GRR Reviews Borrowing Kisses by Kat Bellemore

 Zoe, the special assistant to the mayor of the small town of Amor, knew her town will never be the same after the nearby space sport opened for space tourism. But when the real estate developer Stephen arrived, with the blessing of the mayor, to buy out a few businesses so the town can grow, she chose to sabotage Stephen to drive him out, to "save" her town...  // Stephen is a workaholic raised by a workaholic after the loss of his mother. He knew a promotion is promised if he can get the town to buy in, and he's NOT trying to mess up the town. But with "help" like Zoe thwarting his every move, his overall mission may be in jeopardy... // Stephen and Zoe are total opposites... He's a disciplined deal-maker. She's a free-spirit friend-maker. Yet there is an intense attraction there that neither can deny. But will they be fighting too much to give love a chance? 

Okay, the back and forth is actually pretty good, and the changing of mind makes sense. However, it's certain that the "spaceport" bit was written without a technical consultant. There is just NO WAY that even a civilian spaceport would let just random gawkers go up and TOUCH the ship... or let a pilot offer "inside tours" after a landing.  This is not a 747. Not that you can touch the skin of a 747 from the ground anyway. Maybe the engine cowling. But this is supposed to be a spaceship? Spaceplane? Whatever... 3/5

GRR Reviews Her Country Christmas Date by Ranee S Clark

Dru is a famous country rock star and rich, and the paparazzi portrayed him as a playboy. So he went to a quaint little country inn for Christmas, somewhere no one will expect him (but will probably recognize him anyway). And meeting Amber across the hall is very nice... // Amber knew of Dru's reputation and is wary of his attention. But Dru managed to convince Amber to accept a dozen dates, and it'll go only as far as she wanted. After all, she's only around for ten more days...

Good "holiday fling" short, under 100 pages. 4/5

GRR Reviews Love in a Pawn Shop by Bonnie Edwards

Dix has a pawn shop in a tough neighborhood, and wanted her teenage brother Riley get into college so he can do better. Could she be blamed if she nags him all the time, esp. if he keeps hanging out with Carlos, who may be mixed up with the bad crowd? When nosy cop Dane barged into her life, things get complicated quickly, esp. if Razor the pitbull keeps staring at Dane's... nuts. // Dane was in town to find out what happened to his grandma's jewelry, and it's clear it went to Dix's pawn shop. Did Dix swindle his grandma? Is it a fencing operation? Just what is Dix's relationship with grandma Mitzi? And why did he feel... warm and fuzzy about Dix? What is her real name anyway?

Cozy mystery, lots of zany but fun characters. Even Riley's struggle with Carlos (whether to trust or to save) is interesting. 4.5/5

GRR Security Risk by Megan Matthews

Tabitha left her old life behind to start over in Pelican Bay, by borrowing a bit of her abusive ex-boyfriend's cash, not that she plan to spend it all. She inherited a house from her aunt in the town, and meeting her hunky but gruff neighbor, Ridge, was... nice, as are her other neighbors. But why is her ex Mario chasing her down by sending in his scary lieutenant? Where are the diamonds they keep insisting she took with her? Will she live through it?

Uh, hate to say this, but this book smells like amateur writing. Tabitha fell for the first handsome guy she saw despite surviving years of abuse. She couldn't recognize a mafia front despite lived years next to it (and happen to have couple hundred thousand lying around in CASH) and basically has too many TSTL moments to count. Oh, and Ridge? Total caricature of a security guy. 2/5

GRR Reviews Montana Maverick by Ramona Flightner

Jessamine is hiding out in Bear Grass Springs as the local newsperson... Yes, she writes and prints and sells the news all by herself, a mix of hard news and local gossip. And the most frequent subject of her writing was Ewan, the town's "most disreputable gentleman"... // Ewan is a successful builder and earned his money the proper way. He will never marry... for his own reasons. So what if he frequents the local boudoir? But when Jesse's writing started to impugn on other townspeople's reputations (but always with an element of truth), Ewan is conflicted... as he admired her independent spirit, yet repelled by her lack of tact... (and willingness to admit she went overboard). This is no ordinary courtship... yet it is exactly that...

I am conflicted about this novel. I like the character arc, about how Jesse had to admit the sensationalism she learned elsewhere may not be applicable in a small town, and Ewan admits that maybe he can love again. It's also an interesting way to handle enemies to lovers. But Jesse's initial almost-glee to ignore criticism is very off-putting. 3.5/5

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 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 Beautiful Storm by Mandi Blake

Tori, a nurse, married a doctor. It should be a perfect life... Both are great in their fields, and they have a great loft in Chicago... until he told her he had fallen for someone else and wanted an "easy divorce"... and even gave her the deed to a cabin in the Deep South... She'll just head south to sell the darn thing. // Marcus runs the auto-repair shop and tries to keep his siblings out of trouble since their mom is completely toxic and unable to be a parent. So what's a city girl like Tori doing in town? How did she get the deed to the grand cabin? Who is she really?

I'm really not feeling much about this one. Neighbors, sure. Small town, sure, but the two characters never really felt like having much chemistry to me. 2.5/5

GRR Reviews All for Love by Lucy Kevin

Paige is a dance instructor, who inherited the dance gene of the family, and still grieves over losing her mother and betrayed by the only guy she ever loved. But this Christmas break will be spent teaching a hot TV star how to dance... // Christian is a hot TV star on a hit medical show who just got his movie star break... He'll star in the remake of the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers classic, but he needs serious lessons ASAP. // Chemistry sizzled between the two from the first meeting. Christian never knew someone like Paige existed, so effortlessly beautiful and talented, with virtually no ego... so much so she's self-effacing. And Paige sees Christian as nice, lovely, shares her passions, but she can never be worthy... or can she?

Good polish on the old "different worlds" story, peppered with good details and plot developments as well as trivia about the old classic. The grand gesture at the end is right on the money. So why not 5/5? No karma for the evil ex. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Trusting His Heart by Jen Peters

Cat, building contractor, is in Oregon doing a high-end restoration. She left her childhood behind and didn't want to talk about it again... ever. She didn't expect her client to saddle her with a co-contractor, Justin, who will be doing all the electrical work. // Justin did rescue Cat from a ditch earlier, but that didn't earn him any points when he started questioning her judgment. Justin is also under stress when he needs some money to help his mom keep the family home, but Cat refuses to compromise on any details. When thieves hit the construction site, and made off with lumber and wires, and more, the two will have to unite to thwart the trespassers, but when one of them is found, Cat wants to give him a second chance (because someone saved her that way), while Justin is all about harsh punishment... And Cat's leaving when the project's done... right?

Good twists and turns, and good wedge issue between the two characters adding to opposites attract / enemies to lovers trope. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Like a Winter Snow by Lindsay Harrel

Joy is a women's counselor who put her life on hold to care for her aging parents, one with Alzheimer's. She reluctantly went to England to help her best friend's wedding, and met Oliver, who may be her one true love... on the wrong side of the planet. She resisted love with all her might, because she must return to care for her parents... right?

Solution is expected, and this is NOT deus ex machina because the author managed to setup the solution early in the book, but buried it quite deeply. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Not Until Christmas Morning by Valerie M Bodden

Austin lost his leg, his friend, and his faith in Afghanistan. With his brother also serving, he's determined to go back, but with the decision on his discharge in the air, and moping at home is not an answer, he decided to visit Hope Springs, where his parents came from... and met a neighbor having her own problems. // Leah has plenty of heart to give, but after betrayal, she decided to remain single, even as she decided to foster a teen problem child. But Jackson, who found his mother dead of OD, is determined not to let anyone ever hurt him again, and has been bounced out of multiple foster families. Yet Jackson formed a bond with their new neighbor, Austin. Leah had to be nice to Austin, but Jackson's sake, But can three broken souls make one happy family as Christmas nears?

VERY Christian, plenty of mention of Bible and faith, but NOT heavy-handed (as some Christian writers tend to sprinkle Bible quotes throughout), and great character arc for all three. I have a little problem with Jackson, whose behavior is conflicting. Seems he ONLY EVER eats a PBJ sandwich... which he later explained that it was the last thing his mom made for him, yet he also hates his mom for leaving him for drugs and OD death... But the story overall, is still quite uplifting. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Keep Me At Christmas by Lucinda Whitney

Luciana Romano is just in Hudson Springs, New York, to work on the museum exhibit, as she's a fabric restoration specialist, and the exhibit is about the fabric and textile industry and products of the area. Meeting Jack DiLorenzo and his family is a bonus...  // Jack had to quit his plans when his father died and he took over as the head baker for the family cafe. Love was never in his plans. The snowstorm that stranded her for a few extra days was a bonus, but she's leaving soon... back home to Europe. // Can a long-distance relationship ever work?

Slow simmer romance of fish out of water and different worlds romance. 4/5

GRR Reviews Have a Heart by Jodi Watters

Tessa became a runaway bride after she found her fiancee banging a chick with pink hair in the backdoor, minutes before walking down the aisle. She simply drove away, and ended up in Nowhere, California when she blew a tire. She walked into the bar, looking and feeling like a hot mess. And that's where she met Jason... // Jason had a blackened and charred soul that he channeled into a military career, becoming a Navy SEAL. His dispassionate style earned him the nickname "Tin Man"... because he doesn't have a heart. He should have walked away from this hot mess of a woman, still in her wedding gown, but he can't.

At 416 pages, this book is long, but I didn't feel there's much fat to trim. Tessa and Jason both felt complex and real, and Jason actually feels like a SEAL, where he doesn't talk about himself except in a self-deprecating way, not bragging (maybe a little bit of humblebrag). And Tessa, having been dealt a devastating blow, was struggling yet you can sort of see a bright-and-chipper self struggling to shine through. Some rough language didn't distract from the overall enjoyment. 5/5

GRR Reviews The Billionaire's Daughter by Kayla Hansen

Ally Sinclair was told to shape up and stop being a trust fund baby by her controlling father. In a fit of anger, she drove off and ended up stranded in Sweet Falls, where a rival clan, the Dressens, reside, when her car skidded off the road. She was rescued by Mitch Dressen, a widower still grieving over the loss of his wife. Mitch wasn't sure what to do with Ally... She's a Sinclair to be despised, but she's also vulnerable and fish out of water. Mitch told her that if she can live and work like a normal person for a week, he'll repair her car (he's also the town mechanic). Ally found that she loved baking pies helping the local pie shop, and she liked the town... And Mitch, if he ever notices her. Then her father came to town... intending to take her back, and honoring his "agreement" with Mitch...

A bit of meh here. Opposites attract, sure. But the controlling father had been done many times before, the only difference here is the gender-flip (usually, it's a son who went off and got stuck and falling for a local girl).  The family feud was never explained, and daddy's threat to ruin everyone never carried out. 3/5

GRR Reviews The Snow Bride by Debbie Macomber

Jenna can't stand working for her boss any more, who never noticed her after six years.  She had befriended someone up in Alaska by the name of Dalton. So she quit and she'll fly up to Alaska to meet him a month before Christmas to see if they are compatible. On the flight to Fairbanks, she sat next to Reid, who's not impressed with her plans to meet Dalton (with good reason, as she later found out).  When Dalton was a no-show at the airport, Jenna was forced to ask Reid to fly her to Dalton. And Reid, determined to change her mind, flew her to his home in Snowbound instead, but his sister (the ONLY other woman in town) is out of town, and the weather soon closed in. Jenna found herself shanghaied to and stranded in a TINY town with a handful of old codgers, a bear or two, and the insufferable Reid. Guess who showed up later... Dalton, Jenna's mom, AND Jenna's boss...

Ah, the quintessential holiday romance tale, and it's indeed a classic rom com with sweetness. And to think this novel was originally published in 2003! A true classic indeed. 5/5

GRR Reviews The Accidental Wedding by Debra Elizabeth

Keira, already jobless and helping her sister's family to move out of Vegas, decided to try her luck in a casino before going back to job hunting. There, she literally ran into the most gorgeous guy she'd seen, AFTER she won a good amount. When he asked her to dinner, she's happy to oblige. And they talked about their circumstances. Turns out, Cade is an Earl, but unless he marry in the next few days, he will lose control of the estate to his brother, who cares nothing of the estate, or the townfolks employed by it. As Keira had nothing else to do, she decided this is her grand adventure... Marry the earl, and move to England for a whole year. What can she lose, except maybe her heart?

Good polish, but ended on "sensitive ear, fragile ego" trope. Meh. Cade was a bit TOO perfect, IMHO, and Keira, for all her strength, didn't even bother to ASK and made the worst-case assumption. *sigh*  4/5

GRR Reviews Hard Boss by Caleb Borne

Gianni, Italian tycoon living in London, had a crush on Emily, the American friend of a business associate. When Emily came to visit, he found she's an artist, and he had to keep her around. So he hired her to do two paintings for his charity auction in Venice. There is chemistry between them, but Emily does not trust easily, and Gianni has his problems. His "side-piece" Diana is not happy that she's being cast aside. His business rival Marcello is out to humiliate him in every way possible, and that includes wooing Emily...

Good twists and turns in the plot. The darkest hour was slightly trope, and grand gesture could have been... grander. The initial premise, infatuation from merely a photo, seems a bit... weird. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Following His Heart by Donna Fasano

Sara Carson is a widow with a busy and good life in Ocean City, Maryland. When the ancient plumbing in her shop sprung a leak, she was surprised to find a dark-eyed stranger rushed to her rescue... // Landon Richards knew something drew him to Maryland... and Sara. She somehow felt familiar even though he did not know her at all. They explored that attraction, even though Landon has recurring dreams that cannot be explained... and the only explanation may scare her away... or bring them closer.

Good pun in the title. I can't really reveal more without spoiling the plot. Let's just say there was an operation involved. As for the rest, read the book. You'll get what I mean. It's a good twist.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 5/5

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

GRR Reviews Keeping Katie (A Mother's Heart Book 1) by Patricia Keelyn

Keeping Katie asks the question: how far will you go to protect your child?

Maureen just settled in a small town a few hours away from Seattle with her three-year-old daughter Katie, and working as a waitress in the local cafe. Local sheriff Alan knew there's something not quite right with her as if she's fleeing from something, but he decided not to push, for he liked her a lot. Maureen had indeed been running from something... the law itself. When Alan learned this... what will he do about it? And will she keep running? Who was the stranger in town keeping an eye on them?

It's angst-y, but not overly melodramatic. And the resolution was very masterful in wrapping up all the loose-ends. Maureen's struggle was real, and her solution may not have been the wisest, but it was the simplest one she can execute. Sheriff is right on the dot: want to do things right, even though justice may or may not be the right thing. All in all, it'll make you sigh.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: What is the mother with the cute daughter hiding? The police chief intended to find out even as he fell for her...

Tropes: small town, stranger in town, law enforcement, single parent, family secrets

Overall Rating:  5/5