Can't Let Go

Can't Let Go by Jessica Lemmon introduces us to Aiden and Sadie.  The meet at a nightclub, and that night go back to Sadie's home together.  But the night doesn't end as one would expect as Aiden and Sadie instead bare their soul's to each other instead of their bodies.

Sadie is a one date kind of woman, but Aiden is very intrigued by her.  When he asks her to go out again, Sadie surprises even herself by saying yes.  After a disasterious ending engagement, Sadie trust no one but herself.  She wants to be the one in control, even though she is drawn to Aiden.  Aiden shakes her control, making her feel more than she wants to for someone she just met.  "Sadie didn't want to feel this kind of attachment to anyone.  She didn't want to worry whenever he was late, or whenever he was out on his bike and the weather turned.  She didn't want to care this much, dammit."

In a matter of days, Aiden and Sadie fall hard for each other.  But Aiden can only let himself get so close to Sadie.  He is hiding things from his family, and for now must hide Sadie from them too.  Sadie seems to have more issues than a broken engagement, but in the span of a short novella we aren't privy to these.  And if Aiden can't be honest with his family, can he be honest with Sadie?  He might end up giving up the best thing he's had in a long time, even though he just found her.

Can't Let Go is an introduction to Hard To Handle, a full length novel that will come out soon (I hope!) where I'm hoping we'll delve deeper into Aiden and Sadie's relationship.  Crickett and Shane are there briefly, from Tempting the Billionaire, and it looks like we might see more of them in Hard to Handle too.  I liked both Aiden and Sadie, even though Aiden especially frustrated me because of his lack of honestly with his family which can only result in hurt for Sadie.  No matter what his reasons, I felt like he should have been as honest with them as he was with Sadie.  I felt like I got a good grasp on their personalities from this novella.

Jessica Lemmon gives us a quick read with Can't Let Go, I like the feel of it and how it ties into the other books.  There's a little bit of sexual tension, lots of humor, and love at first sight (which I totally believe in by the way!).  It is not a stand alone novella, and I feel like it ended too abruptly, even for a cliffhanger.  I will definitely be reading Hard to Handle as soon as it comes out!

3.5 stars/5 stars

A Time For Home

I LOVED this 5 star book!!

A Time For Home by Alexis Morgan: Callie is between job contracts at the moment, temporarily staying at her parents home. When she hears shortly after arriving that her good friend Spence has died in Afghanistan, she is shocked and devastated. Even more shocking is that he's left his house and all his belongings to Callie. She is not sure what she's going to do...Read More

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Peaces of Me

Deceiving the Witch Next Door

Storie Bell is a witch.  She has moved around a lot, both as a child and as and adult.  Despite rejecting the magic, her father always tried to do the best for Storie after her mother abandoned her.  Storie left Bloomington, Texas the same evening she had a chance, passionate encounter with Reid Malone.  Now Storie is back in Bloomington, intending to make it her home.  She longs to fit in and be 'normal' instead of feeling alone and isolated.  She hopes she will be able to do this in Bloomington, where her and her friend Harper are renovating the filling station Storie's Dad left her, to open up The Storiebook Cafe.

Even with the excitement of coming back to Bloomington and opening their cafe and bookstore, Storie can feel a darkness.  Not sure what it means or what it will bring, she carries on.  She certainly doesn't expect for Reid to be back in town also...Reid who has always hungered for the city life but after that one afternoon with Storie has never forgotten her.  "...she was a damn siren.  A girl next door who could bring a man to his knees with a crook of her finger."  Reid is unaware that Storie is a witch with magical powers, maybe he's dismissing the signs, but he is just drawn to her like no one else.  Storie is sure drawn to him and can feel the chemistry, but after years of listening to her Dad, she really believes no witch can have a lasting relationship with a mortal man.

Reid is back with his own agenda...one that he's not sharing with Storie, but could have everything to do with Storie.  Both Reid and Storie are hiding things from each other, and the more Storie tries to push Reid away the more he pushes back.  With secrets and history holding them back is there any hope?  When everything comes to a head and the past comes back, so they have any chance at all?  When Reid finally realizes it's not where you are but who you are with will Storie still be there?

I loved Deceiving the Witch Next Door, with the mystery, magic, and the dance of a relationship that both characters want but don't believe they can have.  It was easy to feel a connection to Storie, with or without magic.  Her magic is fun, there is just enough paranormal in Deceiving the Witch Next Door to satisfy me and not take it over the top!  I really admired what Storie was doing, especially going back to Bloomington.  Despite the way she was treated there, she wanted to make a home there.

Right or not, Reid was trying to do what he felt was best for his father.  He didn't count on Storie though...and without any magic she manages to capture his heart...if she'll accept it  The interactions between Storie and Reid were at times hot, funny, and sweet.  They will make a great forever couple if they can get past the secrets and past.  The inclusion of the secondary characters was just right.  Harper and her daughters didn't distract from Storie and Reid's story, and the appearance of other significant characters later in the book added to the plot.

Melissa gives us a fast paced, intriguing romance with a great story line in Deceiving the Witch Next Door.  I loved it and highly recommend it!

5/5 stars

Always On My Mind

Leah grew up with a perfectionist father who seemed to see nothing good in Leah.  She was constantly told she'd never amount to anything and couldn't do anything right.  She was more than happy to leave everything and everyone in Lucky Harbor behind when she left, including her good friend Jack.  Years later now, Leah is back in Lucky Harbor to run her grandmother's bakery while her Grandma recovers from knee surgery.  Leah has never really settled anywhere since she left Lucky Harbor, and she is not sure where she'll head next after Lucky Harbor.  She never did finish pre-med, political science, journalism or culinary school - then she was on the reality cooking show Sweet Wars...but what's next is still up in the air since no one knows the outcome of the show yet.  She does know she loves baking though...it is one of the few for sure things in her life.

Jack watched his mother fall apart after his father was killed on the job as a fire fighter.  Now he is also a fire fighter, and he's determined his line of work and a long term relationship won't work.  As happy as he is to see his good friend Leah back in Lucky Harbor, he still feels the hurt of her leaving him all those years ago.  He's not sure how things will be between them now, but he does know that Leah is still part of his life.  She's been a big help to his mother too, who has had cancer and is undergoing treatments.  Unfortunately, Leah tries so hard to cheer his mother up, she blurts out that her and Jack are now in a relationship, hoping that the fact that Jack is in a committed relationship will make his mother happy.  Leah's little lie has the desired effect on Jack's mother, but it's about to throw a whole new wrench in Leah and Jack's friendship.  It's something Jack might have wanted years ago, but not now when he has no intention of settling down.

Leah and Jack start off playing the pretend relationship, but soon it evolves into something much more, no matter how much they both try to deny it.  Both of them are very cautious with their hearts.  For Jack, Leah "...had always been fickle with her heart and its wants.  If he let himself fall for her again, losing her this time would kill him."   The chemistry is certainly there for Leah and Jack, but Leah is still ready to run and not settle...even though Jack is starting to feel more and more like he wants Leah to stay in Lucky Harbor with him, running the bakery.  Jack knows some things are worth fighting for "I want you, Leah, I've always wanted you, but you have to want to fight for it too...", but he's not sure how much fight he has left in him.  Will Leah finally believe that she is worth love?  Do they have the courage to risk their hearts for each other?

Leah's issues with her father's treatment of her have carried forward into all aspects and relationships in her life.  She doesn't have a lot of self confidence, she's a complete perfectionist, and so far she hasn't stuck around in one place for very long.  She had a really good friend in Jack, but ran from that too.  Leah was a really hard person for me to connect with.  I felt at times bad for her and at times frustrated with her for her lack of faith in herself and others.  She's a perfectionist but seems to have very low expectations of herself.  I would have liked to know a bit more about her relationship with her mother and why her father's behavior was tolerated.  I loved Leah's Grandma and her silent support of Leah.

Jack is doing what he feels is expected of him...following in his father's footsteps even though it's not exactly what he wants to do.  Why he is who he is is much clearer in Always On My Mind.  He's definitely not looking for a relationship, but his 'pretend' one stops him from seeing anyone besides Leah.  He has always had feelings for Leah, but the hurt from the past are still with him...and seeing his mother unable to move on from his father's death have deeply affected him.  Whereas I felt Leah had very low expectations of what she could do, I felt like Jack had too many expectations of what he should be doing!

Always On My Mind is a friends to lovers story that works really well.  The friendship part of the relationship was a long time ago, now limited to a few cards a year Leah has sent to Jack, and it was fun to watch them muddle their way through a 'pretend' relationship with all sorts of rules.  The secondary characters and side plots in Always On My Mind really added depth to Leah and Jack's story...the little mystery and quirky characters were woven well into the main plot.  They were a great part of this book to bring it to life for me.  I loved reconnecting with all the other residents of Lucky Harbor we have met through the series, and of course, the facebook page!!  

Jill gives us an easy to read, fun love story in Always on My Mind.  I don't think you have to have read all of the other Lucky Harbor books to enjoy this one, but I recommend them!

3.5 / 5 stars

Until Fountain Bridge

Until Fountain Bridge by Samantha Young tells us about Ellie and Adam. Adam is Ellie’s brother’s best friend, and Ellie’s been in love with him forever! Adam has been a bit of a player with the ladies though, never acknowledging he sees Ellis as more than his best friend’s little sister, despite some of the mixed signals he gives her as she gets older. It took a brain tumor scare for Adam to finally give into the feelings he has for Ellie. Once that happened, things moved pretty quickly…but they’ve known each other forever! Read More

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