There is so much I enjoyed about Emma and Zach getting together – friends (of a sort) to lovers, high school crush, taboo relationship, reformed rake … there’s just a lot here to make me happy!

Zach is misunderstood in quite a few places throughout the story. He’s known to be a bit of a player but he really is a nice guy. He’s got a good heart, does a lot for his friends, and when he comes across a girl he wants to settle down with he’s willing to do a lot for her. Unfortunately she’s got some baggage that makes it hard to believe he’s sincere.

Most of the time I really liked Emma but she really doesn’t give Zach a break. She’s struggling with her attraction to him and is putting a lot of that on him when he really doesn’t deserve it. He may have a history (and really a big part of it was in high school, people!) but he never does anything to her to suggest that he isn’t being true. I think a little openness and a whole lot of good old fashion talking would have helped these too a lot :)

While the story appealed to me and I enjoyed the feelings developing between these two, there were a couple of writing style choices that I found a little strange. One was the way that the people and their lives were revealed to us – it almost felt like this was a middle of a series story but it is the first and all the other characters have books coming up. Blue does a great job of giving you the information that you need but it is presented in a way that it felt like you should know it already and she’s getting new readers up to speed. It doesn’t keep the characters from being interesting (which they are and I’m looking forward to getting their stories, especially Emma’s sister because there is some complicated stuff going on with her) or the story from flowing smoothly, it just seemed an odd choice for a first book in the series.

The other thing was that there were a couple of times when I got a little confused about the timing of things. A chapter would end but when the next one started I wasn’t confident about how much time had elapsed and what happened to the characters during that time. The explanation would come but not before I felt just a little bit lost first. And even then I’m not 100% sure I got all of the details about what happened. It doesn’t keep the story from moving well or for me to feel like I got a complete and enjoyable story, but it felt an odd choice to me.

Overall, though, the fun that is Zach falling in love and winning over Emma far outweighs any trouble spots that come up. With 5 more romances for this group coming soon, I think a lot of this will work itself out and we’ll be left with just the joy of a great love story. And I’m ready to find out all their secrets (Emma’s sister especially – that girl is just a big ball of conflict).

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

While this one doesn't have the big emotional upheaval that some of the earlier Cold Fury books does, there is still a lot of good feelings going on here. And I for one enjoy an angst free romance from time to time :)

Roman may be a troublemaker but he isn't a bad guy. He just enjoys life in a big way and it occasionally causes some waves. From the moment he meets Lexi, though, things are different and with a little faith he proves himself to be a worthy boyfriend.

It takes a lot of guts for Lexi to come to NC and confront Brian with her news. We know that he's a fantastic dad to Gray and he proves that he's a genuinely good guy by immediately accepting Lexi into his life. Unfortunately it's a little harder for Gray to accept, but Lexi has such a warm and upbeat personality that she quickly wins her over. Unfortunately the tension between Gray and Roman intrudes on Lexi's life and causes a bit a trouble. But she's a smart girl and with a little help quickly figures things out.

I think the most fun thing about this is that we also get Brian's POV here - he not only finds out that he has another daughter but thanks to Lexi he might also find a woman who can liven up his life. He's gotten a little buttoned up over the years and he needs the shake up that he has coming! It's super sweet and brings a little extra joy to the story.

Some family drama and a couple of romantic entanglements make Roman a great Spring read. It perfectly shows off Bennett's smooth writing style and knack for creating fun-to-read characters. I'm excited to see what she brings us next!

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

This is such a fantastic premise - and very fitting for today's world. I do appreciate that Scott didn't take it someplace too dangerous. Instead there is a bit of a misunderstanding about who exactly Alex has been emailing, with the expected hard feelings, but Joe is a good man and things quickly turn around.

None of these people are perfect and both Alex & Joe have their hesitations for putting themselves out there. While their face-to-face introduction leaves A LOT to be desired, there are all of those emails that built a good foundation for their friendship. They just have to believe in themselves and each other ... but of course trusting is never easy.

Twist is full of humor, heart and heat. It's fun to be with these two as they move from a virtual friendship to a real one, with lots of sparks and playfulness along the way. While they let life get in the way and freak them out for a bit, eventually they figure things out - and it fits them so well :)

(This is the first of Scott's books that I've read but it definitely can stand alone. She does such a great job of keeping you in the know wither everything relevant that you can easily jump right in.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I really enjoyed seeing Gentry find his way. He's lost himself over the years as he's fallen into being the bad boy of country music, but it's just not him anymore (if it every really was all that much). While struggling to find himself in his music again he's roped into playing at a wedding where he meets Skye. And things just click ... in all sorts of ways!

Skye is also struggling between being the girl she thinks she should be and the freedom that her heart craves. It's not easy for her and a sexy man in boots is temptation she isn't looking for.

While I liked Skye OK and I understood where her conflicts came from, it really was Gentry that held me. And it definitely was entertaining seeing him convince Skye to walk on the wild side :) Oh, I should warn everyone that they do put the wild in One Wild Night so those who like their love stories a little tamer might want to skip this one. But if you are up for some spice then come join Skye and Gentry as they find themselves, each other, and a HEA that works for all their miscellaneous sides.

(While this is part of a series, it can easily stand on its own. It's my first full length book by Cutler and I had no problem keeping up.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I've read quite a few of Bennett's books and a few of them have taken me on a ride of emotions before ... but I think that was just to prepare me for this one :) While there are deep moments, there is also a good amount of humor and fun. It took me up and down and around. And I enjoyed all of it!

I really loved this little group of troubled souls, road-tripping their way across the US for all different reasons. It starts out as a chance for Connor (dying of cancer) to knock a few things off his bucket list, but everyone ends up learning something along the way. And while Christopher is our main character, you quickly find yourself attached to everyone as he (and us) discovers a little more every day about the others, and himself.

He's drawn to Jillian, who has an amazingly bright outlook on life even though she is slowly going blind. She, along with Connor, has been the most open about therapy and embraced all of them, regardless of their prickly nature. Conner is facing death head on and trying to experience life a little bit more before his time. Barb is as negative about the whole process as Christopher but she too starts to open up, just a little, and we find out that her scars are so much deeper than what you can see on her wrists. Christopher also has signs on the outside of his body of what he's been through, but nothing compares to the turmoil underneath.

While they are each dealing with some of the heaviness that life has to offer, they are handling them in different ways. But together, they might manage to get to a place where they can face life, and all that it brings, with their heads held high. To find a way to laugh, love, and enjoy again.

This book is definitely not for everyone. But if you think your heart can take it then grab a box of tissue, put your feet up, and go for a journey. You'll laugh and cry and sigh and you might even find bits of them in you.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

Not having been adopted (or even been close to anyone that I knew was adopted) it is hard to imagine what kind of questions Cora has about herself. To finally be able to put that restlessness behind her is a temptation she can't pass up. Eli comes from kinda the opposite point - he knows where he came from, it just isn't a happy place. Their pasts have left both of them with some baggage that they have to figure out how to handle. Baggage that is only complicated when they start to fall for each other, thanks to their ties to Aiyana.

This is not the first of Novak's books I've read ... and it DEFINITELY won't be the last. I love how she somehow makes Finding Our Forever real and pretty drama-free, but still engrossing. There is so much growth and discovery for both Cora and Elijah and yet when everything comes to a head they don't let things overwhelm them. It would have been so easy for Novak to have them weighted down with hurt feelings and damaged pride, but instead they handle things with grace and sensitivity. There are so many possible options for where to go with future books and, as a fan of damaged heroes, I'm looking forward to all the possibilities!

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

Crazy for You has so many things I just love – friends-to-lovers, best friend’s sister, good girl/bad boy … that’s just a start :) Lacey just keeps getting better with this trio of troubled heroes!

Emma and Ryan are so adorable together. Even while they spend a good part of the book trying to convince themselves that their friends-with-benefits relationship hasn’t turned into something more! Years of knowing one another, plus the bond of losing their families at a young age, give them a special understanding of each other. And it’s so delightful to see Ryan help step out of her comfort zone while she helps keep him guessing on where they’ll go next.

While the trouble that comes to this relationship isn’t surprising, it’s the falling in love part that will capture readers’ hearts. Lacey does an amazing job of keeping the characters’ interactions fun and the feels coming from the beginning all the way to the wonderfully delightful epilogue.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I’ve read quite a few of Scott’s books and somehow she surprises me every time. They don’t only have new characters but they each have their own feel as well. With The Heart we spend quite a bit of time learning about Alex and Jo individually as well as seeing themgure things out as a couple. And because of that it feels a bit more like a character piece than your typical romance.

Alex is doing a lot of juggling between his duties as coach (and friend). trying to figure out his new relationship with Jo, and the aftermath of the accident. Jo is also working out things with Alex, as well as being a probie firefighter and some family issues with her dad’s recent death.

It makes it all so real because that’s the way normal people deal with falling in love. Not only do you have the new person and all the feels that go with that, but you also have your normal everyday life and the responsibilities that go with it. Scott keeps it going together smoothly with interesting characters, engaging writing and just enough drama to keep you on your toes.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

For me, this book is an interesting mishmash of things - we have the first part (most of the story, actually) with Quincy and Judson coming together again and addressing their feelings for each other, plus his issues with losing his leg. Next there's a short bit over halfway thru where they can't keep their hands off each other and it feels a bit like an erotic novel (not that I'm complaining, mind you :) ). And then at the end there's some suspense and danger. It all moves together and the story is great all around but it almost feels like separate sections instead of one continuous flow. It didn't bother me but I'm throwing it out there just in case it might bug you.

There is a ton of conflict and tangled emotions in the early parts. Both Quincy and Judson have had feelings for each other for more than a decade but his time as a SEAL separated them. Not that that stopped the love, just kept it buried, and now that they are together it's hard to keep ignoring it. Except that Judson's having problems figuring out who he is since he left the SEALs, believing himself to be less of a man. He's struggled for a long time and cut himself off from people who cared. Instead he's self-medicating and drowning in negative emotions. There are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of ups and downs as they deal with all the turmoil and try to get to a healthy place, whether that's together or apart.

Once they do, though, it is a lovely thing. I like how they find a life that fits them both and makes them happy. It's not all smooth sailing (don't forget the whole suspense element is out there, just waiting to strike) but it does help them get a hard-won HEA that makes up for all the bumps along the way. Plus, an epilogue that tugs at your heart while teasing at the second story in the series.

As long as the way the story moves isn't going to be an issue for you, Finding Purpose has a lot of great things to offer. The complicated characters and attention grabbing beginning definitely had me hooked! I didn't want to put it down and I'm looking forward to finding out what comes next.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

So, while I dabble here and there in BDSM reading I am definitely not all that well informed on it. I know when it works for me and when it doesn't, and here it definitely does.

Jack has some serious conflict about himself as a sadist. He had people close to him turn against him when the truth came out so he's worked hard to keep it separate from his daily life. Unfortunately it is as much as part of him as anything else which means that he feels that he has to avoid any intimacy in his life ... regardless of how sexy he finds sweet Penny. But Penny is hiding secrets of her own and a little glimpse into Jack's world has her curious. Making Jack let her in is a fight she's not willing to lose.

I really liked these two together. They have fun, definitely rock the entertaining banter, and set the pages ON FIRE. There's a whole mess of emotions to go along with it as well, though. They struggle a lot with their feelings, both for each other and about themselves, but with each other's help they might be able to figure things out.

You are definitely going to have to be OK with some sizzling kink with these too, including a seriously strong Alpha with a need to inflict pain. But more importantly, you need to be ready for a lot of difficult times, ups & downs & abouts & arounds, because these two don't make it easy on themselves. Or us :) But it is definitely a ride that I enjoyed! I'm looking forward to seeing what Castille has in store for us next.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***