Blog Tour: Just Swipe Right by Allie York

Release Tour for JUST SWIPE RIGHT by Allie York

Brought to you by Forever Write PR

Magazine columnist Eliza Donovan let her sister sign her up for a dating app which is so not her thing. Chef Murphy Cormac needed a dramatic change, so a big city move leaves him looking for love. An unexpected match has Eliza and Murphy questioning whether or not it is meant to be. Fans of love triangles will love this quick and will they, won’t they read. The third book in the highly anticipated 425 Madison series is now live! Read JUST SWIPE RIGHT by Allie York today.

Only on Amazon + Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon ➝ https://rebrand.ly/JSR_425Madison

Goodreads ➝ http://bit.ly/425Mad3JSR

About Just Swipe Right

Eliza
My life is perfect. I have a luxurious apartment and my dream job. I also have a sister willing to sign me up for a dating app against my better judgment. I promise her one week before the app is deleted forever.

All it takes is one week before I’m matched with two amazing men and my perfect life becomes a perfect disaster.

Murphy
I needed a drastic change and I got it. My move from the middle of nowhere to the city lands me in a classy part of town with an upscale job. All I need is a personal life to match. So, I join the masses and download an app.

A match with the woman of my dreams has me considering a future. The only problem is that I’m not the only one wanting to make her mine.

After all, 425 Madison Avenue is the perfect place to fall in love.

*Each story is completely standalone.

Book Review: Then There Was You by Miranda Liasson

Then There Was You

Author: Miranda Liasson
Series: Angel Falls, book 1
Publisher: Forever (May 29, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback, 360 pages
Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble

Summary
Fresh from her residency, Serafina Langdon returns to her hometown to join her father's general medical practice a year after her fiancé jilted her. More than anything, Sara just wants to move on, but that becomes impossible once she discovers that the man who was responsible for her broken engagement, and who is also her ex-fiance's best friend, is now the Angel Falls chief of police.

As police chief, Colton Walker is devoted to his small town, and he's equally determined to avoid its newest resident. He and Sara have always gotten along like oil and water, and since the bachelor party incident, he's her Enemy #1. But after sharing an unexpected--and unexpectedly hot--kiss, avoiding Sara becomes the last thing he wants to do. She's not the woman he used to know, and he's falling for her. But when her ex-fiancé returns to Angel Falls, Colton will have to decide if the woman he's always fighting with is also worth fighting for. 

Book Review: My Forever Home by Debbie Burns

My Forever Home

Author: Debbie Burns
Series: Rescue Me, book 3
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (November 27, 2018)
Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Goodreads     |     Amazon

Summary
Vet school drop-out Tess Grasso dreams of having her own pet therapy business, but she meets one disastrous obstacle after another. There's no denying she has a way with animals, so in the meantime she puts her skills to use at a local no-kill shelter. Between helping her furry companions and a budding relationship with fellow dog lover Mason Redding, Tess begins to find fresh confidence...

What Tess doesn't know is that Mason is recovering from an accident, hoping to get back to his pro-baseball career. He's afraid the truth will ruin everything-and he's right. But in the midst of hurt and betrayal, a free-spirited stray Husky enters their lives, and teaches them a few things about faith, love and forgiveness.

Book Review: Three Day Fiancée (Animal Attraction #2) by Marissa Clarke

Three Day Fiancée

Author: Marissa Clarke
Series: Animal Attraction, Book 2
Publisher: Entangled: Lovestruck
Expected Publication: May 14, 2018

Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: Helicopter pilot Taylor Blankenship’s time schedule is maxed out. Between his job, his one-hundred and fifty pound slobbering mess of a dog, and his matchmaking grandmother, he has no time for anyone or anything-especially a woman. If only there were a way to get Grams to back down.

The job of New York City dog walker suits Caitlin Ramos perfectly while she preps for her CPA exam—steady, scheduled, and requiring very little human interaction; a huge seller since she’s still on the mend from a toxic relationship. Men suck. Especially her bossy hot client with the Saint Bernard that thinks it’s a lap dog. No way will she go for his plan to pretend they’re engaged to get his grandmother off his case. Down, boy.

Offered a bargain she can’t refuse, Caitlin finds herself playing the part of fiancée to Taylor. Fortunately, it’s only for three days. All she has to do is fake a relationship with Mr. Bossy Pants in front of his entire family, survive a fierce game of truth or dare with an unscrupulous pair of octogenarians, endure a one-on-one round of Twister with Taylor, and not lose her heart to a guy who turns out to be a lot more than she’d bargained for.

Rating: 5 stars

Review: I was in a book slump and had already picked up and rejected several books; then I picked up Three Day Fiancée and didn't put it down until I'd finished it. From the moment Caitlin and Taylor meet, their relationship is pure romantic comedy gold. As with any book that focuses on the pretend engagement trope, the plot requires a certain suspension of disbelief, but isn't some element of the fantastic what you want out our your rom-coms? (Because it's definitely what I want out of mine.) And from Caitlyn's no good, horribly, very bad day she's having when she meets Taylor; to the scavenger hunt and games of truth or dare at Grams' anniversary weekend party; to the zany antics at the Animal Attraction's first annual pet shelter fundraiser ball, this book sure delivers!

Caitlin is a great leading lady, and it's amazing how real she is being strong, sexy, and funny and at the same time so damaged and vulnerable because of the scars of her past. And Taylor. *Dreamy sigh* I think Fiona says it best: "Right… Nobody likes a guy who treats his dog like a family member and adores his grandmother and little sister." Taylor is just swoon worthy, and I love how patient he is with Caitlin's steam trunk of baggage. I fell in love with Taylor's family every bit as hard as I fell in love with the main characters, which made for a really enjoyable read. They're all so fun, and I found myself grinning like a moron through pretty much this entire book.

This is the second book in the Animal Attraction series, but can be read as a stand alone. There aren't spoilers for the first book, Dear Jane , as far as I could tell, though Jane is a side-character in this book. I assume the third book will be about the third founder of Animal Attraction, the painfully shy Fiona, and I can NOT wait to read that. It also has mention of or brief appearances by the characters from an earlier series, the Anderson Brothers: Sleeping with the Boss (Anderson Brothers #1) , Neighbors with Benefits (Anderson Brothers #2) , and Chance of a Lifetime . Upon finishing this book I immediately went and bought all four of these books, and I think that says more about how amazing Three Day Fiancée was than any review ever can. ;)

Co-Review: A Duke in Shining Armor (Difficult Dukes #1) by Loretta Chase

A Duke in Shining Armor

Author: Loretta Chase
Series: Difficult Dukes, Book 1
Publisher: Avon
Published: November 28, 2017
Mass Market Paperback, 400 pages
Rating:
Ariel: 4 stars ★★★★☆
Elley: 5 stars ★★★★★

Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: Not all dukes are created equal. Most are upstanding members of Society. And then there’s the trio known as Their Dis-Graces.
Hugh Philemon Ancaster, seventh Duke of Ripley, will never win prizes for virtue. But even he draws the line at running off with his best friend’s bride. All he’s trying to do is recapture the slightly inebriated Lady Olympia Hightower and return her to her intended bridegroom.

For reasons that elude her, bookish, bespectacled Olympia is supposed to marry a gorgeous rake of a duke. The ton is flabbergasted. Her family’s ecstatic. And Olympia? She’s climbing out of a window, bent on a getaway. But tall, dark, and exasperating Ripley is hot on her trail, determined to bring her back to his friend. For once, the world-famous hellion is trying to do the honorable thing.

So why does Olympia have to make it so deliciously difficult for him...?

Review

Ariel here, of Peekabo’s corner fame, bringing you the what’s what on the new Loretta Chase novel A Duke in Shining Armor. This is book one in her “disgraceful dukes” series, and if this book is any indication, this series is going to be AMAZING.

But let’s start at the beginning.

The Plot

A: I dug it. I liked the fleeing bride concept, the stalwart best friend who tries to save the day, but sort of makes a hash of things, and ends up falling for his best friend’s bride. I wasn’t totally into all the bro guilt that was a fairly constant thread throughout, but I thought it worked out well.

E: The bro guilt is because Ripley is extremely fond of Ashmont, and they’re like brothers by choice if not by blood. And he thinks Olympia is super awesome, and knows she’d be a great influence on Ashmont, plus he wants Ashmont to have the best possible wife (which is CLEARLY Olympia, duh). But then he starts to see it from other angles, like while Olympia would be great for Ashmont, would HE be great for HER? And then you factor in his own feelings into the mix… As for the rest of the plot: I love a runaway bride, and I love that Ripley is so adamant that Olympia is perfect for Ashmont. (Yes, sure Ripley… She’s perfect for “Ashmont.” Mmmhmm.) I like that this is basically a road trip romance, and Ripley and Olympia are thrown together and forced to be in close proximity for the duration.

A: I respect their bro love. And I am 100% here for when Ashmont finds a love of his own, and Ripley is like “yasssss”.
The Characters

A: Let me tell you how here I was for Olympia and her sassy self. HERE FOR IT. Every time I thought she was going to cave and whine or complain or do something stupid, she turned around and showed some attitude, stood up for herself and her own wants and desires, and was generally a badass. Even when she decided to throw caution to the wind, she did it in a way that I respected.

E: OK, I will admit - drunk Olympia is so me. Well, drunk me. Like “Get this damn uncomfortable stuff off me! I’m out of here!” Though I’m usually trying to escape a crowded bar or club, not my own wedding. To each her own, I guess? But I definitely agree that every time I thought for sure Olympia was about to go all damsel in distress or get weepy, she turned that crap around and lady-balled up like a boss.

A: I liked Ripley! For the most part. I appreciated his restraint, and the fact that even though he had a serious boner for our heroine, he was trying to be noble and honorable. Their banter was top notch too. I appreciate that they were snarky and bantering without being mean at all.

E: I love how PLAYFUL they randomly burst out into being! That scene with the racing around the library? Adorbs. A thousand times adorbs. I must have smiled my stupidly goofy grin so many times reading this book. They’re both so upright and serious and then all of a sudden - shenanigans! I also love how persnickety he is about his clothing (especially his headwear).

A: Also: Can we just talk about Lady Charles for a second? Someone give that woman an awesome woman of the year award because I loved her SO much. And I want her love story with Other Old Dude to progress in the rest of the books, and for them to have lots of hot old people sex because clearly they’re in love and need to be together.

E: Hooray for hot old people romance! Um, I don’t think I need to read those sex scenes though?

A: I could take or leave Ashmont. Ashmoor? I don’t even remember his name. Once he gets his own book, I’ll probably be into it, but for right now he seemed kind of eh.

E: I assume Ashmont will do some serious cleaning up and have some sort of reality check, because I certainly wouldn’t want to read a story about him as portrayed in this book. He reminded me of a big, naughty, not terribly bright puppy… I’ll be interested to see where things go with Blackwood and his wife (Ripley’s sister). There’s CLEARLY a story there.

A: Right? They’re married, right? But are on the outs? That’s sort of the vibe I got from them. I am hoping the next book is about them.

The ending

A: Uhhh what? I feel like everything was chugging along nicely and then SOMETHING happens, and then SOMETHING ELSE is revealed that made me simultaneously go “wtf?” and “uggh, men!” But once all that was done, I thought the ending was very satisfying.

E: That’s not unheard of, for them to do that… UGH, it’s hard to have a conversation about this with no spoilers! But that’s sort of the done thing, because you can’t go around murdering people or you’d be hanged or, at best, banished. (And now aren’t you DYING to know what we’re talking about, Dear Reader? Guess you’ll have to read the book and find out!)

Heat level

A: The tension is really good, because they are both clearly warm for each other’s form, but there wasn’t a TON of gettin’ up on each other. (Maybe there was a little bit.) It didn’t make me all tingly in my lady parts though. Honestly, I tended to skip the sex scenes. Were they hot?

E: LMAO, “warm for each others’ form.” I am dying. :D I don’t normally skip sex scenes, but I found myself skimming over them in this one too. /shrug They were very “meh” for me.

Book Review: Sit, Stay, Love (Rescue Me #2) by Debbie Burns

Sit, Stay, Love

Author: Debbie Burns
Series: Rescue Me, Book 2
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Expected Publication: April 3, 2018
Paperback, 416 pages
Rating: 4 Stars
★★★★☆
Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: These dogs aren't the only ones in need of rescue
For devoted no-kill shelter worker Kelsey Sutton, rehabbing a group of rescue dogs is a welcome challenge. Working with a sexy ex-military dog handler who needs some TLC himself? That's a different story.
Kurt Crawford keeps his heart locked away from everyone. Well, everyone except the dogs who need his help...and always have his back. But as Kurt gets to know the compassionate, beautiful woman he's been assigned to work with, he can't help but feel a little puppy love...

Review: This book was great on so many levels. Kelsey and Kurt are both great characters dealing with issues from their pasts, as well as trying to do their best to get through each day and build a better future. I love Kelsey's history with depression, her rainbow color-of-the-day T-shirts, and how she takes one of the shelter dogs home with her each night. I appreciate the amount of diversity in this book - Kurt is dealing with PTSD, Kelsey struggles with depression, Patrick (a wonderful side character) has Asperger's.

The romance storyline doesn't really feel front and center of this book to me. It splits its focus on Kurt dealing with his PTSD, his family issues, and the loss of his grandmother;  running rehab for 37 dogs rescued from a dog fighting ring in a falling apart mansion, with a specific focus on a few of the individual dogs' stories, as well as issues with protesters and the like; the relationship with Ida (another really great side character). There are also many themes of fate in this book, which at times got a little sappy for me. The sex scenes are also told in a very fade-to-black manner, so this book is definitely more sweet than steamy. At times it got a little too saccharine sweet for me, which is what inevitably made me rate it 4 stars instead of 5. The writing is great, I loved the characters and the world they built, and this book make me want to go adopt a cat exactly like Mr. Longtail.

This is the second book in the Rescue Me series, but can be read as a stand alone novel. The first book, A New Leash on Love, is about Megan and Craig who do feature some as side characters in this novel, but the spoilers are really limited to things you already know from reading romance (i.e. that they wind up together and live happily ever after). There is also some set up that makes me really hopeful that the next book will be about Tess and Patrick.

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: The Little Library by Kim Fielding

The Little Library

Author: Kim Fielding
Publisher: ?TBD?

Expected publication: approx. March 26th 2018

Kindle Edition, 290 pages 

Rating: 4 stars

★★★★☆
Goodreads  Amazon

Summary: Elliott Thompson was once a historian with a promising academic future, but his involvement in a scandal meant a lost job, public shame, and a ruined love life. He took shelter in his rural California hometown, where he teaches online classes, hoards books, and despairs of his future.

Simon Odisho has lost a job as well—to a bullet that sidelined his career in law enforcement. While his shattered knee recovers, he rethinks his job prospects and searches for the courage to come out to his close-knit but conservative extended family.

In an attempt to manage his overflowing book collection, Elliott builds a miniature neighborhood library in his front yard. The project puts him in touch with his neighbors—for better and worse—and introduces him to handsome, charming Simon. While romance blooms quickly between them, Elliott’s not willing to live in the closet, and his best career prospects might take him far away. His books have plenty to tell him about history, but they give him no clues about a future with Simon.

 

Review: I appreciated how realistic this story seemed. So many romances are about two super-hot main characters, but this one is about a somewhat gangly (but still lean and hot, don't get me wrong) runner-slash-book hoarder and a short, muscular ex-cop with a knee injury and some extra pudge around his middle. Elliot and Simon are both flawed, which makes them much more real and accessible. Elliot has his horrible past relationship and his book hoarding tendencies, while Simon has his bum knee and hasn't come out to his family yet, and they both are trying to figure out what to do with their futures now that their past plans have been smashed to smithereens. Their first dates are awkward and their sex is sometimes bumbling and messy (and not in the sexy-messy way, but in a much more normal every day sort of way). It's like instead of reading some glossy highly-idealized romance with a shirtless Fabio on the cover, you're reading the story of your neighbor down the street. It's fantastic and a really refreshing point of view.

I love that Elliot builds his little neighborhood library to help with his book hoarding tendencies, and that the start to find ways to deal with his pain and his problems besides buying more books. As something of a book hoarder myself, and someone who finds comfort in buying more books even though my physical TBR bookshelf is taking over my house (to say nothing of the books I've actually read, and let's not even think about the virtual mountains of ebooks…) I really connected to Elliot. And as a passionate reader, I felt so touched and proud right along with him when people showed such an active interest in his little library and his books. As part of the bookish community, I also know this connection with other people who love books as much as I do, and how such an introverted hobby can be turned into something so wonderful to connect with other like-minded people. I also felt heartbroken with Elliot when someone vandalizes his library, and had a stupid smile on my face at the resolution of this story. I became so emotionally invested in the lives of these people who could totally be my neighbors (if, y'know, they didn't live in California and I lived half the country away in Minnesota, not to mention that they're fictional… but that's just semantics).

*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

 

 

Book Review: Hotline (Murmur Inc #1) by Quinn Anderson

Rating: 3 Stars

 

Published October 29th 2016 by Riptide Publishing
Summary: Zack never intended to become a phone sex operator, but with half a college degree and a smart mouth, his options were limited. It helps that he has a knack for thinking on his feet and a willingness to roll with whatever his clients throw at him. Sure, he gets his fair share of creeps and unconventional requests, but it pays the bills, and he’s in no danger of breaking his one rule: never fall for a client.

Until a man named “John” starts calling, and Zack finds himself interested in more than a paycheck. It’s not just that John has money, or that his rumbling baritone drives Zack wild. He’s everything Zack isn’t: educated, poised, and in total control of his life.

A twist of fate brings them face-to-face, and now that they’ve seen each other—and spent an unforgettable night together—they can’t go back to the way things were. A sex worker and a trust fund brat . . . It’s like Romeo and Juliet, but with less stabbing and slightly fewer dick jokes. Hopefully they can pull off a more successful ending.
(from Goodreads)

Review: This book is HOT. I just had to start off by saying that. Like, on a scale from the steam your humidifier in your bedroom puts out when you've got a cold and your classes fogging up when you step out of the Minnesota winter and into a sauna, this is definitely fog-your-glasses-over territory. I'm pretty sure I was blushing furiously through about half of this book, to the point where my husband peered at me suspiciously and asked what I was reading. And I read a LOT of romance, much of which is pretty steamy! But I suppose when one of the main characters is a phone sex operator and the other is his client, it's bound to get pretty, er, steamy. (OK me, stop saying "steamy" now.)

I actually stumbled across this book because I saw the third book in the series, Cam Boy, on NetGalley (and was declined for a review copy, boo!) I was so intrigued by the description of the third book that I went and bought this one, the first in the series. Can I just say, I love this cover? It's not super special, but I just LIKE it. I also appreciate how they carry out the heart for an O in the titles for the covers of the next two books as well, Action and Cam Boy.

I really liked this book, even though I wanted to smack Zack upside the head a few times. I felt like John didn't have a whole lot of personality, but perhaps that's because the focus of the book follows Zack. I enjoy romances the most when they get inside the heads and hearts of BOTH leads, rather than just giving you insight into one of them, and I feel that more from John's point of view would have given this the extra oomph it needed to be a five star read. As it was, it was still really enjoyable, and I appreciated the zany cast of characters, especially Mr. and Mrs. Alvarez and Zack's doggy Ziggy.

While this is a series, each book is a stand alone that is loosely intertwined/related, much like many romance "series." You can absolutely read just this one and not be forced to wait on tenterhooks for the rest of the series. I'm also tagging this in my "online romance" shelf, because it has elements of that trope due to the nature of their telephone relationship...

Book Review: About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis

Rating: 4 Stars

Published January 23rd 2018 by Avon
Summary: When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

… is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.
(from Goodreads)

Review: This book just didn't click with me, I'm not sure why. I absolutely loved The Trouble With Mistletoe (Heartbreaker Bay #2) and was so excited to read more of the Heartbreaker Bay series. It had all the great elements of my favorite type of contemporary romance: a small town feel, a feisty and fierce leading lady, a strong alpha male with a heart of gold, and even a case of penguin-napping to solve! It was fine, but if not for the very strong and heart-wrenching last 10% of the book where I finally really connected to the characters, this would have been a 3 star review for me. That last 10% was amazing enough to tack on an extra star, though!

I tagged this in my "small towns" shelf because the series is about a group of people who all work or live in this strip mall or shopping center that I can't quite picture but there is apparently a quad in the center with a wishing fountain that grants true love. Kylie works in Reclaimed Woods, a furniture store in the building, as a woodworker, and Joe is a badass PI/bodyguard/bounty hunter that works at Hunt Investigations (also in the building). There's also a pet shop, a coffee shop/bakery, a gym, a tech company, some apartments, and I don't even remember what else. There are a LOT of characters and backstories to keep straight, which isn't so surprising as this is book #5 in a series that's clearly not finished yet.

Kylie and Joe have some great chemistry, and I love that they both had kind of screwed up childhoods in different ways, and they both wound up sort of parenting their parents. They've got some crazy explosive chemistry, but I like that they have that shared connection as well. Beyond that, I don't know, I just didn't emotionally connect with this book and I checked a lot to see how much was left before it was finished (never a good sign). Thank goodness for that last 10%! I also really like that there are little teasers for upcoming books/couples, like clearly Molly and Lucas are going to star in their own book - the tension there!! Also, Vinnie is clearly the best character in this whole book. <3

This is book #5 in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone - just be warned you're about to be bombarded with side characters, many of whom are already coupled off and whose stories are told in previous books. I'd only previously read the second book, The Trouble With Mistletoe, and there aren't really any spoilers for that book, probably because the main characters aren't really in this book at all. There are likely some minor spoilers for the earlier books, but not much more than you'd get by reading the back covers.

*I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss+ and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review: Not Just For Christmas by Annabelle Jacobs

Because it's only a week until Christmas, and I am on a Christmas themed books kick, you can expect to see some frenzied Christmas themed book postings here in the coming week, haha. :) Hopefully I'll have a guest post for you tomorrow as well! Stay tuned!

Book Review: Not Just For Christmas by Annabelle Jacobs

Rating: 4 Stars

Published November 28th 2017
Summary: Ben has Christmas, cats, and mistletoe on his side…. Jason doesn’t stand a chance

For Ben Slater, moving back to Bristol means being closer to his family, living with his best mate, and volunteering at the local animal shelter. But there’s also Jason, his best mate’s eldest brother. Ben’s had a crush on Jason for as long as he can remember, but the eleven-year age gap has always seemed insurmountable.

Jason Armitage works as a vet at his uncle’s practice. He owns a cute cottage on the outskirts of the city, and a loving dog. The one thing missing is someone to share it all with. His brother’s best friend seems a bad choice, but Jason can’t help taking a second look. Ben’s changed a lot since Jason last saw him; both in appearance and attitude. Gone is the shy young boy, replaced with a confident, twenty-four-year-old man.

In the run up to Christmas, the festive period gives Ben the ideal opportunity to show Jason what he has to offer. But concerns for his brother’s feelings hold Jason back. If they have any chance of making this work, Ben must convince Jason that he’s old enough to know what he wants, and Jason needs to believe that a relationship with his brother’s best friend won’t ruin their friendship.
(from Goodreads)

Review: Who doesn't love a book about Christmas, cats, and hot British men? Sign me up!

In this slow burn MM romance, Ben has had a crush on his best friend Liam's older brother Jason forever, but Jason is 11 years older - an age gap that's insurmountable (and kind of icky) when Ben is 16, but not quite so huge when he's 24 (making Jason 35). There's an extra little kink in the works because Liam is bi, and when someone asks Jason if Ben and Liam are a couple he's not 100% sure, but does know it makes him uncomfortable to think about them together.

Jason's a vet and has the cutest dog and Ben's an animal person volunteering at the animal shelter while he's between jobs. Ben's job he gets is socializing the cats. Man, who doesn't love a big, strong, hot guy playing with fuzzy little kitties? Me-ow. And when Ben and Liam are witness to a cat getting struck by a car, they of course race the cat over to Jason's vet practice. I'm not even THERE and this cat has stolen my heart! This book has all the tags: slow burn, best friend's sibling, May-December romance, friends to lovers, childhood crush to lovers, Christmas romance… It's definitely more sweet (but does have its steamy moments!)

I did knock off half a star for some weird bits that I think were errors not caught in editing, but perhaps they were just Briticisms?

BEWARE: This novella may make you want to rush out to your local animal rescue and adopt a cat. You have been warned.

Book Review: Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Chasing Christmas Eve (Heartbreaker Bay #4) by Jill Shalvis

Rating: 5 Stars

Published September 26th 2017 by Avon

Summary: Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That's Colbie Albright's plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie's so over it that she's under it. She's also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she's pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won't be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence's commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn't have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot chemistry—he's got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she's gorgeous and a great listener just because she gets Spence immediately doesn't mean he won't be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock's ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

(from Goodreads)

 

Review: It is a truth universally known that a book that requires the reader to immediately go request the rest of the series from the library must be rated 5 stars.

I'm pretty sure Colbie is my spirit animal (except my mom and brother aren't awful, thanks very much). I love that she's a YA author (and come on, what book blogger doesn't love a good book about a writer who is passionate about her writing?) and that she can laugh at herself. Colbie and Spence both have a self-deprecating sense of humor that I really like, and the development of their relationship was fun to read. There is a part with Spence's female friends taking Colbie to girls' night that make me cry for her, but I won't say more than that because I don't want to spoil it. Suffice it to say that Chasing Christmas Even made me laugh, it made me cry, and it made me smile like a total goofball hard enough that my husband asked me what on earth I was reading that put that doofy look on my face!

Chasing Christmas Eve is the 4th book in the Heartbreaker Bay series. I didn't know that going into reading this book, but it became obvious partway through by the sheer number of supporting characters in Spence's life. I even correctly guess that it was the 4th book, based on the information that was tossed out that of Spence's Tribe there are three couples. (Take that, Sherlock!) While this is the 4th in a series, it can absolutely be read at a stand alone. There might be some minor spoilers for the earlier books, but nothing you wouldn't already know from reading the back cover blurbs. It was a little confusing trying to keep all of the side characters straight, so I pretty much just let it go and stopped caring who Elle was in relation to Archer in relation to Joe (though as I type this, I think I actually DO know that relationships, so yay?) and just focused on the main storyline and the fact that Spence has a lot of friends who care about him. I did go request books 1 and 3 from my local library to read them as well, so I suppose if I'm wrong I'll update my review to warn you of any spoilers. :) I have read the second book in the series (The Trouble With Mistletoe) and it was every bit as enjoyable as this book.

 

Book Review: Only You by Denise Grover Swank

Book Review: Only You (Bachelor Brotherhood #1) by Denise Grover Swank

Rating: 5 Stars

 

Published October 25th 2016 by Forever
Summary: Never say never . . .

Romance isn't an option for Holly Greenwood. With her wedding planner career on the line she needs to stay focused, and that means pleasing her demanding boss, not getting distracted by her mind-alteringly hot neighbor . . .

Ex-Marine Kevin Vandemeer craves normalcy. Instead, he has a broken-down old house in need of a match and some gasoline, a meddling family, and the uncanny ability to attract the world's craziest women. At least that last one he can fix: he and his buddies have made a pact to swear off women, and this includes his sweetly sexy new neighbor.

After one hot night that looks a whole lot like a disaster in the light of day, Kevin and Holly are about to learn that true love doesn't play by the rules...
(from Goodreads)


Review: Only You is the first book of The Bachelor Brotherhood series, but it strongly features characters from the first book in another of Denise Grover Swank’s series, The Substitute (The Wedding Pact #1). While you can definitely read Only You on its own, I strongly recommend reading The Substitute first, both because it gives the reader a better background for Kevin, Megan, and Nicole, and because Only You does have some spoilers for The Substitute.

I was feeling really wishy-washy and picked up three other books as well as starting to watch two movies before I started reading Only You, and then it was like Cinderella’s glass slipper. This was exactly the book I wanted to read, and I didn’t want to put it down. I woke up with my 1 year old at 3 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep, so I actually sat down and read “one more chapter” of this book for an hour and a half before I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any more!

I liked Kevin a lot from The Substitute and was excited to see Megan’s protective ex-marine older brother get his own book. Holly’s character is also adorable as well as being multi-dimensional, and I love her relationship with her grandmother and the plot that revolves around that and her cousin. Nicole drives me batty, just like she did in The Substitute, but even she has her moments. While the timeline was pretty fast-paced, I feel like the leads acknowledge that and it doesn’t require a complete suspension of reality. The story was beautifully and compellingly written, as I’ve come to expect from Ms. Swank, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next two books in the series about Kevin’s buddies Matt and Tyler.