Barefoot Bound (Barefoot Bay Undercover 0.5) by Roxanne St. Claire

Book Blurb:

This 100 page story will tell you exactly how Gabe Rossi (yes, that Gabe Rossi, the legendary bad boy of The Guardian Angelino series) is picking up his life and moving to Florida to launch a covert operation in Barefoot Bay. This isn't his "love story" (that's coming soon, I promise!) but the novella is told completely from his point of view and will treat long-time fans to a few days with old friends (the Angelino and Rossi family! Uncle Nino!) and introduce a new world.

My Review:

Barefoot Bound is a fantastic, fast paced, enticing start to Roxanne St. Claire's new series, Barefoot Bay Undercover.  

Gabe is "...a spy with an undercover career that reads like a Tom Clancy novel..."  I really love Gabe, and I like how Roxanne gives us enough of him to satisfy (for now!) but leaves enough mystery so that I am very intrigued!  The whole concept of what he is going to do in Barefoot Bay has a lot of promise both for the characters and the reader.

I really enjoyed all of the secondary characters, especially Gabe's grandfather who I'm sure we'll see more of in future Barefoot Bay Undercover books.

Barefoot Bound is a perfect novella, entertaining, and left me satisfied and looking forward to what comes next!  I'd recommend Barefoot Bound to any romance reader who likes a dash of mystery and suspense!

5/5 stars

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Never Refuse a Sheikh (International Bad Boys #5) by Jackie Ashenden

Book Blurb:

When the sheikh claims a wife, she cannot refuse …

Altair is a man perfectly in control both of himself and the power he wields as regent of Al Harah. Yet in order to retain his stronghold on the country he loves, he must wed a princess wilder than the Bedouin tribe she was raised in. A princess who only has one word for him: no.

Princess Safira knows what freedom means and it isn’t a palace or a crown. Neither does it mean being told what to do by a man with more ice in his veins than blood. Safira is innocent in the ways of men, but the heat in Altair’s gaze calls to a deep, unclaimed part of her soul she cannot deny. Altair seems hell-bent on civilizing her, but she’s not so easily tamed. Especially not when she can sense the wildness that lives in him….

My Review:

Never Refuse a Sheikh by Jackie Ashenden is a well paced book with vivid characters.

I really liked Altair and Safira.  They come together under intense circumstances to a place where neither of them feels they have a choice.  Safira because she is tired of being an object and a princess.  Safira out of a sense of guilt first then duty.  They both stand up for what they believe in.  There is a lot of character conflict in Never Refuse a Sheikh, both internally and externally.  This works so well for these characters, as Jackie writes them struggling through so many things.  I liked what Safira and Altair bring out in each other...the good and the bad, and yet they still feel a connection.  I could feel their connection even as Altair in particular fought it.    They are both strong characters, honorable, and it was easy to feel like I got to know them, and I liked reading as Safira came to understand Altair better and tried to break through his walls.  Would he let her though?

The background story of them is woven in well to Never Refuse A Sheikh, and it was easy to see where both Altair and Safira were coming from with regards to their feelings and issues.

Never Refuse a Sheikh was a very interesting plot, and I enjoyed it.  With just enough heat and a strong plot, I'd recommend it to any romance reader!

4/5 stars

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One Night with the Cowboy by Eve Gaddy

Book Blurb:

Meet the Kellys of Whiskey River, Texas, men who have always gone through life, and women, with their father’s legendary charm.

Trey Kelly has it all. Eldest son of Boots Kelly, Trey runs the Kelly ranch, and Trey’s heart is with his “babies”, Kelly’s Champs, the World Champion cutting horses he breeds and sells. Women love Trey and he loves women, but he’s never met the one he wanted for keeps. Until…

Reclusive Ariana Wright‘s lavender farm sits next door to the Kelly spread. Ariana is a smart, ambitious chemist and after the car accident that left her scarred, the success of her new line of lavender-based beauty products is all Ariana is interested in.

Convincing Ariana to take a chance on love is a task that takes all of Trey’s cowboy determination. But can Ariana let go of the wounds of the past and give herself more than one night with the cowboy?

My Review:

One Night With The Cowboy is not only about Trey and Ariana, it's about Trey and his brothers forming relationships together.

I really enjoyed the family dynamics and what was happening with Trey and his brothers, what they had to do and how they were going to do it.  This was actually my favorite part of the book!

As for the romance, Trey is a great guy!  He's open, honest, and when he looks at Ariana, he sees someone he really cares about and wants to be with.  Unfortunately, Ariana has let one person define who she is after the accident, and that person is the one she believes to be right...Doing this has left her reclusive and unwilling to believe anyone could find her desirable.  She kept trying to read more (negative) into things than there was, and it got a little much at times.  I felt for her and what she'd been through, but she really was not moving on. They are both attracted, the feelings are there, but Ariana just can't trust herself or Trey.  I liked how Trey was with her, he didn't give up, he didn't push.   I liked how it all unfolded and who ended up doing the pushing!  Although I had a hard time connecting with Ariana, I enjoyed this book and everything it was about.

The secondary characters along with a strong sub plot in One Night With The Cowboy fit well into the plot, and I am really looking forward to the other books to come in this series.

One Night With The Cowboy is easy to fall into and I'd recommend it to any romance reader.

4/5 stars

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Review: The Silver Crescent by Debby Grahl

Book Blurb:

Betrayal, murder and a stolen fortune bring Elise Baxter to Cedar Bend, Michigan, on a quest to solve a family mystery—and recover the missing treasure.

Max Holt impulsively buys a crumbling Victorian mansion and fulfills his dream of restoring it as a restaurant and inn. Aware of its reputation for being haunted, he adds to the mystique by building a garden path of old tombstones, one of which belongs to the original owner of the house, Cyrus Mosby—the man whose legacy Elise has traced, and who allegedly stole her ancestral share of a Colorado silver mine over a century ago.

Following clues gleaned from old diaries and a visit from the spirit of her great-great-grandmother, Elise seeks out Max and his inn. Not knowing if she can trust Max with her family secret, Elise pretends her interest is in researching Cyrus, whose own violent death remains a mystery.

An intense attraction between Max and Elise leads him to believe she may be the girl of his dreams. But when he discovers her true interest in him and his inn, memories of a past betrayal threaten to end their passionate relationship. Elise, finding herself falling in love with Max, fears her deception may cost her more than she is willing to lose.

Once persuaded the stolen silver is hidden somewhere in the inn, and captivated by the idea of a treasure hunt, Max and Elise begin the search together, aided by the resident ghosts, Cyrus and Virginia.

The treasure hunt seems like a harmless adventure until someone tries to steal the diaries. Unknown to Max and Elise, there are others—including an evil presence—who are driven by greed and will stop at nothing to unlock the mystery of the Silver Crescent. 

My Review:

I loved the paranormal aspect of The Silver Crescent.  It's what drew me to this book...it's just the kind I like...not over the top unbelievable for me, but remotely possible!  Just maybe there are ghosts all around us that we just can't see.  Debby used this concept well to pull me in and hook me in The Silver Crescent!

Debby writes a well blended plot about romance, ghosts, and a decades old unsolved mystery.  She pulls it all together well and each is very relevant to the other.  The spirits have a story to tell and a mystery they've waited a long time to help solve.  They've been waiting for the right people to come along.  Max is finally doing what he's always wanted to do in a mansion that seemed to call to him as soon as he saw it.  Elsie is trying to right a wrong from the past, and Max unknowing might play a big part in that.  From a first meeting that did not leave a good impression, to a romance that has each of them falling fast and hard, they work together to solve a mystery.  Elsie still has secrets though, secrets that might destroy what her and Max have found as a couple before they can find what was hidden in the past and put the spirits to rest.  

Max and Elsie were not perfect people, and this made them into people I could imagine anywhere.  Elsie has secrets, Max is over bearing, but the connection between them is easy to feel, and I enjoyed the progression of their relationship.

There is good vs evil in both the spirit world and the living of the present day...and all of them are making their presence known.  There are quite a few living secondary characters too who all have a lot to add to the plot in a relevant way.  I really, really enjoyed Oliver!!!  He just might have been my favorite character!

Debby took me on a haunting, heart felt journey through the pages of The Silver Crescent.  I liked how Max and Elsie met and the events that occurred afterwards took me through a modern day romance with a look to the past and how it impacts their lives today.

The Silver Crescent is well paced and easy to follow.  I really enjoyed the quotes Debby used at the beginning of each chapter, they fit really well with the plot.

I'd recommend The Silver Crescent to any romance reader who likes some mystery and paranormal in the mix!  I will definitely be reading more of Debby's books!

4/5 stars

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Review: Dark Shadows of the Past (The Greek Isles Series #4) by Angel Sefer

Book Blurb:

A mysterious death…Christina Connors wakes up on a freezing hard surface surrounded by spine-chilling darkness. Realizing that she has been dumped in an alley next to a dead body, she searches her mind for an explanation but it’s terrifyingly blank. As the fog lifts, memories of dreadful events come crashing down. A secret identity…When the handsome police detective Dan Mallory finds Christina injured and terrified, he is enchanted with her beauty and resilience. But his instincts tell him she is more than a simple jewelry designer in the wrong place at the wrong time. When she disappears from the hospital, he feels responsible but his suspicions grow. Is she truly an innocent victim or a deceitful charmer who stole his heart? A deadly game…Christina and Detective Mallory find themselves caught in a deadly game of conspiracy, murder, and vengeance. While the detective fights to save Christina and protect his career, she must discover how to play the game without revealing her true identity. But her secret won’t stay buried for long, and the truth could mean death for them both.

My Review:

Angel takes us on an intriguing if somewhat unbelievable adventure in Dark Shadows of The Past.  

Dan is Christina's knight in shining armour...he saves her more than once!  This knight is very attracted to the woman he is rescuing and keeping safe.  Soon the lines between personal and professional blur.  Christina's very attracted to Dan also, but she has a lot of dark shadows in her past that she's hiding...shadows that are coming closer and becoming more threatening.

As Dan searches for answers to what is happening to Christina, he also wants to know exactly who Christina is...but will the truth end things for them even if they can outsmart danger?  I found the main characters to be interesting, but frustrating at times.  Christina has big secrets, and by keeping them she is putting others besides herself in danger.  She is also in the beginnings of a relationship with Dan, and her secrecy could have a big impact on this.  Despite her past, she doesn't really have a lot of 'street smarts'.  I liked Dan, how he was protective and wanted to do the right thing.  He really was torn between what he was doing with Christina and his job.  I kept wondering though if a Detective would actually do a lot of what he did!

The mystery part of the plot of Dark Shadows of The Past is full of twists, turns and the unexpected.  Angel takes us to various different places and there are many different secondary characters.  I found the secondary characters and their part in the plot somewhat difficult to keep track of and a bit confusing at times.  This did impact my enjoyment of the book because these secondary characters and what they mean are very significant to the plot.

I liked the general plot of Dark Shadows of The Past, it was exciting if a little confusing at times. 

3/5 stars

Review: Kiss The Bride (Montana Born Brides #5) by Rachael Johns

Book Blurb:

It seems that wedding fever has hit the little town of Marietta... 

And that suits single mom, Magdalena Davis, just fine. It means the local gossips will stop hounding her about returning to town and the secret she’s kept for fifteen years. Home to make peace with her sick mother, the last thing Mags wants is to get involved in Marietta’s big celebrity wedding. But when her teenage daughter cajoles her into auditioning to sing with a local heartthrob, all her plans for flying under the radar zoom out of the window. 

Country music singer, Jake Kohl, has lost his muse. He’s jaded from years of life in the fast lane and wants to settle in Marietta and lead a normal life. He reluctantly agrees to sing at the celebrity wedding, but what he doesn't expect is his co-singer to reignite his passion. But it’s not just the music she awakes in him. Magdalena makes Jake feel and want things he hasn’t for far too long, but there’s more to her than meets the eye. 

Can Jake solve the mystery that is Magdalena and win her heart?

My Review:

Kiss The Bride is more than romance, it's also about relationships, family dynamics, and secrets, and how they all weave together to shape the present.

I really liked the main characters, Magdalena (Mags) and Jake.  They are both mature and meet changes and challenges in their lives head on.  Especially Mags.  She's back in Marietta at last, despite her fears, for her mother and her daughter.  When Mags pairs up with country singing superstar Jake to sing at a wedding, there is an instant attraction for both of them that quickly evolves into more.  Although it is quick, I felt that the speed of their relationship was believable, especially since it is not all smooth sailing.  Mags' fears and secrets might threaten this new found relationship, but I like how Jake is persistent, wants to know all of Mags, and he doesn't let her push him away easily.  For a short novella, there is a lot of character growth.

There is a lot going on in Kiss The Bride, but Rachael manages to write smoothly and keep the focus on Magdalena and Jake, and the issues that arise for them.  I liked being back in Marietta where I feel like I know everyone!  Kiss The Bride is part of a series, but if you read it as a stand alone it is just as strong.

I liked that Rachael touched on family and small town dynamics in Kiss The Bride...I felt that this gave the story an added dimension and made things even more interesting without bogging the story down with unnecessary details or characters.

I'd recommend Kiss The Bride to romance readers looking for a fast paced novella that will leave you feeling good!

4/5 stars

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Review: A Deal with the Devil by Louisa George

Book Blurb:

When the only thing worth fighting for is love …

There are two things ex-boxer and casino tycoon Rey Doyle is an expert in: fighting and gambling. He trusts no-one, but he needs a fiancé to help seal a business deal and part-time casino waitress Kate Wilkinson agrees to the pretense.

Kate is on a mission to expose Rey Doyle for the pitiless criminal he is, but the more she learns about Rey and his past, the more she begins to admire the man. When the chance to bring him down arrives will she take it? Or will this bad boy claim her heart instead? 

My Review:

I enjoyed my escape into Kate and Rey's world!  Although the situation might not be realistic for most of us, it was fun to read about, and the feelings and emotions were very real!

Kate's protectiveness towards her brother is believable, and how she reacts to his situation is believable.  She loses a bit of perspective because she is so determined to seek revenge...but she ends up finding so much more than she anticipated!

I really liked Rey.  His hot exterior hides a depth that few know.  He works hard, I liked his story and what he was trying to do.  I felt like Louisa let me get to know him very well.  Kate and Rey are both attracted to each other, but reluctantly so for very different reasons.  How they were together was both entertaining, hopeful, hot, and heart warming.  But could it last?  Kate's hiding something big from Rey, and will she use what she finds out against him despite how she feels emotionally towards him?  Both of them show a lot of character growth in this short novella, I just liked how they were and what they discovered meant to each other.

Kate's brother is a secondary character we see just enough of... he is the whole reason for A Deal With The Devil.

I'd recommend A Deal With The Devil to any romance reader looking for a well paced, easy to read romance.

4/5 stars

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