GRR Reviews Something So Perfect by Natasha Madison

Matthew made too many mistakes as a hockey bad boy and was cut from the team at 23. When a different team wanted to give him another chance, he'll accept any terms, because he wanted to be back on the ice... Even accept a chaperone that will keep him out of trouble. He didn't expect the chaperone to be team owner's daughter, Karrie... //  Karrie was glad her father finally gave her a job... just not babysitting a washed-up hockey jock. And while Matthew is insanely hot and knew it too, he also drove her up the wall with his sweet-craziness. But as long as he's playing great and not ruining his image... it's okay, even if she ended up in his bed, right? But do they have a future together?

While dialog is good, somehow Matthew just feels a bit too... crazy? But the description is apt... it's sweet-kinda-crazy. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Your Irresistible Love by Layla Hagen

Ava is the new marketing consultant to help Bennett Enterprises ace their new jewelry line launch. She's a loner that prefers the itinerant lifestyle, a few months here and there. No strings, no attachments. While her nominal boss, CEO Sebastian Bennett, is gorgeous, she won't get involved with a client, because it's written in her employment contract: no fraternizing. But Seb is already intrigued... esp. with his family nagging him about not having a woman... And they do have chemistry together. But the problem with a secret liaison is secrets eventually leak...

The darkest hour seems a bit forced, and the "bad guys" never got any karma. 4/5

GRR Reviews Come Undone by Crystal kaswell

Alyssa had to leave her last TV show when she fainted, suffering from bulimia as a result of binge-eating and purging cycles. Her boyfriend Ryan, who had taken care of her before, got her to rehab, and she is now okay... But Ryan refuses to let her act again, claiming she has no self-control. Alyssa also met Luke, Ryan's wilder, more passionate law partner, who doesn't like the way Ryan treats Alyssa (more like a pet than a girlfriend). But Alyssa already accepted the engagement ring from Ryan, and he did save her... right? But Luke refused to sit back, even as Alyssa grew a spine and got back into acting... and Ryan retreated into 80-hour work weeks...

While a part of a three-book series, this novel can be read alone. I like the overall feel, but I didn't like the way Ryan or Luke were set up. Ryan basically has NO redeeming qualities other than he got Alyssa to rehab, but that's a one-time event, which he used as a hammer to beat her down again and again while using her as his show-piece (on his arm at social events), as if he owned her for life "for her own good". In the meanwhile, Luke (or Lucas) is the white knight who will save her from her dreary existence under Ryan's thumb with great sex and more. If there were more nuances in the two MMC I'd give this a higher score. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Sugar & Spice by Phoebe Alexander

Cy Sweet is one of the three heirs for Sweetopia, a theme park started by his family, and the family rebel, with a degree in art history, of all things. But his family forced him to postpone his visit to Greece and go undercover at their own theme park, where the labor force may be ready to strike for fair wages and work conditions. Cy was supposed to go "undercover boss" as Marcus, a temp, and root out the organizer. Instead, he fell for the "Red Velvet Queen", one of the characters in the park. But the queen is actually single mom Jolie Cox, trying to raise two kids, one with special needs, with the main job and a bit of an unmentionable "side-gig". What happens when they learned each other's real identities?

The idea that the family got no karma, and Cy was the ONLY one that sees things clearly, bothered me a bit. It's too cartoonishly simplistic. 4/5

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 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 Racing Hearts by Lauren Landish

Luke is one of the Bennett Boys, who prefers to stay in the background doing stuff and let his brothers take the credit. He has his own horse breeding business that lets him travel the country, but he is feeling a bit lonesome. // Shayanne is a Tannen and a tomboy. She and her brothers have taken over the family ranch after discovering their dad had almost buried them in his gambling debt. Now, in addition to running the family ranch, she also raises goats and has a specialty handmade soap business that is taking off. However, she's also feeling stuck, having been the only woman in the house. // Tannens and Bennetts used to be friends, until the previous generation had a falling out. So Luke and Shay were surprised to run into each other at the large tree at their property border. They had always been friendly, despite family feud, and that leads to an affair, which also has that Romeo and Juliet taboo feel. Both are very loyal to their respective families... and fond of each other. When Shayanne's father died of a heart attack, Shay and her brothers will discover an act of betrayal that left them shaking in rage. And Luke and his family may have one chance to finally make peace...

I like the twist, despite the "unfairness" of it all. And the relationship was handled very well. 5/5

GRR Reviews Stiff Competition by Amy Pinkston

Fitz left his hometown to do what he wanted: play golf professionally. But one too many PR disaster (get caught drunk by cops and causing public nuisance), and he got a 6-month suspension, forcing him to go home to Hardwood Country Club, and he'd rather give lessons and sell ugly sweaters than listen to his father trying to force/cajole/teaser him into running the family auto dealership. That's also where he met Tabby... // Tabby is the tennis pro / coach at the club, but after a public break-up with a fellow employee, she found her job on the line, and she had to make a promise... never date another employee. But when Fitz helped Tabby plan the club's annual extravaganza, they came together... both mentally... and physically. But he's going back on tour... then what happens to her?

Okay, love it except ONE part... What happens to Tabby... after they get married?  That seems to be unresolved. 4/5

GRR Reviews Back for More by Kayley Loring

Lily ran away from her father to seek her fame as an actress when she's 18. Five years later, she's back in town, almost broke, without much to show, and her father offered her a job in the family company. NOT as an exec though... As exec's assistant... and the exec? Wes, her former secret crush... and the family landscaper's son. But if she can work for a year, his father promised to release her trust fund early... By 24. She had to stay to keep her dreams... // Wes knew he wasn't good enough... as son of a gardener. He was happy when Lily's father gave him a job and a chance to be more... so he can court Lily properly one day. Now 25, he's the youngest VP in the company... But he was hoping for a few more years to make him absolutely indispensable to the company, so when he asks for Lily's hand in marriage, there would be no way to refuse him. Lily's early return derailed his plans, and it's obvious she's not happy working for him either... For there's tension underneath the hostility...

Good setup, a semi-reversal of fortunes, but the rest of the book was basically secret liaisons while they hide their feelings from the entire company, each other, and themselves. And the cover's kinda lame. Generic hunk in blue jeans? Really? 4/5

GRR Reviews Sisters by Killie Coates Gilbert

In the original ski resort of America, Sun Valley, Idaho, lived three sisters... Karyn, a widow who can't let go of the past due to her VERY nice in-laws, but a backcountry pilot tempted her like no one else... // Leigh Ann felt her husband had grown more and more distant... and keeping secrets from her. She will fight for her husband, but her plan has unintended consequences... // Joie moved home to save herself from a heartache she can't ever tell any one: she fell for a married man... her mentor and boss. When he showed up at Sun Valley, she was tempted to take him back, but how can it not be a mistake... again?

Good interweaving of stories among the three sisters, who are there to support each other. On the other hand, it also had that bit of cliffhanger or soap opera feel, where nothing seems ever "finished". 4/5

GRR Reviews Falling for the Veteran by Alexa Rivers

Cooper returned home from the Middle East physically sound, but mentally... not quite. He still wakes up at night in a panic. Which is why he can only do NSA one-night-stands. He doesn't want anyone seeing him like this. That is... until he met Sophie. // Sophie thought surprising her beau would be fun. Turns out, he's doing the nasty with his secretary. And this time, she is NOT going to take him back... EVER. Sophie decided to change herself and her circumstances... and the first item on the bucket list is to have an NSA fling with the hot guy... Cooper, who's also her best friend's brother. While one's not supposed to fling with "family", what they don't know wouldn't hurt them. It's just a temporary arrangement. Right?

This storyline has been done MANY MANY times, and while the polish is quite good, nothing else really stands out. 3/5

GRR Reviews Misunderstood by Katy Kaylee

Ryder Malloy was the star quarterback of his high school team, and best friend of Katie's brother, and practically second son of Katie's family. Until he wasn't. Katie gave up her V-card to him, only to learn later that Ryder had betrayed her brother, and apparently had sex with her brother's fiancee. Years later, Katie is now a PR agent, and her latest client is none other than the bad boy quarterback Ryder Malloy. Ryder apparently had a history of brawling and desperately needs an image makeover to land some endorsement deals. Katie found herself physically attracted to Ryder, but she can't reconcile the fact that Ryder betrayed her brother, and the Ryder she came to know... What if Ryder was simply... misunderstood?

While I like both characters, I have some problem empathizing with "stoic masochist" characters, i.e. the character who simply sit there, accept abuse s/he do not deserve, all the while staying silent, muttering "why fight, what's the point..."  And Ryder here is one such character. OTOH, the darkest hour and grand gesture are great. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Nudes by Sarah Robinson

Aria is an up and coming star, who had an affair with the director, then cut it off when she realized he's going after every female of legal age. But the director was still creepy as heck. // Ben is the new CEO of a movie production company, and his evil ex dragged him through the mud during the divorce hoping to force more money out of him. // Ben and Aria knew there is chemistry between them, and they reluctantly agreed to get involved. It was wrong. He is technically her boss, and she shouldn't have wanted someone that can ruin her. But they do want each other. Until an act of betrayal that can destroy them both...

Nice, very nice. There's also a theme after the whole thing... How Hollywood double-standard says a victim can be scorned. As the title suggested... Aria's nudes got leaked basically as revenge porn.  Some parts feel forced (Ben's responsibility in all of this, and his inability to explain the situation), and the culprit's mindset. Another thing about the leak didn't make sense.

4.5/5


SPOILER

ALERT

The director got Ben to 'sign off' on the "press photos" by putting the innocuous photos on top and the nudes below. But wouldn't whoever got the stack of photos question "wait, who released these nudes as press photos"?

GRR Reviews Famous by Default by MK Harkins

Jax no longer has a life. Due to his brothers' fame as a boy band, he was mobbed anywhere public he appears, even though he wanted no part of it. Forced into exile in a far away farm town with "crazy aunt Betty", Jax is ready to spend his high school senior year alone and angry... Until he encountered Sivan, one of aunt Betty's foster children...  // Sivan grew up in the foster care system, after losing her entire family in one tragic day. Her next three foster families did not work out (and that's putting it mildly), and she's within a year of aging out of the system (at 18) and cast adrift in a world with no place for her. Betty's place is her last chance for any normalcy... and Jax is an unwelcome surprise... // The two, both angry at the world, slowly formed a friendship, then love. But both knew this is temporary. He's going back to his life after the mania dies down... and she would be leaving aunt Betty's place when she aged out. Should they go ahead and have the best times or their lives... or steel their hearts to avoid the inevitable heartbreak?

Awww, nice YA angst-y, but not TOO angst-y, except for the scenes of loss. And yes, there's really a darkest hour at the end. Something that can destroy them both.  5/5

GRR Reviews Late Night Confessions by Mia Madison

Maya is a 22-year-old virgin, chatting anonymously on a "confessions" chat board. When she admitted she's a virgin, and she planned to lose her v-card the next day with her best friend (but a mere friend with benefits, not in love), she got a ton of solicitations... Except one from an older man that caught her eye... He did not sext her, but rather, discussed sex and love. She found the chat with him stimulating, and not believing he's real, he ended up sending her his picture. It was a few days later that she found out, to her horror, that her chat buddy is her new academic advisor in the university... and she had to stay away. But the most they get to know each other, the more they want to taste the forbidden fruit...

Not bad, no obvious stupidities, proper online etiquette and follow-up. The school stuff about zero fraternization ended up as the darkest hour, but then, what's what taboo  student-teacher relationships usually end up as. Not bad.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Irresistible by Melanie Harlow

Mack is an ex-marine raising three daughters alone after his wife died. He's also the CFO of Cloverleigh Farms. Being a single dad is not easy, and he needs multiple nannies to help out, one of whom was the boss' daughter, Frannie, who's 10 years younger. And he found himself slowly, but inexorably drawn to Frannie, who can cook, clean, great with his kids, and is just a nice person, and very much a woman... // Frannie had a congenital heart defect and it took multiple surgeries as a young child to fix. As a result, her parents are overprotective and she ended up isolated from almost everything, despite having multiple siblings. She had a crush on Mack for years, but she's a nice girl and can't proposition anyone. Frannie also wants her independence... by becoming partners with a cafe owner in town and be their baker. But can Mack be a father and a lover at the same time? Or will he cut and run?

I love the push-pull, until it's time for the stupid "I'll be a douchebag, get you to break up with me, because I know what's best for you." trope. ARGH!!!!!! 

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Don't Go by Violet Paige

Veronica is a reporter for the local business newspaper, and she needs to get some news about the billionaire tycoon in town, Aiden Thomas. There are rumors that he's buying an old trailer park and turn it into a large condo. Meeting Aiden is surprising for Veronica, who felt attraction like never before. She succumbed and slept with him, even as she produced articles that could make her the features reporter. But her ethics told her to confess to her boss...

Okay, the push-pull is not bad, but the "reporter vs. billionaire" trope is just that: a trope, and this one didn't bring that much uniqueness to the table. At least the boss here is not totally unreasonable. Still, the darkest hour could have been better, IMHO.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Her Surprise Baby Christmas by Clare Connelly

Bella noticed the brooding but darkly handsome man at her mother's wedding. Seduced by the Greek smile, she chose him to receive her V-card. She is tired of being the good girl. She wants sex, and indeed the sex was... magical. Until he heard her name... // Vitalo knew the bride getting married. Her previous husband was his mentor, and she actually came to him one night, telling him that she would go with him if he would admit he loved her. He refused, even though his body wanted her... Now she's getting remarried... and he's brooding. A one-night stand should be great... until he realized she's a virgin. He made it good for her... very good. It was next morning, when he heard her name, that he realized his mistake... He just f***ed the daughter of the woman he should not want. And things got dire a few months later, when Bella told Vitalo she's pregnant... Vitalo wanted to marry Bella, but he can never tell her he had coveted her mother for a very long time... But when she found out...

Ooohhh, that's a good darkest hour... lots of conflicting emotions about what's the difference between love and infatuation. For a short, this is quite good, even though it does go into a bit of Greek stereotypes. Still, good job.

Category: contemporary

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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

GRR Reviews Challenge by Amy Daws

Camden lives and breathes football (soccer to you Yanks) just like all his brothers, and he's on the verge of moving on from his hometown team to the premier league. When he busted his knee and ended up in a London hospital, watching the possibility of his dreams being destroyed, he desperately needed a distraction, and the young female doctor, Indie, proved to be the perfect distraction, esp. when she refused to respond to his come-ons. // Indie knew she's special... she skipped three grades and just graduated medical school at 24, and she wrote a paper on a special knee surgery technique that can save Camden's knee. But she also admits she'd never done things that girls do, like flirting, or have boyfriends. And a fling with the hunky footballer may be just what she needed... no matter how inappropriate it may be. // Camden and Indie came together, and they can't believe how right they are for each other. But Camden is overwhelmed by the possibility he may not play again (despite all signs saying he will), esp. when he learned that Indie will gain fame from assisting in the surgery. Was she using him all along? When Camden refuse to complete the surgery, and broke it off with Indie, can Indie save him... from himself?

Camden did come off a bit of a cad at the beginning, but redeemed himself nicely. Note that this book reads VERY British (with proper Queen's English!) but then, it is football we are talking here. I have a slight problem with the geekette angle... Feels like a bit of cliche and all that. But it works here.

Category: Contemporary / Sports

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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

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.