I don’t know why the suspense element surprised me as much as it did – I mean, it is spelled out in the blurb that there was a murder – I guess I wasn’t expecting it to be so involved. But I really enjoyed it. It played well into Lauren and Gabe’s issues, helping to resolve a lot of things and not seem forced.

And the characters are as interesting as the storyline. I love that Lauren is independent and has a good head on her shoulders, is able to apply her brain to Gabe’s issues (not just her heart), but I also really loved that she’s human and screws up. She’s had a tough life but she hasn’t let it slow her down – sometimes to the detriment of her relationships. Gabe’s got a lot of issues too, mostly stemming from a not so great childhood. Like everyone, he’s made some choices that have long reaching impact … although his consequences are pretty severe.

There were a lot of giggles and a truckload of tears, a few moments on the edge of my seat and a couple of times where my heart went pitter, which to me makes Blind Love a winner and Paul one of my new authors to watch.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)

Montana Cherries reminded me a little of a Robyn Carr book (and if you have been around for a while you know how much I LOVE those). There is so much more going on here than just the romance between Dani and Ben, which would be great on its own. There are also family issues (on both sides), plus a few hard-hitting secrets. Both Dani and Ben have to learn where they belong, how they fit into their families and some interesting truths about themselves & those around them.

(I’m going to have to give a little bit of a spoiler because Dani’s whole storyline is impacted by it. So if you don’t want to know skip past this paragraph :) ) Dani and her brothers were seriously jacked up by her mom, although Dani has blocked it out for years. You go thru the first half of the book thinking that her mom was wonderful and then you get quite a shocker. This leads to a lot of soul-searching and therapy for her to understand how her mom has controlled her life and her decisions ever since … and how it has impacted her family. It is devastating but I was thrilled that Law had her get professional help. In her Acknowledgments she talks about how this process had to be shortened for the book and I really appreciate her comments about the issues & why she had to handle it the say she did. It shows a nice understanding about how devastating something like this truly can be.

I will say I was a little surprised by Ben about 2/3 of the way thru. Up to that point he’d shown an amazing understanding of Dani’s needs and had been wonderfully supportive. But then his ego and heart get a little damaged and he seemed to forget all of that. Once he gets over himself though it does help get us to an ending that is just too darn sweet for words.

Dani has some brothers that will likely have stories of their own which will be just as full of emotional issues as this one and I can’t wait to see where Law takes them. If she continues to display the same thoughtfulness with them as she did with Dani, they are going to have quite the rollercoaster ride.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)

Two things that I think are important to note here – 1) if you haven’t read any of the Thunder Point books it is probably a good idea to at least start with One Wish, which is the book before this one, because it has some of the characters from A New Hope but 2) it shouldn’t be an issue because these books are just so darn good that you should be reading them all anyway :)

I always feel like a broken record with this series – emotional plots involving realistic characters with real troubles. But when you have something as perfect as this why mess it up, right? And Carr is so talented at bringing a variety of people and their issues to the page, I never feel like I’m getting just a repeat.

We got to know Ginger some in One Wish and I’m thrilled that we get to see her continue to heal, make friends and build a new life for herself. She’s understandably a little unsteady on her feet but she’s making great strides. She shows an amazing sense of self and maturity coming out of the amazing hardships she’s had to face and that is exactly what Matt needs. He’s having to address a few things of his own and meeting Ginger definitely shakes things up for him - living a life he’s not proud of since his divorce, seeing what Ginger has overcome has him re-examining things.

I recommended reading One Wish not just because of Ginger, but we also get a continuation of Grace & Troy’s story, which I loved. It added even more sweetness to an already touching story. Plus they help us get a little sneak peek at the next story. I’ve said this before too, the sense of continuation and community, of old friends and new acquaintances, is one of my favorite parts of this series.

With A New Hope, Carr once again brings us characters that we grow to care about. And I love that even though they help each other, they face their demons themselves. It helps lead to a healthy HEA that left me all giddy and happy and oh-so-ready for the next story.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Other Thunder Point reviews available at Romantic Reads and Such on Wordpress.)

(I'm giving this one 3.5 stars.)

This is the first of the First & Ten books for me so I don't know if this is a good representation of Joachim's work, but from what I've seen on different sites she's got a pretty vocal (and happy) following, which is a good sign. The writing isn't the tightest that I've read but the story is very satisfying and the characters have struggles that readers can get behind. Both Pete and Jo have their moments of stupidity - and Jo's penchant to run when trouble strikes doesn't do anyone any good - but they also have very real and touching moments.

Pete's put his love life on hold while he raised twin daughters on his own, but now they are off to college and he's ready to fill that empty spot. What he didn't count on was finding someone in the team's office that hits him quite like Jo does. Jo has spent years fighting for her place in a man's world and she's a success but at the expense of her dating life. Meeting Coach Bass starts something that quickly takes off.


I really liked these two together - yes, I wanted to smack them when they were being dumb but I also wanted to give them a hug, which means I was involved and that's always a good thing :) Again, there were moments when the phrasing wasn't the smoothest, but for me it was easily overshadowed by the characters and the plot. I'll definitely be keeping my eye on Joachim - I expect lots of good things to come!

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.)

In most of my reviews I talk about how fabulous (or not until the end) the hero is but in And Then He Kissed Me Audrey is definitely the star. Don't get me wrong, I love Kieran and I applaud the changes he's made to his life since leaving White Pine five years ago. But it is the changes that Audrey is going thru now, thanks to losing her job and becoming a Harley model, that are truly awesome and fun.


While out of her comfort zone in the new job, especially once she realizes that Kieran is her new boss, standing in front of everyone in sexy leather biker clothes gives her a certain attitude that bleeds over into her every day life. Watching her come out of her shell and shine is an absolute treat. But it isn't always easy.

Besides dealing with Kieran (which would be enough on its own), her controlling sister is pushing against not only her changes but her being anywhere near Kieran again. Having it been the two of them for so long, it definitely isn't easy for Audrey to deal with her sister's attitude. But as she finds a new stride, I cheered for her every step of the way. It's glorious and she's definitely one of my favorite heroines of all time - her opening comment to Kieran sealed it for me ... but you have to read it to find out what she said (or look at reviews on Goodreads) :)


I also loved how vulnerable both Audrey and Kieran are in this situation. Both of them have to come to terms with the past and decide if they are going to let it impact their future - Audrey on whether she can trust Kieran again and Kieran on whether he can be vulnerable but more importantly if he can reveal a secret that will hurt Audrey. It's not an uncommon dance in romances but one that Amos handles exceptionally well.


It's no surprise that I didn't read the first story in this series, A Kiss to Build a Dream On. Luckily this is one of those times when it didn't matter, although I'm definitely adding it to my TBR pile. With fantastic primary and secondary characters and an emotional storyline, And Then He Kissed Me is a must read and Amos is an author to watch. She has two more White Pine stories this year and I can't wait!

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

I’m really disappointed to say this is the first of the Shore Secrets series that I’ve read because these friends are fantastic together. They are so supportive and caring for each other, but they aren’t afraid to give each other a hard time when needed (and sometimes when not :) ). You can definitely read Back To Us as a standalone – there are a few references to the previous stories … but they just taunted me with the goodness that I had missed.

Barth could have easily been lazy on the relationship between Piper and Ward, using their history as an excuse to not craft decent interactions between the two, but lucky for us she doesn’t. We don’t get the back and forth of them getting to know each other, but she’s able to show their connection and attraction. As they tiptoe closer, I found myself happier and happier for them, waiting for them to get to a point when they finally bury their past and look toward a future together.

I think my only complaint is how much both Ward and Piper let that past influence their choices now. I’m going to tell you what he did so if you don’t want to know then stop reading now … last chance …. He kissed another girl, when he was 18, on his own for the first time at college, feeling lonely, and Piper saw it … Yes, I’m sure that was awful – they’d been friends for ages and he broke her heart, plus the wounds at that age can definitely have far reaching effects – but it was just a kiss. Granted they never talked about it, so she didn’t know that was all it was. He did, though, and should have manned up and taken care of this before now. Except they let it fester and turn into a big deal and now they have to work thru it. Maybe this is where not having the history of the other books plays against me because I’m sure that Ward and Piper and their feelings are a pretty big part in the other stories considering how close these friends are. I will say that Barth does a fantastic job setting it up and having them work thru it. So while I think that they allowed themselves to blow it all out of proportion, the trust issue is handled very realistically and she gets them to a satisfying HEA.

If this is your first Shore Secrets (and you don’t want to go back and start at the beginning), you’ll be OK but based on what I see here I think you’ll want to get the other two as well, just so you can spend more time with this great group of people.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Burning Submission is short and doesn’t go into explicit detail on the D/s relationship (there are pretty steamy sex scenes, but they are more of an intro to BDSM) and heavy on the suspense with Vicki’s stalker. That’s what gives Gavin a chance to insert himself into her life and for her to come into contact with a lifestyle that interests her but that she hasn’t explored before.

It’s not an overly complicated storyline, which I appreciated. Instead it focuses on the two main characters as they dance around their attraction and whether Vicki is willing to herself fully to Gavin.

While you should take the reader note to heart, keep in mind that it is a good opportunity for readers who are interested in checking out the genre. Clocking in at 105 pages, Burning Submission is a fun, fast, hot read and a great way to try out a new series or even a new type of book.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

If you are willing to overlook a few errors in the grammar, give The Big, Not-So-Small, Curvy Girls, BBW Romance, Dating Agency a shot. You’ll find yourself drawn to the vivacious Becky in a heartbeat. - See more at: http://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com/2013/06/20/the-big-not-so-small-curvy-girls-bbw-romance-dating-agency/

Some of you may remember Winsor’s Pleasure Grove series from Unleashed Under the Mistletoe. If you haven’t don’t worry about it, this one can stand on its own pretty well - but you do have to be ready for some seriously steamy reading. Don’t get me wrong, in no way does Winsor scrimp on the emotions (I found myself crying at the end), but she also in no way scrimps on the steam!

Speer is dealing with a whole bunch of issues stemming from the death of his brother. He’s run away for a couple of years but now he’s out of options and he’s come home. Shortly afterward he meets Regina and she starts to help him come alive again. It’s a bumpy ride - one that Regina has to have the patience and understanding of a saint to handle. But she’s had some trouble spots of her own and learned a lot because of it so she’s able to use that wisdom with Speer.

There are a couple of things that I really appreciate about the way that Winsor handles this story. Even though Speer wants to run from his troubles again, he stands firm and faces it with Regina, but he also understands that it is going to require professional help to truly get over everything that has happened. It’s refreshing in a genre where all too often you get a “love conquers all” kind of ending.

With complicated and troubled characters, an emotional storyline, and enough sizzle to get you hot under the collar, Winsor’s newest is an erotic, and yet heartwarming, treat. I can’t wait to see what she gives us next … Speer’s friend Boyd is in desperate need of a HEA.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Trouble When You Walked In is a fun, humorous, and sweet small-town read (which is one of my favorite kinds of books). I love the quirkiness, the closeness, and how involved everyone is with everyone else. It makes me crave a different way of life, even one full of nosy busybodies.

Boone is the can’t-do-wrong golden child – he’s nice, cares about the town and its people. He’s the guy that men want to be and women just want. But he’s also juggling a lot of expectations, especially from his parents, and hiding a pretty big secret that is keeping him from acting on his attraction to the pretty little librarian … the one who has a lot of spunk hiding behind her tweed skirts. Cissie usually fades into the background but she isn’t going to back down when her library is threatened. If it means going against Boone in the mayor’s race then she will do exactly that, regardless of how sexy she finds him.

Watching these two dance around their differences and their attraction – butting heads and sneaking kisses – is a riot. I laughed and sighed and turned pages as quickly as I could and I can’t wait to see what else Kramer brings us from Kettle Knob.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)