When I read the first book in this series, I was so excited to see what Cole had in store for us with the next three books and I gotta say she didn't disappoint. While it seems that things work out a little too conveniently with who these people are and what their meeting means, I'm happy to overlook it because I like how the story plays out :) (I'm not going to give too much away just in case you don't know who Reid is and why he's important.)

Lia is fantastic - she's fun, sassy and embraces her own style. For the most part she's comfortable in her skin and likes all the things that makes her her. Reid is also comfortable in his skin (and what sexy skin it is), but he's also got a huge heart and gives back to his community. Plus he's willing to stop and help a damsel in distress ...

I really appreciate that other than a propensity to fall in love (and a father that is seriously horrible), Lia doesn't come into this with a lot of baggage. And Reid only carries a little guilt over what happened in Chicago. The story basically starts with these two meeting, getting to know each other, and then the real fun begins when Reid visits Lia at work :)

Like the other Second Circle Tattoos stories, there is danger involved and some intrigue over who is causing them trouble. It's a very well played out mystery and I really like how Cole resolved everything.

I can't wait to see what Cole has in store next. There's lots of opportunities and it looks like it might be Dred's guys next. And I'm super excited to see them again and find out more about their histories.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

I hate to say it (and I think it was because of all the build-up I saw around this book’s release) but I didn’t find Lennon Reborn to be THAT heart-wrenching. I felt for the guy so very much and I was so happy to finally find out why he is the way he is … but I kinda was waiting for even more of an emotional punch. Don’t get me wrong, there are a TON of feels here and I relished every one, but they didn’t grab hold of my heart and squeeze like I expected them to.

The opening is definitely nerve-wracking and when you find out exactly how much it costs Lennon you can’t help but get choked up. He’s done a good job of hiding his troubles behind the jerk mask he wears, but life has not been kind to this man (I cannot imagine how he managed to survive his childhood) and the only thing that kept him together was his music and his band mates … now he’s losing one of those and his deepest fear is that he’ll lose it all. Lucky for him, he has his own savior in Dr. Georgia Starr.

Georgia usually deals with pediatric patients but when she’s right there at Lennon’s accident she does everything she can to help. When she finds herself thinking about Lennon afterward, it doesn’t take her long before she finds herself in his room. And the hurt she senses in him (and their obvious attraction) has her going out of her way to get him back on his feet. She’s just not fully aware of what that is going to mean for them both.

I loved these two together. Lennon is struggling but he senses something in Georgia, something that speaks to his damaged side. While he’s given himself up as a lost cause, he thinks that she needs someone to help her get more out of life and he’s decided to help her. As for Georgia, she’s not going to let Lennon wallow. Her blunt, up-front personality is so refreshing and it definitely keeps him on his toes, making him think about more than what he’s lost (not just today but always).

Together Lennon and Georgia manage to work through their demons and figure out a way to enjoy life again. Steamy, sexy, and full of all sorts of emotions, Lennon Reborn is another wonderful entry into a fabulous series about men dealing with their pasts and the women who love them enough to help them through it.

*** 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 the HOT series but this is my first of the HOT SEAL off-shoots and I can honestly say it didn’t make a difference.  I stopped because I fell behind by a book or two and there seemed to be enough flow from book to book (mostly with the bad guy) that I didn’t feel comfortable picking up again in the middle.  I was assured this was a good place to start back up, though, and I’m sure glad I listened!

Based on the stories I’d read before I knew I’d get action and emotion, with strong women and take charge men, and this one didn’t disappoint.  From the first page I was hooked!  After her sister left her in charge of her niece, Bailey goes barreling over to Alexei’s to confront the man who she thought was the baby’s dad.  From her banging on his door and yelling her *ahem* “high” opinion about him to Alexei bringing her into his home to help her take care of Ana, it’s fun and sassy and a great meet-cute.

Of course, bad things come calling when Bailey gets threatened at work by someone looking for her sister.  With the brains and brawn that populate the HOT team, Bailey has a lot of help at her disposal.  But it’s going to take some time which keeps her in Alexei’s orbit just that much longer … lucky girl!

Neither of them were looking to get involved, but the heart rarely plays fair and I really enjoyed watching both Bailey and Alexei fall in love.  They struggle with it a bit and have a few moments where being a little more up front about their changing feelings would have saved them both some heartache, but overall it was pretty drama free (which I appreciate).  Instead, we get two people who thought they wanted one thing slowly figuring out that maybe they want something so much different after all. 

With a large dose of sizzle between the main characters, a little bit of danger thrown in to spice things up, Alexei and Bailey’s romance if a ton of fun to read.  I’m looking forward to enjoying more of the HOT guys … maybe I’ll go back and get the ones I’ve missed!

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

While there were a couple of things that I feel like weren’t resolved, they weren’t related to the romance between Cam & Audrey so I let it go. I’m OK ignoring little things if I get a great, realistic love story :) And that’s definitely what I liked about Changing the Rules. Everything felt normal – the slow burn of these two getting to know each other, falling in love, and learning to trust not only the other but themselves.

Both Cam & Audrey had things that happened in their lives that have left them a little burned when it comes to commitment. With the death of Piper’s mom (Cam’s estranged half-sister) they have to come together to do the right thing for the little girl. Time and proximity has them getting to know each other and liking what they see. They still are hesitant, but not so much so that it brings on too much drama. Instead they just have to learn to listen to their hearts.

Full of cute moments and feelings being explored, I was very pleased with how smoothly Kern brings these two together and has them working their way to being a family.

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

This is the first of this series that I’ve read and I have to admit that I didn’t think I was going to like Seamus. He’s brash, cocky, mouthy, and more often than not inappropriate. But he’s also caring and fun and he does everything he can to bring Allie out of her shell. I easily found myself falling under his spell right along with her.

Allie’s family is pretty much awful, especially her sister and she really needed to find a champion in Seamus. It helps, of course, that he’s sexy is all get out. His confidence (and, surprisingly, his lack of filter) helps her find her own mojo and the confidence to stand up for herself.

I liked that, while these two definitely needed to work on sharing their feelings, things were pretty much drama-free. At least between the two of them – Allie’s sister brought more than enough drama for everyone. Even when they finally reach the point that they have to come clean about falling in love, Robson handles it with care. It’s a sweet ending and definitely in line with the couple we’d gotten to know.

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a review copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not coerced in any way.**

So there are some people who are not going to like this story (that sounds bad but keep reading!). It’s pretty angst free, so there isn’t a lot of drama to move the plot. Instead it is all about the people – their interactions, developing feelings, and growth as they come to terms with their issues in order to move forward. And because that growth is a pretty big deal, there is a bit of time spent in their own heads. It’s their own issues they have to overcome, not an outside force, so there is a lot thinking and feeling.

Which also means there is a lot of back and forth, internally and between the two of them. Both feel the connection but they are scared to get involved for different reasons. Unfortunately the pull is strong enough that they can’t stay away either so there is a lot of yes/no…yes on getting together. That growth helps take care of it, and gives a pretty darn good HEA, although it takes some time and I know that sometimes I’m in the mood for that push/pull but a lot of times I’m just not.

Hopefully you’re still with me because I don’t want to scare anyone off, since I really enjoyed the book (I just know that it isn’t for everyone) and like other Moon books the characters make for a feel-good read. Nick is an honorable man with a big heart, which is what leads to a lot of his troubles. He takes things a little too seriously and struggles with some things that happened while he was in the military. Jordan also has a big heart but her failed engagement has her hesitant to trust in men again. Especially one who is obviously keeping something from her. It’s just so hard to resist someone who is ALWAYS there when you need them, doing exactly the right thing … drat that man for being too awesome!

Both Jordan and Nick have their reasons for feeling the way that they do but it is only together, with good communication, openness, and trust, that they have any hope of having a future (sounds pretty spot-on, eh?). You Send Me is a slow-burn romance with all the feels that you could ask for … and a hero that you’ll find yourself head-over-heels for in no time!

(You don’t have to have read Then Came You to enjoy this book. While there are returning characters there’s not really a lot of carry-over other than the friendship between them.)

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a review copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**

I tend to turn away from books that have a heroine who is that free-spirited, wild child kinda character but I’d been drawn in by the other books and already started to fall for Bren … and Violet too, I admit. She’s not one of those in your face, “I gotta be me” kind of people. Instead she’s a glorious mix of daddy issues and seize the day mentality. Having faced cancer at a very early age she’s pretty set on living life to the fullest and you gotta admire that! If doing that also involves teasing a broody, sexy Scot … well, that just makes for even better reading :)

While Bren has his reasons for being so broody (he did fall into the bottle pretty darn far), he’s working hard to get his life back on track. It’s been almost a year but he’s serious about being the man his daughters, his team, and at some point a partner deserves. He’s still a little unsteady on his feet so he’s trying to avoid anything too tempting – and Violet is oh-so-tempting.

Returning readers will have enjoyed seeing bits and pieces of their dance over the last few books but it is so very satisfying to get it in full detail. Meader has never failed to deliver the feels and she does it again here in spades. And not just with Bren and Violet. While I loved how she made sure that readers understood where those two were coming from every step of the way, I think I might have loved the relationship Bren has with his team just as much as finally getting this particular HEA :)

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a review copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**

I don’t usually like books that has flashbacks but it worked a bit better here. There aren’t that many of them and Talley does a good job of making them relevant to the happenings in the now. They cover a very important couple of weeks in Summer’s senior year of high school and with her return to Moonlight those happenings directly impact her relationships now.

Both in the past & now, Talley does a fantastic job of giving her readers characters that are believable. The teenage versions are exactly as I remember them at that age – maneuvering through the social quagmire of high school, dealing with runaway emotions, and the ability to only really see to about the end of your nose. As adults, they are flawed but trying their best to do what they think is right. Unfortunately there are a few hard truths and life lessons that need to be learned before they can truly move forward. It’s not going to be an easy reunion for any of them but with care they might come out the other side with a little peace.

(Note: I think I'd drop this down a quarter or half a star but I definitely don't think it deserves 3 stars so I rounded up.)

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of a review copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**

Kurt is fresh out of the military and dealing with a few personal issues.  At first he wasn't sure that he wanted anything to do with dogs but one look at the rescues (and Kelsey) and somehow he finds himself right in the middle of the rescue efforts. 

Kelsey is one of those good souls that really wants to do good things and that comes through in her work with the dogs.  She's not exactly Snow White but she's pretty darn close and Kurt finds that her magic works on him too.  While exploring his growing attraction to her and helping the dogs get ready for a better life, he also finds himself working through his past.  

This is one of those slow burn love stories.  There isn't a lot of conflict, just a couple of people who slowly get to know each other and explore their growing feelings.  Sometimes you are looking for something with a little more fireworks and sometimes you just want to have people who can behave in an adult manner with very little drama.  It's a more subtle and gentle story, but no less enjoyable. 

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of an advanced reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**

I love contemporary romances where it is all about the people. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an equal opportunity reader and enjoy a love story with a little paranormal twist, historical setting, or a bit of a whodunit. But there’s just something special about a book that just lets you live the character’s life with them for a bit.

Brianna has come home after years away, ready to make her old dream come true and become the owner of a B&B. It brings her back to family … and the man she’s always loved.

Seth and Brianna have been friends forever, but never anything more. He had found the love of his life at 15 and never looked at anyone else. Now a widower, Seth has cut himself off from a lot in life, basically going through the motions … until Brianna comes back.

A slow build romance, Heron’s Landing is all about second chances. While Brianna is starting a new chapter in her life, she’s also realizing that her feelings for Seth are still strong. And Seth may have been grieving his wife for the last couple of years but time spent with Brianna shows him that there is a whole life still before him if he’s willing to take a chance.

As the start of a new series, there are some extra characters to introduce but I didn’t feel like Ross spent too much time here. Just enough to be relevant to the story and maybe get you a little curious about what comes next. There’s also a decent bit of history among these people so it makes sense to spend some time looking at them a bit more.

There’s also a side story with Seth’s parents that adds a little extra to an already heart-tugging story. And as they have to take a look at themselves and where their relationship may be going, it also causes Seth to realize that he’s got to do some evaluation of his own.

Angsty but not full of drama, Heron’s Landing is one of those character driven pieces that you need to just sit back and enjoy.

**Review given honestly and freely after receipt of an advance reader copy. This opinion is completely my own and was not influenced in any way.**