Anything but Love

In Anything But Love by Beth Ciotta, it is nearing Christmas and Luke is feeling anything but festive. He’s not really sure why, and he’s really trying…but it all seems to center around Rachel. The mousy young woman who lived and worked in Sugar Creek for a year then one day just up and left with no word to anyone. After Luke’s cousin Sam, who has been pursuing Rachel, caught them in a hot embrace. Things have been strained between Sam and Luke since. Sam was attracted to Rachel, he thought she would make a good wife and a good mother to his two daughters. Luke was attracted to Rachel also…but he’s not quite sure what it is about her that draws him…she’s not his usual type.Read More

Raw

In Raw (Torn Between Two Lovers #1) by Jo Davis, Anna is living her dream. She has worked hard and now is the owner of a prestigious restaurant. All is going well on the business front, but Anna is lonely. She has been so busy focusing on business that she’s neglected her personal life.

Things are about to get much, much hotter for Anna though when she finds herself very attracted to Gray, the new prep cook at her restaurant. Read More

Mine to Hold

In Mine to Hold, the third book in the Mine series, by Cynthia Eden, Claire has been looking over her shoulder, scared, and running from her past for years.  As a 16 year old, her obssessed, ex boyfriend killed her parents then tried to kill her.  Even though he's been in jail since, his father has never forgiven Claire, claiming the killings were actually her fault and she'd ruined his son's life.  No the father, a former senator, will stop at nothing to ruin Claire's life.

When Claire, who trusts no one, needs help and a job, she turns to Noah.  We met Noah in Mine to Keep...he is a powerful man with a lot of dark secrets he keeps well hidden.  As much as a times he makes Claire nervous, she is drawn to him and feeling things she hasn't felt in years.  Noah is not a man who keeps a woman.  But with Claire, even before they get very far, he knows she is different.  She is more.  He wants her like he's wanted nothing before.

Noah gives Claire a job, but he also gives Claire himself and the protection he can offer.  He will do anything to keep Claire safe.  Noah carries with him issues from his past...a trauma in his childhood has scarred him emotionally.  Claire is obviously still traumatized and running scared.  When she can no longer run, will Noah be enough to protect her?  Will Noah be enough for her?  Or will the darkness that they both feel inside themselves and each scare Claire more than the idea of being with Noah?

As the danger gets closer and the mystery is no closer to being solved, Claire is tempted to run again...but it might be too late.

I loved this third book in the series by Cynthia Eden!!  Mine To Hold gives us very fast paced, thrilling romantic suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  Claire and Noah are both people that you can really feel for, hope for, and like.  They are both strong, Claire is much stronger than she even thinks sometimes.  As much as Noah is a protector, so in a way is Claire.  She feels badly that anyone might get hurt, or even killed, because of the people after her, that she wants to just leave Noah.  I admit to finding this a very annoying characteristic though, she is not the owner of the problems, it is the person creating the problems that owns them, and I really wanted her to see this.  But Claire has lived with this for so long now, it's second nature to her.

Cynthia gives us a perfect blend of suspense, romance, and lots of sizzle in Mine to Hold.  She gives us lots of plot twists, you think you know, then you don't, then wow, surprise!  I really like how Cynthia brings in the characters from the other Mine books, especially Trace, Skye, and Drake.  I would love to know a lot more about Drake, he is a very powerful presence in Mine to Hold.

I'd highly recommend this book and the series to any romantic suspense reader, Cynthia brings all the elements of a romantic suspense together in a story that you will love!

5/5 stars

Wilde For Her

In Wilde For Her by Tonya Burrows, Cam Wilde has loved Eva for years…even if she doesn’t know it. First she was his partner when he was a homicide detective. Now that Cam is working for he and his brother’s security firm Wilde Security, he and Eva are no longer partners, but he has no intention of jeopardizing their friendship with a declaration of love. Little does he know that Eva has secretly always wanted Cam as more than a friend too.Read More

5/5 stars!

Take Me, Cowboy

In Take Me, Cowboy by Jane Porter, when Jenny's fiance Charlie leaves her at the altar, she is humiliated and hurt.  She left Marietta to make something of herself, to get beyond her family's poor roots.  She loves her family but no longer wants to be "one of those Wright girls".  Now she is back and the wedding is off.

When Colton sees Jenny walking away in her wedding dress he is awestruck and drawn to her.  Jenny has always loved Colton, little did he know.  As a friend of his sister, Jenny spent a lot of time around him growing up.  Colton left Marietta too though, and they are both only back for a short time.  But they keep running into each other and end up spending some good times together.  Jenny's feelings for Colton never really went away and now she feels even more for him.  Colton is feeling a lot for Jenny too, but is she ready to move on from Charlie?  Can they trust their hearts and find a way to make a future together?  Or will they go their separate ways again?

Take Me, Cowboy is the 4th book in The Cooper Mountain Rodeo series and we've heard bits and pieces about Jenny in the other books, so it was great to read her story!  Jane will draw you into Jenny's life quickly, and her descriptions of small town Marietta and the people there will take you there.  I really liked Jenny...she's worked hard to be where she is, but at the same time she's lost part of herself.  Coming back to Marietta and seeing Colton again just might be what she needs.  Colton is a strong, really likeable guy!  Once he sees Jenny that's it for him, he's in love, but at the same time worried about being the rebound guy.

Jenny and Colton have a fast paced romance, but it works well because they are not complete strangers to each other.  I really liked how Jane brings in all the family dynamics, they really help us understand Jenny and Colton.

Take Me, Cowboy by Jane Porter is a fun, romantic novella with characters you can relate to.  Although it is part of The Cooper Mountain Rodeo series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone.  I recommend reading the whole series though because they are all fantastic!

Highly recommended to any romance reader.

5/5 stars

Her Rocky Mountain Guardian

In Her Rocky Mountain Guardian by Margery Scott, Jennie wakes up in a hospital after a car accident in Eagle Ridge with complete amnesia.  She has no idea who she is, what she was doing, or who this handsome man is at her bedside.

Brae is the fiance Jennie left behind 4 years ago when she fled Eagle Ridge with no explanation.  Brae thought she loved him, and he was picking up the pieces for a long time after she left.  Now she is back, rescued by Brae from the icy confines of her car...but she doesn't know why she's back.  It soon becomes obvious that someone is after Jennie...and with no memory and no place to go, Brae offers to let her stay in the guest room at the ranch house he shares with his sister (who used to be Jennie's best friend before she ran off).  As the town sheriff, Brae is determined to protect her.  As her former fiance, he still has a lot of feelings for Jennie.  Jennie can't remember Brae, but her body seems to!

There are so many unanswered questions for both Brae and Jennie as they explore the feelings they have for each other.  There is also still danger...someone is determined to get what he thinks Jennie has at any cost.

Will the stalker be found before he gets to Jennie again?  Will she remember what she was running from in time?  

I never really did understand Jennie and why she left like she did.  Her explanation didn't really cut it for me, but Brae was ok with it and in the end that's what matters!  I would have liked more detail about what went on in her life after she left to lead her to what was happening today.  I felt like there were a lot of loose ends where Jennie was concerned.  Brae is a very forgiving man if he's willing to risk his heart on Jennie again!  Will Brae and Jennie pick up where they left off?  Can they?  When Jennie's memory eventually returns - what then?  Will she be ready to run away again, leaving Brae and Eagle Ridge yet again with no looking back?

I really liked the general plot of Her Rocky Mountain Guardian, from the setting to the characters.  Margery gives us a fast paced, fun to read romantic suspense.  It was easy to pick this book up and get lost in it...trying to figure everything out as Jennie tries to remember her life!  I would have been happy to have the story longer if we could have had more details and depth to the characters, especially Jennie.

I would recommend this to any romantic suspense reader.

To Love and Serve

  

To Love and Serve by Caridad Pineiro was an action packed suspense that will make you a bit scared to go outside when it's dark!!  Diana is a strong heroine, and as an FBI agent she just wants to do the right thing and protect others.  She has had a rough time since her father died in the line of duty when she was a teenager.  She's never felt the same about life...and she feels a darkness inside of her.  When a raid goes bad and Diana is contaminated with vampire blood from Ryder, the vampire trying to save her, her life can never be the same.  She's now on forced leave from the FBI, in a relationship with Ryder, and inside she's slowly dying.  For now she is surviving thanks to the treatments from Ryder's keeper.  But if Diana doesn't turn soon, she will die a very human death.

Ryder loves Diana more than he thought it was possible to.  Since he's been with Diana he's been more and more involved in the vampire community.  When a killer starts targeting vampires, Ryder is drawn into the investigation as part of the vampire council.  Wanting to protect Diana he does not tell her about it.  But soon she will be drawn in anyway.  As the humans, vampires, and slayers try to track down a killer, Diana is getting sicker and sicker...the treatments don't work for as long.  She doesn't want to be without Ryder, but she's scared of the darkness in her and what turning will bring out in her.  She's terrified of losing Ryder.

Ryder wants to spend forever with Diana, but it has to be her decision.

Caridad gives us another great paranormal romance with To Love and Serve.  She manages to blend well the paranormal aspect and vampires with everyday issues everyone faces...uncertainty, love, and family relationships.  Caridad draws the plot out well along with a few surprises so you're never bored!  Ryder and Diana are both very strong characters who work so well together.  The romance and mystery probably take up equal parts of the story because they are interwoven so well together, and Ryder and Diana are key players in both.

I was a little confused at times and would have liked a bit more background on certain events or people in To Love and Serve, but overall found it to be an intense, thrilling paranormal romance.  To Love and Serve has loose connections to the first book in this series, For Love or Vengeance (which I highly recommend!), but the characters are very different and To Love and Serve can definitely be read as a stand alone book.

4/5 stars