GRR Reviews The Wild One by Ruth Cardello

NOTE: Same series as "The Broken One" reviewed earlier

Mauricio Romano is between jobs, trying to figure out his direction in life. His family is rich (he's technically a billionaire), but he's not spoiled... just... cocky. And visiting his buddy Felix in Paris was just the time to lose some steam. But losing his heart to an American visitor? Never. Right? // Wren Heath was visiting Paris at the invitation of her friend Cecil. Meeting Mauricio, the avowed bachelor and player, wasn't quite in her plans, but having a weeklong fling with a gorgeous guy in the city of love sounds wonderful... Especially if what happened in Paris, stay in Paris. Right? 

This one leaves me a little conflicted. I can see Wren's thoughts, as she kept saying this is "just a fling", and even though she'd LIKE it to be permanent, she was prejudiced by Cecil's opinion of Mauricio, that he's good at building a fantasy, and she's viewing all his moves as "building a fantasy for her" even when he's sincere. What I have a little problem seeing is how Mauricio turned from an avowed bachelor to a one-woman man. 4/5

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 At Last by Miranda P Charles

Gemma doesn't do casual but is looking for one true love. Greg doesn't do long-term, as he vowed to shape up and live up to his family legacy. It doesn't help that his two brothers have married and his family is VERY rich, so he has a LOT of women after him. The two remained friends... Until Gemma seems to have attracted the attention of a stalker who wanted to ruin her any way possible. Greg will protect her, but is that love? And when Gemma agreed to a fling, is she lying to herself?

Hmmm... Good but with flaws. Gemma's lying to herself that she can do a fling is believable. It's basically self-denial. Greg's self-denial, however, goes much much deeper. It's obvious he doesn't want anyone else to have Gemma, but he can't admit it to himself. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Lessons from a One-Night Stand by Piper Rayne

Austin is the teacher and baseball coach at the Alaskan high school for the town of Lake Starlight, for the past nine years, having given up on his dreams and moved back home for his family. Holly is the interim principal taking on a job for just a few months. Unfortunately for Austin, Holly was also his one-night stand, steaming up his jeep windows two nights ago. Austin can't believe he liked his boss, but she's not staying around. Then he finally got the news he dreamed of: being a professional baseball assistant coach for a college. But can he leave his family behind, when Holly may be staying?

Both Austin and Holly are on a quest to find themselves and what they wanted in life. Both are surprised to realize what they really wanted... is there all along! Nice character arcs. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Choose Me by Donya Lynne

NOTE: HFN ending, continues for 2 more books

Greyson is rich and so well-endowed, most women cower in fear when they... uh... see how big he really is (down there). And he refused to date any engaged or married women. Which seriously restricted him to mostly... his own hands. So he spent most of his efforts on growing his sports equipment empire... and next on the list to acquire is Freedom Cycle. // Katherine has two kids whom she just sent off with her ex (and his new wife) to California for the next two months. She had an annual tradition of going on a "Manhunt", to find a boyfriend for the summer... and break up just before her kids come back. She's also about to become the new CEO of her family bicycle company, Freedom Cycle, when her father retires VERY soon. // Katherine and Greyson met at a club, and the attraction is instantaneous. But neither knew of the other's full identity. Katherine sees Greyson as her perfect summer fling, and Greyson sees Katherine as the only women so far who can take him full-on, and enjoy it, practically "made for him". Then they discovered that he's trying to buy her company, which she won't agree in a million years...

Sex is hot, if in a very cavalier way, and let's just say they seem to enjoy making out in public restrooms more than in beds. It's a bit off-putting at first, until you get into it. 4/5

GRR Reviews Bootyogomy by Frankie Love and C M Seabrook

Max can't ever date his best friend's little sister, Kendall, even if she's all grown up now. Call it a buried crush... Until she propositioned him. // Kendall wanted Max for a long time. That tight ass in a police uniform... Yum. But she knew she can't date him... His brother will have a conniption. // Their solution... Bootyogomy... exclusive and monogamous booty call...

This 60-page short is basically sex and more sex and repressed desires... Not really much of a plot or character arc. But it is quite hot. 3/5

GRR Reviews More Than Love by Ruth Cardello

Grant Barrington is a billionaire, but he's feeling the strain of finding the fate of a brother that may or may not be dead for more than a decade, that forced him to go undercover. Meeting Viviana was not in his plans. having a romp with her and leaving her pregnant... even less so. // Viviana was swindled by her ex, and having a one-night-stand with a sumptuous but apparently financially challenged guy was extremely satisfying... physically, until she started to feel the morning sickness. Confronting the daddy, while he's busy doing things for his family is just horrible timing... or the best ever...

Not QUITE up to Ruth Cardello's standards, at least for this series. It seems to contain more sex than usual, but at least we got a resolution about the "dead baby (or not)" plot that's dragging on for multiple novels. Obviously, there are further developments...  3.5/5

GRR Reviews Best Friend's Boyfriend by Victoria Snow

Poppy, a plus-sized model, is branching into clothing design, with support of her best friend and roommate, (and rich heiress) Thalia. Poppy also felt a connection to Dr. Nate, but Thalia claimed Nate as her boyfriend... They seem to match better on paper as their families knew each other and they are both rich already. Both they were not in love... They just stay together because of family expectations. Nate's attraction to Poppy can't be denied, esp. when their one-time hookup resulted in a surprise that will come due 9 months later...

While the reluctance of roommate / business partner / best friend's boyfriend stealing is a trope, the setup for emotional turmoil is actually quite good. 4/5

GRR Reviews Rising Star by Terri Osburn

Nashville DJ Charley is living her dream as a radio host in the heart of country music... but she is concentrating on her career. She had a one-night-stand with a hot cowboy Dylan, but decided that's it and snuck out next morning. Unfortunately, he's not done with her... He's actually a country star who's launching his new single, and when he appeared in her studio for a live performance, it's not exactly a happy reunion... But he wanted to woo her, and she gave in... as he is sweet and caring... But when his career took off, and he stopped returning calls, Charley found that a surprise "gift" will show up in nine months...

Nice mix between angst and comedy. The development later was almost a trope, and somewhat expected. It's still good though. 4/5

GRR Reviews Stealing the Bride by Nadia Lee

Court (short for "Harcourt") is a billionaire who tries to stay away from all the family drama. One night at his brother's nightclub, he met the woman of his dreams... She won't give her name, so he called her Skittles (like the candy), and she called him Whiskey. It was a great night... Next morning, he found no woman, just 50 bucks on the nightstand. WTF?!  He somehow tracked her down, and interrupted her wedding... Except it wasn't her wedding... But her twin sister's wedding. Yikes. And her name is Pascal. She's fiercely independent, but she can't get a promotion at her father's firm as a financial analyst. Cort wanted to help her, but wasn't sure how without "interfering"... Was it betrayal? And who can she turn to?

The momentum was very uneven. It's as if this was two books stitched together. The first part, about a one-night-stand leading to a wedding interruption, was a great story in itself. The rest of the book, while intriguing, just somehow never quite measured up, and Pascal's father needs some serious karmic payback for stringing her along for YEARS. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews That Unforgettable Kiss by Tamara Ferguson

Kate Callahan is destined to run her family construction business, and love was never in the picture. Michael Murphy is just an intern, but he is going for an architecture degree, and interning at a construction site was much better than being office help at some architectural firm in Chicago. Kate and Michael met, and they actually shared that one unforgettable kiss. But it was just a summer fling... right? But Kate was prophesized to share her life with the person with that kiss, and Michael... Has a life back in Chicago. They let each other go, but six years later, Kate finally admits to herself she made a mistake, when she found Michael is now engaged to someone else... but will Michael admit to himself that he's making a mistake, and he needs Kate back? And when a stalker is after Kate, can he protect her?

The problem with this novel is you weren't quite sure where is the story. The "six years ago" is all background material and may have been better as a prequel or even just the backstory. It's the current day that is the seriously angst-y parts. 3/5

GRR Reviews Own It by M Piper

Lauren (goes by Lo) went into a deep depression after the loss of her son to cancer at the young age of 5. She lost everything else then (home, house...). Fortunately, her brother is rich and lets her stay to figure things out. Then she met Jett... // Jett prefers the open road but when the responsibility of running a company was forced upon him he can't run away. It was all for his dead baby brother (and the family his brother left behind). Having a one-night-stand with Lo was just that, but he felt he can fix her... but is he really staying?

The chemistry is not that strong, IMHO. 3/5

GRR Reviews Deceitful Choices by C A Harms

Zack, a navy SEAL, was just taking leaving with some fellow SEALs on a beach, and have a good evening with hot chicks when he saw Lindsay. She is young, vivacious, and wanted a night to remember. So they did.  But Lindsay lied. She wasn't 19. She's 17. And that night left her a reminder that'll come due in 9 months. // Zack can see that this girl was really into him that she would fly out to California to meet him, but she's not Lindsay. Then Zack found out what really happened to Lindsay, and how many lies were told by that deceitful person to keep them apart...

Okay, interesting combination of tropes, even if it was a bit exasperating at times to see the characters struggle with their circumstances. It almost not felt like there is enough karma. 4/5

GRR Reviews Flawed Love by Bella Jewel

Emalie "Emy" was best friends with Rainer. It was platonic, but eventually, she gave him her V-card. But when his father got into trouble, he disappeared, and she eventually moved on. Ten years later, he's back in town, but he has a different girl on his arm, Pippa, and he does NOT remember her. Yet their attraction for each other cannot be denied. So they slept together, while she, giving her name as "Mali", pretends to not know him, knowing she can have his body, but not his heart. But secrets will get out... Just what had happened to Rainer, and will this reunion be sweet... or bitter?

This storyline doesn't really work for me, and yes, there are spoilers ahead.

I WARNED YOU!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

The explanation given was Rainer was taken by a Mexican drug lord to use as slave labor to work off his father's debt. That really made no sense at all, even south of the border in a cartel town. Not to mention Rainer doesn't speak Spanish, and transporting gringo kids down to Mexico to work? WTF?

3/5

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 Kyler by C A Harms

Ashlynn loved Beau... until she realized Beau had betrayed her. It was then she noticed Kyler, Beau's best friend, admired her from afar. But she worked at her father's business and that means meeting Beau and his father every once in a while, and Beau wanted her back. But Ashlynn realized Kyler was there all along... and they got together. It was a toe-curling good night... But it also came with consequences...

Pretty basic plot, no major twists or turns. Just good polish on old triangle trope. 4/5

GRR Reviews Not Quite Perfect by Rebecca Norinne

Victoria met her dream man on the ferry while heading to her mother's (sixth) wedding. Really. Professor David Carstairs is the perfect guy. Smart, suave, smooth, sensual. They even had a night of perfect bliss and vowed to see each other after their respective weddings. Yes, he's there to attend his father's wedding. Then they got the shock of their lives... His father is marrying her mother... They just became step-siblings... But true love can't be denied, despite awkward family dynamics... right?

While the plot *had* been done before, this is VERY good polish on the awkward situation. 4.5/5

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 Legal Affairs: McKayla's Story by Sawyer Bennett

McKayla graduated from law school and joined Connover & Crown LLP. She was completely surprised when her then boyfriend took her to dinner, not to propose, but to dump her. With a bit of prodding by her bestie, she joined a "one-night-stand" club where members agree to meet members for one-night-stands. And "178" is a sinfully good guy in bed. Two weeks later, McKayla found out 178 is no stranger at all... He's Matt Connover, and her new boss. This is McKayla's story... on how she eventually captured Matt's heart. But it's a long one...

At over 400 pages, cut up into six "volumes" (each with a mini-cliffhanger) there are certainly quite a few twists and turns. This is erotic romance, so there is a LOT of sex. 4/5

GRR Reviews Bride in Secret by Serenity Woods

Roberta and Angus are friends that flirt, but Angus can't let it go anywhere because he's keeping a secret. So how did they wake up in a Vegas hotel room after a drinking binge, handcuffed together, with a marriage certificate? They aren't even in love! They decided not to talk about it, but surviving a plane crash on the way back to New Zealand left both of them wondering about their life and choices. But there really is a reason for Angus NOT to get married... something he can't talk about, not even to Roberta whom he came to love...

Okay, Angus' reason to not get married made sense. But the ending felt a bit like deus ex machina, and it's been done before. 4/5