GRR Reviews High Stakes by Kathryn Shay

Dylan O'Neil will do anything to protect his family, esp. from the likes of reporter Rachel Scott, whose leaks have endangered members of his family before, as in kidnapping attempts and more. As a columnist for a newspaper himself, he has an audience, and verbal war started between Dylan and Rachel. When the heads of both news organizations want them to work it out by having Dylan shadow Rachel's work, Dylan finally sees Rachel's private life, which is VERY different than what he imagined. And when sparks of attraction flared to life, neither can resist. But how can Dylan explain he had "fallen for the enemy"?

Ah, this is how "enemies to lovers" should be done. There are a few tropes, like the sick/comfort trope, and later, a hurt/comfort trope as well. But the build-up is exquisite. 5/5

GRR Reviews her Guardian Boss Fake Fiance by Sarah Gay

Samantha moved across the country to start a new job around Christmas break and met Teddy, her new boss, at the airport. He invited her to dinner, where she found his ex Tisha was stalking him, so she pretended to be his fiancee and he agreed. But when their car leaving dinner had a collision, Samatha was paralyzed... and Teddy married her to make sure she got better. Almost two years later, Samantha has recovered from that day, and Teddy is often there, but he has a job running a travel empire. Teddy told her that she'll let her go at 2 years. And she told herself it's best for him too. Why can't they admit their real feelings for each other?

Not really feeling the Christmas magic for this one. Circumstances are contrived, and why does Teddy feel so "responsible" for her injury that he married her while she's still loopy from the pain meds? 3/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire Patriot by Sarah Gay

Millie, physical therapist, had her heart broken long time ago by then boyfriend Nate. Six years later, the hurt still hasn't subsided. But when Nate suffered a knee injury in the game, he confessed he still has feelings toward Millie. When Millie was assigned as his physical therapist, it is time for him to woo her all over again... and reveal WHY he broke off contact back then...

Good twists and backstory, but still nothing too special. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Sounds of Secrets by Whitney Barbetti

Lotte (nickname of Charlotte) had been in love with Sam (short for Samson), but he never noticed her, apparently. Lotte always wanted to travel, despite inheriting a space as a dance studio in London. She took the risk of selling the studio and do a bit of travel in the US, but Lotte also has a hair-pulling problem... She deals with stress with hair pulling, so much sow her brows and her hair are in patches and she had to disguise it with makeup. Before she left, and after a few too many drinks, she and Sam had one night, but he left, and she... left for the US. But this roadtrip only made her realize she's a stranger in a strange land. When she suffered an injury, Sam came to the US to spend some time with her... and shared his own problems and secrets. But is that enough for a relationship?

Oooh, seriously angst-y type romance, which is this author's specialty. Her main characters are all flawed, suffering from loss and grief, yet managed to nonetheless find love. If you like serious people finding love without billionaires and other fantasy elements, this is a must-read. 4.5/5

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 Falling Hard by Elaria Ride

Autumn knew that as a forest ranger, her boss, ranger Asher, is unobtainable. Asher had grown up on these mountains and knew it backward and forward. Asher's just not interested in any women, much less a chubby gal like her. And what's with ranger Nick, who's always creepily smiling? // Asher knew he can't woo Autumn... he's broken from an experience way back when, but he liked BBWs... like Autumn. Nick... was an old family acquaintance (not a friend) that needed some help. But when Autumn slipped and hit her head just before a blizzard, there's nowhere to go except to his cabin...

Some good parts, like you know Nick is creepy but wasn't told why. Or how all the different threats will coalesce into one. Good foreshadowing and clues. 4.5/5

GRR Reveiws My Boss, the Billionaire by Serenity Woods

Nicola, aka "Nix", is PA to Leon, the boss of Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary. Nix is secretly in love with her boss, but she'd never express ti at work. He's against relationships at work, after all. Until one of his dogs knocked her over during a fundraiser and gave her a concussion. Now he can't leave her alone...

Swoony, yes. Comedic? Not really. Sweet? Nope. Feels like a polished contemporary romance, and not much else. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Turbulent Waters by Melody Anne

Nick, coast guard helo pilot, was the sole survivor when his helo went down in stormy seas. While in rehab, he met his new physical therapist: Chloe. She's sexy, smart, and guarded. And Nick wanted to woo her. But she has a deep dark secret... she's there at the behest of her father to dig up dirt on Nick... to destroy him, for one of the dead on Nick's final flight was her brother. But the more time she spent with Nick, the more she realized Nick is someone who'd give up his life "so others may live" (creed of the Coast Guard). But how can she let Nick know the truth? Or is it too late?

While the plot has been done before, the motivation twist was somewhat novel. However, the end was a bit of tell, not show, and the darkest hour was kinda long. 4/5

GRR Reviews Extreme Devotion by Cami Checketts

Jex is an extreme athlete and in love with his manager/agent Pearl for years, but he never dared to show it, just some teasing language before each stunt. Pearl yearns for Jex, but she's also terrified of losing him at every death-defying stunt he pulled. And something inevitably did. After a stunt gone horribly wrong, Jex almost lost his legs. Now forced to stay still and contemplate his fate, will he conquer his own demons... or will he push away everything and everyone he loved?

The build-up is good, but as you can probably guess, the darkest hour will last a bit so his own family can talk some sense into him. The grand gesture is nice. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Find Me, Save Me by Barbara Gee

FBI Special Agent Tucker had been chasing after the brutal and sadistic kingpin Jimmy for years. He actually arrested Jimmy once, but he somehow bribed enough cops to convince a judge that the evidence was planted and he was released on bail. By the time the dirty cops confessed, Jimmy is gone. Now Jimmy wants revenge... by kidnapping Libby, Tucker's sister. Unfortunately, they got the wrong girl... Her neighbor Madison instead. No matter, they'll torture her on camera. // Tucker must save Maddie, and eventually, he did. He admired the courage of Madison for standing up to the sadistic kingpin but he didn't know she had admired him from afar through his sister. Can he dare love her? Or will he decide his job only bring pain to those he loved?

The procedural stuff seems okay, and the tech details looks about right. But the problem here is Madison and Tucker didn't really spend that much time together. For half of the book she's being tortured hoping for a rescue. The other half she's mostly in the hospital and/or being moved to a secure location while Tucker tries to find Jimmy and arrest him for real. They barely met and spend much time together. Jimmy's plan and motivation also doesn't really make sense other than "he's a sadistic bastard". That's a pretty shallow villain.

3/5

GRR Reviews Repercussions by B L Olson

Annie knew all along she's a klutz and a hot mess (and no men would want her). She tolerates her best "roommates" meddling in her life, trying to "encourage" her and to set her up.  Meeting next door neighbor Wyatt, however, not in the best of circumstances, esp. when she was straddling a fence, when her thong got stuck on it, and she can't free herself without looking like, uh, you know... (ahem). Both are scarred in various ways... Wyatt fled his previous job and life to escape the torment, and Annie had to deal with her own issues. But together, they are stronger...

For a debut novel, this is excellent. The relationship is believable and builds up slowly. Two minor nitpicks: Grandma Hazel falls into the 'wild oldster" trope, and the darkest hour was a mix between hurt/comfort and "bitter reminder / run away to sort my feelings". But really, Annie, you're such a klutz that you tripped and fell over a cliff? Tsk, tsk. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Second Chance Hero by Kimberly Readnour

Zach was a phenom pitcher in college, but he had to let Lacey go to concentrate on his career. He tried to let her down easy, but it was a betrayal nonetheless. Five years later, with a Cy Young under his belt, he's doing great, until Lacey walked into his press conference. Zach knew what he wanted... Lacey back in his life. But Lacey, still raw from the betrayal, is determined to avoid him at every step... When Zach suffered what may have been a career-ending injury... Will they let each other go again to "do the right thing"? Or will they fight for what they have?

Good push-pull, and all the baseball terminologies are great, as are the reporter stuff. Zach's darkest hour was also nicely handled, with all that self-sacrificing ****, even as another complication from Lacey arose (which I won't spoil, but you can see from the tags). I guess the question is, is Zach really a bad boy?

Oh, and I enjoyed learning the term "cleat chasers". Yes, it means what you think it means.

Category: Contemporary / Sports

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Healing the Billionaire by Eliza Boyd

Hailey had started CumberCakers, her cupcake business, after her husband left her to pursue her dreams many years ago. When her ex-sister-in-law asked her to come dog-sit for her across the country, she used the chance to also schedule an interview with a national vendor. Unfortunately, the 150-pound dog bowled her over, leading to her dislocating her shoulder... just as she found that the visitor was none other than her ex-husband Jared... // Jared decided to let Hailey go as he needed to find his own way, and he did. Now he's a billionaire, and seeing his ex-wife just made him want her back, even as he decided to take a vacation from it all. Helping her make her cupcakes is just a bonus, but is his penchant for secrecy means he'll let her go... again?

Uh... while the cupcake stuff is good, the conflict can be summed up as your typical "I can't say what I really feel" versus "I don't want to hear it".  A bit exasperating, IMHO.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Freefall by Hayley Rayne

Jack is a stuntman turned action hero. But after one too many love-em-and-leave-em episodes that got on TMZ, his agent ordered him to shape up... by hiring him a fake girlfriend... from a PR firm... Bryden. Bryden is innocent, fresh, and starstruck, except she's hiding a secret... His agent is paying her a big bonus upon completion of this assignment. And Bryden is different from all the other women that fell for him before... But when he told his side-chick, the nutritionist Bonnie, that their arrangement will have to end, Bonnie vowed "you'll be sorry"...

Good climax, but the Maori details felt a bit... tacked-on for flavor, not that well integrated.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Marry Me Already by Annie J Rose

Wes, a rich billionaire, is raising Sunny alone because his wife died of cancer. Sunny is having a hard time coping and she'd been ejected from multiple pre-schools. He needs a nanny fast. He got Cheyenne... // Cheyenne can't live with a cheating jerk of a boyfriend, which means she has no place to live, and a live-in nanny position is perfect. But she's still in school, and he's still working... But when Wes was involved in an auto collision, he had an epiphany... There will be no one around for his daughter should anything happen to him. So he proposed a marriage of convenience to Cheyenne... make sure the kid is provided for. But the two are just in denial... They are already in love...

Short, pretty good, but really, who marries just to setup the kid? Not guardianship? Not trust and will? Feels a bit "too stupid to live"...

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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

GRR Reviews This Christmas by Michelle Brouder

Jeff is a bit too helpful... except to himself. As a young and handsome firefighter, he should have no problem getting dates. With his mother always trying to set him up on dates, and nobody wanted to go on a second date with him or accept his dog, he's resigned to living alone. Then Holly moved into the other unit in his duplex. // Holly trusted a man once... her fiancee then proceed to steal all her money to feed his gambling addiction, saddled her with huge amount of debt, despite liquidating everything she owned, then pulled a disappearing act, leaving her to pay BOTH portions (it'll cost more to fight bills when she's already on a court-ordered repayment plan) by working multiple jobs as both a schoolteacher and a waitress. // When Jeff met Holly, they realized they have met a long time ago, back in college, just once. They are hesitant in exploring this lingering attraction they have for each other. But when Jeff suffered a health scare, and Holly found a clue to her ex's whereabouts, can they help resolve each other's problem before the Holidays?

Sweet, romance, about two hurt people finally found each other. I think the earlier meeting scene didn't add much to the story, IMHO.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Desire in the Everglades by Stacy Hoff

Stephanie is a TV producer who's barely appreciated, and too busy to find love. She wants instead to write romance novels, but she doesn't have time. Her fiancee ended up bedding her cousin (who seems to have a sex addiction). Then her life turned upside down when her boss wanted her to produce a show called Evergladiator: a hunky survivalist Colin will be dropped in the everglades of Florida, with just a knife and needs to survive 12 days... for one million dollars. Except there is no safety crew. // Colin has survived war, and he's fit. And he needed the money to pay off his family farm's final balloon payment. And he's attracted to Stephanie, but it could be considered cheating to be dating the show's producer. What he didn't know the show's execs are going to be ramping up the danger and drama by sending more dangerous animals his way... hungry crocs, even a wild warthog... But he's determined to survive... and win, if only to get back to her...

A reality show with NO safety crew? Is that even LEGAL? Tension was dialed up pretty good. But romance? There really wasn't that much of it.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5 rounded up

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

GRR Reviews Wolf Trouble (SWAT) by Paige Tyler

Dallas SWAT team has a secret... Everybody on the team is a wolf-shifter... but they are all male. When not even their perfect record can keep the politicians at bay, the force is forced to expand its roster... for a female candidate. But the team alpha has a candidate in mind... but will the gold team leader, Xander Riggs accept the new recruit? // Khaki Blake is a regular beat cop in a small town, and things were going well until she rejected romance from the department's golden boy. Suddenly, she's blackballed, her backup mysteriously got delayed, and she was shot multiple times after engaging three suspects in a gun battle. And that's when she realized she's not normal anymore. But each of her subsequent success due to the new abilities only made her more of a pariah. When Dallas SWAT captain came to offer her a position, Khaki took it, and despite lack of SWAT experience, she fits perfectly into Dallas SWAT, except for her team leader, Xander seems to be avoiding her, yet his touch sends tingle up her arm, and there are a unique scent and chemistry she can't deny... When Dallas SWAT was called to assist the FBI against a group of highly organized bank robbers, her abilities will be put to the test... if they can just keep their minds on their objectives... but there's someone out there, watching them...

Fun story about an alternate were-wolf universe, where it's basically trauma that triggered the abilities to manifest. The plotting works really well, with all the proper story beats, that transitioned well into the next. Very enjoyable, even though it's a well-used plot.

Category: Contemporary / Romantic Suspense

Primary Plot: Female wolf shifter joined Dallas SWAT (full of wolf-shifters), and fell for the team leader, but someone is stalking her...

Overall Rating: 5/5

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 Love in a Small Town (Pine Harbour) by Zoe York

Love in a Small Town has nice push-pull between a former couple, but the ending was trope that relied on a crisis to prompt a change of heart.

Rafe and Olivia were married... emphasis on WERE. It's been two years since their divorce. He's a cop and national guard. Being a husband is third on his priorities, and she can't stand it anymore. But being a waitress in the cafe in town means she has to serve him every morning, and that just hurts... every day. // Rafe knew Olivia was the one for him, but they may have married too young... he thought he did the right thing: letting her go when he wasn't what she needed. He really wanted her back... But does she want him back?

Awww, nice push-pull between the couple. The only problem was it took a crisis to change their minds, like a disaster or major injury. As he's a cop, it's standard plot that he gets shot and both he and she had an epiphany that life's too short. And that just felt "meh".

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: The cop and the waitress were once married, but because he can't put her first, he let her go, but they're not over each other

Overall Rating: 3/5

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