Book Review and Giveaway: A New Hope (Thunder Point series) by Robyn Carr

This is a lovely reading experience!
My apologies to the tour and blog followers for being late with this post. We were without internet for the past two nights and my work day left me no time to get online for blog time.

A New Hope (Thunder Point series)
by Robyn Carr

File Size: 761 KB
Print Length: 336 pages
Publisher: MIRA (July 1, 2015)
Publication Date: June 30, 2015
Sold by: Harlequin Digital Sales Corp.
ASIN: B00S4ZH4XY
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Starting over is never easy, but in Thunder Point, where newcomers are welcome and friends become family, it's possible to find yourself again. #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr takes us on a moving and rewarding journey as a young woman finds new hope.

After losing her child, Ginger Dysart was lost in grief. But since moving to Thunder Point, a small town on the Oregon coast, Ginger is finally moving forward. Her job at the flower shop is peaceful and fulfilling, and she's excited to be assisting with the Lacoumette wedding.

In spite of her lasting heartache, Ginger is swept up in the pleasure of the occasion. But the beauty of the Lacoumette farm and the joy of the gregarious family are ruined by an unfortunate encounter with the bride's brother, Matt. Struggling with painful memories of his own, Matt makes a drunken spectacle of himself when he tries to make a pass at Ginger, forcing her to flee the scene in embarrassment.

But when Matt shows up at the flower shop determined to make amends, what started out as a humiliating first meeting blossoms into something much deeper than either of them expected. Everyone around them worries that Ginger will end up with a broken heart yet again. But if Ginger has the courage to embrace the future, and if Matt can finally learn to let go of the past, there may still be hope for a happy ending.

Review:
Ginger had fallen under the spell of a second rate musician who warned her he wasn’t really the settling down type. She worked hard but the marriage failed and she suffered more than just the lose of a self-centered husband; she lost a child too. Ginger moved to Thunder Point to get a new start and to regroup from the emotional losses. She finds herself enjoying new friends in a warm community although she has no plans to try romance again for years.

Matt got married in a fever. It took a little less than a year to learn that their chemistry wouldn't survive their different goals and life styles. Matt spent the next year running through women and figuring it would be a long time before he risked marriage again.

Matt met Ginger at his sister’s wedding when he was drunk and practically groped her. His apology dinner turns out well and they quickly find they enjoy being friends with long, late-night phone calls and visits to share time. Soon they each have to decide if they are willing to risk their hearts to share more than friendship.

This is a strong romance for Ginger and Matt plus the reader gets to enjoy more romance with two other newly wed couples. The characters are well developed, the dialogue is natural and the smooth pacing makes for easy reading. The romances are sweet, conflicted and with just the right touch of sizzle. There are details of work and local interests that add to the story.

In my opinion Robyn Carr is in the top of the writer field when it comes to contemporary, small town romance. Her characters are real and there are always true to life problems and emotions to overcome. Ms. Carr describes human relationships with such insight and feeling that I have to wonder if she has studied psychology. I wouldn’t want a steady diet of small town, family drama and relationships, but when I am in the mood, I know I can pick up a Robyn Carr novel and enjoy a lovely reading experience.

This is part of a series but read fine as a stand alone. I highly recommend this book, and this author, for a touching, uplifting read.

I received this title as part of Little Bird Publicity Tour, to post an honest review with Giveaway. This is part of my NetGalley Challenge.

GIVEAWAY

ONE PRINT COPY (US only). Graciously provided by the tour.

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.)

For 2 Extra Bonus entries (a) comment on the review,

OR

(b) visit THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE and tell me something you like/learned there

* This contest is open to US only for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) July 11, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after July 11, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Audible Book Review: Virgin River by Robyn Carr

This is an entertaining, character driven, small town romance story.

Virgin River

Written by: Robyn Carr

Narrated by: Therese Plummer

Length: 12 hrs and 23 mins

Series: Virgin River, Book 1

Release Date:05-07-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town

My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Publisher's Summary

Fan-adored author Robyn Carr presents the story of a woman who "needs a change [and] gets something very different than she bargained for" (Booklist).

Recently widowed, grieving Los Angeles midwife/nurse Melinda Monroe answers a small upstate town's ad for help. Nestled amongst California's giant redwoods, quaint Virgin River is host to many quirky characters - including bar owner Jack Sheridan, who may be just the man to make Melinda smile again.

©2007 Robyn Carr; (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Review:
Melinda, a midwife/nurse, left the busy hospital in Los Angeles to take a job in the remote town of Virgin River. She seeks to escape the familiar places that remind her of her grief over the murder of her husband. She loves being a midwife and the woman who recruited her to Virgin River assured her that she would be provided with a cozy cabin and a position working with the town's aging doctor.

Melinda arrives to discover that the cabin is filthy and dilapidated. When she meets the 70+ year old doctor she learns that he is a curmudgeon who objects to the idea of help. She heads to the local bar to get warm, get something to eat, and find out where she can stay but there is no other accommodation in town. Things don’t look too promising and she plans to leave the next morning.

The bar owner, Jack Sheridan, is immediately smitten which is new for him. Unmarried at 40, he has been fine with friendly flings and no attachments. He sees the sadness in Mel and wants to find a way to keep her in town so he can make her smile. Fate steps in the next morning when they discover an abandoned baby on Doc’s doorstep. Melinda moves in with Doc, determined to make sure the baby is okay before she leaves. Jack goes to work fixing up the cabin as a surprise lure to keep Mel from leaving.

A day becomes a week, a week a month, and bit by bit Melinda makes friends and becomes invested in the lives of the people of Virgin River. She views Jack as her best friend in town but she still hasn’t told anyone about her dead husband. Jack knows there is something holding her back from sharing feelings and time with him. He is willing to pursue her patiently but persistently.

Melinda and Jack are nice strong characters who carry the story. The secondary characters add a lot of interest and fun as well. I enjoyed the tension and the sweet development of friendship and love. Melinda visits nearby towns including Grace Valley where she meets June and Jim. I mention this as it was nice to revisit with those characters that I met in the very first Carr book and trilogy that I read years ago.

Ms. Carr does a wonderful job of developing real characters in real circumstances. The story is character driven with enough plot and action to keep it moving at an easy pace. I did enjoy this but I‘m not sure I would make it through 19 books in the series. I recommend this to readers who enjoy small town romances with  life-like characters.

Audio Notes: Therese Plummer does a fine job with the narration. It isn’t over the top in voice accents but she succeeds in sharing the emotional intensity. The audio enhanced my enjoyment of this story.

This has been in my Audible library since 2012. This qualifies for my TBR list, my Audio Book Challenge and V in Alphabet Soup Challenge.

Book Review and Giveaways: Fringe Benefits (The Ladies Who Lunch) by Sandy James

This is fine writing and a good romance but certain aspects don’t suit my tastes.
Fringe Benefits (The Ladies Who Lunch)
by Sandy James

• File Size: 1246 KB
• Print Length: 300 pages
• Publisher: Forever Yours (April 21, 2015)
• Sold by: Hachette Book Group
• ASIN: B00RTY0X7K

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0 (see review for specifics on rating)

Book Description
Publication Date: April 21, 2015
When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. High school teacher Danielle Bradshaw deserves a happily ever after, and the Ladies Who Lunch are determined to deliver Mr. Right.
HOT FOR TEACHER
As the new head of the English department, Dani doesn't have much time for anything but lesson planning and literature. Romance-or even sex? Forget about it. But then the principal introduces her to last-minute hire Nate Ryan. Finding time to mentor a new teacher won't be easy, especially when his incredible body and equally disarming charisma are enough to make her heart skip a beat . . .
Nate may be fresh out of school, but he's confident in his teaching skills-and in his feelings for Dani. But while she's everything he's ever wanted, he knows his place on her staff-and his age-may be problematic for his sexy boss. How can he convince her to ignore the gossip mill currently in full swing in the teacher's lounge and surrender to what's meant to be?
"Sweet, endearing and delightful...Sometimes you just need that heartfelt, hometown romance and Fringe Benefits hit the spot." ~ Beth, Tome Tender, 5 stars

Review:
Danielle is the last of the Ladies Who Lunch to settle down with Mr. Right. She is a 32 year old school teacher who has achieved the head of the English Department through dedication and planning. Dani has a tendency towards control and she had her last day before school started all planned out until the new teacher arrived. Her principal calls her to the office, introduces her to the gorgeous hunk, Nate, and turns him over for Dani to prepare him for the next day.

Nate is excited to land his first teaching position and although he is confident in his skills he is flustered at having only one day to get his room and lessons prepared. He is very pleased that Dani is able to help him as he is smitten at first sight and glad to spend time getting to know her. Nate may be younger but he has his first love, broken-heart behind him and is ready to go for what he wants – which is Dani. He just has to figure out how to convince her to get over the age and ‘boss’ issues and gain her trust so she can loosen up her controls. Moving into her basement apartment gives him opportunities to woe her to his side.

Unfortunately Dani has other major concerns that will have to be addressed sooner or later. And
Nate’s ex-girlfriend makes an unexpected play to rekindle their relationship which adds one more obstacle to his relationship with Dani.

I liked the naturalness of the primary characters, Dani and Nate. The chemistry is hot and the issues are real to life. Dani’s friends, the Ladies Who Lunch, and their husbands make a nice support system and Nate’s mother, stepfather and grandpa add some interference as good secondary characters. I enjoy Ms. James writing style which makes for smooth, easy and quick reading.

My disappointment with this book was two fold. The book, especially the beginning, is liberally peppered with unnecessary words that I consider swear words. I know they have grown increasingly acceptable but I don’t like them and it effects my reading pleasure. The other issue is that the sex scenes are fairly graphic. They are done in a loving situation but by the fourth or fifth one I just skipped those pages as I wasn’t interested in the details of their bed sport.

I have enjoyed several of Ms. James’ books in the past and I looked at my review of Sealing the Deal which did not note these concerns although I did say the encounters were "bold". If the author and her editors have decided that her books need more spice through swear words and graphic sex then I guess I will have to take her off my reading list which is too bad. I am sure many readers won’t be bothered by these issues and will really enjoy the otherwise warm (I wouldn't term this as "sweet") and well-written romance. The story and romance deserve a 4.0 or better but the 3.75 rating reflects my reaction of the language and detailed sex.

I received this title from Hachette/Forever for an honest review as part of blog tour blitz . This qualifies for NetGalley Challenge.

Buy Links:

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About the author:

Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis with her husband. She's a high school social studies teacher who especially loves psychology and United States history. Since she and her husband own a small stable of harness racehorses, they often spend time together at the two Indiana racetracks.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

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Goodreads

Excerpt:

     This will be a great story to tell the kids one day.     Why that ridiculous thought kept tumbling through Nate’s head was beyond him. But it did.
     Your mom and I got locked in a supply closet together. That’s when we decided to start dating.
     There was a stack of papers they’d used to play what seemed like a million games of tic-tac-toe, which had been followed by hangman. Over an hour had passed, and there was no sign of the custodian.
     Funny, but he no longer minded losing all that time to get things ready for the first day of school. Instead, he found himself drawn to his pretty, witty boss.
     He recognized her perfume. Angel. Once, he’d gone to the trouble of picking a perfume he thought was the perfect scent and bought his fiancée what the salesman called a “recruitment set.” The bundle of Angel products had everything from the perfume in a star-shaped bottle to body lotion.
     Kat had hated it.
     Obviously Dani liked it as much as he did. Everything about her appealed to him and—Jesus have mercy. She was his boss. So why did he keep forgetting that?
     “My legs are getting stiff.” She struggled to stand, groping for one of the shelves. A hiss fell from her lips. “S---.”
     The pain on her face hit Nate hard, and he grabbed her arm to help steady her. “What’s wrong?”
     “Cramp. Leg cramp.” She leaned heavily on him as she got to her feet and immediately stuck out her right leg, pointing and flexing her foot. “Damn, that smarts.”
     “Where?” He didn’t want to start pawing her leg, but he wanted to help.
     “Calf.” Dani’s face tightened into a grimace again.
     Nate eased down on one knee and started rubbing her leg.
     “Nice knot you’ve got there.”
     “I think I’m dehydrated.” As he kept working on the knot, she flexed and extended her foot. “Left my water in my room.”
     “Yeah, well, neither of us expected to be here so long.” The muscle relaxed under his kneading fingers. “Getting better?”
     “Much.”
     So why couldn’t he stop touching her? When it dawned on him that he wanted to trail his fingers up her leg, to her slender thigh and beyond, he slowly stood. Her eyes were locked with his, and tension rose between them as he gently put his hands on her waist, easing her forward.
     Her head cocked just enough to show that she would allow him to kiss her. With a smile, he lowered his face to hers. With a loud rattle of the lock, the door suddenly swung open, and the sixty-something custodian stared at them wide-eyed.
     “What in the hell are you two doing?”

THE BOTTOM LINE by Sandy James (May 6, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #1)

When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. Surviving a failed marriage and an illness that almost takes her life, high school teacher Mallory Hamilton needs the Ladies Who Lunch more than ever . . . 

Buy Links:

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iBooks

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BAM

SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED by Sandy James (July 1, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #2)

When life gets tough and love is hard to find, four friends take their troubles to lunch. High school teacher Juliana Kelley tells the Ladies Who Lunch that her life needs an overhaul . . . and gets a whole lot more than she wished for.

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Kobo

GooglePlay

BAM

SEALING THE DEAL by Sandy James (November 4, 2014; Forever Yours E-Book; The Ladies Who Lunch Book #3)

After losing her sister, Bethany Rogers needs a shoulder to lean on more than ever-though she never expects that shoulder to belong to her new boss . . . 

Buy Links:

Amazon

B&N

iBooks

Kobo

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BAM

GIVEAWAY ONE: RAFFLECOPTER

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY TWO:

In addition to the Rafflecopter giveaway I get to give One Winner at this blog
an ecopy of Fringe Benefits 
from the publisher through NetGalley.

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries comment on this review, OR

visit THE AUTHOR'S Website and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open Worldwide - whoever can receive ebook through NetGalley.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) May 2, 2015.
Winners are asked to respond, within 72 hours, by the winners form linked in the announcement.

Book Review and Giveaways: A Kiss to Build a Dream On (A White Pine Novel) by Kim Amos

This 'second chance' romance is a fast, light read.

A Kiss to Build a Dream On (A White Pine Novel)

by Kim Amos

• File Size: 796 KB
• Print Length: 352 pages
• Publisher: Forever (March 31, 2015)
• ASIN: B00LLIIZAC
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• My Rating: 3.5 of 5.0

Book Description

Publication Date: March 31, 2015
TROUBLE IN HIGH HEELS . . . 
If pride goes before a fall, Willa Masterson's trip back to White Pine, Minnesota, should be one heck of a tumble The girl who left her hometown-and her first love, Burk Olmstead-in the rearview twelve years ago was spoiled and headstrong. But the woman who returns is determined to rebuild: first her family house; then her relationships with everyone in town . . . starting with a certain tall, dark, and sexy contractor.
MEETS HER MATCH
Burk has no reason to believe Willa has changed, and every reason to discourage her from converting the Masterson house into a B&B. He has plans of his own for that house, and they certainly don't include a no-vacancy sign. But Burk didn't count on how distracting Willa's bright green eyes or her all-too-familiar touch would feel-or how impossible she will be to resist . . .

Review:
Willa was a spoiled heiress who left her small-town high school sweetheart without so much as a goodbye kiss to flee to New York. There she lived a high society life-style with shopping as her main occupation while her investor boyfriend controlled her accounts. Willa was shocked when her boyfriend was arrested for fraud and theft, including having wiped out Willa’s accounts. Fortunately Willa had two assets left when it was all over - one old trust account and her home estate in White Pine.

Willa returns home with the plan to turn the old family house into a Bed & Breakfast. The problem is her high school sweetheart, Burk, is the local contractor and he had other plans for the home. He has cared for the property for the past twelve years since Willa left, continuing even after her absent mother died and no one was paying him. Burk isn’t thrilled to have the girl who broke his heart back in town but he is happy to have the job to keep his crew employed.

Willa realizes that she has hurt a lot of people and she must apologize and make amends if she wants to succeed with her B&B. She volunteers to help the high school girl’s track team and is invited to a recipes exchange group. Even though Willa has no clue how to cook she joins the group of women and begins to make real friends for the first time in her life.

Burk and Willa find it tense to work together as both hide their past feelings and hurts. Willa doesn’t want to reveal the extent of her money problems, although she can't hide how ill-prepared she is for many normal life tasks. Burk figures Willa will leave town soon and he wants to convince her to sell the house to him. He surely doesn’t want to fall prey to Willa again.

I liked the small town features, the secondary characters and the second chance romance. The setting descriptions are crisp, several emotional portrayals are worded really well and the message of forgiveness is nicely presented.  I was able to get beyond Willa being a mean person in high school, a foolish young woman not caring for her own money,  to suddenly being a nice girl... after all, people can mature. The story reads quickly but I was bothered by the constant thread of visual sexuality and then the basic sex scenes. When they weren’t ‘secretly’ ogling each other’s chests, their chests were aching from loss and longing. The focus on sexual attraction took up way too much of the book for my likes. Although this made the reading tedious for me, some readers will no doubt like this aspect.

I received this title through NetGalley for an honest review for Forever Romance blog tour. This qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge. 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1xfmEZm
B&N: http://bit.ly/1ErH3HJ
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1AxKQ4M
BAM!: http://bit.ly/1F4vQC8
Goodreads: http://bit.ly/1I04MCu

About Kim Amos

A Midwesterner whose roots run deep, Kim Amos is a writer living in Michigan with her husband and three furry animals. 

Website: http://www.kimamoswrites.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimAmosWrites

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimamoswrites

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kimamoswrites/

Excerpt available at author website.

GIVEAWAYS

Rafflecopter
a Rafflecopter giveaway

ONE PRINT COPY (US/Canada only).

Graciously provided by the publisher:

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries (a) comment on the review,

OR

(b) visit THE AUTHOR'S WEBSITE and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open to US/CANADA only for Print Copy.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) April 11, 2015.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after April 11, 2015.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond on the winners form linked in the announcement or by email.

Book Review: Admit to Mayhem: Lillian Dove Mystery by D. J. Adamson

This is an engaging mystery with a dysfunction heroine.

Admit to Mayhem: Lillian Dove Mystery

by D. J. Adamson

• File Size: 403 KB
• Print Length: 212 pages
• Publisher: Horatio Press (August 25, 2014)
• ASIN: B00N1L0RVC
• Genre: Mystery, Amateur Sleuth, Small Town
• My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0
• 
  

Book Description
Publication Date: August 25, 2014
With a contrary attitude and an addiction for independence, Lillian Dove admits she has not been a success in life. In fact, she considers failing as one of her addictions. Yet, when she comes across a suspicious house fire with a history of arson and murder, she instinctively attempts to help someone trapped. Lillian becomes the only possible eyewitness to criminal arson, and her life begins to spiral out of control.
Lillian Dove is an endearing “everywoman” struggling with life issues, emotional complexities and a habit of doing just the opposite of what she’s told to do. These qualities in a heroine give the reader an ability to vicariously struggle along with the protagonist in this intriguing Midwest Noir mystery.

Review:
Lillian Dove has not had a very happy life. Lillian resents her mother for keeping the family in its situation with an alcoholic and abusive father and burdening young Lillian with the care of two younger brothers. As soon as she could, Lillian escaped home but her life spiraled into alcohol until she pulled herself out fifteen years later.

Lillian moved to a new town to start a life away from her past. Now, as a reconveying alcoholic, she struggles to make ends meet with two jobs: a dispatcher for the police and a clerk in a local liquor store. She wishes for a “normal” life with a boyfriend to love.

Lillian drives by and sees a house on fire. After calling it in she tries to rescue someone she spotted in an upstairs window. She tumbles into the bedroom and has to be rescued herself. The rescuing fireman claims there was no evidence of anyone else in the house.

A few days later Lillian calls in a break-in at her condominium but, again, the arriving police say there is no evidence of anyone there. She spots a mean man threatening her mother at the nearby living facility and begins to believe that man is responsible. Lillian continues to try to solve the arson case even while being mocked by the police department.

I found the beginning of this book a bit difficult as Lillian is not a happy character and it was unusual to have an unlucky, codependent, dysfunctional heroine. However I appreciated her determination and eventually was engaged by the mystery and the mayhem. I felt there were some character involvements that were not completely explained and the ending, after the mystery was solved, was a bit abrupt. Yet, I was engaged enough by the town characters that I read on into the excerpt of the next book, wanting to know more of what happens and hoping for better things for Lillian.

The writing flowed well and read fairly quickly. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery and especially to readers who like small town settings with different character personalities.

I received this ebook for an honest review as part of Pump Up Your Book Tour.

• Admit to Mayhem is available at Amazon.
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.

About the Author

D. J. Adamson is an award-winning author. Her family roots grow deep in the Midwest and it is here she sets much of her work. She juggles her time between her own desk and teaching writing to others at two Los Angeles area colleges. Along with her husband and two Welsh Terriers, she makes her home in Southern California.

Her latest book is the mystery, amateur sleuth, Admit to Mayhem.

For More Information

• Visit D.J.’s website.
• Connect with D.J. on Facebook and Twitter.
• Find out more about D.J. at Goodreads.
• Visit D.J.’s blog.
• Contact D.J..

Book Excerpt:

My name is Lillian Dove. I am a recovering alcoholic, five years sober.

      Five long years, yet the clink of ice in a glass still sets me on edge.

      There is no graduation from alcoholism. Or life, for that matter. I am also addicted to Pepsi, chocolate, men, being afraid, being afraid of not being afraid, men—again--and my independence, co-dependence and unsettling ability to fail no matter my attempt. There are other compulsions and bad habits, but I can’t think of them right now. Memory loss, see? And I obsess on how much I forget, if I remember. Giving up alcohol turned out to be easier than changing some of my other behaviors.

      Especially my bad judgment when it comes to men. The type of man I’m most attracted to is like a tall, Tom Collins on a sweltering, summer day:  gin, a little lemon--but not too sour—with sweet syrup and bubbly soda.  It’s hard to resist, even if I know it’s not good for me.

       I’ve pledged a Tom-Collins-abstinence.

      Yet, Chief Charles Kaefring began offering me his attention. I thought my sobriety realigned my sexual magnetism. I was attracting a different type.

       He started coming to my desk to tell me he was leaving and instructed me to send all his calls to his assistant. At first I couldn’t figure out why he thought I needed this instruction. I already transferred his calls as a manner of routine. Then a week after making sure I was aware of his whereabouts, I bumped into him lakeside at Louise’s Italian Kitchen.

       Louise’s is my Friday night routine. I celebrate making it through another week.  One spaghetti dinner at a time.

      After that Friday night, I saw him at Louise’s every week. If he got there before me, I’d see him glancing toward the entry as if waiting for me to arrive. If I got there first, I’d pretend I never expected him to show up--which was the truth. Each and every time he arrived, I was flabbergasted.

      I wasn’t sure what was starting up between the two of us or who started it. I mean, how could a man like him seriously be interested in me?

       And even after weeks came and went, I still didn’t trust him. At each dinner he’d ask if I’d like wine with my meal. “Of course,” I’d say, letting my glass set without drinking it. If he worried the wine wasn’t good, I’d bring the glass to my lips, without sipping. I figured if he knew I had a drinking problem, he’d beat the hell out of there. Eventually though, he stopped asking if I wanted wine and only ordered one glass instead of two.

       Still, he kept showing up.

      I knew I was starting to slip into a situation that could toss my sobriety into the toilet, but meeting for dinner didn’t seem like backsliding into emotional drunkenness. Although, it never feels like slipping until you find yourself in a ragged heap of discontent.

      Our routine altered when on a Sunday afternoon he telephoned giving me a weather report. He said the day was hot and getting hotter. He said he was putting a steak on the barbecue, and he just happened to have two.  Are you hungry?

Book Review: Snow Angel Cove by RaeAnne Thayne

I am pleased to recommend this as a delightful, character driven, sweet romance.

Snow Angel Cove
by RaeAnne Thayne

• File Size: 475 KB
• Print Length: 379 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0373779070
• Publisher: Harlequin HQN (October 28, 2014)
• ASIN: B00K9ZWH7K

Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 1, 2014
New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne welcomes you to Haven Point, a small town full of big surprises that are both merry and bright.
Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward's Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke—literally—and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, if breathtaking, small town. Precariously close to being destitute, Eliza needs a hero, but she's not expecting one who almost runs her down with his car!
Rescuing Eliza is pure instinct for tech genius Aidan Caine. At first, putting the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge in Eliza's hands assuages his guilt—until he sees how quickly he could fall for her. Having focused solely on his business for years, he never knew what his life was missing before Eliza, but now he's willing to risk his heart on a yuletide romance that could lead to forever.

Review:
Eliza is a widow with an adorable 5 year old daughter, Maddie. Eliza closed her apartment in Boise to take a new job as manager of the Haven Point Inn in a small town. They arrive in town to discover the Inn burning down. Eliza is short on funds and has no place to go. To make a difficult day worse, Eliza is bumped in the cross walk by a car sliding off an ice patch. The driver of the car is the very handsome Aidan Caine who has recently purchased half of the town Eliza has a past reason to dislike the billionaire “Geek God” and some of the local merchants aren’t very happy with him either.

Aidan offers Eliza a temporary job as a housekeeper, organizer to prepare his new lakeside lodge for the Christmas visit of his family which consists of about 25 people: father, stepmother, siblings with spouses and children plus dogs. Eliza wouldn’t accept charity but this is a job offer too good to pass up for work she can do while sending resumes for new jobs.

Everyone loves Naddie even before they learn she has health issues. Maddie and Eliza manage to pull the intense, workaholic Aidan out of his office for some moments of fun. As Eliza and Aidan stay up late they share friendship and secrets. Aidan has his own reasons for taking time off from work and gathering his family together for a visit. When he discovers Eliza’s secret it sends him off to hide in his office working, even as his large, warm family arrives and begins their festivities.

Aidan has never slowed down enough to think about a wife and children. But now Eliza and Maddie have him seeing a side of life he has been missing. Aidan is struck by Eliza’s effectiveness, charm, devotion and patience. Although Eliza could easily fall for Aidan she is reluctant to lose her heart to another man who will put his work before family. Can these two recognize the gifts they could share before the holidays are over and Eliza leaves?

This is a character driven story set in a lovely small town setting. The primary characters, including Maddie, are well developed and their connection and growing friendship are delightful. The secondary characters, townsfolk and Aidan’s family, are fun too.

I have enjoyed other stories by Ms. Thayne and I like the easy flow and warm charm of her stories. I found this to be an easy, charming and engaging read. This may be presented as a small town romance but it is really bigger than that. This read very comfortably as a stand alone as I have not read any other stories in this series. And you wouldn't have to save this for Christmas as it could warm you anytime of the year. I highly recommend this as a very sweet, fun read to those who enjoy contemporary romance.

This is my last NetGalley selection from 2014. This qualifies for my NetGalley Challenge, TBR Double Dare, and winter COYER.

Book Review: 'Tis The Season: Under the Christmas Tree\Midnight Confessions\Backward Glance by Robyn Carr

These are three quick, delightful and adorable romances!
'Tis The Season: Under the Christmas Tree\Midnight Confessions\Backward Glance
by Robyn Carr

• File Size: 444 KB
• Print Length: 328 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0778316645
• Publisher: MIRA (October 28, 2014)
• ASIN: B00OP85WQU

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

'Tis The Season: Under the Christmas Tree\Midnight Confessions\Backward Glance
by Robyn Carr
Book Description
Publication Date: November 1, 2014
Revisit Virgin River with two beloved holiday stories from #1 New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr. Included is the bonus novella Backward Glance—available digitally for the first time.
'Tis the season for family, friendship and the thrill of a holiday romance…
Under the Christmas Tree
With snow falling over the redwood forests, secluded Virgin River is the ideal place to spend the holidays. Each year, the close-knit community gathers in the town square to decorate and light a massive tree. Carols are sung, hot chocolate is shared—and a surprise left under the Christmas tree is about to bring two special people together!

Midnight Confessions
Holiday kisses don't end with Christmas—there's still the New Year's Eve party at Jack's Bar to attend. Locals and newcomers alike find themselves eager for that special countdown…and that midnight kiss.
So join us in Virgin River this year, where Robyn Carr's trademark humor, warmth and sincerity will have you celebrating the festive season in your favorite mountain town.

Review:
This is a collection of three delightful romances. They may be set at holiday time but they'd make a nice read anytime.

Under the Christmas Tree puts two locals together caring for abandoned puppies. Annie begins to take care of the nearly frozen puppies until Doc Jensen can arrive. She is expecting the old doc but instead his son, Nate, appears. Annie knew Nate from high school years when he was a friend of her older brothers. She is wary of any romantic involvements after discovering that her fiance of several years had two other girlfriends. Nate has been accustomed to a foot loose life style especially after the fiance he brought home left because the small town life wasn’t good enough for her. He is interested in Annie but realizes that she isn’t the right type to be “loose” with. I enjoyed how this couple make a nice arrangement caring for the pups and soon became friends. Things might lead into a serious relationship if they are willing to take a chance.

Midnight Confessions is set on New Year’s Eve and finds Sunny not so sunny. She is struggling with the memories of being jilted at her wedding the year before. Drew is a young doctor who is visiting his nearby family while taking a break from work before starting his residency. Drew is immediately entranced by Sunny but she quickly shoots down his attempts at flirtation. An accident ends up putting them together long enough to share their heartbreaks. Can they learn to move beyond past hurts to the possibility of true love?

Backward Glance gives a former romance a second chance. John is a man who has taken a handy-man approach and grown it into a successful maintenance and landscape business. John and Leigh had a summer affair five years before. Leigh is a brilliant scientist, with stunted social experience, who was going through a divorce when they met. John is surprised to hear that Leigh has returned to town with twin four year old boys.  John didn’t think he could ever live up to Leigh's standards and he let her go in the heat of an argument. But he has never forgotten her and she, apparently, had reason to always remember him. Could two opposites balance their strengths and weaknesses to make a stable future together?

These three stories have lovely, vulnerable characters. I enjoyed each of the stories which had nice positive messages on life and love. Two were fairly mild in the romance with one being a bit more sensual. The writing has an easy, direct flow that reads nicely and quickly. This reminds me why I always enjoyed Ms. Carr even though I haven't read her books for a few years. It is time to start enjoying this series. The overall read was sweet and “adorable”!

I am pleased to have received this title through NetGalley for an honest review. This will go for NetGalley Challenge and TBR Dare.

Book Review and Giveaways: Sugar's Twice as Sweet: Sugar, Georgia: Book 1 by Marina Adair

This is a sexy romance with a fun story in small town setting.
Sugar's Twice as Sweet: Sugar, Georgia: Book 1
by Marina Adair 

• File Size: 811 KB
• Print Length: 385 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1455528668
• Publisher: Forever (November 25, 2014)
• ASIN: B00IRISIF6

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Small Town
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: November 25, 2014
"Marina Adair writes with heart and sizzling heat. SUGAR'S TWICE AS SWEET will charm you!"  --Jill Shalvis, New York Times bestselling author
"A can't miss read with small town sweetness, endearing characters and a unique quirky flair."  --Carly Phillips, New York Times bestselling author on SUGAR'S TWICE AS SWEET
He's trouble she doesn't need . . .
Thanks to a cheating fiancé, Josephina Harrington's perfect life just crashed and burned. Moving in with her overbearing parents is definitely not an option. No, she needs to prove she can make it on her own. And she will-by turning her great-aunt's old plantation house into a destination getaway. She's just not expecting her contractor to be so hands-on-and so totally irresistible.
. . . but everything she wants
Bad-boy golf champion Brett McGraw figured his hometown of Sugar, Georgia was the perfect place to lay low and get his life back up to par. The leggy blonde with a pint-sized pup is the kind of sweet 'n sassy trouble he never saw coming. She doesn't know a nut from a bolt and before long, he's renovating her house . . . as she steals his heart. Can he convince Josephina that his womanizing ways are in the past and he's ready for forever?

Review:
Josephina had lost herself trying to be the perfect socialite girlfriend and fiance for four years. When she learns he has been cheating on her she takes off rather than face her family with her latest failure. She arrives in Sugar, Georgia determined to remodel the old house she inherited from her spirited, southern great-aunt. Josephina remembers the Fairchild House had a magical quality because that is where her great-aunt encouraged Josephina to find her wings amid the fairy dust.  Unfortunately Josephina doesn’t receive a warm welcome as a group of elderly ladies resent ‘that Yankee’ strutting in and making changes to their friend’s house.

Handsome, bad-boy, golf champion Brett McGraw has come home to Sugar to hide out from his latest scandalous escapade. He is intrigued when he sees Josephina walking down the road, especially since he remembers her as a child with pig tails who had to be rescued from his oak tree when she couldn’t "fly" down. Brett is well known for his one night stands but he realizes that Jolie is vulnerable and she isn’t a one night kind of girl. His attraction to her has him thinking maybe he could risk his heart.

When Brett’s grandmother and her gang cause more trouble for Jolie, Brett has to find a way to help her move forward with her dreams. Brett believes that Jolie can accomplish what she wants but she won’t accept help from family or friends. He steps in to help as her contractor but also helps in other ways that may end up backfiring in their relationship.

Jolie and Brett are two lively and likeable characters. The chemistry between them sizzles and the first half of the book seemed like a long seduction. I was a little distracted early in the book because it seemed that every new character was a “looker” - well at least the young ones. The elderly ladies are distinct characters who were frustrating and sometimes a hoot. The story moves along at a good pace with writing that is crisp and flows easily. The small town setting makes for plenty of fun to add to the warm story and the sexy romance. There are several brothers and friends who I imagine would make good material for more books in this series. I recommend this book to those who like a fun, sexy romance.

I received this for Forever Romance tour and an honest review.

SUGAR'S TWICE AS SWEET by Marina Adair (November 25, 2014; Forever Mass Market; $6.00)

Buy Links:

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About the author:

Marina Adair is a lifelong fan of romance novels. Along with the Sugar series, she is also the author of the St. Helena Vineyard series. She currently lives in a hundred-year-old log cabin, nestled in the majestic redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains, with her husband and daughter.

As a writer, Marina is devoted to giving her readers contemporary romance where the towns are small, the personalities large, and the romance explosive. She also loves to interact with readers and you can catch her on Twitter at @MarinaEAdair or visit her at www.MarinaAdair.com.

Social Media Links:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Marina is hosting this fabulous Rafflecopter giveaway featuring Amazon & B&N gift cards:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXTRA: 

Autographed PRINT BOOK GIVEAWAY

ENTRY FORM HERE

(Don't forget to fill in the form for entry!

I have noticed a few commenters who forgot to enter through the Form.)

For 3 Extra Bonus entries comment on the review, OR
visit THE AUTHOR'S Website and tell me something you like/learned there.

* This contest is open US/Canada Only for Print Book.
* This contest will close 5 PM (Central) December 6, 2014.
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED after December 6, 2014.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.