I feel like Overruled by Fate really hit the nail on the head with how living as nobility - or within the world of the nobility - really was. Madeline is told she will be marrying a much older man - and she's lucky that he's a good man. Her feelings are not taken into consideration, because her father knows what's best for her. Only too late does she realize that her feelings for her childhood non-noblility companion are much more that she first believed.

Said childhood companion, Nathaniel, has known his feelings, but he also accepts his place and knows that nothing will come of them - at least he thinks he's accepted it. When Madeline's marriage is announced he goes off the deep end. And while I appreciate his feelings and need to drown his sorrows - his method of drowning said sorrows left me with a bad taste in my mouth for him. And he doesn't really improve much until the very end. While this was probably very historically accurate - I wanted I little bit more out of my hero than I got.

It took a long time for the HEA to appear. And I really appreciated that. It wasn't easy for this couple, but even when it was hard, the author found highlights and good things for them to be occupied with. There was plenty of pining for each other and scheming at times, and when the king makes an appearance I just felt awful for Madeline (but no spoilers so I can't tell you why).

There is plenty of intrigue, betrayal, plots and plans woven into the storyline that wrap around our main characters, forcing them to make hard decisions and sometimes take paths they wouldn't have otherwise chosen. When our couple does finally get together (this is a romance after all), it was sweet and touching. I felt like they had finally beat the odds stacked against them. A great story that has a feeling of epicness to it.

I really enjoyed And Then He Kissed Me by Kim Amos. The heroine, Audrey Tanner, sang to my soul and want to be her best friend. She was smart, spoke her mind, and willing to work hard to make her dreams happen (once she figured out what those dreams were). Her journey to find her dreams took a bit of an unconventional turn along the way, but that's how life can be sometimes.

Her job as a showroom model at the Harley Davidson store had me cringing on her behalf, and when she turned it around into something so much better, I cheered. The only thing standing in her way was the man that broke her heart and drove off into the sunrise without her, Kiernan Callaghan.

Kiernan has a past he's trying to atone for, and hoping to avoid the girl he left behind years ago. Here's where the tricky part comes into play. The reason he left, isn't the reason Audrey thinks. There's sooooo much more to it. This is the big "mystery" of the story, and Kim Amos does a great job of revealing it and showing the fallout of some very bad decisions made by several people.

The town of White Pine was a lot of fun to visit. I'll have to return again to see how everyone is doing.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

No rating for this one - I just couldn't figure out who was saying and doing anything listening to the audiobook. Also, I think I need to start in the first book because it seems I should already know who all of the characters are.

Now That You Mention It was a bit different than what I expected. When I first meet Nora, she seems a little insubstantial. Like there was really nothing to her personality. She's a successful doctor, dating another successful doctor - until she gets hit by a car - and then dumped while she believes she's actually a ghost. The scene was devestating for her, but Kristan Higgans gave it just a bit of a lighthearted feel somehow.

The bulk of the story takes place when Nora returns to her roots - Scupper Island. Everything and nothing has changed, and Nora still feels like she doesn't belong. Throw into the mix her mother, who still can't seem to show any affection, and her niece, a moody and withdrawn teenager whose mother is in jail, and Nora puts on a brave face and starts to pretend that everything will just be OK.

But, of course, it isn't. There are old high school rivals, bullies, and mean girls to contend with. And a few are still holding a very serious grudge. But Nora tries not to let that get to her. She's determined to make the most of what she has - even if it doesn't seem like much at times. I loved how determined Nora was, while still showing a vulnerable side, and I really loved how much she loved her family and was willing to do just about anything to reconnect with them.

In the long run, Nora grows into someone far more complex and likable that she was at the beginning. There a a few fantastic twists and turns with the people around her, and I was really surprised be a couple of them. I highly recommend this book. It was an enjoyable, relaxing listen with just enough excitement laced throughout.

I love worlds where dragons are real in any shape or form, and the dragons in this world sound pretty nice to look at when they're in their human shape. When Aoife finds out the handsome stranger in her life isn't just a trick of her imagination, but real life dragon shifter, she has two reactions. 1) Extremely pissed off that no one believed her and they locked her up in a hospital, and 2) holy crap!!

Aoife was a very sarcastic woman with a lot of witty (but crazy) lines throughout the book. While I am all for a quirky character, sometimes she got just a tad annoying. Kostya, our dragon, is such an opposite to Aoife it made both their characteristics really stand out. Kostya was stubborn, grumpy, and determined to never talk about his previous mate or anything to do with mating every again.

Pair that with a very strange curse that makes Kostya's dragon clan attack each other on sight, and you are set with quite an adventure. Throw in some fancy magic, a demon, and a handful of demon lords, and there is sooo much going on. But Katie MacAlister handled the craziness well. I never got lost or confused in the action, and the side characters all added their own important element to the story.

This was a great start to the series, with a really fun couple, a super romantic HEA, but several strings in the overall scheme of things that still need to be tied.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Pinecraft, FL isn't your typical Amish community. They are a little less strict, a little more outgoing, and a lot more involved with the Englisch world. But, they still hold all the basic beliefs of the Amish - love, charity, simple living.

Lovina moved to Pinecraft with her family because the air would help her father's lung and breathing issues. But the area is so full of women, that Lovina's mother has almost given up hope that her daughters will find a respectful eligible bachelor - but that's OK with Lovina. She isn't all that interested in finding a husband - she wants to open a pie shop.

There are several people in the community touched by Lovina's dream. Lovina, her mother, the handsome Noah Yoder, a reporter. I would even say that the whole community learned a lesson on determination, following God's will, and not judging others by watching this strong young woman. I really loved how she stuck to her Amish beliefs and found a way to work them into the world around her. Never compromising on the important issues, but also willing to listen to what others had to say.

But, on to the romance. Noah isn't what most in the community would call an ideal candidate for a husband. Having caused some major trouble a few years back when he was younger, many in the community seem to shun him. Noah is trying so hard to find a place for himself and the teenagers (also having gotten into trouble) that he brought with him. He wants to teach them a skill and show them how wonderful the Amish community can be.

Made with Love was a really great story - and I loved that it was a lot different than most of the traditional Amish romances I've read. I've added the rest of the series to my TBR, and they sound amazing!

​**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

The Summer Seaside Kitchen series is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. The small island of Mure is anything but dull, and the people of the island, both generational residents and new, make the community a very interesting one.

The book continues its primary focus on Flora as she navigates her new-found love for her old home, but with new troubles brewing. Her former boss and current boyfriend, Joel, is away on business, and this starts a downward spiral for them. He refuses to open up to her, and she constantly wonders if she's really enough for the hot-shot city lawyer.

But I was also introduced to two new storylines. Coltan, Flora's brother's boyfriend, has a secret - and it's an awful one. He drags Joel into it, and it's such a big secret that Joel can't really handle it all. This mystery hovers over the story like a fog bank. It's there, but most people don't realize how thick it is. It plays out throughout the story, and when it's all revealed, there's a lot to take in. Jenny Colgan handles it all beautifully, showing that her characters have a depth and feeling that really brings them to life.

I was also introduced to Saif, the refugee that has found somewhat of a home as the island's doctor. His story is another sad one, having been separated from his wife and two children in the war. He walks the beach just waiting for that miraculous moment when a boat shows up to reunite them. But after waiting for so long, he's having a hard time hanging on to the hope.

Not all of these intricate storylines are entirely wrapped up at the end of the book. But they do seem to reach a natural position of concluded for now, but with more to tell. As I get to know more of the island's residents, I fall in love all over again.

Sam and Nick are back from their honeymoon, and things just aren't slowing down. Throw in the side characters - friends and co-workers of both Sam and Nick - pairing up and dealing with their own problems and issues, and you have a beautifully thought out world that is as intricate as real life.

The side story that impacted me the most this time was Jeannie dealing with some pretty serious trauma that happened in the last book. She's such a strong character, and she almost stole the show.

Meanwhile, Sam is trying to solve a series of murders, and we get to see the whole crew from her department in action again. They work like a well-oiled machine tracking down leads and pulling the threads (as Sam likes to say) until they find that one vital piece of information that breaks the case wide open - to a surprising conclusion.

​I love Sam and Nick, and they are one of my favorite couples, so I'm glad to see the series continues for many more books still.

A Corporate Courtship was a really great story - but there were many times I felt like the romance was on the back burner. It felt more like a finding yourself story for both Gloria and Arthur. When they first meet, in the courtroom, there are some sparks, but I didn't really feel the pull between them. They weren't ready for that yet.

The town and the environmental impact statement that was standing in the way of progress was also standing between them - at first. It doesn't take too long for them to figure out they are mostly on the same side of the argument, just for different reasons. The vast majority of the story revolves around this battle over the impact statements.

While I really appreciate the detail (and learned a lot) that the author put into how the plant, upgrades, and community all worked and the pros and cons of the revitalization plan, it really took away from the emotional connection I wanted to feel with the characters. Some moments were amazing, but there were overshadowed by the corporate dealing aspects of the story.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

I have loved every one of the Fatal books by Marie Force, but this one kicked it up a notch in the case that falls into Sam's lap. Well, technically it shouldn't be her case, but she's been suspended for hitting a fellow officer (who thoroughly deserved it). But when she's the only person the victim can trust - what else can she do but start looking into it off the clock.

The case is very unusual and takes her to the highest positions in the FBI for suspects. When Special Agent Avery finds out what's going on, he's convinced that Sam is barking up the wrong tree. There's no way that Josh was kidnapped as a baby by the director of the FBI.

The case takes Sam in some very interesting directions, and when Sam and Avery go out of town to investigate, Nick has to come to a truce and put his jealousy aside. I really liked this look into Sam and Nick's relationship. Tense words may have been exchanged, but watching their love and trust shine through is pure #relationshipgoals.

Sam's detective family is still mourning the loss of one of their own. I can't even imagine what that would be like. Force treats the situation delicately, but she also doesn't hold any punches. People are falling apart, people are holding it all in, and the team comes together to help in every way they know how. Another fantastic and suspenseful book.