Blaze

Blaze gives us 8 short love stories.  I love how the stories all slightly intertwine with the characters and they are all set in Coombethwaite, England.  We catch the odd glimpse of a character from another story in Blaze, but at the same time the stories can all stand alone.  The title "Blaze" is so appropriate because every story features a hot firefighter from Coombethwaite!!  All the better!

Memory's Flame by Maya Blake...Ellie is back in Coombethwaite for her Grandpa's funeral, to sell his house, and get out again as quickly as she can.  Until she runs into Jake...the love she left with no explanation when she ran off from Coombethwaite all those years ago. Jake has never gotten over Ellie, no woman can measure up to her, and he's determined to get some answers from her before she runs off again!  But it's more than answers Jake is hoping for, and the heat between them is still sizzling.  Can Ellie can stick around long enough to give them another chance?

The Fire Inside by Romy Sommer...Ryan is in Coombethwaite from London for a friend's wedding when he meets Sam.  Sam is a firefighter, and all the guys on her team see her as just one of the guys.  Ryan definitley sees the woman in her, and definitely wants to know her better!  Will Sam find the courage to follow her dreams, and maybe Ryan?

A Smouldering Attraction by Suzanna Ross...Shelley and Harrison have both sworn off the opposite sex and relationships.  They are definitely attracted to each other, but it isn't until fire fighter Harrison is injured on the job that Shelley realizes he just might be worth the risk.

Locked into Love by Catherine Coles...Cassie and Ben were childhood sweethearts until Ben took it upon himself to decide Cassie would never follow her dreams if he was around, and he wasn't going anywhere, so in his mind he 'sent her off to follow a dream'.  In Cassie's mind he broke her heart.  Now Cassie is back, being rescued by Ben, and maybe following a new dream...

Hot, Bothered and Bewitched by Kat French...Seraphine is the new vet in town.  She's also Wiccan, it's Hallowe'en and her birthday.   She's hoping for a fresh start in Coombethwaite, where no one knows her family history and she won't be judged.  Just as Seraphine is lighting the candles for her love spell, there is a knock on the door...one hot fire fighter complete with black cat.  Has fate finally knocked for Seraphine as the sparks fly between Seraphine and Isaac?

Lighting Love's Spark by Sally Clements...Annabel, a teacher doesn't trust men with her heart after her last relationship ended in disaster.  She's also new to Coombethwaite, hoping for a new start in life.  When she meets her student Chloe's father Daniel though, she might just have to reassess her views on men.  Who can resist a fire fighter in uniform and his sweet daughter?  Daniel's other self might be the final pull to lure her in too!

Worth the Risk by Tara Pammi...After leaving Coombethwaite and cutting off ties with her best friend Marcus, baker Annie is back for good this time.  She's always secretly loved Marcus, now will be the time to see if he can feel the same way about her  - if he can forgive her for leaving in the first place.  Will her revalations push Marcus away or bring love into their lives?

A Kindling Romance by Lorraine Wilson...finally in Blaze we meet Polly and Drew who meet each other in the most unconventional way!  She's new to Coombethwaite and Drew is happy to come to her rescue in more ways than one!  You will laugh a lot with this short romance!!  Will Polly find what she's searching for in Coombethwaite?

As I mentioned, I really enjoyed all of these short romances.  Sometimes you're just in the mood for a quick romance that is just that!  Blaze gives us lots of love at first sight, heat and laughs!  All of the characters were so well described and easy to picture...as well as some of the secondary characters that we saw in more than one story.  I highly recommend Blaze for any romance reader!

5/5 stars

The Sweetheart Bargain

The Sweetheart Bargain by Shirley Jump: At a time in her life when she is ready for change, a lawyer shows up on Olivia’s doorstep. He gives her the keys to a home her biological mother has left her, a photo of it, and a necklace. Before she can change her mind, or think of reasons not too, Olivia has packed up herself and her dog, quit her job and is heading to Florida for that fresh start. She never knew her biological mother, and is hoping that she will finally find some answers.Read More

5/5 stars

Rush

Not only did Jessica and Quaid work together as firefighters, they were married and each other's soul mates. But after a horrifying fire and explosion 5 years ago, Quaid lost his life and Jessica lost the love of her life, the light in her life. The team Jessica worked with disbanded and everyone moved onto other things. Jessica now works for a private lobby firm, but she feels so empty inside even 5 years later without Quaid.

There was always something suspicious about the last fire they all worked. There were chemicals involved that "...poisoned the entire team and left them all with bizarre paranormal abilities." It also gives them shadows...people who are always watching. When another explosion eerily similar to the one 5 years ago happens at a government facility called "The Castle", it sets up a series of events that will once again change Jessica's life forever.

When members of her former team show up after rescuing one prisoner (Cash), claiming a prisoner called simply "Q" might be Quaid, Jessica refuses to believe it could be possible. She has been to hell and back since the explosion, and has no desire to get her hopes up only to visit there again. But stranger than usual things are happening and soon Jessica is on a rescue mission to rescue "Q" with the rest of her former team. Whether he's Quaid or not, there is something about the man they call "Q" that calls to someplace deep inside of her.

"Q" has no recollection of his past or who he really is. He has been tortured, isolated, and used as a human experiment for the last 5 years. When he is rescued, he doesn't know who to trust...or what's real and what's not real. He has seen Jessica in his dreams, and often she has brought him comfort. Now that she's here in person, he will not let her go. While "Q" and the rest of the team discover secrets and who he really is, they must be very careful. Because someone else wants "Q" back...at any cost.

As Jessica gets to know "Q", they also are in a race against time to out secrets and corrupt politicians, and save "Q" and Cash from a certain death.

Rush is a fast paced thrilling adventure that shows you a world you can only hope doesn't really exist! At times I was anxious to keep reading, but at the same time wanting to close the book for a while, scared of what was to come! The romantic aspect of Rush takes a back seat to all the suspenseful action, but is an integral part of Rush. Jessica and "Q" discover who each other are in today's world, and have to put the past where it belongs. Will "Q" survive the chase to be with the one woman he's always dreamed of?

Rush is very well written, and will captivate you from the start...having you wondering - what could possibly come next? I have not read the other books in this series so I did find keeping all the characters straight a little bit confusing at times, but I would still say you don't have to read the first two books to be entranced by Rush...I do think it would add to the rush though! I'm looking forward to seeing where Joan takes us next!

5/5 stars

Hearts in Motion

Hearts in Motion is a fun, fast paced romance!

In Hearts in Motion we meet Abby and Holden.  Abby has been raising her sister since their parents died, and she is struggling to make a go of the cat furniture business she has with a friend.  Abby is fun and optimistic, but at the same time she is realistic.  When Holden's aunt asks her to look after Cara (Holden's daughter) for 2 weeks, she does it first for the income, but it soon becomes all Cara.  Abby and her pets fall under Cara's sweet spell. 

Holden is business minded, serious, trying to save his family furniture's business, engaged to an 'appropriate' woman, and has no idea what to do with Cara, who's grandparents have dropped her off and left.  He knows Abby from years ago when she briefly dated his brother, and it looks like he's going to get to know her a bit more since she's looking after Cara. 

Before too long though, Holden is feeling things for Abby he certainly does not feel for his fiancée.  Abby is feeling things for Holden too...but he's off limits - or is he?  His fiancée has a big secret, the love is not there and he feels so good when he's with Abby and Cara, and he just might be able to help with her business.  The animals are meddling too...they think it's time for Abby to settle down and Holden might be just the man for her!  The animals might be the smartest ones after all!
Holden and Abby are opposites that certainly attract.  They are going to be very good for each other if they can find a way to take a chance on each other.  Cara is so sweet, she is a little girl that sure pulls at your heart, and she might be the best thing for both of them.  I loved reading both Holden and Abby's point of views, seeing how they both think and feel.  Holden is so confused and torn, wanting to do the right thing.  Abby is frustrated by Holden at times, and very protective of Cara.  Abby's sister Grace isn't as involved in the story as Abby, Holden and Cara, but she is definitely part of it and it is refreshing to read about a 'good' teenage girl!  The animals and their conversations are a great, funny part of the story, I really enjoyed them!  They add a unique aspect to Hearts in Motion.

I loved this fast, funny, sweet romance by Edie Ramer!  She draws you into Holden and Abby's lives and keeps you there until the last page!

Storm Warning

In a small coastal town of Scotland, there are more secrets and darkness than there first appears...

Sorcha has come home again, many years after she left at the age of 10 after her father died. She is hoping to find peace and move on with her life after a disasterous relationship. This is not going to be easy to do though, since Sorcha is hearing voices and seeing her dead father's ghost. She doesn't know why, just that it's getting harder and harder to cope with. And peace is even harder to find when someone considers Sorcha's return a threat...and will stop at nothing to get rid of her.

Ben is an American DEA undercover in Scotland, determined to find out who was responsible for leaking his partner's status to a drug cartel...resulting in his death. All leads point to Sorcha as being involved, and Ben will do whatever it takes to get justice for his partner. Ben becomes closer to Sorcha in an attempt to find out her secrets...but does she really have any? Between dead bodies, threats to Sorcha, a near drowning, and drugs found in the lighthouse on the island Sorcha is working on, Ben doesn't know what to think. He has a harder and harder time maintaining an emotional distance from Sorcha though.

Sorcha is drawn to the American, "No doubt about it, there was something intriguing about the man. The dangerous quality counteracted by a sexy smile she didn't trust." As she spends more and more time with Ben, she finds herself beginning to care about him in ways she didn't want to feel for someone again. She finds Ben to be warm and caring one moment, then distant and cold the next...Sorcha doesn't know what is going on with Ben. After a night where they lose themselves in each other and Ben decides it's a mistake, Sorcha is more hurt than she wants to be. They keep coming back to each other though...Ben with his secrets and Sorcha with hers.

Ben has a job to do though, no matter what the cost to his emotions. He does not want to become personally involved with a possible criminal, but as he spends more time with Sorcha and mysterious, frightening things continue to happen, he begins to wonder if he might be wrong. Not knowing who Ben really is, Sorcha struggles to decide if she can trust Ben with her secrets and her heart. Will he feel the same when she reveals them? Is Sorcha involved in drug running? But when Sorcha's life is in imminent danger, Ben can only hope he's not to late to save the woman he realizes he loves.

Toni Anderson really pulled me into Storm Warning...from her descriptions of the Scottish coast "...the crumbling seawall, mist-laden air, and the constant beat of the waves in the background of every breath he took." to the depth of the characters, I could feel myself there and I could feel myself in the characters. Sorcha has done well for herself despite what she endured after her father's death. She is strong and independent. Unaware of the psychic background in her family, she is not sure what to think about the voices or her father's ghost... Her attraction to Ben is unexpected for her, and along with everything else suddenly going on in her life she handles herself (and Ben!) very well. Ben is undercover DEA who has not had an ideal childhood, but is determined to do good where he can. Sorcha forces him to acknowledge parts of himself he's been ignoring. I didn't always like how he acted with Sorcha (the hot/cold thing)...but since I was outside looking in, it made complete sense to me! 

Storm Warning has lots of secondary characters that all play an important role in the story...they will all keep you guessing and surprising you! Storm warning is a 5 star romantic suspense that is a great read for anyone looking to escape to the Scottish coast for heart stopping mystery!

Feel the Rush

In Feel the Rush by Kelsie Leverich: Meagan is approaching her 30th birthday and no closer to meeting her 5 year plan than she’s ever been. She’s still single, living in a dingy apartment, partying with her friends, and when she does hook up with a man, he’s always Mr. Bad Boy Wrong. Meagan decides it’s time to change and start looking for Mr. Right. When the opportunity comes up to move with her friend Eva, Meagan decides this is a perfect time for a fresh start.Read More

Curse of Passion

Welcome to small town San Julio, a place of secrets and dark legends.

Johanna has lived her life believing in the legend of La Llorona...that she is destined to be alone, no man will ever stay with her. Her own mother, crazed in her belief of the legend, even tried to drown a young Johanna and her sister Carmen in the river before taking her own life in it. "They all leave, Joey. Every last one of them. no man will stay with you. You're cursed." Since then, Johanna has made sure to keep herself and her sister safe. She is so sure neither of them will have a relationship that lasts, that even when she's attracted to her old friend and now her boss, principal Ray, she doesn't pursue him when he tells her he can't be involved with her. "...Ray was a man. And men left the Rios women. Always."

That is about to change though. When killings start in the name of La Llorona and Johanna is being stalked...the evidence is mounting that she will be the killer's final target. As much as Ray has fought his attraction to Johanna, he is determined to do everything he can to protect this beautiful, intelligent yet vulnerable woman. Johanna is thankful that she finally has someone to lean on, even if just for a little while. But as the killer gets closer and danger threatens, Johanna and Ray also find themselves getting closer, and Johanna finally thinks that maybe she can have a forever. Neither Johanna or Ray were looking to get involved with anyone, let alone fall in love. But when Ray looked at Johanna "He felt like he'd just found a light at the end of the tunnel he'd been slogging through for the last God knows how many years." Will they get the chance to be together, or will the killer get to Johanna first? Is La Llorona purely legendary...or is Johanna doomed?

Melissa really wowed me with Curse of Passion! I love how she's woven the legend of La Llorona so realistically into the romance and suspense of Curse of Passion. La Llorona is indeed a real legend, which makes the story even more realistic, and a little bit scary at times! Melissa gives us great background on the legend as it's told in Curse of Passion, and she weaves it well into the plot. Ray and Johanna were two people who you really hope make it and have a chance together...I really liked them both. Melissa gives us perspective from both Ray and Johanna, so we are able to get into their minds and see things how they do, which make them all the more relate-able. Even though Curse of Passion takes place over a short period of time, I really felt like the characters were able to grow and become stronger in that time.

Curse of Passion is a dark, thrilling story of legends, love, and fear. I highly recommend this!

Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC in return for an honest review.
5/5 stars