GRR Reviews The Vacation Cottages by Sophie Mays

Margot has a beautiful little home in Magnolia Harbor, but she craves a bit of adventure. Swapping her home with a man in Florida in a seaside beach bungalow seems to be the perfect combination of relaxation and exploration. // Paul needed to get away. His job can take care of itself, and he never wanted to talk to his ex. Going to the home of the woman who's swapping for his home sounds perfect, in a coastal town called Magnolia Harbor. // The two never met, but they knew each other by noticing the other's quirks around each other's house. They even correspond a bit... Then his ex arrived in town, searching for him... and he, to get rid of her, claimed that Margot was his girlfriend, and she, returning early, decided to play along...

Awww, feels like a Hallmark movie. Clean and sweet. 4/5

GRR Reviews The Professor's Secret Crush by Elana Johnson

Cassandra's primary concern is to keep her two twin half-brothers safe, and away from their convict father. She moved 6 hours away, changed the twins' name, and is working two jobs, including teaching cooking at the local college, but to special needs students. // Jonathan needs one more class to graduate and get his business degree so he can help run his family farm, and he wanted to learn how to cook to impress a girl. So he enrolled in the cooking class, not that Cass would let him, obviously NOT special needs, can stay. But Jon can be persistently charming. However, the college, with a recent scandal, does not allow any faculty/student relationships. PERIOD! When the twin's father found them, can Jon help Cass protect the twins?

Pretty good, 4/5, even though it's not really THAT taboo. The final action scene feels more like Terminator chasing Sarah Conor, with the bad guy crashing through doors and ****.

GRR Reviews Snowed In with the Movie Star Billionaire by Chelsea Hale

Billionaire actor Jordan decided to sell his Vail Colorado cabin after a bit of a funk, but wanted a realtor that can respect his privacy. He got Madilyn... // Madilyn is the best in the biz, but even she's shocked at the lack of detail in the appointment... NDA, and ONLY pictures? Meeting Jordan was nice, but she's not impressed with his attitude. But when an avalanche closed roads, she's stuck with him for a few days. // Jordan was unsure around people who are resistant to his charms, and Madilyn was surely one of them. But even he realized that there is life away from the Tinseltown... but can it be with Madilyn, who does not trust him?

Hmmm... Clean, but not that interesting. 3/5

GRR Reviews Faking Ever After with the Bodyguard by Lacy Andersen

FBI Agent Jonathan is banished to desk work after his over-enthusiasm almost exposed an undercover agent. When he stumbled into a beautiful woman claiming she witnessed a prominent dirty politician order a murder in front of her, he's salivating at his chance of redemption, but that means he had to keep her safe... by pretending to be her fake husband. // Bethany always had the worst luck, but this may be her worst yet, when her blind date ditched her to schmooze with the big shots, only to let her witness a prominent politician ordering someone to be killed. Running away as fast as she can, she stumbled into Jonathan and his cop buddy. When she found that someone already tossed her place, she had to enlist the FBI agent's help to keep herself safe... But fake married to him wasn't part of a plan...

Not bad, but not that good either. If the bad guys can magically find her place even when she didn't give a last name to her blind date, why didn't they actually physically find her? And why toss her place at all, if they wanted her? 3/5

GRR Reviews The Heart Awakened by Daphne Emmerson

Hannah is settling into single motherhood when her husband left her when she announced her pregnancy and even signed away his parental rights. More than a year later, Hannah was surprised that her ex now suddenly wants back into her life, which she can never permit. Desperate for a solution, she hit on befriending Mike, the local high school coach, and friend of a friend. Sparks flew, even though it was supposed to be just a "fake" romance... // Mike had a traumatic past and never wanted to become his father... by never giving his heart to anyone. But he's sorta dating, and a single mom shouldn't appeal to him... Yet Hannah is always on his mind. Perhaps he can change his mind after all?

At merely 150 pages, there is quite a bit of plot, not too angst-y, though some of the characters are a bit shallow, like Mike's "girlfriend", who's like a remora, refusing to let go. The darkest hour is, as expected, fragile ego, sensitive ears/eyes. 4/5

GRR Review America's Geekheart by Pippa Grant

Beck just made the biggest mistake of his life... on Twitter. Being a former boy-band wonder, current underwear model, and fashion mogul won't help him now. He just insulted his sister's neighbor Sarah when he accidentally tweeted the wrong tweet to the wrong person, and instead of DM, it was a public tweet. And when Beck went to apologize but had to jump a fence into her yard due to women throwing things at him, he was tazed. THEN he found out her secret... // Sarah is a geek and proud of it, but she's also desperate to avoid the spotlight at ANY COST... Because she knew the price of fame. She's actually the daughter of a famous Hollywood power couple with a well-known name. Beck's fame and fortune does not impress her at all. And Beck's foot-in-mouth symptoms? Not her problem. But to help giraffes everywhere, she can swallow her pride and help Beck make a video or two to raise awareness for giraffes... But to be his fake girlfriend? No way...

Ah, romantic comedy that slightly overplayed the tropes, IMHO.  But it is quite funny.  3.5/5

GRR Reviews In His Custody by Morganna Williams and Jack Crosby

Erotic author Mona Hyatt enjoys chatting with doms and gettings online orders to discipline herself, which inspires her writing. What she didn't know is one of those chatting with her is a serial killer... // Leo Jackson is an experienced agent but lacks field experience, being mostly a "computer geek". He's also a dom that enjoys a bit of D/s spank play on a willing subject. He's chasing down a serial killer who take the eyes of his female victims (after killing them). When Leo found that Mona seems to be the next target, he has no problem taking her into protective custody. And when her computer was examined and how reckless she had been, Leo had no problem disciplining her. But the killer is out there, and he's closer than anyone ever suspected... and always seems to be one step ahead of Leo...

Eh... I have no problem with erotic spanking, and the serial killer is creepy enough, but Leo disciplining a witness he's supposed to be protecting? That's just all kinds of wrong. Also, why does the perp kill the lead agent? What's Mindy's role in all this?  There are a couple plot holes there. 3/5

GRR Reviews The Ranger's Rules by Lily Harlem

Wildlife photographer Casey arrived in South Africa for some important work, but the only ranger available to work with her is the loner Rhett, who's gruff, yet ruggedly sexy. When Casey ignored one of the safety rules to get a photo, she was hauled back and given a spanking, with threats of more severe punishments if she can't bother to behave. While humiliated, Casey can't deny that spanking turned her on, and Rhett is undoubtedly a dom. And she looked forward to a proper session as he "groomed" her. But when a vicious band of poachers invaded his territory, can Rhett keep Casey safe?

Hmmm... While the spanking thing is "hot", it blurs the line between quasi-sensual and non-consensual spanking, and that's very morally ambiguous, and not a way BDSM session should be done. Some parts are quite good, other parts are a bit of meh. 3.5/5

GRR Reviews Shielding Nebraska by Casey Hagen

Nebraska Night Raven is one of the few native American Hollywood stars, but it appears someone is out to get her. Someone close to her (with access to her schedule) is sending threats or allowing them through. The head of the ex-SEAL security team called in additional help: Slyder, an off-duty SEAL (on a two-week leave) will become Nebraska's personal shadow, while the rest of the team figure out the true threat. Unfortunately, Nebraska is the kind of woman who will back down for no one, not even her bodyguard(s), esp. the cocky SEAL...

Not sure what to think about this one. This was a "Kindle Worlds" book where Amazon sorta licensed an existing setup/characters from a known author and invite certain others play in the same universe, and this one is about SEAL bodyguards originally by Susan Stoker. While the setup is fast-paced, I'm not too sure about the "enemies turned lovers", as you can only push the "unreasonable diva" angle so far without making it TSTL. The plot twists are okay. 4/5