I don’t care how long you’ve been a couple before you make it official; marriage is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work whether you’ve been married two years or twenty years. It’s far too rare to find romance novels with main characters in their thirties and forties. As an older reader, I’m so grateful that Penny Reid penned a humorous yet thoughtful story featuring a mature married couple dealing with real life issues.
I must be addicted to college sports romances because even though they tend to be somewhat formulaic, I can’t seem to get enough of them. There’s usually a hot shot, sexy athlete (typically a football or hockey player) who enjoys bonking a different co-ed each night and is allergic to commitment—that is until he meets a pretty girl who doesn’t date athletes. He wants to get in her pants, but she’s unimpressed by him. That challenge makes him want to win her over even more. She finally relents and he is transformed into a committed, love addicted man, and they both live happily ever after. The End.
I really enjoyed the premise of this fun little story. Lila is proof that you can’t keep a good woman down. Her life changes in an instant when she catches her husband cheating in an unexpectedly humorous way. Suddenly, she goes from being a sensible stay at home mom of twins to being a feisty investigative photographer devoted to catching unfaithful partners in flagrante delicto.
After a disappointing book two I’m happy to say things are back on track with the quality of storytelling. For one thing, this time around Charlie is actually in the book full-time – not as a guest star. The mystery of Silas and Charlie’s recurring memory loss is just as intriguing as ever, and while I still consider it to be a page-turner, the story unfolds at a more languid pace. It’s a welcome break from the Xanax inducing tension in the previous two books. The developing relationship between this version of Silas and Charlie is fun and sweet. I’ve liked Silas from the beginning, and I really adore him in this book.
I can pretty much sum up my review in five words. I. Effing. Loved. This. Book. I wasn’t sure I would like it because I’m not into covers with mostly naked men—shocking, I know. I always feel like they’re overcompensating for a small…plot. And really the basis of the story isn’t anything deep or even original. Best friends pretend to be a couple, but eventually they cross the line between pretending and genuinely feeling something more. The End. Right? Except not so much in this case.
I wrote less than stellar reviews for the first two books in the series so I’m happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this conclusion. This Man Confessed has everything I hope to find in a good romance: sizzling chemistry, wit, angst, tenderness, mystery, romance, and a few tear-jerkers. If only we had been gifted these starting with book one!
Getting Rough is the second book in the Monkey Business trio. It continues the enemies to lovers story of Shaw and Cassidy, two competitive sports agents. The first book, Playing Dirty, heavily emphasized their animosity, and I enjoyed their verbal sparring and underhanded rivalry—not to mention their smoking hot chemistry. This book, however, focuses more on their transition from adversaries to acquaintances to lovers.
The book blurb should have the following warning: “You’d better hold on tight because you’re about to embark on one hell of a suspenseful rollercoaster.” Instead, the blurb says this book is, “sexy,” and, “hot.” I think that’s misleading. This isn’t a racy romance novel with a little whodunit thrown in. Yes, there are some romantic aspects that help propel the plot, but He Will Be My Ruin is first and foremost an edgy, hardcore, emotional thriller that kept me guessing until the end.
“I want to be your everything, but only while I’m here. If the day comes that I’m not, then let me go. Let me be your greatest memory.” I’ve been singing the praises of the Jack & Jill series ever since I took a chance on End of Day, the amazingly unique first book in the trilogy. It’s incredibly hard to maintain that level of excellence throughout a series though, and—I’ll admit it—I’m a difficult reader to please. I braced myself for disappointment with Dawn of Forever. I threw down the gauntlet, daring Jewel E. Ann to impress me again, and wouldn’t you know she picked it up and ran with it? Jewel E. Ann has pulled off the virtually impossible by creating not one, not two, but three full-length novels of exceptional quality.
There are two things I’ve come to expect from an Angelica Chase book: major plot twists and smoking hot sex. This series has both those things – on steroids. Sexual Awakenings is comprised of four novellas: The Waltz, The Tango, The Last Dance, and Curtains.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a good military romance. Defenseless reminded me how much I enjoy the sub-genre.
*sigh* I’m not sure what to say. I liked the premise and appreciated the characters, but this did not work for me at all and it’s difficult to pinpoint why.