Unfortunately giving up on this book. It’s just not holding my attention and I don’t care what happens anymore. However, there were so many laugh out loud funny parts in here. But that’s all the book had going for me.

One of my 2019 goals is to read all of Jillian Hunters work. I wanted to start in order but realized her first books are way harder to find. I did happen to have this one from a book sale.

The hero, Douglas, is trying desperately hide his pirate past from Princess Rowena, who desperately needs a pirate to save her kingdom.

There were a few things that pulled me out of the story. Point of view would change to other people in the story for a paragraph here or there, and it was rather confusing and annoying. There was no separation to indicate you would be in someone else’s head. Just weird.

I felt zero tension. The main characters were liekable but they were just two people together in a castle, I had no urge or wanting for them to desperately be together, which I need in a story. I read almost 300 pages and there wasn’t even a kiss. I ended right at the first sex scene (I assume) that’s how little I felt 😂😂 I was like, meh.

There is a murdering, thieving, raping enemy that believes he is the rightful heir to the castle. He’s tiresome and annoying and has black stumps for teeth.

Again I found serious humor in this book. I can’t deny it was worth reading the first half just to make me laugh.
Douglas’ crew of motley pirates turned pretend servants are hilarious trying to greet and take care of the princess.

Three stars for the humor!!

This book is so boring I’m calling it quits at 25%

This book isn’t making me feel anything. I don’t really care about the characters.

I hated that the heroine didn’t even recognize the hero when he washes up on the island.

There’s zero tension and the characters are flat. The first kiss made me feel nothing.

*sigh*

Meh😒 I give 🌟🌟. I’m sorry Sarah!!! 😭😭 *sobs hysterically*

This heroine totally ruined this book for me. I thought she was unlikable, proud, assumed the worst in every male...I so admired what she was trying to do to protect others on her life but I felt like everyone around her “got it” and she didn’t. Most of her dialogue was just rude, aggressive, defensive. (Can it be both? Yes! 😂)

Poor Nicholas. He deserved way better. Wayyyy better. He was so wonderful in this book (although I felt like he wasn’t focused on very much, and the heroine got all the limelight, boo for everyone) and how much he cares for everyone he meets was so sweet. I loved his interactions with the young earl.

The only part I liked between Nick and *grits teeth* Isabel was when they were exchanging pieces of information to each other. He would tell her about her marbles (haha) and she would for once be honest and nice and open.

And I don’t get Nicks attraction to her either. Basically he needs to rescue women and she needs rescuing therefore she’s perfect. I don’t feel the give and take of a relationship forming in this one.

Didn’t hate this book but didn’t love it. I don’t like when there’s build up of some problem, in this case the “inappropriateness” of the relationship in the eyes of her school as well as his work and they just do it anyway without any real struggle or even repercussions. I also didn’t like that she didn’t really address the way he ended the initial relationship (or at least the way I would have addressed it haha). First person is also a little harder for me. Also no time in the mans head, which I prefer. But the sex was hot and it was overall a quick, pleasant read. I wouldnt reread it though.

Really enjoyed the final installment of Sarah Macleans Love By Numbers series, Eleven Scandals to Start to Win a Dukes Heart. I give 🌟🌟🌟🌟 but it was close to 5.

Juliana is our heroine, she is the half sister of the twins St. John (heroes from the first two books in the series). She was born and raised in Italy and when her father passed she comes to live in England.

I loved Juliana as a heroine. She’s sassy and spunky and fights so hard against the constraints of English society. She wants adventure and passion and to escape the judgement of the ton.

Our hero is the Duke of Leighton, or Simon, but I don’t love that name so I called him Leighton instead haha. Now, I have been one to say Dukes are everywhere and it doesn’t even fit with the story most of the time, or even matter. This is NOT one of those stories. He is a DUKE. Cold, arrogant, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders as he is always conscious of his role in society. He was born a duke and it shows. And I loved it. This is the kind of duke story I love to read.

Now, not going to lie, he can be rather an jerk. But it fit with his character to me, and it was him struggling against, well, everything that he was raised to be. Juliana was perfect for him in how she drove him crazy and pulled him from his starchy, uptight attitude and he could do nothing to stop his feelings. I loved the struggle in his character, his internal arguements with himself about what he wanted to do versus what was “right”.

There’s a lot to love about this book. It was such a fun read. You get to read about Gabriel and Callie and Nick and Isabel from the first two books. It just didn’t reach 5 star for me but it was close. I would have preferred a little more steam, but what you get was wonderfully written. There was also quite a bit going on outside their own relationship, family drama, that took the book down just a little bit to me. I also would have preferred to see what happened to have the family drama resolved in the epilogue.

This book I felt flowed well with the first (Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake). I really didn’t like the second (Ten Ways to Be Adored When Landing a Lord). It just seemed so random. But anyway, the first was my favorite but this was a fun read as well.

This Spring anthology is so worth the $2.99. Nine fun and different stories about love in the springtime. Supporting some wonderful authors and a great cause, as all profits are being donated to Breast Cancer research 😍 I’m including a bit of what I loved from each story.

Cosplay by Thyra Dane

Two online friends finally meet in person in Norway attending a cosplay. Found this to be a sweet, funny read. Loved the aspect of two cultures colliding and the resulting confusion. The characters were enjoyable. And, of course, I loved that they went as Beauty and the Beast theme. My favorite!

R & R by S L Hollister

A deputy and a federal agent find love. This book was so well put together for a short story! I was involved enough with the characters situations to feel for them, especially our hero Alejandro. Enough action and dialogue to balance it out. This story was also a favorite because my husband was just asked to join a DEA task force 😂 However he decided to do something else. I messaged him and said you’re taking the place of Alejandro in this story 😄

Cherry Blossom and Blood Bonds by Miranda Jameson

Wow! A paranormal hasn’t caught my attention this well since my Anne Rice days. I tried to have a paranormal October and it failed hugely. I couldn’t get into anything. I should have picked up a Miranda Jameson. Vampires have problems too and many of them are the same we humans deal with. I love a hero like this. He’s tortured, but his heart is in the right place and he’s damn sexy 😂 This story was a favorite. I enjoyed working through Ysabeau’s problems and getting to see her at her fiercest.

The Iris by Suki McMinn

Really cute story about a former teacher and pottery student. Jackson has a dark secret, can he trust Amber with it? Really enjoyed this story! Wanted it longer! 😉 I got the biggest smile when you find where Jackson gets his iris inspiration. Loved the humor and Amber adjusting to the idea of Jackson’s secret.

“Are you a real cat?” He purred in response. 😂

Blooming for Sir by Rachell Nicole

I was so hesitant about this story, because, well, I usually shy away from anything touching bdsm. Can I just say this was another favorite? That steam level 🔥🔥🔥 😍Jensen and Syneca have known each other for years - she was his older brothers fiancé, a broken engagement. Can they make it work with their past family complications?

Love is in the Airship by Catherine Stein

This story was amazing. Euphemia, or Effy, is running away from her own wedding and becomes a stowaway on board Charlie’s airship. Laughed out loud at parts of this book. Loved the fantasy and the advanced technologies aspect. Major points for including sugar sickness in this book as my son is a young type 1 diabetic, and I wish he had a mechanical dragon to assist in that adventure. And lastly, hello fellow Michigander 😍

The Rains in Spring Fall Mainly... by Jess Taylor

The thing I’m loving about this book is how it has so many different story types. This story, one about a blossoming love between two women, is not something I would normally read. It was fun to go on a sweet date with Tara and Laura and watch their friendship and tentative romance grow.

Second Chance at Stonybrook by Lara Temple

Ok I think I’ve said it a few times but this is a favorite now too. Second chance romance? Not my thing. Or so I thought. Damn, Lara. I sit here way too late at night because I got totally sucked into this story. Some books just take you away within the first paragraph and this was one for me. Wonderfully written. I want to crawl inside and live in this story. Our couple Sophie and Adam have a tumultuous past 8 years old. Being thrown together at Stonybrook allows them to find each other again. Mmmm this hero. I loved him. I loved the storm scene with the glass windows. Sigh. Amazing. I think it can be hard to get a decent amount of tension and feeling into a short story but it was done here with stellar skill.

French Kisses by Anna Volkin

Another winner! Dog trainer and dog owner face off in this hot and funny romance. Tension to me is so important in a story. It’s the whole reason I love romance, that building and wanting and I found plenty of that in this story. The characters Felix and Veronica were so unique and I really enjoyed their personalities, especially Felix. I loved the amount of time I got to spend in his head as well, I love getting a mans perspective. Lovely story.

Somebody said Anna Bradley’s Lady Charlottes First Love was absolutely tragic. I can’t help but agree.

This book utterly broke my heart. And it’s still broken. I’m not happy. The hero is not redeemed in my eyes. The heroine is not healed. I give 🌟🌟🌟 for the emotional turmoil but cannot give above that for multiple reasons.

Lady Charlotte and Julian have a messy history. This history begins in book one (Lady Eleanor’s Seventh Suitor) yet you don’t get all the details of it. You can make assumptions for what happens, and I was correct in them, but it’s almost like you are looking through a foggy glass. I was hoping this book would provide more details to that history, at least one good flashback but I didn’t get it. I think I would have been extremely annoyed if I read this as a stand-alone, especially as I’m already annoyed and DID get whatever history was offered.

The book starts many months after their separation from book one. Julian returns from war and the drama between them begins again. I feel like I cannot really discuss this book without giving away spoilers. Lots of drama. Lots of angst. Secrets. Lies. Hurt. Betrayal. Tears.

This hero is a complete jerk. He says awful, unforgivable things. I am okay with this if it’s a heart wrenching scene that he is then crawling on his knees for forgiveness. I didn’t feel that. He says horrible things not once, or twice, but multiple times to the heroine. He is hurt and lashes out. She has wronged him as well and is punishing herself. It’s just such a dark book.

The character development is deep. I enjoy her writing. I do get immersed in the story (however, I did find this book a little boring until about 100 pages in). But I felt no tension. I didn’t care at all about the sex. In fact it felt WRONG. No sex, more groveling is what I wanted.

They get their happily ever after but I want to leave a book feeling like there’s no loose ends. They truly love each other. They understand and have healed from their past hurts between them. I didn’t feel like that.

I seriously feel so depressed. 😭 I’m going to read the fortnight read, which is by Tessa Dare and will hopefully cheer me up.