GRR Reviews Bride for Nathaniel by Kay P Dawson

In the early 1900s, Nathaniel is a mountie in Cougar Springs, Alberta, and he likes the town, but also clueless with women. He reluctantly accepts a mail-order bride from back out East, and got Claire... // Claire helped those in need, even when it costs her. She lost her job as a maid when her role in helping her mistress escape to marry a mountie was exposed, and she had no regrets. Marrying a mountie would be nice... Until Nathaniel's old nemesis showed. The newly married husband and wife disagree on how to proceed. He wants to protect her, she wants to see the evil brought to justice. Will this tear them apart?

Not bad, though the wedge issue feels a bit overdone. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire's Blue Blood by Amy DeLuca

Single mom Cinda, the owner of Fairy Godmother Cleaning Agency, is quite busy managing her business (including two of her half-sisters) and has no time for a man. Her last man left her a present (in the form of pregnancy) 5 years ago and was never heard from since. When flu swept through town, Cinda had to put on a maid's uniform to clean her client's house... and that's when she ran into Prince Alexander... // Prince Alexander takes a vacation every year with his family, but hates America... and hadn't been back for five years. He just wanted to get the Holidays over with. Their early arrival surprised the cleaning crew... Esp. Cinda... Because Alex is her ex... the one that left her that surprise... And she can't tell him about his son, because she can't risk him taking her son away from her... And they are now stranded away from everyone by the storm...

Basically a retelling of Cinderella, complete with "evil" step-mother. Good job mixing in secret baby trope along with forced proximity, but it's still trope. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews A Western Love for an Unexpected Bride by Etta Foster

Mary is a maid for the Penningtons's young daughter. But when the daughter actually answered a mail-order bride ad, and was accepted, Mary was sent in her place. On her way, the train was robbed, and she was saved by Emmanuel, wandering the West but on his way home to Arizona. Emmanuel had his own pains he ran from, but Mary called out his protective instincts like no other. He will escort her to her destination. But what happens next... will be up to them.

More of an adventure story, with a lot of side trips, as the "couple" wasn't together for, I'd say, half of the book, separated by choice and circumstances. Adventure and romance are okay, but pacing could use some help. And ignore the page count. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Runaway Bride by Cynthia Swan

Alex had it all once. After the death of his parents, he was a billionaire, and he had no care in the world except partying which can't assuage his grief. He just let his uncle manage his finances. Then one day, he rescued a damsel in distress, stopped a killer... but was permanently disfigured when he was thrown through a glass window by the assailant. It was the same day when he found that his uncle stole all his money and left the country, leaving him with nothing. Only a secret deed and some leftover contingency cash left him a place to stay, a cottage in Magnolia Beach, where he, ashamed of being seen, became the town recluse... // Rose was about to marry the man of her dreams when it all turned into a nightmare... Her best friend in the restroom, holding up a positive pregnancy test, being consoled by her fiancee, who is the father. In a daze, she just drove and left the city behind, and when her car died in the small town of Magnolia Beach, it's a sign... right? And it seems the town recluse needs a live-in housekeeper... // The two struck up a friendship, and eventually bared their souls. But is it love? Can either feel any love after what happened to them?

Awwww, it's like a Hallmark movie. :) Main problem is the setup was a bit long. 4/5

GRR Reviews Small Town Rumors by Carolyn Brown

Jennie Sue is back in town... by bus. And the small town of Bloom TX is buzzing. She, the high school queen bee, was supposed to be in New York, enjoying a nice alimony settlement in a penthouse after divorcing a tycoon. In reality, her assets are all frozen when the tycoon was suspected of financial malfeasance and she had no choice but to come home, and those she alienated back then are talking behind her back and enjoying her reversal of fortune, now working as a house cleaner, living in a garage apartment, and dating a simple farmer, Rick. // But Jennie Sue is enjoying her new friendship with what could have been her enemy Cricket, Rick's sister, regardless of the town chatter. But rumor also has it that Jennie Sue may be leaving... and she has to convince Rick that love can keep her in Bloom...

Nice set of quirky but not weird characters, a down-and-out heroine, and a bit of unrequited love with a reunion that is not quite bitter, but definitely sweet. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews The Jilted BIllionaire Groom by Jennifer Youngblood

Sunny Day (not her real name) left her job and her life behind to save her nephew Ian, who witnessed something he shouldn't. She's now working as a hotel maid in Utah, hoping to stay far away from the bad guy's radar. Bad guy had already taken her sister's life and left Ian an orphan. She never expected to run into her high school crush, Finley, in Utah of all places... // Finley still can't get over being dumped on national TV. Reeling from shock, he left Dallas behind to hide on a family-owned hotel in Utah, only to run into Ian and Sunny. Feeling an instant attraction to her, yet not knowing why, he knew he had seen her somewhere before, Finely wanted to woo her, but she has her secrets to keep...

FOUR problems with the plot, which


CONTAINS SPOILERS


YOU'VE BEEN WARNED


A) Ian just blurt out the secret in his nightmares?

B) A child's rambling is worth killing people over? Fancy lawyers can knock that down easily.

C) How would Finley's family doctor's intern recognize the boy anyway? Where's the link?

D) And the intern wanting the money for himself? Instead of sending a real killer? Phooey.

2.5/5 due to these plot problems.

GRR Reviews The Handmaid's Billionaire by Gigi Marlowe

Mattie is a handmaid in Malibu, working odd service jobs while she tries to work on her writing. She would have never met Corbin, billionaire movie producer, and older guy, until Valentina, billionaire matchmaker, brought them together. They seem perfect together, but Mattie is unsure, as she was a runaway bride... left her fiancee at the altar, not ready to take that step. Does she deserve someone as handsome and rich and wonderful as Corbin?

NOTE: 111 page short novel

Not bad, pretty sweet, but the darkest hour wasn't that dark. Basically, Mattie has to decide between another go with her first love, or Corbin, who already loved her. The choice is pretty obvious. 3.5/5

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 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 The Billionaire's Chauffeuress by Penelope Spark

Isaac is a workaholic, trying to make up for time spent as a reckless youth. He never notices the staff... Until his chauffeur was unable to drive one day... and Whitney, the housekeeper, volunteered to step up to the position. Whitney can see Isaac is handsome and powerful, and oh so haughty. She knew she wasn't in his class. But when a little girl showed up at their doorstep, claiming to be his daughter, Isaac and Whitney both have to reexamine their priorities... and Whitney is started to grow attracted toward her boss...

Sweet, and clean, but somehow the push-pull just didn't quite draw me in.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2.5/5 (rounded up)

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

GRR Reviews The Ruthless BIllionaire by Evangeline Kelly

Poor young woman Aria who just lost her job accepts a house-cleaning position from young and ruthless heir Lucas. He had to marry a shallow socialite on his father's list... a marriage in name only to secure his inheritance, for he feels broken and unworthy of love. She just wanted to save enough money to find her brother, who disappeared after being separated in the foster care system. They should not want each other, esp. when he had lost his faith long time ago. But Aria believes in Lucas... If he will allow God back into his life...

The Christian theme is there, but not too heavy. The self-loathing, however, is pretty heavy, esp. Lucas. There's enough trope trauma here on Lucas that it felt a bit melodramatic (he's both verbally and physically abused, suffers from abandonment issues, and his father, through his will, continues to mess with him from beyond the grave). Even the ending, felt a bit deus ex machina (who knew the "bad" choice turned out to be most profitable for him?). Still, I like the polish.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Branding the Virgin by Alexa Riley

Mary Jane is a virgin. She's too distrustful of men, but she wanted a family. So she went to a sperm bank. After she got pregnant, she found that a sperm bank mix-up means she got sperm from a father who has some personal problems... And she had to meet the father... even if in disguise. // Ty got stomped in the nuts after a bull-riding accident. Now retired, he can't get it up any more, though his doctors said the equipment all works. He saved some sperm "just in case". When he expanded his ranch, he needed to hire a housekeeper, and "MJ" applied. And Ty got hard... What is it about her that got him stirring? Will she ever tell him she's the proud mama of his baby?

Apparently, one can be a virgin and still become pregnant through sperm donor. (I checked) But the rest of the plot really makes no sense. It's insta-lust leading to sex and more sex, and yes, pregnant sex.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2/5

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

GRR Reviews Cowboy Heat by Sable Hunter

Libby has leukemia in remission. Her doctor told her to live life to the fullest, and her wish was to bed Aron McCoy, the oldest McCoy brother. She had always admired him from afar. When their housekeeper is going on vacation for a few months, it's the perfect chance. Libby moved into Tebow ranch and became the new temporary housekeeper, and Aron was smitten... Until he found out Libby still has her v-card... But when Libby admitted she wanted only him... It is time for Aron to step up to the challenge... Even if she is not disclosing her secret... For Aron does not know she has cancer...

The twist is simple enough, and sex here is quite hot that it's basically erotic romance. There's also a bit of 4th wall breaking joke about how Libby learned all her moves from reading erotic romance. Hahaha. 4/5

Category: Contemporary / Western / Erotic

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Kade by DeAnn Smallwood

Hope was framed by a drug dealer who stashed drugs in her car. She served three months before she was released when the real perp was caught. Unfortunately, she lost her job as an elementary schoolteacher. Then she saw an ad about live-in care for an old lady with two handsome cowboys... // Kade almost destroyed his family ranch when he trusted a woman too far, and she took him to the cleaners. He had to take out a loan to keep the ranch going, and a balloon payment is coming due soon. Then his brother, who had disappeared for years, showed up with a young baby girl in tow. Kade did not need any woman other than his 78-year old gran at home, but gran hired Hope as the caretaker to keep tabs on both cowboys AND the baby-girl, and herself, of course. So he can't fire her. But Kade doesn't trust Hope, esp. when Hope prefers NOT to talk about her arrest and conviction, even though it was vacated. But when Kade found out, will Hope leave, despite having already fitted into this family?

I don't get it. If a real perp was found, wasn't her entire conviction vacated and erased off the record? What would show up on a background check? This makes no sense. The book would have been 4/5 if this made sense. As is, it's 3/5

Category: Contemporary / Western

Overall Rating: 3/5

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

GRR Reviews Room Service by Mindy Wilde

Lucy's family just imploded when her musician BF just ruined her by maxing out her emergency credit cards she had never used... AND cheated on her. Then she lost her job. Desperate, she found one dream job... a housekeeping job that pays way above normal... because it values ABSOLUTELY loyalty and the ability to keep silent about EVERYTHING... And a hot guy out to help her... Who wanted her for "room service" even though she's only housekeeping... But he's so good-looking, she'll f*** him for free...

Boring as heck. It's basically a "sexy Cinderella" story. Attraction is unexplained, and obstacle? Really didn't have any.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 2/5

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

GRR Reviews Bottom of the Ninth by Jami Davenport

Zeke Wolfe is the baseball star of the family, and when he found he was just traded to the Seattle Skkokums, thus, putting all three brothers in the same city, he just about saw red. He wrote off his entire family because they left him at a time of need. He shouldn't have stopped, but the woman with a broken car and three kids (8, 5, and 5) was just too much to leave stranded at the side of the road at midnight... // Paisley wanted a real home, and now that her sister was found dead, and her sister's crazy BF was in jail (for drugs, not murder), she needed shelter for her sister's children... and a do-over. Being rescued by the "choir boy" Zeke would be a fantasy come true... and she'll gladly hire herself as his assistant / housekeeper, if just to keep a roof over their heads. But even as Zeke and Paisley explore the boundaries of their relationship, their respective pasts came back to haunt them...

The end was a bit of... "wuh"? but seems to work. Though the build-up of the evil dad into an even MORE evil figure was done actually quite well. But you need to have read through multiple books to find that. 

Category: Contemporary / Sports

Primary Plot: Baseball star rescued a woman with three kids in bad part of town, but both he and she has problematic pasts

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Acting Married (The Married Series Book by Victorine E. Lieske

Acting Married is a good addition to the author's Married series, but it somehow feels not quite as fulfilling as her other books.

Tara McDermott is a maid for the Hollywood Bad Boy Rick Shade. She had been burned by a dick husband Josh who ended up as some bit actor in Hollywood who only left her with a daughter and bitter memories. Tara just wants to settle the legal bills and move back to mid-West where things are simple. Rick Shade has a bad boy reputation, but he's a softie inside. When his publicist told him he needs to settle down to land a better role, he quipped "I should marry the maid"... And surprisingly, his publicist agreed. Rick promised a marriage of convenience with Tara... they can divorce a year later, and they need to go out to feed the paparazzi every once in a while. In return, Rick will pay off Tara's debts and leave her with a nest egg to start over. But as the two pretended to date, then got married for real, Rick and Tara realized just how good they are together... but each carried shame from their pasts... Rick for letting a girl he had loved go for his career... and Tara for entering into this "fake" relationship and allowing her daughter to be attached to Rick. When the secret was outed, will they stay... or break each other's hearts? And what happens when Josh comes back?

Somehow, the threat from Josh just seems really lame, and came really really late, and the book doesn't quite feel as polished as her earlier volumes. The "forced to marry" schtick is getting a little old, and "maid to billionaire" is an old schtick. Combining them without some new schtick like other volumes left me a bit underwhelmed.


Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: A billionaire need his single mother maid to marry him to help his image, and he'll help settle her with $$$ but when they fell in love for real... would that ever work?

Tropes: maid, hot for boss, single parent, marriage of convenience, scars, triangle, blackmail

Overall Rating: 4/5

GRR Reviews Secrets on the Sand (Barefoot Bay Billion by Roxanne St. Claire

"Secrets on the Sand" is a reunion novel that's slightly over-melodramatic.

Mandy Mitchell was the queen of her high school court. But one disastrous marriage later, she's back in the resort town of Barefoot Bay... as cleaning staff for the resort... and endures constant haranguing from those touting "how the mighty Mandy had fallen". When she got into a bit of situation in Zeke Nicholas' villa, she did not recognize the handsome and built Zeke... as the "Ezekiel the Geekiel" she helped way back when. But her situation turned from bad to worse when she was fired for using the facilities of the villa (at Zeke's insistence when she got wet). Zeke knew Mandy was the girl he always wanted, and he's determined to help... by giving her $5000 to help her start her own cleaning business that the resort can contract... but Mandy is keeping a secret to herself... will Zeke will want her after that secret was exposed?

I find the book above average in polish, and the attraction between the two slightly forced, but otherwise, still good romance between the two about secrets and past affections.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Maid for millionaire on a beach resort, plus a bit of hostile town and right rich guy ready to rescue the woman

Tropes: maid, resort, single parent, differnet worlds, ugly duckling, reunion

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews The Parent Pact (Return to Redemption) by Laurie Kellogg

The Parent Pact is a well-disguised "maid to millionaire" novel that was a ton of fun to read and has nuances for you to appreciate the characters after you've finished reading.

Tyler Fitzpatrick has a lot of shameful secrets to keep. When he met Annie Barnes at his daughter's school, it was a perfect MIS-match... She was impoverished single mother raising a son, he was rich single parent raising a daughter. She was a high school dropout housecleaner whose BF ran away; he was a summa cum laude lawyer who had a beautiful wife who died in a car accident. Tyler conceded there is a gulf between them, but they can definitely help each other out... Tyler needed a housekeeper and babysitter... And Annie was the perfect candidate. They also agreed to a Parent Pact... to become role models for each other's child while they search for their one true love. Annie knew Tyler is good for her, but she didn't believe Tyler would stick around, and she wanted a loving husband, not just hot sex and mutual obligations. Can Tyler convince her that they really are good together?

Let's just say Tyler's life wasn't nearly as good as initial glance appeared, and there are some secrets about his family he may have to reveal to make Annie understand: they are both heavily wounded, just in very different ways, and trust does not come easy, but when life hands you a chance and happiness, don't let go just because you fear failure and heartbreak. This book is a LOT deeper than you first suspect... It's not *merely* an opposites-attract romance.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Two single parents from different worlds meet and form parent pact; can they be good together... permanently?

Tropes: different worlds, single parent, maid

Overall Rating:  5/5

GRR Reviews Maid for Love (Gansett Island) by Marie Force

Maid for Love is a book about a plain girl meets a very rich guy and after a bit of courtship they made each other very happy despite things keep getting in their way. Some parts of the book were very good, other parts make you exclaim WTF?! just happened?

Maddie Chester is barely getting by as she tried to save up enough money to get away from her hometown of Gansett Island. Her ample... cleavage has only brought her pain (and I don't' mean backache) as horrible rumors had plagued her since high school that she's easy, and having a 9-month old baby because she was knocked up by someone who swore he had a vasectomy (then did a runner) didn't help. On the way to her housekeeping job at McCarthy's Resort, she was run over by someone on a motorcycle... and wounded enough that she can't work for several days... and she was in deep despair as she cannot afford to lose any work... it was only worse when she realized who ran her over... Mac McCarthy, the prodigal son of the McCarthy clan... but Mac wasn't anything like Maddie expected. Mac wasn't snotty, despite the rich upbringing. In fact, Mac wanted to stay and help nurse her back to health and take care of her baby, and this is in spite of all the warnings from the rest of town about her "reputation". But Maddie refused to be swept off of her feet, because Mac was only here on vacation, and soon he'll leave for Miami. But Mac had already fallen for the strong and vulnerable Maddie...

Part of the problem with Mac is we don't know enough about him that all we witnessed upon his arrival was his valiant attempt to save Maddie to make up for running her over. He was being sincerely nice, but offering to take her back home, call her supervisor to make sure she doesn't lose her job, AND pay her wages and help with babysitting was NOT something one normally do for strangers, even if he did run her over. So it's either insta-lust (which was not described) or he's afraid of lawsuits (which he wasn't). We were left with a character who was basically being... superhuman! We have a hard time believing he really is this nice! There was no setup for him to be this nice to a stranger, and that, made him not believable.

The rest of the book was actually quite sweet, as Mac then proceed to right every wrong heaped upon Maddie, from the rumors that dogged her for a decade to the baby daddy... heck, even her job! OMG, he really *is* superman! (Insert eyeroll here) It was clear this was one of Marie Force's earliest books and the plotting wasn't quite up to par, and the FMC balks at the way MMC is "fixing" her problems... Uh, that's your PRIDE talking, honey. And that lead to the darkest hour? Lame.

So basically, you have stubbornly independent girl vs. superman hoping to fix everything wrong in her life, and they STILL fall for each other? Hmmm... Must be her D-cup... No, NOT really.

Okay, enough snark. I find the book enjoyable through the first read-through but upon reflection all the problems came out. In the end, I can only assign it an OK rating. Because I did enjoy it, despite the rest of the problems named before.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Hotel maid on the way to job was ran over by Hotel Clan's Prodigal Son; He wanted to help her and love her; will she let him?

Tropes: different worlds, maid, single parent

Overall Rating:  3/5