This was a twist on the student/teacher romance that I could enjoy. It's been years since Bianca fell in love with teacher Ian Anderson. I normally find student/teacher romance a little icky, but since years have passed, it's closer to a traditional paranormal romance instead.

Bianca's initial resistance to Ian's interest was actually refreshing. Her reasons were a little iffy, but they fit her character well. Ian was very determined though, especially when it becomes obvious that Bianca has become the target of an attacker several times.

This attacker was a brilliantly done character, He had the right motives and super creepy crazy personality to make really work. One of the best villains I've seen in a long time.

Again, the shifter romance is a bit face once it starts, but that is what happens when you know your mate by first sight/smell. Their romance is quite sweet, but still hot. A great, quick read in the Sassy Ever After world.

The Sweet Home Alaska series is perfect for a quick and enjoyable read. Each story is fairly short - and you'll have to enjoy instalove - and things move quite quickly for the couples and the people in the small Alaskan town around them.

The main characters were surprisingly well-developed for such short reads, and the side characters were able to add just enough variety to start bringing the town to life a little. At times, I feel like the authors tried to make too much happen in too few pages and it got overly rushed with additional side stories getting in the way of the main one.

The three stories were still quite enjoyable and perfect for a quick afternoon or before bed read.

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

Mad About You was a great mix of business and pleasure. Cassy and Scott have been best friends forever and employer/employee just now. Both afraid to make a move and ruin their forever friendship, one of them will have to step up to the plate and make the first move. In the meantime, Cassy needs to find an investor willing to help Scott move his company to the next level and produce a really amazing new technology.

Scott has a lot of baggage though, and it may prevent him from succeeding in busines or with Cassy. It's a good thing both their stubborn streaks are a mile long because they both need them.

I really enjoyed the computer nerds and techies that work for Scott. They don't have a large part, but they really add a dose of humor and liveliness that is very refreshing. They are oblivious to the sexual tension in the air around them and it makes for a couple of interesting small scenes.

When things finally start to happen, it gets hot really fast and the chemistry is undeniable.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

- See more at: http://www.bittenbyromance.com/#sthash.VYrB9J6G.dpuf

After finishing book two in the Drexler University series, I just had to read Payton's story. They were such a cute couple in book two and I wanted to know how they got there. Well, their journey was pretty rough.

With a father on trial for assisted suicide, Payton's medical ethics class is hell. Thank god for Jules for helping her to stay sane. But even Jules can't do too much when her ex-boyfriend shows up in the same class - and ex-boyfriend she ran from a few years ago after her father was arrested for helping to kill her mother. Ya - sooooo not fun.

Blake and Payton both have reasons for not seeing each other for so long. What I liked best was that both of them made mistakes and both of them had to apologize. I liked that neither of them was perfect - it was so very real life and it was my favorite part of the story. The part I didn't like was Andrew - even knowing that he had an important part to play, he was just too bad of a person. I couldn't find a good reason for the girls to continue having them as part of their group.

This was a very emotional story for both Payton and Blake. Payton needs to come to terms with what her father did, and Blake needs to learn to when to let her have her space and when to hold her close. The end was incredibly satisfying. I don't think I could have imagined a better one.

I really wanted to enjoy this book. Hard-working single mom that runs her own business, a cute little girl that loves animals, the tortured man running from his past into the unknown. But unfortunately, this book fell a little flat.

Eliza was stubborn and hard-working, but she took doing on her own to an extreme. She seemed to think any offer of assistance was someone trying to take over her life and business. She knew what she wanted and how she wanted it done, and god forbid anyone has a differing opinion. The exception was her feelings for Julien. Where she waffled back and forth so many times I lost track. Instead of setting up tensions in the situation, it just made me dislike her for leading him and then pushing him away over and over again.

Julien was a better character. I felt like I could understand most of his motivations, except why he put up with Eliza. He truly tries to help her for no reason other than he wants something to do. I liked him – he deserved better.

Skye (Eliza’s daughter) and her mother play some very major roles in the story. Skye – I wouldn’t change her one bit. She is one of the most well-developed characters in the book. Recovering from losing her father, there are some things she struggles with, but deep down she’s a joyful child that loves just about everyone. Eliza’s mother was another character I think I was supposed to feel bad for and I didn’t. She was just plain old mean.

The romance is there, it’s just not one I would enjoy. There is also a mention of ICE and deportation at the beginning of the story – setting up a place for Eliza to need Julien. I think if you’re going to use this as a plot point, you need to do a little more than just say “Oh, he was deported,” and move right along. You don’t have to be political about it, but that has an effect on the surrounding community and doesn’t just poof go away.

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

DNF

Claire is an amazing character, but she isn’t perfect. And the balance between the good and not-so-good side of people is really highlighted with her family. We learn a lot about Claire and her extended family – and how they influenced Claire’s personality – through their interactions. She is especially close to her grandmother, and this relationship plays a huge role in her story.

The meet-cute for Claire and Nate was so great! And her not having any idea of who he was. Nate was pretty low-key at first, but as people started to realize who was around them, things got a little crazy. As much as I like Nate as a character, I didn’t always like him as Claire’s boyfriend. He didn’t always seem to act on what he said. He said he wanted Claire to pursue her dreams, but then kept dragging her away from them. It set up a great conflict, but it also made me like him a little less.

Things come to a head when Claire feels like she has to make a really big choice, and they both kind of freak out and overreact to everything. And I loved how Claire’s sisters and her best friend rallied around her to support and try to help, even though some of them were going through some pretty big things themselves.

This was a truly feel-good type of romance (with plenty of heat still) that really focused on family and how relationships are built, and it was a wonderful thing.

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

It all starts with an email and a murder…and Wade, Lily, Darrell, and Becca are off on an adventure of a lifetime. Following one clue to another, they find themselves on the hunt for a relic. I found their quest to be quite fascinating. Traveling across Europe, solving riddles and puzzles, and learning about the life of the famous astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus – which was far more interesting than I would have guessed.

All of the kids are rather brilliant, piecing things together that I never would have been able to myself. The adults in the story act more as guides and chaperones, often seeming to not quite belong or be very helpful other than doing standard adult things. It was nice to see the story focus so intently on the kids and let them really lead the way.

There is plenty of danger and excitement and near-death situations. This is probably more appropriate for the higher-aged or more mature middle grade readers as there is some violence – but not graphic. It does get rather tense at some moments, which I loved, and my kids loved, but not all will.

The puzzles are a lot of fun. They are challenging and exciting, and each one plays its own part in moving the adventure forward and revealing the final answer and location. I highly recommend this book for kids who enjoy mysteries with a lot of action and excitement.

That Cowboy of Mine by Donna Grant is one of the best cowboy/ranch romances I’ve read in a very long time. The characters were deep and developed, and at times I even felt bad for one of the villains. Each character had their own motivations and ways to get what they wanted – be it good or bad.

Dillon and Grant were an amazing pair. Dillon was stubborn and hard-headed, but willing to back down when she saw the sense of things. There is a lot of distrust of Grant on Dillon’s part, and she has every ready to do so. This sets up some really amazing story-telling. Between Grant and Dillon trying to navigate their very unusual relationship, Dillon trying to find out what happened the night he doesn’t remember, and the people trying to drive Dillon off her ranch, there’s a lot going on.

We know who the bad guys are right away – they aren’t hidden from the reader at all. And I really liked this. The short sections where we got to see into their minds and motives were fantastic, and those sections are the reason I almost felt bad for one of them. But the author still kept a few surprises up her sleeve for a very suspenseful big reveal at the end.

The romance between Dillon and Grant was an equal partner to the suspense, and I don’t know if it could have grown without it. It was a perfect mix between the two. Grant was ever the gentleman cowboy, and while he was what some might consider an alpha male trying to protect everyone, he did it all as a partner with Dillon, not as someone who felt better or more than her.

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

While I really enjoyed the concept and overall story of Wade and the Scorpion’s Claw, it seemed a little out of place. Almost like an afterthought. I’ve read the second book in the Copernicus Legacy and didn’t realize there even was a part of the story that came in between at first.

It starts with some mishaps and shenanigans by the bad guys at the airport as the Kaplan crew returns to the US. There are quite a few suspicious characters, and I was quite surprised that they trusted any of them. Especially after telling each other that no one outside their group could be trusted so many times.

But it did lead to quite the chase. Through museums, Chinese restaurants, and over to the docks. It was a merry chase that kept the story moving at a fast pace. There weren’t any drawn-out or boring bits. But it also lacked a bit in substance. There wasn’t any character growth or development. They just went on a chase and came out the other side pretty much the same.