Book Review: The Billionaire's Sweet Valentine (Holiday Contest) by Laura L. Walker

This is a charming, clean romance – lovely for a Valentine or anytime romance read.

The Billionaire's Sweet Valentine (Holiday Contest)
by Laura L. Walker

File Size: 1402 KB
Print Length: 191 pages
Publication Date: January 18, 2018
ASIN: B0794PGVBK
Genre: Holiday, Romance
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0

When a Valentine's Day contest for Arizona's Cutest Couple throws two romance-challenged friends together, can they survive a fake engagement and win the prize?
All Penny Merrill wants to do is run her own sweet shop in ritzy Scottsdale, Arizona, but her money-hungry mother and conniving stepfather are making it nearly impossible to keep her dream alive. When Penny finds an advertisement for a Valentine’s Day contest for Arizona’s Cutest Couple, with the winnings being enough to enable her to hold on to her floundering business, she comes up with an idea that might just work—if she can find the right man for the job.
Commercial contractor Preston Ames is starting to develop feelings for Penny, and even though he’s been through enough heartache to know that he should avoid her at all costs, he can’t keep himself from visiting her sweet shop every day. When Penny asks him to participate in a crazy scheme so that she can overturn her stepfather’s underhanded business ploy, Preston hesitates, wanting to keep the fact that he’s a billionaire a secret. However, one look into her soulful blue eyes and he’s a goner.
Everything seems to be going well for Penny and Preston until they compete with another couple whose heartache transcends all of their misconceptions about love. When all is said and done, will they do the right thing and, in the process, discover a bond that is greater than they thought was even possible? Can just one picture turn Penny into Preston’s sweet Valentine? Find out in this clean and wholesome romance featuring a fun holiday contest!

Review:
Penny hasn’t had the easiest upraising with a single mother who went through one husband after another seeking riches. Now mom has married a rich man but for some reason they want to control her life. Penny broke out on her own and is struggling to give her sweet shop bakery a chance for success. When she learns of a Valentine’s Day Contest that has a $5,000.00 prize, she decides to be bold and ask Preston to pretend to be a couple with her.

Preston has been picking up treats at Penny’s shop for some time. He is a little reluctant to enter into a pretend relationship, but he really does want to help her. Preston has chosen to build his own business rather than just ride on his family money and he doesn’t want to explain to Penny his financial background. Instead he decides to enjoy the time with her as they become a couple for the contest.

Penny is facing more difficulties with her shop when she learns her step brother has become the new landlord and has moved in next door. Then some other troubles surface which are looking suspicious. Fortunately, Penny is enjoying her time with Preston and is glad to have him to lean on. She isn’t aware that Preston is investigating her problems in secret trying to determine what is going on.

I really liked this couple. Penny is full of optimism and determination. Preston has integrity and caring. It was sweet to watch their feelings for each other grow even as they tried to hide it. The other couples in the contest have different love stories that show love at various stages of life and through good times and struggles. The romance is sweet and clean and I found it charming. The storyline contest and touch of mystery flowed very smoothly and made for a nice, easy read.

I have to admit that I tend to avoid “billionaire” books. However, this one sounded like he wasn’t a pompous guy and it was a chance to read a Valentine story. I am glad I read this as it was a breath of fresh air and change of pace from some of the other things I have been reading. This is the second book I have read by Ms. Walker and I would be glad to read more. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a clean, sweet romance.

Note: Ms. Walker advised that she generally writes in the Christian genre. Although this is a sweet, clean novel, she has added Christian elements to the final version. I know I would have enjoyed those elements just fine.

Source: from the Author for review. This qualifies as a 2018 title for my Alphabet Reading Challenge.

Also see my review of Caitlyn's Christmas Wish by Laura L. Walker.

Happy Valentines! One-Line Humor on Marriage

I plan to post a review and giveaway a later today but until I get time to get that posted I thought you might like a chuckle or two! Our Sunday School teacher shared these great one liners on marriage and had us laughing out loud.

• Love is blind but marriage is a real eye-opener.
• There are two times a man doesn’t understand a woman, before marriage and after marriage.
• A successful husband is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.  A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
• Any married man should forget his mistakes because there is no use in two people remembering the same thing.
• Marriage is an institution where a man loses his Bachelor’s Degree and the woman gains her Masters.
• A husband said to his wife, “No, I don’t hate your relatives.  In fact, I like your mother-in-law better than I like mine.
• A little boy asked his father how much it cost to get married.  The father replied, “I don’t know, son, I’m still paying for it.”
• Don’t marry for money, you can borrow it cheaper.
• Every man should get married some time; after all, happiness is not the only thing in life.
• Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is a husband.
• Shared by Rodney Dangerfield: My wife and I were happy for twenty years.  Then we met.
• After a quarrel, a wife said to her husband, “You know, I was a fool when I married you.”  The husband replied, “Yes dear, but I was in love and didn’t notice.”
• I married Miss Right.  I just didn’t know that her first name was ‘Always.’
• Losing a wife can be a hard thing.  In my case, it was almost impossible at all.
•  Just think, if it weren’t for marriage, men would go through life thinking they had no faults

Follower Love Giveaway Hop - 2/8 to 2/13

Happy Valentine's Day my lovely followers!  I am Blog Hop #36 on this giveaway sponsored by inspired Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

Here are the packages for this Giveaway:

Package #1:
For US AND CANADA ONLY.
I thought this series was good for LOVE in February.
Black Dagger Brotherhood, boxed set: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Unbound, Lover Revealed, Lover Enshrined

Package #2 - ANYONE who can get a delivery from Book Depository - US, Canada or International.
Two books from Book Depository that include the words "Love", "Valentine" or "Cupid".  Value up to $18.00. 

Package #3 - INTERNATIONAL ONLY.
Two books from Book Depository that include the words "Love", "Valentine" or "Cupid".  Value up to $18.00. Or if you cannot get delivery from Book Depository then Gift Card of $15.00 (Amazon, B&N, etc.)

I am making the entry simple because there are a lot of blogs to hop to! Have a LOVELY Valentines!

International are automatically entered for #2 and #3.  

US and Canadian please fill in the choice to enter #1, #2 or both.

PLEASE ENTER BY FILLING IN THE FORM!




If the Linky list does not show here you can access it at Kathy's Post here.

February "Love" Books for Giveaways!

PLEASE NOTE - THIS IS NOT A GIVEAWAY POST!
1/19/12 Update  -- There are only four books still available on this list - I have left spaces around the titles so they are easier to spot. I hope to pull a few more Love or Valentine appropriate titles and put up a new post in the next two weeks so do check back. :-)
Sorry for the confusion.
THESE ARE BOOKS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE AND LINKED FOR GIVEAWAYS DURING FEBRUARY - like the Valentine Treat Giveaway or upcoming Sharing Beyond Books (formerly Enquiring Mind) Comment Giveaways.  Thank you for the comments. ALL Comments are greatly appreciated and feel free to comment here that you like the choices (I hope you like) but there will not be a drawing from these comments. :-)

In honor of Valentines I have put together two sets of Love, Valentine or Cupid books for some giveaways this month.  I will link this to the applicable Giveaways so you will know when you can pick from these books. 

GROUP 1 - Books for Giveaway - No waiting.
I thought I had grouped these as anthologies and single titles but apparently not. Maybe I will go back and do that when I bring my camera in.

She Loves Me Not by Wendy Corsi Staub
Love's Encore by Sandra Brown
Duel Love by Barbara Youree (Historical Romance set in Italy)
My Enemy, My Love by Elaine Coffman

**Come Home To Love (Harlequin Signature Select) by Joan Hohl

His Forever Love (Love Inspired) by Missy Tippens
Love a Dark Rider by Shirlee Busbee

A Regency Valentine - Anthology with Mary Balogh and others
Valentine Bachelors Anthology with Elise Title and others

**Hearts of Gold Anthology with Kay Hooper and others (this is a 1994 book; the top of spine is ragged and the pages are yellowed by age.)

A few more that didn't get in the picture:
Outlaw Love Anthology with Brenda Joyce and others(some spine creasing)
A Valentine Waltz Anthology with Jo Ann Ferguson and others (A marker across cover but otherwise in nice condition)
Let It Be Love by Victoria Alexander

**Another Time, Another Love (Romance Ser.) by Anne Beaumont

**For Love of Zach (Hill Creek, Texas Series #1) (Love Inspired #76) by Cheryl Wolverton
The Love Knot by Rebecca Brandewyne


GROUP 2 - These are books that I won over the past year or two. If you pick one of these I will read the book within 30 days and then pass it on to you. This has a duel purpose:

1. One of my goals this year is to read books that I have won.
2. I will get to pass on lovely books that would otherwise languor (or worse, collect dust) on my shelves.

True Love and Other Disasters by Rachel Gibson
Love Engineered by Jenna Dawlish
Love, Unexpectedly by Susan Fox
Love at First Flight by Marie Force
Loves Me, Loves Me Knot  by Heidi Betts


Two more to add to this "wait" list: - Ignore the wait I will most likely not get to this so it is open.
**Cupid the Amorous Arrow by J. M. Jeffries

Stupid Cupid-Misguided and Right On Target Anthology with Rayka Mennen and others

Two February Valentine's Giveaways!

I am planning on a Giveaway each month themed to the month. January was the calendars. This month is ....can you guess? VALENTINES of course!

I have two little packages of goodies to send out to two winners!

I couldn't resist these cute little plush animals! 

Plus a kitchen cloth, a polka dot note pad and some candy!!

They are basically the same content with slightly different colors and one has a pink cheetah(?) the other a dog!
Just comment and tell me something you like about February to be entered in the drawing!  PLEASE leave your e-mail so I can contact you if you win!
This will close at midnight February 8th so I can get them mailed on the 9th.  US and Canada entries only.