew he can't be what Lucia wanted, but he thinks he knew who can... Guy Martin, a widower who has yet to recover from the loss of his wife. Guy is also a commitmentphobe, and Lucia would have never gotten involved with him, except they share that pain of loss... and when he invited her home, she noticed that a painting their family hung, what was supposed to be a forgery... may, in fact, be the real thing. But when the inquiry went out to find the owner of "the real that turned out to be fake", it set forth something in motion that may take Lucia and Guy to the one place Lucia swore she will never return to...

Somehow the Chinese references feel slightly off. Also, I can't see one commitment-phobe recommend a different commitmentphobe for a relationship. Still, the rest of the plot is okay...

Category: Contemporary / Romantic Suspense

Primary Plot: Woman may have to return to a place she swore she never would when she discovered a "fake" painting may be the real thing ...

Tropes: commitment-phobe, family pressure, grief, ex's best friend, fish out of water, conspiracy

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews Marry Me for Money (Forever After Novel by Mia Kayla

Marry Me for Money by Mia Kayla is relied on some "Mary Sue" setup to get the story rolling, as well as encountering not one but two good men in the world, but this is a world of fiction, and the world is self-consistent, resulting in a "marriage of convenience" love story that's also a bit of a love triangle. The pacing, however, still feels a little off.

To recap, Bethany left her small town and bad memories behind after her mother stole her identity and left her with a ton of debt. She moved to Chicago and got a job as a bank loan underwriter, hoping for a fresh start. She met two men: Ken Plack, heir to Plack Industries, and Brian Benson, a finance banker. Ken was a total man-whore who only does one-night stands, and has no intention of taking over the family business, even with his Ivy League degree, but he only wanted Beth's platonic friendship. Brian is gorgeous and respectful, works in the same company as Beth, and is exactly whom Beth would want to marry... but Beth doesn't want workplace drama. When Beth's deadbeat mom and money trouble followed her to Chicago, Ken offered her a solution... He needed to marry to retain his trust fund (else it's going to charity). Ken offered to pay off her debts if they get married and get a divorce later. But that would mean giving up on Brian. Beth thought she can keep things platonic... but who does she really love in the end?

The story's pacing just felt... off. Brian is almost superfluous, as he gets his own love in 2nd book of the series. When he realized Beth really wanted Ken, he took himself out of the picture. How noble of him. Ken... was way too adorable, and I don't feel his own insecurities were that well explained. The problem with Beth is while she did struggle, it seems quite a few good things happen to her... She's the best in everything... except family drama that keeps dogging her. AND she found not one but two guys who adored her within weeks of moving to a new city. Eh...

Consider this really a 3.5/5 rounded up to 4

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Young woman w/ family and money problems hoping for a new start w/ move found two guys worth of attention, trouble followed

Tropes: Triangle, marriage of convenience, different worlds, evil parent, commitment-phobe,

Overall Rating:  4/5 (rounded up)

GRR Reviews The Billionaire Princess (The Sherbrookes by Christina Tetreault

The Billionaire Princess is a contemporary romance between two rich people with their own problems. My problem with this book is neither characters are that deep. Sara seems to be driven by hormones and ready to believe the worst of everyone, even people she trusted.

Sara Sherbrooke, of the Sherbrooke clan, was practically an American princess. Her father ran for Senate. Many of her brothers and cousins are billionaires. But when she was bitterly betrayed by her last lover, who turned out to be a plant by her father's political rival, she gave up on love. She did not expect to find herself willing to try again... with her brother's best friend, Christopher Hall. Chris is a self-made billionaire and owner of Hall Technologies, and knew Sara from college when he and her brother Jake were roommates. While attending Jake's "secret" wedding in Hawaii, Chris managed to get Sara's attention, and they had a brief fling. But neither was sure they wanted more. She wasn't quite ready to trust, he doesn't want to betray his best friend. When both supported a new education initiative, they needed to work together, and their attraction can no longer be denied. But how will they deal with their respective baggage to really build a future?

The darkest hour was basically the FMC listened to a pundit, then imagined the worst about the MMC, and started behaving like a hormonal teenager, and cut MMC off without any explanation nor expecting any from the MMC. MMC's grand gesture was to prove the pundits are spouting crap and FMC was making a big mistake by throwing their relationship away. Such plot basically says women are emotional creatures who cannot be relied upon to make logical decisions until someone pointed out how stupid she had been behaving. Is that supposed to be empowering?

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Previously betrayed rich woman found a worthy man, but she was weary of trusting any one, much less her brother's friend

Tropes: betrayal, scars, commitment-phobe, brother's best friend, fling to a thing

Overall Rating: 3/5

GRR Reviews Play Maker (Players Book 3) by Katie McCoy

Play Maker is about a girl who's NOT throwing herself at a manwhore, and a manwhore who's fascinated by her. But there's a kind heart under that manwhore exterior... Looks aren't everything.

He is James "The Playmaker" Martin, international soccer sensation, and a total manwhore... at least by reputation, and now he's in America, and ready to try scoring (a date) on this side of the pond. She is Nicole Grant, a busy bartender with an autistic brother, leaving her no time to date except occasional girls' night out with her BFF, and the occasional fling... For she has time for hot sex... and nothing else. They met, and their chemistry is explosive, and he loved the way she was NOT throwing herself at his feet... and keeping her distance. She loved the guy's good manners and good heart (for he was willing to indulge her brother's fascination with Dr. Who). Is there a future between these two?

There was a darkest hour and a grand gesture that saved the day where the MMC declared his intentions loud and clear, through a speech of all things. Good execution about the guy being nice to her whole family and the girl shouldn't have worried.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: British Soccer Star In the US falls for the one girl who wants him... but on her own terms

Tropes: Athlete, different worlds, commitmentphobe

Overall Rating: 4/5

GRR Reviews Ranch's Retreat (River's End Ranch Book by Kirsten Osbourne

Ranch's Retreat is a contemporary Western romance involving River's End Ranch's cowboys, and the visiting guest. It's short, sweet, and a bit of fourth wall breaking which added to the fun.

Five Romance Authors decided to do some writing at River's End Ranch in Riston, Idaho. But for Kaya Taylor, her life will never be the same. Her life was rather lonely despite the words she put into the novels, but one look at Glen Johnson at the ranch and she found herself lost. But Glen can't commit to a relationship. He's about to get his doctorate and turn his uncle's old ranch into an equine therapy center. While he felt a connection to Kaya, he couldn't change his life plan for her... Or can he?

The theme is for love, both have to make sacrifices. While Kaya can write almost anywhere, can Glen sacrifice part of his plan for love? Fun read, from an affair to true love of the heart.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Can a romance writer on vacation fall for a cowboy soon leaving for veterinarian school?

Tropes: romance writer, commitment-phobe, fling to a thing

Overall Rating:  4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)

GRR Reviews Set in Stone: Second Chance Series Book by Kelly Collins

Set in Stone is a standard romance about two damaged people, one is a rake with a dark reputation, the other a PTSD'ed girl just getting back into society. Both had to learn that love is not about control, but about trust.

Megan Connelly is finally free, but more lost than ever. Megan went to prison 6 years ago, for killing her tormentor, but she also lost her unborn child that day. Now that she's free, she was unsure of what to do with her life, and only her association with her prison friends that allowed her to live at Second Chance Ranch, and contemplate her life about starting over. It was also where she encountered Killian McKinley, the youngest of the McKinley brothers, who has a dark reputation of being a love-em-and-leave-em man, who may have peculiar sexual tastes... Yet even she cannot deny that Killian attracted her like no other, but Megan's own heart was hardened due to years of abuse, physical and mental, and has no desired to be controlled by anyone, even as she learned her aptitude in horse training. Killian falls for the oddly vulnerable ex-con and was torn between trying to "help" her and letting her go when his heart screamed, "this is the one". But love is about trust and ultimately relinquishment of control. Will both learn their lessons in time?

While the end does involve a "change of heart" both only came about it after slow and deliberate steps instead of a sudden change. However, this book wasn't a suspense romance like book 1. The stakes are slightly lower.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Girl just released from jail for manslaughter; Guy with dark reputation around women; Can they fall for each other?

Tropes:  different worlds, scars, commitment-phobe

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews Planning Bliss (Bliss Series Book 1) by Michelle Jo Quinn

Planning Bliss, (previously published as Confessions of a Wedding Planner) can be best described as a reformed rake trying to woo a girl who got her heart broken and ground into dust, but it's for real this time. It was at times tropeish, rom-com-y, and sentimental. Which makes it a good read.

Wedding planner Veronica had her heart broken when her boyfriend (whom she thought she'd marry) moved on to engage with a French socialite. She had her heart grounded into dust when he came to her wanting her to plan his wedding. Then she found out the bridezilla wanted a huge wedding in merely 1 month, involving 400+ guests across two continents, and a gown flown in from France. Her work ethics demanded she gave it her best, even as her heart bleeds. She was not ready for attention from the best man Levi, a known playboy. He wants to get into her pants, she's not in the mood. But Levi is actually royalty, and rich, and have plenty of patience. And he's actually serious this time, but how does a rake convince everybody, esp. the girl, he's no longer a rake?

I have a little problem seeing the chemistry between Veronica and Levi, though I guess it could work. The book tried to throw in a bunch of prequel scenes to explain Levi's earlier attraction to "Nica" (at prior events) but it wasn't until this wedding that he could act on the urges. It doesn't quite build-up right. The rest of the book kinda makes the whole thing worth it once you get past this point.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot:  Broken-hearted Wedding Planner (planning her ex's wedding) Wooed by the Best Man (and a rake/playboy)

Tropes:  jilted, wedding planner, commitment-phobe, reformed rake, best man

Overall Rating:  4/5 (rounded up from 3.5/5)