GRR Reviews The Mixtape by Brittainy Cherry

Emery is a single mom by choice, keeping a secret even from her own daughter, and she's barely making things meet. Struggling to hold onto a bartender job, she cannot afford to have any disruptions, or she may be unable to keep a roof over their heads... esp. a disruption caused by a teenage idol like megastar Oliver // Oliver felt adrift with no direction since the loss of his twin brother and bandmate. He self-medicates with alcohol and let himself be used by a woman he used to love. When he caused an incident at Emery's bar, causing her to lose her job, he seems to have found his purpose in life: to make both of their lives better. He hired her as his personal chef, and she became his confidant. But his evil ex is not ready to let him go, and Emery found that the secret she kept was returned with betrayal... Can they heal each other? 

While good, it's not like extraordinarily good. While I like the secret twist, and the "bad family" angle, and still have it making sense at the end, was pretty good plotting, having MMC go with FMC to home to discover the secrets feels just... off. The paparazzi angle lede was buried very nicely. 

4/5

GRR Reviews Running After a Heartbreaker by Jami Albright

Hailey promised her mom to keep the bar open, but her father (and co-owner) wants to sell the money-pit (the land's worth a lot more). And her ex-husband is still in town, with his new family, and putting tears in her daughter's eyes daily. When country music artist Beau "The Heartbreaker" Callen landed in town (after half of his band is in jail and the other half in the hospital due to an epic brawl) and needed a place to crash, Hailey offered up her backyard guesthouse... with the caveat that Beau headline a few shows to bring patrons back to the bar. Neither Beau nor Hailey needed complications, but complications they will get... Esp. when Beau discovered that Hailey can sing... and his own backup singer had to bow out...

Good complications left and right, great escalations and rom-com. 4.5/5

GRR Reviews Love You, Truly by Susan L Tuttle

Blake has a Hollywood mother, but he is camera-shy and avoids the limelight... until his mother begged him to take on a reality dating show to boost her image. He never expected to fall in love... with someone who didn't even plan to be on the show... // Harlow is an aspiring photographer who's grieving after her BF dumped her for her best friend. She's trying to raise money for her disabled sister's nonprofit, and when her sister submitted her profile to be on the dating show, she can't say no. But she really didn't want to be there... So why does she feel a connection to Blake, who's determined to woo her, even though they are of different worlds?

Not the first book I've read on the same premise, it's also a bit wordy and the conflict not that well handled. Blake could have been less of a pushover. He's the star. Without him there is no show. Yet he lets the producer push him around. 3.5/5

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 Cake A Love Story by J Bengtsson

Jake was famous for TWO reasons: he survived an unspeakable ordeal at the hands of a serial kidnapper and murderer, and he also became a famous musician in spite of his ordeal. He had turned himself off emotionally to survive the first and remained aloof for the second. He rarely forms personal connections... Until now. // Casey was just a college student who agreed to be a bridesmaid for a friend. She didn't expect to be paired with the famous performer Jake. They are polar opposites: He's a musician, she's practically tone-deaf. She talks a lot, he's mostly silent. Yet when they finally met, they seem to be a perfect complement to each other. But can their love help him heal?

A bit longer than you'd expect (600 pages!), Jake and Casey actually have FOUR MORE books about their love and ordeals (for a total of 5 books). The characters are nicely nuanced, and the opposites attract trope was used very nicely. Jake was a guy that just wanted to be treated as "normal", while Casey can't do anything except being herself. It's her slowly drawing out the details of his ordeal and bonding over those moments that'll jerk your tears. This is NOT your typical "rockstar seduces ingenue" book. 5/5

GRR Reviews Whole Lotta Love by Amity Cross

Juniper is just a small-town girl living in an Aussie beach town running a bookstore that's falling fast. Meeting a rockstar wasn't in her plans, but she didn't recognize Sebastian, lead singer for the hottest band Beneath. But Sebastian was best known for his one-night-stands, groupies, and out-of-control lifestyle, something he didn't want anymore, and hiding in this small town was his way of getting a break from it all. Yet Juniper can't stay away from him, for she saw through the shiny exterior to the man underneath. And they were thrown together, unable to resist their passion. But when media and their fellow bandmates and even their manager found them their bliss withered on the vine. Can Sebastian save her by leaving her behind? Or will he fight for a way for them to be together?

Ah, the price of fame. There's a bit of angst, but not THAT much. At least not until the media came to down. The saga continues in the series of 4 books, but there is an ending here, so it's not a cliffhanger. 4/5

GRR Reviews Player of Life by Shandi Boyes

Nick is "The Player"... he ALWAYS plays the field. Being an impulsive guy who goes after what he wanted, he was blessed by good looks... and talent. Being a member of the hot new band "Rise Up" never hurts, esp. when he basically "forced" himself onto the band by joining one of their performances (without prior permission). But screwing another band member's fiancee, even though the girl is a nympho who will do most men with a ****? BAD CALL. But The Player is about to meet his match... by the name of Jenni... who's innocent, beautiful, and immune to his charms. Yet he can't stay away from her. Seems this Player will have to learn some new tricks, amidst the turmoil experienced by the band, including a stalker...

Not bad, but not like extraordinarily good either. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Catch by Avery Scott

Kelsey was a failed actress working as the production assistant on the dating reality show "The Catch" (basically a "The Bachelor/Bachelorette" clone), when she was suddenly thrust into the spotlight (when the original star, Mallory, was unable to continue). She was surprised to find that Tucker, the man she left behind, is on the show as one of the contestants. Tucker was just there to make some money for his struggling farm (and soon-to-be vineyard) and grudgingly went along when the producer wanted to turn the whole thing into a cheesy "come to win back his long lost love". But the longer they stay on the show, the less it feels like pretense... Will Kelsey have to choose between her love and her career?

Good slow burn, lots of pretense and double entendre, lots of cynicism at the "reality" show (where everything is really scripted behind the scenes, or through magic of editing). It's a fun read, even though the ending was a bit of meh, IMHO. 4/5

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 The Lucky Billionaire by Jeanette Lewis

Ty won over a billion bucks in the lottery. He knew most winners simply squander the wealth. He decided to help his sister stay clear of the creepy ex by buying him off, then fund his own land use rights foundation in Idaho, his home state. But after a disastrous TV interview in LA, it's clear he needed help... and that brought him to image consultant Holland. // Holland can see Ty needs serious help, and since her agenda is free, she temporarily moved to Ty's hometown to help him get his foundation off the ground. It'll be quick... She has a life, and sorta boyfriend in LA. Until someone burned down the foundation's first office. Who'd want to hurt Ty? And why does she get goosebumps (the good kind) around Ty?

This is a good spin on the theme, though the perp is a bit too obvious, due to lack of other suspects. Still, the polish is good. I don't get the butthurt feel from Ty after Holland's revelation about her BF though.

Category: Contemporary

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Blindsided by Jami Davenport

Tanner Wolfe is the QB of the downtrodden Seattle Steelheads, and they had suffered their worst season ever, that rumors of a buyout and full house-cleaning, as well as drafting of a rookie QB, means he has the fight of his life. Tanner is also damaged by his evil dad. When his buddies dragged him off to karaoke night, he obliged, figured it's better than sulking at home. When he saw Emma (Avery's twin sister, from an earlier book) doing karaoke, he was completely smitten, and he joined her in a duet. And their moment was captured and went viral. What Emma could not say was Emma had a LONG time crush (since high school) on Tanner. When the new management told Tanner to clean up his act and become a family man, the only way Tanner can see is to find a temporary wife... and the only candidate seems to be Emma, the "good girl". But when Emma's talent was discovered and she got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to study under a genuine country music star in Nashville, can this marriage, how temporary it is, survive?

The Nashville angle seems a bit "out of nowhere", and it didn't integrate that well. But still, the introduction of "evil dad" works pretty well.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman falls for her long-time crush, now NFL QB, esp. when he needed a "fake wife" for PR. But when she got a chance to sing in Nashville, will their relationship survive?

Overall Rating: 4/5

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

GRR Reviews Brownie Points by Jennifer Coburn

Lisa and her family moved from San Francisco to the suburban town of Los Corderos, so his husband, an African-American, can be the new fire chief. Lisa is white, and they are the only interracial family in town. She's a sculptor... and their 13-yr-old son Logan is gay. When Logan was bullied in school, he found an unusual refuge: the local girl scouts. When the Girl Scouts refused his admission, he sued, and that ignited a media firestorm... as people who have no idea what they're talking about started taking sides... which causes problems in town. The macho father fire chief is having problems accepting his son is gay... and Lisa is having problems fitting in with the local moms who seem to be waging a cold war on each other by sleeping with each other's husbands while be perfectly "friendly" in town...

Not a romance per se, it's more of "adventures of a suburban mom" with a lot of quirky family life, and dystopic moments. It's a lot of fun to read.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Wife with gay son had to move with husband to small town to help her husband's career, found drama and more when son suddenly became media sensation

Overall Rating: 5/5

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

GRR Reviews Bet Me (Lucky in Love) by Lila Monroe

Bet Me managed to create a novel out of a meet-cute, and it's real zinger of a meet-cute. Too bad the rest of the novel didn't quite match the brilliance of that scene.

Lizzie ran into a series of bad dates that she created a video for her sister and BFF stating that until men step up their game, she's off the market. Except her "man-fast manifesto" got uploaded to Youtube instead, and it went viral. Suddenly, every man wants to bed her, and a magazine allegedly offered a prize to the man who can break her man-fast. But the one guy she had on her mind was the guy that she works with now, and they had an embarrassing encounter years ago... when he fell asleep tasting her, leaving her just shy of the big O...

From there the novel managed to deftly juggle "hot for boss", "accidental fame", and "secrets and lies" tropes, but somehow, none of the subsequent scenes quite matches the image of a tremendously frustrated Lizzie getting, uh... Can't say that here. Still, it's a fun novel about the girl getting the guy.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Woman on "man-fast" is suddenly tempted by all sorts of guy, but she only wanted the hot boss she can't have...

Overall Rating: 4/5

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