Both Brad and Savannah have super trust issues, which you can imagine what that means. Yep, just a few bumps that end up being a bigger deal than maybe they should have been. Part of their problem is that they have a pretty hard time ignoring their attraction to each other so they are moving pretty fast. Leading to lots of assumptions and jumping to conclusions that is only exacerbated by their trouble with trusting each other.

Granted both of them have their reasons. Brad’s marriage wasn’t what he thought it was and when he finds out it changes a lot about how he sees the world. It also damaged his confidence and he tried to get it back with women … lots of women. And since Savannah’s last relationship was with a scoundrel who took off with all of her money and left her alone, she’s not exactly feeling all that sure of herself either.

The nice thing though is that James does a great job of having Savannah stand up for herself. She knows what she wants and she’s not willing to back down. She just has to make sure that Brad actually hears her, which isn’t always the easiest of things. He’s not completely clueless though and does figure things out eventually :)

Make sure that you are ready for a lot of ups and downs, because things are not easy for these two. But I found the ride differently worth the bumps.

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

Bella and her decades old crush on Nate is so darn cute. And you have to feel for her because it definitely isn’t a secret – the whole town knows and isn’t afraid to point it out. But you have to give her some credit for trying to move on … except she happens to do it with a stalker. Yeah, that didn’t go so well. The good part is that it puts her in close proximity to Nate and finally has him addressing his own feelings. And the bad part is, well, there’s a stalker.

I think that Hegger handles that part really well. There’s danger but she never makes light of the situation. It is a serious issue and they take it as such. I think she also handles everyone’s feelings well too. Now, some may think that with a stalker on the loose that Mr. Alpha Sheriff might want to tone it done a few times but Bella doesn’t seem to mind :)

It’s a slow process for Nate to forgive himself for his past and figure out that he’s good enough for Bella. But lucky for him she’s willing to wait him out. And once he gets his act together, Nate is definitely gold in the SO department.

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

Brandon and Stella are so absolutely adorable together. They have the steam and the sass and all the feels that you could want!

Brandon found himself a single dad at way too young and while he is a fabulous dad his past has left him with some trust issues when it comes to women. He can’t handle being left again and with Stella’s plans to go to Chicago that’s exactly what will happen if he lets himself get involved. Unfortunately (or fortunately) the two can’t fight their attraction and he starts to fall, regardless of how hard he fights it.

Stella has her own trust issues thanks to her nomadic upbringing and the revolving door of men in her mother’s life (especially one in particular). She’s trying just as hard as Brandon is to resist the pull between them but the man is just about perfect. How can you turn away from someone with that much patience, that much understanding, and that much sexiness?!?

Kern does a wonderful job of addressing both Brandon and Stella’s issues with the consideration that they deserve. She never glosses over their feelings and reactions, giving readers great back and forth between the two without getting overly dramatic.

She so great at drawing you in with the heartwarming emotions, entertaining you with the perfect amount of humor, and keeping you turning pages with characters that you can’t help but love. I am SO looking forward to what she has lined up next!

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

Like usual, I just a series late ... and unfortunately I think that this is one of the times that it kinda bit me a little.  Not as much as with some books but just enough to leave me just a tiny bit dissatisfied.  There is a lot of history with Julia and the people of Harmony Harbor, and more importantly here with Aidan.  I will give Mason props for doing a really good job of keeping me engaged and informed of the important bits that I might have missed but there were little things that I didn't have a clue about that came into play a few times.  I still loved Aidan and Julia and I was rooting for them to figure things out from the very first page, but it just made me feel a little ... left out because I wasn't there from the beginning of the series. 

Now, having said that, I really enjoyed both the story and Mason's writing.  The plot was very well done and kept me engaged all the way through.  The characters (both primary and secondary) felt real and I was involved in their lives right away.  The pacing was spot on - never seemed to drag and I was sad when we got to the end because it was over too soon.  And you can't beat the Christmas season for adding to the romance and fun.  Overall, a really wonderful read.  Which would have probably been perfect if I'd discovered this series a few books ago  :)

With lots of Christmas charm and delightfully likable characters, Sugarplum Way brings the holiday feels and then some.  Returning readers are sure to be thrilled ... new readers might want to consider checking out the backlist.  If they are anything like this one, you will have lots of great reads to get you through the next few months.  (Or weeks if you are a super fast reader like me!)  

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

So, once I got past the whole accidentally married thing (because really, how is that even possible?) I really enjoyed watching these two dance around each other.  Granted I think a little communication and a little less hiding by either one of them could have fixed things a lot faster but then again where's the fun in that?!? :)

Both Chase and Jessie have a few issues they are still carrying from their childhoods.  Their parents did a good job of ignoring both of them but they somehow managed to make it through pretty well.  Neither seems very confident in people's staying power and that does make it difficult for them to commit to others.  Which definitely leads to some shenanigans when they suddenly find themselves husband and wife.  

We spend basically a year with these two, although a good chunk of it is spent apart.  Hatfield pretty much ignores those times but does a great job of showing the two of them fighting their developing feelings when they are together.  They do such a great job of dancing around their feelings, though, that it might get a little old for some toward the end but the payout is definitely worth it!  Once they finally get to a point that they have to do something or lose each other forever, they manage to step up beautifully.  

This is my first time to read one of this author's books but I really enjoyed the down home, country feel and salt of the earth characters.  With a good dose of humor and fun, she delivered a wonderfully sweet read that will have me keeping an eye out for her other books.  

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

In an interesting twist for a romance, a good portion of the early part of the story has the two on their own.  But in a weird way it kinda works because as a reader we get a better understanding of our lead characters.  For the romance though it kinda was bad because that meant that the two leads didn’t get to know each other during that time.  It’s realistic for how the story flows but does make the love story part a little harder to get to.  Being as skilled as she is, though, Novak does make it work.  Once they start spending time together, Ellie and Hudson somehow manage to get past their insecurities and learn to be brave enough to go after what they want.  It just takes a while … but what else do you expect in a romance :)

I really enjoyed Ellie – she’s super smart but her confidence has taken a bit of a hit because of her cheating, no-good ex.  A night with Hudson definitely goes a long way in getting her mojo back ... until she finds herself pregnant and no way to contact the father.  I’m sure finding out that he’s a famous NFL player wasn’t easy but she handles it well (and I have to say she’s a lot more forgiving and understanding than I would have been.) 

Hudson’s past definitely makes finding out he has a baby on the way a shock.  He’s always done what he could to limit the chance of an accidental pregnancy because no baby of his would ever feel unwanted.  So he does everything he can to make sure that he will be there now … after he pulls a few bonehead moves, of course!  While there may have been a few moments when I wanted to smack him, I always understood where he was coming from and the idea of what he’s gone through, and is currently experiencing, after being abandoned as a baby is heartbreaking. 

Full of all the feels, realism, and interesting characters that you’d expect from a Novak book, Until You Loved Me is another great addition to the Silver Springs series.

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

This is one of those holiday stories with just the tiniest of supernatural twists. It reminds me so much of those Hallmark Channel Christmas movies where Santa or an angel or a ghost helps to get the couple together for their HEA. I love those movies so that made it even more fun!

Nora is at loose ends and thanks to a little holiday magic she finds herself on Hawk’s doorstop just when he needs her. While she’s definitely not Mary Poppins she does have a HUGE heart and finds herself quickly drawn into their lives. It’s definitely hard stepping into a role that hasn’t been filled since Hawk’s wife passed away but if anyone can win over the little family it will be her.

Hawk is doing everything he can for his kids but he’s definitely finding himself stretched a little thin as his daughter approaches her teenage years and his son is desperate for a mom. When he finds himself face to face with an old girlfriend he starts thinking things he hasn’t for a very long time. He’s dedicated himself to being the best dad he can but maybe it is time to start thinking as a man too …

Short and cute and full of holiday fun, Wanted: Mom for Christmas is perfect for those (like me) who just love those feel-good, candy-sweet, made-for-tv movies :)

(Oh, and I had no idea this was a part of a series so obviously it can easily stand on its own.)

After reading Run to Ground (with awesomely grumpy Theo), I wasn’t sure I was going to like Hugh. He seemed a bit of an a$$ – one of those wisecracking jerks that is a little too much of a guy’s guy. But I severely underestimated Ruggle’s skills! I absolutely loved Hugh from the first page to the last and not once did I have an unkind thought about him. He’s a truly good guy, cares about those around him, and wants to do good in the world. Meeting Kaylee, who is definitely hiding something and who tugs at something in Hugh like no one before, has all of those hero feelings on high alert.

Kaylee is surprisingly engaging as well. At first she seems a little too prissy but she quickly gets over her “city” ways and embraces her new situation. Avoiding (and resisting) Hugh is harder than it should be (because the man is tenacious) but she starts to have trouble remembering why he’s bad news.

Just like with Run to Ground, Ruggle brings a good amount of danger to the second book in the series. All of the elements work together beautiful and give readers a good suspense element to go with their love story. But don’t worry if you missed the first story because she helps you keep up … but I’m pretty sure you should read them both because they are pretty darn good :)

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

I am REALLY not a fan of the man whore as a hero. I understand that reformed rakes make the best partners (at least in romance novels) but Kian definitely embraces all of the “spoils” that his title can bring. I got to the first scene and put it down because I just couldn’t like him … but I felt that I needed to at least try so I came back to it. And I’m glad I did.

Kian actually turned into a guy with more depth than I expected. He’s got some serious issues with his dad (which come to play a lot in the story and I’m sure will be even bigger in his brother’s) and with the pressure of his position in the family. He cares, though, about his brother and his country and wants what is best for his people. He just doesn’t think he’s it. With his brother missing it doesn’t look like he has a choice, at least for now. And then he meets Savvy.

Savvy is understandably hesitant to get involved with a prince – she hasn’t had the best track record with them. And it impacts a lot of her relationship with Kian. Throw in his reputation and things only get trickier.

I was surprised at how much I liked him (she was OK but Kian was definitely a star for me). I’m so glad I gave him another chance and I’m definitely intrigued by what will happen in his brother’s book. There’s a lot of baggage that these two men carry around with their crowns and I’m looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

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

I felt so bad for Karen through so much of this book. It is obvious that while her friends do what they can she’s not had the support she needs throughout her career. It’s hard enough being a doctor but the things she sees could break anyone. It takes a bit for Tuck to figure out that something is missing for her (and of course he has to have a few man moments) but when he does he steps up like the awesome guy he is. It’s not easy because she fights him every step of the way :) But he’s tenacious and willing to be patient when he needs to be. Everyone should be so lucky to have that kind of person to be at their side.

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