GRR Reviews Fall Fast by Zoe York

Navy SEAL Nathan just finished visiting his family and is flying back to his base/home in San Diego, but a snowstorm just stranded him in Chicago. Emme, flight attendant, just finished signing her divorce papers in Chicago and is trying to fly out on any standby. Neither got their wish, and both sensed a connection so they agreed to a drink in the airport bar. Then it became a bit more, as they got a hotel room. Emme and Nathan both agreed to not use any names... as Emme is not ready for a relationship, and Nathan is not ready to let her go yet. The night was... excellent. But will Emme be ready for more... like move to California, maybe not now, but in a few months?

Pretty short, and a lot of sex, but that's the way this sort of story goes... A connection that could lead to more, and learning how to love again for Emme. 4/5

GRR Reviews Dazed and Divorced by Carol Maloney Scott

Claire is (suddenly?) single, in her thirties, having married her high school sweetheart Ron, and never really dated ever. She's also mourning the loss of her fertility after one too many miscarriages. Except Ron won't sign the divorce papers. Almost twenty years after her last date, she's back out into the wild, finding frogs all over the place, and not a prince in sight. It seems her friends keep finding losers for her to blind date... So why is her ex Ron trying to get back into her good graces, after nearly destroying her during her time of grief? And is adopting a hyperactive wiener dog puppy, Dixie, a solution to her problems?

Definitely LOL at times, if also a bit teary-eyed, as this is more sitcom than romcom, with super uncomfortable situations. Like meeting Jed, Abel, and Cain at a church speed-dating event, each of whom wants to talk about the Bible or proper role of a wife. Then Christian came along and asked her to get the heck out of there... Only to try to seduce her into bed, with some VERY unholy words. Funny! 4.5/5 for the laughs, not too much romance here though.

GRR Reviews Cowboys Never Marry Their Best Friend by Emmy Eugene

Jenna needed a do-over after her divorce, and she moved back home, and there she saw the Johnson brothers again, esp. Seth, whom she may have had a crush on, except Seth is best friend with her brother, so she was definitely off-limits for him... back then. // Seth runs the family ranch and his dog rescue program, which rehabilitate retired work dogs as well as take in strays and abandoned dogs, which kept him plenty busy. He wants resources to create "Edible neighborhood" program but never had the funding. Then one day his parents announced that every child is now a billionaire because his aunt just bought out his mother's portion of a business. Now he can fund ALL the projects he wanted... In his happy state... he kissed Jenna... Now their lives would never be the same...

I honestly didn't feel much love despite pairing them together. 3/5

GRR Reviews Sparrow by Emma Nichole

Grayson loved Amelia, but they were too different. He gave her a sparrow pendant, and she had never taken it off since... Even after her father died, she got married, was abused, and finally broke free after more than a decade. She went home, hoping for a do-over... only to find Grayson there, now a single father, raising his daughter, looking for his own second chance...

While it did provoke all the right feelings, the author's style just didn't jive with me. The writing just feels a bit detached, and some scenes could have been written tighter. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Hired by the Single Dad by Whitley Cox

Doctor Mark makes a decent living as a radiologist, but he needs some serious help with his non-verbal autistic son Gabe after his wife left him, no longer able to cope with life with ASD child. On a rare night out, and stood up by another friend, he found himself paying attention to a group of women celebrating someone's separation leading to a divorce... And that's when Mark met Tori... // Tori wanted a degree to help special needs children, but she agreed to get her husband through dental school and he's supposed to fund her degree after graduation. Now that he graduated, she found him cheating with a dental hygienist, emptied the joint bank account, AND kicked her out of their home (lease is in his name). Tori was just pondering what to do when Mark offered her a full-time position: go with his son to and from school, and help him do homework, and other learning activities. And she quickly realized she can't turn it down. She'll also get practical experience as an intern for a counselor, helping her toward her degree. She also realized Mark is extremely... dreamy, and she liked Gabe a lot. She found herself a part of this family, but she's there just as an employee, right?

For 224 page novel, there is a LOT of back and forth and good escalation of the plot. The darkest hour felt slightly forced, but it's tolerable. Good use of ASD coping techniques and other details. 5/5

GRR Reviews Remember Me by Marion Ueckermann

Clarise and her two friends vowed at 13 to make a list of their wishes, then come back at 40 for a reunion. 27 years later, Clarise is back in town, a 40-yr old ex-model whose agent/manager just divorced her and traded her for a younger model. AND he's vindictive enough to ask for wedding rings back, and took her car and almost all her belongings. She had to pawn the rings to even make it home. // Heath had been waiting for Clarise for 27 years, having fallen for her in high school, but Valentine's Day kiss soon sent her across the country. Now that she's back, and he's a youth pastor, Heath wasn't quite sure how to woo Clarise, when she's so hurt and unsure of herself. But he can be there to lend a shoulder... and offer his heart...

Sweet, but the guy held a torch for her for 27 years? Really? Hmmm... 4/5

GRR Reviews It's Not Over by Kaylee Ryan and Lacey Black

Gwen and Harrison were married, but they are now separated. Sometime in the past, he was busy building his fitness centers that he somehow neglected his wife. And it had gotten so bad that when she told him to leave, he did, hoping it's just temporary. Except nine months later, they signed divorce papers. She knew she still loved him. He knew he made a huge mistake... he should have fought... And this time, he will convince her to take him back... and it just happened that their "one last time" resulted in her getting pregnant... But convincing her will not be easy... but it's not over between Gwen and Harrison, not if they can help it.

Wow, this book really makes you feel the raw emotions of regret and love. Add some other plot, like jealous people messing with them. I am surprised they didn't suspect the perp sooner. It seems they never suspect the most obvious suspect in romances.  I wanted to give this a higher grade, but failure to recognize sabotage, IMHO, is just a bit TSTL.  4/5

GRR Reviews Chalk It Up To Love by Jill Haymaker

Erin and her 10-year old son Mark live in the small town of Aspen Ridge, Colorado. Recently divorced and a bit low on self-esteem, she's still adjusting to the life of a single parent and getting ready as a teacher of a new class of students, when she found that a new math teacher, Boyd, has joined the staff. // Boyd had to leave Denver behind when his wife of over two decades was killed by a texting driver.  Meeting Erin and her son was a good start to small-town life. But is he ready to love again? Can he help Erin find her worth?

Ah, nice setup. The author had based her previous series at Peakview, and Aspen Ridge is start of a new series of a nearby town. There are quite a few guest appearances of characters from the other series. The author specialized in older / mature folks finding second love and this is no exception. The love is slow simmer, and exquisite. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Lost in Paradise by Charlotte Blake

It's been three years since Juliet's failed marriage ended. She spent it mostly alone, but she's starting to regret her decision. When her girlfriends convinced her to go on a Carribean cruise, she can't say no. // Eli is still broken after his divorce. Being an athlete and handsome, he has his choice of bedmates, but he still can't get over his own heartbreak. Getting on a cruise wasn't exactly his idea.  // When Juliet and Eli were both stranded in Cabo San Lucas, and met each other, they sensed each other's loss... and may just be each other's salvation...

Nice and sweet, but also serves as a manual of what to do if you got robbed while on shore leave (and you failed to take precautions, like leaving a copy of your passport and papers in the cabin safe, or not keep everything in a single place that can be robbed...) but it also serves as excellent lead-in to their dysfunctional families and expectations. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Lainie (Palmer Sisters) by Kayt Miller

Lainie has been divorced from a gay but possessive guy pretending to be straight. Their marriage lasted... Ten years. And in the end, he divorced her, not the other way around. Lainie wanted to jump-start her writing career by interviewing some MC members. Unfortunately, where she staked out was actually a custom motorcycle shop... Ran by Keeton, who's got tattooed sleeves, wears leathers, and rides (and builds) badass bikes. Lainie was inspired, but Keeton was smitten at first sight. Keeton must keep Lainie around. First he hired her to be his office manager (the original is on maternity leave, really) then he loaned her his personal (and backup) BMW when her car won't start. THEN he learned how much of a possessive douchebag her ex really is... and he planned to woo her completely, and show her exactly what she deserves... To be treated like a queen.

Awwww, the whole series is about "love at first sight", and the chemistry is certainly there. I just don't quite feel the escalation though. 4/5

GRR Reviews Cowboys and Starlight by Jacqueline Winters

Veronica "Ronnie" had worked unthinkable hours for three years as a diva interior designer's assistant, hoping for a chance to be an interior designer. She's even a part of the reality TV show the designer's on. But one mishap (the phone died, causing her to be late by 2 hours) and she'd been fired. Ronnie decided that it's as good as time as any to visit her ranch hand brother in Starlight, WY. Until she ran into Colten... Literally. // Colten had sworn off all city girls when his wife divorced him via letter after he moved back to Starlight to help his sick dad. His father had finally passed on, and his mom was ready to sell the house and start over elsewhere. Colten wanted to be a park ranger at Glacier National Park, and the job is as good as his, but he needed to help the sale go through, and that means helping the interior designer his mom just hired... Ronnie. It didn't help when it turns out Colten best buddy is also Ronnie's brother. And Ronnie hadn't confided in ANYONE about her ignominious firing on TV... and that reality TV show episode will be airing soon.  She's going back to the city soon. And he'll get his dream job soon... Right?

Good escalation and double-guessing each other. The solution was expected, but it's still a delight. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Matchmaking for Beginners: A Novel by Maddie Dawson

Marnie wanted an ordinary life... she already has a fiancee, now she just needs to get him to the altar and go for the HEA, then kids, suburban house, minivan... Until Marnie meets aunt Blix, her fiancee's eccentric matchmaking great aunt... who's dying... and Blix told her EVERYTHING will change... and they did. Marnie's marriage lasted only 2 weeks. Her depression led to a breakdown that got her fired from her teaching job.  Now she's back home, divorced, and living in her teenager room. She got back with one of her old boyfriends, and it was good... But she's not aware that life has other plans for her... or her own gift of spotting the right matches for other people. She was shocked when she got the news that Blix has died... and left her the Brooklyn Brownstone... and all the neighbors and tenants living there, for her to match. And it is there, perhaps, she'll recognize the greatest truth of all...

Awww, touching, but not too angst-y, sweet, but not sacchrine. Blix is unusual, but not to the point of totally weird or fall into stereotype of "wild oldster" (often found in romcoms, i.e. "grandma buys a Harley") and Marnie was both loving AND broken at the same time... a lot like Patrick. 5/5

GRR Reviews Lawfully Yours by Stacy Hoff

Jordan, one of the partners in a major Connecticut lawfirm, needs an associate lawyer fast. What he got is Susan "Sue", barely out of law school. What's worse, Sue had previously spilled hot coffee on him (unintentionally, of course). Despite the frosty beginnings, Jordan found Sue to be a very competent worker. But Jordan's divorce (leaving him with only 1 day a week visit with his 5-year old daughter) means he can't get involved, with any woman, much one that works under him. Even worse, he had been accused of sexual harassment before... falsely, by another associate who wanted him... very badly. As Sue came into her own with Jordan's guidance, she couldn't help to fall for him... But can they ever admit it to each other, esp. when ex's, clients, and other interested suitors are all around them?

I like the relatively complex scenario, as there never is a dull moment, but it also results in a somewhat scatter-shot plot and a large cast of characters that may be a little hard to keep track. Still, it's pretty good. 4/5