Definitely love at first glimpse of the cross-stitched book cover, and also a great delight inside! While a bit overwrought in the details, I had a blast reading about Duane, his family of bearded renaissance men, and his quest to court his childhood frenemy Jess. Jess was also a great character and it was great to see a woman who wasn't willing to compromise her dreams of world travel.

As mentioned above, some of the plot details were a bit too much and made the story drag a little. There was a lot going on between the motorcycle gang, Duane's drag racing, and a drug trafficking black mail scam and found myself just wishing the story would get back to Duane and Jess sparkling chemistry. I was scared the mistaken twin trope would go on too long, but was very pleased it was mostly the "meet cute" moment for our hero and heroine.

I'll definitely be reading the rest of this series!

Exactly the kind of book I needed to read right now. Just Christmas-y enough to justify the title and cover, but not dependent on Christmas cheer bullshit plus a super-hot and supportive male hero who believes in the heroine and defends the heroine's choices and decisions.

Molly Malone is tired of being the administrative assistant for Archer Investigations and is ready to start taking on her own cases, but her protective brother and her boss keep deciding she isn't ready. When they refuse to take on a case involving a Bad Santa swindling his elves from their fair cut of bingo proceeds, Molly decides she'll take the case on her own.

To make matters a bit more delicate, she also has to contend with the fact she spent the night in the bed of one Lucas Knight, one of her colleagues, and he doensn't remember anything. She tucked him in after he didn't realize the potency of a pain pill and a shot of booze (he's recently recovering from a GSW) and he thinks they may have done more than just sleep. Molly is intrigued that Lucas doesn't seem to be upset that they slept together, just that he doesn't remember.

Now he's also decided he's going to be her partner on the case of the Bad Santa and while she knows she could do it on her own, she's definitely okay with having more time with Lucas, even if she's a bit embarrassed by the tiny elf costume she needs to wear.

What ensues is a fun, kind of dangerous caper with a delicious and supportive man who'll do anything for her, even if it means falling for her at the same time.

Loved Molly and Lucas as a couple and it was so great seeing Shalvis at her prime. There are so many great comedic moments and I love all the sexual tension. I was a bit dubious about the premise of Lucas waking up in Molly's bed and not being able to remember the night (especially in light of recent news), but the situation is handled in a great, non-creepy way.

Lady Eleanor, the Duke of Marymount’s eldest daughter, must marry well and must marry quick in order to save her family from ruin after one of her sisters ran off with the dancing instructor. She's always followed the rules, including not wearing her much needed glasses in public, and will marry whomever her family sees fit.

When her parents find a suitable man, it turns out he's just a bit too busy and way too disinterested in wooing Eleanor, so he asks his brother to press his suit. And his brother, Lord Alexander Raybourn, turns out to be the one whom Lady Eleanor may just risk everything for.

I enjoyed my first Frampton, but did find the story a bit dull overall. Nothing really stood out to me besides the story being well written and enjoyable. I will definitely continue to read the other books in the series as I've heard great things about the latest title (2018).

Sailor Bishop first encountered curvy, beautiful, and red-headed Ísa Rain at a college party he snuck into as a teen. He tried to comfort her after she was humiliated and dumped by her current boyfriend, but she ran away.

Years later, Sailor finds himself the target of an outburst of bravery and lust from Ísa. He's on the job gardening when the school teacher unexpectedly launches herself at him in the parking lot. But, as quickly as she kisses him and agrees to make out in the back seat of his truck, she's gone.

Ísa is tired of doing what is expected of her, tired of allowing her strong-willed mother tell her what to do, but she's also determined to keep her motley family together, no matter what it takes. She also can't believe she's thrown herself at a man who is too beautiful for this world, a man who is far too young to be the stable husband and father she is looking for, right?

As Sailor works to convince Isa they are perfect for one another and that she is perfect as she is, Isa must also learn her own power and whether she'll allow herself to go all in.

A lovely, low-angst romance novel perfect for fans of small-town contemporaries looking for a different setting (this one takes place in New Zealand). I had a bit of a hard time with the audio book narrator, as she did an Icelandic accent for Isa (an accent I'm not familiar with), a standard American accent for all of the non-dialogue parts, and then various Aussie accents for the rest of the characters. After the first couple of hours I was able to settle into the story.

Bonus points for the diverse cast of characters and the great female and male friendships int he book. I'm really looking forward to reading Isa's friend Nayna's story (Raj sounds HOT). I also liked seeing a character with prosthetic limbs (Isa's little sister) who wasn't just a plot bunny.

Mildly spoiler-y review.

Consumed is the best title for this book, as it utterly consumed me and made me join the Bad Choices Book Club when I stayed up to the wee hours finishing it in one sitting.

The first chapters hit the ground running hard, as main character Anne Ashburn loses more than just her chance at being one of the best fire-fighters on her team when she is caught in a burning warehouse fire minutes.

Danny Maguire, Anne's teammate and also the man she just spent a wildly wicked night with is the one who gets here out. Both he and Anne have terrible health repercussions from this rescue, both physical and mental, and they both cannot fathom seeing each other again.

The book jumps to nine-months after, and we find Anne starting her new gig as an arson investigator, a far cry from her past life. She has a new boss to deal with, and a new pet that she finds during her first investigation. She's also living with her new reality of having a prosthetic hand, something she's accepted as part of her.

Danny himself is struggling with the psychological fallout from his brush with death and being the one responsible for freeing Anne from the fire by cutting off her hand. He's still working on the ladder, but he's drinking too much and spiraling.

When some of their mutual friends and an arson case bring Anne and Danny back into proximity, the old fire between them ignites anew, but can either of them forgive, forget, and fight for a future together?

So incredibly addicting and hot, PLUS well-researched and totally immersive world building. I loved that Anne was strong, comfortable in her body including when she loses her hand, and isn't willing to compromise her sense of duty. She's not made to be likeable, but is perfectly Anne. I also loved Ward's handling of Danny's mental health issues. Danny isn't healed from sexy times with Anne and he does see a therapist (huzzah!). Representation matters, and this was good to see.

While still very white, JR Ward's new series is one you won't want to miss.

Lady Christina Barclay is incredibly shy and hates being the center of attention, but her parents have forced her into the social circles of New York City in the hopes of catching a rich American to pay off their familial debts.

To find calm amidst the chaos and frightening prospect she will soon be married off to whomever her parents choose, Christina sneaks into the gardens of her cousin's reclusive neighbor for morning strolls. No one is the wiser until Christina is inadvertently knocked out by the neighbor's large dog.

Oliver Hawkes is aghast that this lovely woman has been brought into his domain. Having lost his hearing as a teenager, Oliver has taken himself out of society and prefers to focus his life's work on patenting a hearing device to help those who still have partial hearing. Oliver protects himself with his large fortune and by keeping everyone in his life at arm's length.

But, Lady Christina turns out to be a warm, kind, and interesting person. Someone who Oliver finds himself wanting to talk to, to teach sign language, and to share his work with. And, when he finds her weeping in his garden, about to be married to an octogenarian with suspiciously many dead wives, he agrees to marry her for one year, in name only.

Christina agrees, but is sad that the marriage will be in name only, as she too finds herself falling for the hard-working, gentle, and beautiful man who lets her make her own choices and is her friend, a man who sticks up to her verbally abusive parents.

While these two fall in love, outside forces threaten Oliver's livelihood and freedom, as society in the 1890s did not take kindly to those who were differently-abled.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!

A very sweet, sensual slow-burn of a romance that made me hold my breath in a bit of fear, not for worry of the couple's love for each other, but for SPOILER ALERT Oliver's fate after being thrown into a terrible insane asylum. Content warning for physical abuse, historical accurate psychological torture, and historically accurate bigotry towards the deaf.

Shupe does a marvelous job with the historical details of the period, Oliver's invention, and the conditions of "insane asylums" of the time period, referencing her research on Nellie Bly's account.

I also adored how Shupe handled Oliver and Christina communication. They used a variety of methods, including verbal speech, signing, lipreading, and pen on paper. Oliver often expresses his discomfort with how other perceive his voice and his frustration when people refuse or forget to make sure he can see their faces when they speak to him, as he can read lips.

Excellent to see a main character with a disability that isn't magically cured by love or some other means. Oliver is deaf, his hearing aid project is not meant to cure his deafness but to help others.

I also appreciated the time Oliver took to become friends, then lovers, with Christina. He doesn't insist on consummating their marriage. When he does feel more for Christina, he moves slowly, he constantly checks in that she is on the same page as he is, and he tells her how to get him to immediately stop if she doesn't want to go further, especially since he cannot hear her if he's not looking at her face. Swoon. Oliver also uses the "pull-out" method when they do make love, and it isn't seen as a

Darcy Barrett's life is slowly spiraling out of control, but one thing she is sure of is that no one will ever measure up to Tom Valeska, the perfect man. The gentle giant who she'd like to climb like a tree, but who's engaged to someone else.

Darcy is perfectly content in her mess until Tom shows up to renovate the dilapidated cottage left to Darcy and her twin brother. Tom's arrival means Darcy can no longer hide, not her deteriorating heart condition, her drinking, or her completely overwhelming feelings.

Renovation, regret, and raw emotion lead to deliciously slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance. For readers who loved Thorne's debut novel, The Hating Game, they may at first find Darcy's bluntness and stream-of-conscious inner monologue a bit overwhelming, but by the end they'll love her just as much as they love hunky, lumbering, and swoony Tom Valeska.

Raj was abandoned as a small child but adopted by an amazing and loving family. Focused on tradition, Raj is allowing his family to arrange the perfect marriage for him until he encounters a beautiful siren.

Little does he know his siren is Nayna Sharma! Nayna is also from a traditional Indian family, which Raj discovers the next day when their parents set them up!

Beautiful, hot, and full of heart.

What a fascinating glimpse into modern, 21st century arranged marriage. The Hard Play series, which so far appears to just be two books spun off of a different series, features super hot, hunky, strapping heroes who tumble hard and tumble first for the women they love (see Cherish Hard for Sailor Bishop, swoon).

The New Zealand setting is phenomenal, but I was a bit irritated that the audiobook narrator dropped all of the Kiwi accents for this book (she also narrated Cherish Hard and I listened to them back to back).

I also enjoyed that Singh includes a full cast of characters who are all important to the plot, even if their overall page time is small. While there is one 'villainous' character, she isn't portrayed as a stereotype.

SPOILERS

Raj is a virgin! I kind of figured, but you were slowly led up to the big reveal. It was nice to see two lovers exploring each other and enjoying learning each other without it being exploitative or yucky. I also loved that Nayna wasn't willing to compromise on her desires for a mate, for a future, and for a life. I loved that Raj was able to adapt his expectations of what marriage should be, for what it could be.

Knox was a heavy-weight MMA fighter until the sudden death of his brother in the ring. He now owns and operates "Hard Knox Ink," a premier tattoo shop. Knox lives with a heavy burden of guilt. Guilt that his brother is dead because he didn't prevent him from taking that fight and guilt for coveting his brother's widow. He wants Eden, but he promised his mother he would never touch her, out of respect for his brother.

Eden has pulled herself out of depression and is starting to feel like she is ready to live again two years after the death of her young husband. She's been living with her in-laws which has been a blessing, but Eden is ready to move on. But, she's also been having craving's for her brother-in-law, her boss, cravings she hasn't felt for a long, long time.

Eden doesn't know that Knox has wanted her even while she was married to his brother, but their growing chemistry finally explodes after Eden asks Knox to give her a tattoo.

What follows is angst-for-days forbidden romance between two people who are risking a lot to be together. While novella length, the character development, pacing, and scorching heat are off-the-charts good.

Content warning for discussion of depression, discussion of secondary character death, and a man-bun.

Massive spoilers in this review proceed with caution.

Adele had a huge teenage crush on Pete, one of her dad's employees, even though he's far older than she. When she turned 18 some booze and a flash of boobs ruined her friendship with Pete, almost lost him his job, and turned her into a big huge joke.

Flash forward six years later, and Adele is returning to her dad's hometown to participate in his wedding. And she has to stay with Pete. Adele's now into one night stands, casual dating, and lots of sex. She's determined she won't let her past mistake with Pete ruin her vacation but he's a total jerk as soon as she arrives. Plus, now her dad wants her to join his and Pete's building company, and Pete doesn't seemed thrilled about it.

As Adele finds out, Pete is actually attracted to her "now that she's a woman" and they eventually hookup. Pete handles it poorly, but after some conversation they decide to give it a go. Until Adele's dad again catches them...

Pete can't decide what he wants, so Adele leaves with maybe just a little more than a broken heart...

Ugh. I was intrigued by this forbidden, May-December, "I'm super into my dad's friend," romance but found myself very annoyed. I was intrigued enough to finish but I could just not get over how awful Pete was. He's in his late 20s (I think?) when he starts "hanging out" with Adele as a 16 year old. Pete basically fills in for her dad who is too busy to take her places when she stays with him for six weeks each summer, okay, but wierd her dad has no issue with this or their "best friendship" that develops. Pete also takes Adele on his dates to prevent his dates from thinking he wants more? Gross.

The entire story is in Adele's 1st person POV, which made me hate Pete even more because I could never tell what he was thinking. He was drunk when they finally had sex and leaves her alone on the floor to sleep in his room, but then is confused at why she is crying and leaving the next day? Gross. He refuses to define his relationship with her, refuses to discuss his feelings, and sends mixed messages.

And then the story had to take the freaking pregnancy route. There is no sufficient groveling from Pete, who handles being caught by Adele's father while going down on her very poorly. Adele does make him 'date' her for like two seconds before agreeing to just be with him to raise their baby, but overall I just didn't buy it. There was no chemistry between the two and this story either needed to veer more into kinky "daddy" territory or utilize the age gap in a different way. I just didn't buy their love.

For all of this, I did like Adele's character. She wasn't some innocent, blushing virgin who was swayed by some creep. She went after what she wanted, I just felt bad who she wanted didn't deserve her.