ARC received from Harlequin via Netgalley for an honest review

I am late to the Susan Mallery train and this is my first book of hers that I have read (even though my friend has been telling me for years to read her!)

Daughters Of The Bride is a story that touches on a lot of family dynamics. We all play a role in our family, and no two families are ever the same.

It did take me about 20% to get right into this story - there were quite a few stories to set up - But once I got past there I was full steam ahead,

Each sister is dealing with their own romantic issues, and as their stories evolved, the dynamic changed for them all.

Courtney is the sister I feel I connected with the most. She had that go-get-em, never let anyone keep you down attitude that had me cheering for her. I felt that she and I would be great friends.

I am not going to lie, I really, really disliked Sienna for a lot of the story, and Rachel, well she grew on me once she got over herself. She really did have the martyr thing down to a fine art.

But by the end, they had redeemed themselves to me, and I wanted them to get a HEA.

I felt that the underlying theme of this story is being brave. Each and every person in this story has their own fear, their own demon that they need to tackle.

And each and every one of them takes that leap.

I really did enjoy Ms Mallery's writing style. It drew me into their world and made me never want to leave.

I can't wait to get stuck into her other works, and can't wait to see what she brings us next.

ARC received from Gallery via Netgalley for an honest review

It was a wonderful surprise to get this WDMC novella so soon after the release of Rake's Redemption - and it was the perfect segue between Rake's book and the next full length book, Wolf's Mate.

The more I learned about Talon in the previous books, especially Rake's Redemption, the more I was wanting Talon's story. I needed to know more about him, I needed him to find his old lady.

Wild Ride is definitely what you are taken on in this novella. It is full of not only sexual tension, but tension between the WDMC guys and Talon and his club.

I LOVED how when everyone was telling them they couldn't, the shouldn't, Talon and Tia (Rake's woman Bailey's best friend who we met in Rake's Redemption) do what is best for themselves, It was more a matter of who was going to make the next move.

Tia is the bomb. She gives the clubs a big eff you and I am not sure there are many people who stand up to the Wind Dragons like she did. You go girl!

There is also some set up for Wolf's Mate - and I am glad this is not too far away as I am waiting on tenterhooks to find out what happens next.

ARC received for an honest review

Back to Vermont I go!
We met Jude in the first book Bitterwsweet when Griff Shipley hired him to work on his farm.
We learned a little about him thorugh that book, but I knew what we had seen had only scratched the surface of the man that is Jude Nickel.

This is a more a deeper, darker story than the first book. This deals with love and loss and the demons that are addiction.

I have never been an addict (unless you count Cadbury's Dairy Milk chocolate and books an addiction) so I am not sure if Jude gives a true depiction of what addiction is like, but it sure felt real to me.

I adored Jude in Bittersweet, but while I was reading Steadfast I fell hopelessly in love with him. And I could understand why Sophie, the one that got away, felt that way too.

There was a sense of recklessness in both of them, but when they were together, both in the past and now, you could feel the undying love and passion between them, no matter how much they tried to fight it.

But what are they going to do with this second chance at love?

You will have to read to find out.

I LOVED that we got plenty of time back at the Shipley farm! They were the calm to Jude's storm.

I felt a great sense of hope whilst reading Steadfast. Hope that Jude would stay clean. Hope that Jude and Sophie could make it this time.

And I hope that readers can also walk away feeling a bit of hope with whatever is going on in their lives.

Steadfast is a sweet, sexy, heartbreaking yet heartwarming story or second chances - at life and at love.

And now I am impatiently waiting for whatever Ms Bowen brings us next.

ARC received for an honest review

It has been a while waiting for Challenge (and I would have waited longer) but it was worth every minute of the wait.

Challenge really is that.. a book full of challenges for our lovelies.

I have been keen to know more about Seth's story since the series started, and wow what a story it is.

Right from the beginning I was drawn in to Seth and Sophia's story. And right from the get go our lovelies were faced with challenge after challenge.

I just wanted, no needed them to get themselves sorted, get thei sh!t together. I could feel it in my bones that they would be wonderful if they could get it right.

Challenge is a very emotional book. There were times when I was brought to tears with what was happening with them. For every two steps forward they were taking one step back.

I wanted to scream at them, I wanted to slap some sense into them. I wanted to throw my kindle across the room with things that were happening... only to have to rush across the room to continue reading.

This pair are fighters - in and out of the dojo. And through it all, this left me with an overwhelming feeling of hope.

I loved that we got more of the Oni fighters, saw more of the relationship between Sophia and her sisters, particular Eden (from Brave). And I loved the banter between the Oni boys Xander, Dane and Seth.

From the moment I started reading Challenge to the very last word, I couldn't but this book down. The story flowed, MS Gayle's word kept me captive in the Oni world and left me wanting more.

Please let us have more.

Oh what a joy it is to wake up and find Filthy English on my kindle!

I kinda sorta remembered Dax from Dirty English - I remembered he was the twin of Declan but that was about all. That has nothing to do with the writing or the book, just that I have terrible bookzheimer's and when you read as much as I do, I forget more than I remember!

Right from the get go I was in lust with Dax. I swear, what was not to love about him??

And Remi, smarting from being dumped just before her wedding, she was licking her wounds when she falls for Dax... literally falls for him.

I just loved them together, even when they are trying to stick to this "just friends" business. The reader just knows that this is never going to be a real option for them, for the sparks that fly between them light up whenever they are in the same postcode!

There is history between them, and as the story unfolds me heart hurt for them both. It gives us great insight as to why they are both maybe not broken but definitely fractured.

I laughed, I cried, I yelled at my kindle. I wanted, no I NEEDED them to get their HEA. Through the great times and the bad, I just knew they would make it.

Filthy English is a sweet, sexy second chance romance, with fate throwing her hand in to help things along.

Now I am really, realllllly hoping we get a book about their cousin!

I love the sight of a new Kim Karr book on my kindle in the morning!

And seriously, how lickable is that cover??

I wasn't really sure what to expect with No Pants Requried - other than knowing that it was a Kim book and I have loved everything to so far.

Makayla and Camden's story was just a wonderful, smart, sexy and funny story.

From an "almost Mile High Club" moment to lists to the last word, I just adored our lovelies. They are both a little bit... maybe not broken, but definitely a bit fractured. They have enough baggage to fill a bus but you just want them to get through it all.

There were plenty of "look at the sexy half naked lifeguard moments - or maybe there wasn't huge numbers of them, but I imagined a lot more than there was!!

There were some great secondary characters - Makayla's best friend and Cam's roommates were great. But there were a couple of characters that I kind of thought we didn't need to know about, that Makayla and Cam could have gotten where they were without them? But this might just be me.

I know this is a standalone, but I would love to get more of the best friend and room mate story, as I felt that Ms Karr was setting them up for more.

Please Ms Karr, I want some more!

ARC received for an honest review

I licked him - hes' mine.

That is what I told the authors when I first saw the cover for Aced. And I stand by that comment!

If you have read Ella's Sunset Cove series and Brooke's LA Liaisons series then you have already met Ace and Dylan. But never fear if you haven't as this can be read as a standalone!

From the first word to the last I was hooked on Aced. It is an adorable, sweet, sexy and hot as Hades story where real life really can be better than fantasy.

The road to love is never an easy one, but throw in public perception, paparazzi, TMZ, tabloids, managers and lawyers, and things just get so much harder.

I loved that Dylan and Ace are both willing to fight for this thing they have started, no matter what hoops they need to jump through.

And did I mention that is is hot? **FANS HERSELF**

I love the locations, the scenes. I just loved everything about this story.

But just when I thought things were going to go right, I heard that SGH (something's gonna happen) music in my head and BAM



 

BUT it is not too long until we find out more!

So until then, Ace and Dylan say hi
 

ARC received for an honest review

This is book 4 in the Briar Creek series and while it could be read as a stand alone, why would you want to miss the sweetness that is Briar Creek?

What would you do when the guy you have been crushing on since high school kisses you then leaves? And what would you do if he came back to town?

This is the dilemma facing Briar Creek florist Ivy.

Brett is back in town and making Ivy all a-flutter. But as she tries to get over her lifelong crush, he is not helping the matter by being all wonderful.

We have all been there. Had that unrequited love, that crush that never goes away. I felt for Ivy over and over as the story progressed. All her friends are partnering off and the one man she wants she can't have.

Or can she.

Brett, Brett, Brett. At times I wanted to love him, at times I wanted to slap some sense into him. And hope to god that he will see what is right in front of him.

This book also dealt with a rather common health issue, but it did so in such a way that it did not make light of the illness or the affects it can have on people.

I adored that we got more of the characters from the previous books, how their lives are completely intertwined (and at times it feels a little bit incestuous how close they all are). It wouldn't be a Briar Creek book without them all.

This book made me laugh, made me smile, made me frown. I got made, I got frustrated, but most of all I felt hope. Hope that Ivy and Brett would finally get their act together.

You pretty much know what you are going to get with an Olivia Miles book, and she certainly did not disappoint with Love Blooms.

Now I am impatiently waiting for the final book in the series.

Please don't make me wait too long!

The next book in the Hudson Valley series – woohoo.

I absolutely adored the first book in the series, Nuts, but I LOVED Cream Of The Crop.

Firstly – thank you Ms Clayton for writing about an average woman. Natalie is size 18, sassy and sexy. She rocks her curves, owns each and every one of them, and has men falling on their knees for her.

Until him. Hot cheese guy. She becomes a tongue-tied mess around him. And it is just so cute to watch her try to figure out why this guy affects her.

Natalie is kind of half way crazy. She is a tried an true Manhattan girl from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

Oscar the Hot Dairy guy is the quiet to Natalie's noise. Whereas Natalie has the gift of the gab, Oscar is a man of few words.

But a man of many smouldering looks. Knicker-combusting lingering looks across the counter.

It is definitely worth the wait to take things past 3 words with this pair.

He really is the cheese to her cracker. Did I mention that Natalie has a love that should not be spoken of for... cheese! It is kind of a religious experience for her.

So can hot farmer and city girl make things work?

For that you are going to have to read for yourself.

Cream Of The Crop is a sweet, sexy, funny read that had me hooked from the first word to the last.

Can't wait to see who the 3rd Hudson Valley series is about. I hope you don't keep us waiting too long Ms Clayton!

ARC received for an honest review


Move over Elvira, Mistress of the Dark

Pepper Winters, QUEEN of the Dark is here to stay.

What a sick, twisted place it must be in Ms Winters mind!

Pennies is a dark, twisted story, in only the way that Pepper Winters can do. You have to go into one of her books without any expectations, because you never know what you are going to get.

This story does have some things that could be triggers for people, so take heed of the warning the beginning of the book!

But the warning is like a beacon to me, I just had to read it!

As the book progressed, I was a mess of emotions. My heart ached for Tasmin, I was furious for her and what had happened, I was filled with rage and hate about Master A (my god he is a seriously sick f&ck!) I felt a speck of hope with Elder.

I am sure I must have looked like a mad woman, screaming at my kindle for Elder to just do it. Do what his gut was telling him to do.

I was shocked, surprised, but also elated as things played out... but again thrown into disarray as we came to the end.

This book was everything I could have wanted from a Pepper Winters book. It is the morning after the night before as I write this review, and I am struggling for words to do it justice.

Now I am impatiently waiting for the second book, Dollars.

Oh how I need more!