Short and Sweet Book Reviews # 110 - Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins, Loving the Texas Lawman by Charlene Sands, Pew! Pew! by multiple authors

Now That You Mention It by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a good mix of coming home again and romance. The romance takes a back seat to Nora Stuart's adjustment to coming home to Scupper Island after being hit by a car. She has not been back in years and was a very unhappy resident as a child and teenager. I loved the mix of women in the story. Nora's mother is far from being a cuddly person, her niece is going through problems of her own, one new friend does not know the friend ship rules, and a old enemy is still around. The romance is very low key. All in all a nice mix that kept me reading.  I receive a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.  It will not be released until the end of this year.


Loving the Texas Lawman by Charlene Sands
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A familiar but well done trope is at the heart of Loving the Texas Lawman. Jillian Lane and Sheriff Jack Walker were high school sweetheart until Jillian's mover her to California. He was from a family of lawmen and Jillian was from the wrong side of the tracks. It would never work but now Jillian has built a successful company that is heading for trouble and she needs help. Returning to Texas and asking Jack seemed like a good idea. Of course it all goes wrong before it goes very right. A nice romance with interesting characters and plot.


Pew! Pew!: Sex, Guns, Spaceships... Oh My! by M.D. Cooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is exactly what it says it is; Science Fiction stories with a fun twist. In some cases it is the crew, some the situations but in all cases fun. There are nine stories in all. I did not read all at once. It was nice to have something that was entertaining but easy to finish in one setting. I had heard of several of the authors and this was nice way to see their writing style before deciding to try any of their novels.

View all my reviews

Short and Sweet Book Review #42 - Illusion Town by Jayne Castle, Maker Lab by the Smithsonian, Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

Illusion Town by Jayne Castle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Once again I got to visit Harmony - that great planet that got cut off from Earth when the curtain went down. This time it features Hannah West and Elias Coppersmith, another member of the family that I first met on Earth in a book that helped start this series that crosses time and space. Illusion Town is like Las Vegas with alien ruins thrown in for good measure. It starts like most in the series with a Marriage of Connivence and of course ends with a HEA Hannah and Elias. This is a very interesting story line that held my attention from start to finish. I loved both Hannah and Elias. Both are just a little bit off from others but that makes the perfect for each other. Of course there is a dust bunny that often steals the show.

 Maker Lab: Make Your Own Science Experiments by DK Publishing
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is fun for all. The projects use common things found around the house and are easy to do. Great for parents and teachers. Easy to understand instructions that go step by step. Price is also a plus. I had a great time making several of the projects. I think anyone would enjoy using the book even through it is listed as ages 8 - 12.


Anything for You by Kristan Higgins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Anything for You (Blue Heron #5) by Kristan Higgins – A new Blue Heron book that features Connor O’Rourke and Jessica Dunn with visits from all the other favorites in the series. This is a story that is very long in the making. It tells the history of both from the time they were 12 and now they are both in their 30’s. It does not look good for the two of them as Jessica always holds back but in the end they have a great HEA. A nice addition to the series.  I read this when it first came out and just finished listening to it on CD's from the library.  It was as much fun the second time as the first.

What Else I Read in December 2015

Books:

The Cowboys Convenient Bride by Donna Alward - We met Laura Jessup in the previous book in this series.  She is running from the Father of her baby and has let the small town believe someone else is the Father.  I wondered how Alward would bring Tanner and Laura together.  She does it in a very convincing way.  A great follow up to The Cowboy’s Christmas Family.  Both are great feel good books.

Rustler’s Moon (Ransom Canyon #2)  by Jodi Thomas – Another great story in Thomas’s new series for Harlequin.  She does a great job with stories with an ensemble cast.   Angela Harrell is new to the series.  She is the perfect match for Wilkes Wagner but of course it takes awhile for him to realize that he wants to do more than protect her from danger.  Lauren Brigman and Lucas Reyes are back in the story along with another new character, Lauren’s’ college roommate.  Look for a surprising development for one of the original character from book one.

One Rogue at a Time (Rakes and Rogues #2) by Jade Lee – Two very interesting characters meet and fall in love in book 2 of Jade Lee’s Rakes and Rogues series.  I loved Maybelle.  She knows what she wants and does not hesitate to go after it.  Bram is the opposite.  He has settled for life on the edge of the ton.  While I really liked both Maybelle and Bram I really disliked their family members and really enjoyed seeing the two fall in love and get their HEA.

Into The Fury by Kat Martin - I started reading Kat Martin when she started the Against series. After awhile I stopped even though I enjoyed all that I read. When Amazon Prime offered Into the Fury book one in the new Boss trilogy I decided to give them another try. The format is the same. There is danger to a female character. She is supported and helped by the very dangerous male characters. They end up with an HEA. It was fun to see the men from the first trilogy re-appear in the Boss trilogy. The characters were predictable but fun to meet. The same with the plot. There is a hook for the next book in the series and I will be looking for it to see what happens. If you like contemporary romance with danger attached try this series. All of the book stand alone so start anywhere.

Wildfire in His Arms by Johanna Lindsey.  This is the first time for an Johanna Lindsey book.  I started with an audio book.  Then two of the disk had bad spots on them so I finished with the hard copy.  Both gave me some really good laughs and smiles.  A very fun read.

Taking Aim At The Sheriff by Delores Fossen – Book two in the new Appaloosa Pass Ranch series.  A good addition to the story 

line.  Like all Intrigue books this is full of danger, tension and romance.  The two main characters are from two families who are bitter enemies.  Laura Tate loves Jericho Crockett but has kept a dangerous secret to protect him.  Jericho knows even being with Laura is dangerous but then that secret comes out and he has to protect her and the secret.  Good plot and story line.  If you like the books in Harlequin’s Intrigue series check out the ones written by Fossen.

Jail for the Damned by T.S. Mercer – A familiar theme with a twist.  The jail is a supermax located somewhere on Earth in the very near future.  The prisoners do not know where it is located and no one has ever escaped and lived to tell it.  Feral humans who love to capture and kill the inmates surround it.  A interesting story that was listed as SciFi.  I did not find much SciFi in it.  The main characters were interesting, the story predictable and the plot very simple.

Anything for You (Blue Heron #5) by Kristan Higgins – A new Blue Heron book that features Connor O’Rourke and Jessica Dunn 

with visits from all the other favorites in the series.  This is a story that is very long in the making.  It tells the history of both from the time they were 12 and now they are both in their 30’s.  It does not look good for the two of them as Jessica always holds back but in the end they have a great HEA.  A nice addition to the series.

Kill Without Mercy (ARES Security #1) by Alexandra Ivy – Military heroes are very popular right now.  Kill Without Mercy 

features 5 former Taliban Prisoners why have banded together to start a security business.  The concept is not new but Ivy makes it sound fresh.  I love the five main characters.  Each has his own different strength and personality.  They are very close and each is there for the other.  This first book features Rafe Vargas.  Annie White is in trouble and Rafe is just the one to help but he does not do it alone.  The story brings all five in to help and providing a little of the back-story for each.  I think the series will be a real winner.

Stacking the Shelves - Oct 10

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their shelves. 

Another short list.   I am doing better at adding to my TBR pile

For Review:

Horizon by Tabitha Lord

Dragos Goes to Washington by Thea Harrison

Anything for You by Kristan Higgins

What Happens Under the Mistletoe by Sabrina Jeffries, Karen Hawkins, Candace Camp, Meredith Duran

Stacking the Shelves, July 12, 2014

Books Stacked on My Shelves

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books I added to my shelves this week. They may it be physical or virtual. I include books I buy in a physical store or online, books I borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!  Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews.  Follow the link to see what others have on their 

shelves.

How the White Trash Zombie Got Her Groove Back by Diana Rowland

The Rebel Cowboy's Quadruplets by Tina Leonard

For Review:

As Long As You Love Me by Ann Aguirre

In Your Dreams by Kristan Higgins

Yesterday's Kin by Nancy Kress

The Line by J.D. Horn

The Chaplain's War by Brad R. Torgerson

Musing Monday, October 28, 2013

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…
• Describe one of your reading habits.
 • Tell us what book(s) you recently bought for yourself or someone else, and why you chose that/those book(s).
 • What book are you currently desperate to get your hands on? Tell us about it! 
 • Tell us what you’re reading right now — what you think of it, so far; why you chose it; what you are (or, aren’t) enjoying it.
• Do you have a bookish rant? Something about books or reading (or the industry) that gets your ire up? Share it with us!
• Instead of the above questions, maybe you just want to ramble on about something else pertaining to books — let’s hear it, then!

I just finished reading The Perfect Match by Kristin Higgins.  I have been on a contemporary romance reading binge.  I have not read any of her books before so wanted to give them a try and did not know what to expect.  What I found was a complicated love story with a great female main character.  I loved Honor.  She is intelligent, loyal and has loved Brogan, the wrong man, for years.  I didn't like her taste in best friends.  Dana was not best friend material and she just did not seem to see it.  I did love her family and how she took care of all of them putting her needs last.  I was in her corner through out the entire book. 

I liked the marriage of convenience story concept. However, I did not warm up to Tom, the groom in the marriage of convenience.  He was just too closed off for me.  I was glad he came to his senses so there could be a HEA but I got really tired of him before it happened.  

I would like to read another book by Kristin Higgins to see how I react to some of her other characters. 

I received an ARC of The Perfect Match from Netgalley.  The book will be released tomorrow.

Here is Goodread’s Summary of The Perfect Match.

"What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise? Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done. 

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind. 

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise? Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn't easier said than done. 

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind. 

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn't easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love…."

Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins

Women’s Fiction

I need to start this one out with a disclaimer.  I am not that big a fan of books labeled Chic Lit or Women’s Fiction so bear that in mind as you read my remarks on Somebody to Love.  I did request this book from NetGalley after reading a recommendation on another blog.

Let’s start with what Goodreads has to say:

After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled -- …even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.

Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC.

So to start there are the two main characters.  I liked James but he was a little to good to be true.  Parker was just too judgmental.   While the combination worked for the story I just never warmed up to either.  Some of the side characters were interesting and helped keep the story moving.

Plot:  This was fairly predictable.  James had secrets that kept him from reaching for the life he wanted.  Parker had serious trust issues.  Those were worked into the plot with the loss of money.  To give the author her due not every issue was resolved and for some things there would never be a HEA.

I really don’t have much more to say.  I am glad I read the book.  Kristan Higgins has written a lot of books.  I can now say that I have read one of them.  I probable will not pick up another of her books but for anyone who is a fan of this type of book she would be a good author to follow.

HQN published Somebody to Love by Kristan Higgins in 2012.