Review ~ Anchor (First to Fight, #1) by Nicole Blanchard

ebook downloaded for free via Amazon.

Release Date: August 1st 2015

Publisher: Bolero Books LLC

Description:
I thought I could save her.

A woman I've never met, whose name I don't even know, gambled her own life to protect my child. In return, she was taken by a mad man.

I'll put my career, my security, and my life on the line to get her back safely, even if it means risking my heart along the way.

My Opinion

This was an okay read. I sped through it, but I did find it a bit unbelievable. The reactions some of the characters had, especially Chole, I found hard to buy. They all seemed too in control of their emotions for people who were on a hijacked boat with a crazy terrorist. I could understand Gabe being like that since he was a marine, but a civilian? The romance also seemed to take place in a weird way. I needed more development.


If I suspended beliefs this was an okay read. It was short and to the point, and did keep me entertained.

2.5

Review ~ From Rome with Love by Jules Wake

eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: January 13th 2017

Publisher: HarperImpulse

Description:
If you can’t stand the heat…

Rome is the city of love and seduction, right? Not if you find yourself staying in a beautiful apartment with your childhood-friend-turned-arch-enemy, Will Ryan…no matter how hot he is!

Romance is the last thing on Lisa’s mind. She’s got more important things to focus on, like hunting down her estranged father. Except when her search falls at the first hurdle, Will doesn’t just help her get back on track, he also shares the romantic sights – and exquisite tastes – of the Eternal City, and Lisa starts to wonder if it’s not just Rome seducing her.

Only, as Lisa and Will dig into the past, neither of them is prepared for the long-buried secrets they reveal. Secrets that will turn both their world’s upside down …

My Opinion

I think I fell in love with this book more than From Paris With Love This Christmas. I reviewed that title recently, having caught it free on Amazon, and it surprised me so much with how I enjoyed it that I had to download this from NetGalley. I mean, my ARC pile was down to 2 books, so I had to stock up again, right?

Anyway, Will and Lisa's story intrigued me in From Paris With Love This Christmas. I always wondered what created the animosity between them and I'm glad they got their own book. They were a great couple of characters to watch unfold and fall in love. Seriously, this book brought a smile to my face numerous times. I loved Will's enthusiasm for food, but I also loved the playful flirting and irritation shared between him and Lisa. They obviously belonged together.

As well as that, I loved the setting. The author captured Italy brilliantly and it felt as if I was truly there. I could imaging this being a great holiday/beach read. This book also did what it sold me on--beating the January blues.


Overall, I enjoyed this even more than the previous book in the series. It held my attention the entire way through and kept me smiling. A beautifully written book I'd definitely recommend.

4.5

Review ~ Summer Shadows (Benedicts, #6) by Joss Stirling

Paperback purchased by myself.

Release Date: July 7th 2016

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Description:
Summer lives under a terrible shadow. It drains her, manipulates her and threatens to steal her future.

A high-stakes mission offers a temporary escape. She must use her mind-shadowing abilities to hunt down her target and find the truth.

Hal Robinson is a soldier. He does not get distracted. He wins. But what Hal wants begins to shift once he meets Summer.

They must learn to trust each other if they are going to protect the Savant community. But will their secrets allow them to find a happy ending of their own?

My Opinion

This was the perfect end to this series which started out with the Benedict brothers. Although I'm sad to see it end, Joss Stirling did an amazing job of giving the characters a fitting send off that was not only action-packed, but tied up the loose ends with a neat little bow.

Honestly, I couldn't have asked for more from a final book. Hal and Summer were great characters. They had their own story in the book, but what I enjoyed most was that a large number of Benedicts were reintroduced--including Victor who finally gets his soul finder. All of the plot threads merged seamlessly into a brilliant book I couldn't put down. The intricate detail the author put into the savant gifts and the way in which they all linked was outstanding. I couldn't fault it and it immersed me in their world.

Overall, another stunning read. While I've strayed from paranormal romances in my reading, this is one series that still captured my interest with every book release. Joss Stirling--and her other pseudonyms--still remain one of my all-time favourite authors. I want a Benedict brother for myself!

5

Review ~ From Paris With Love This Christmas by Jules Wake

ebook downloaded for free via Amazon.

Release Date: October 29th 2015

Publisher: HarperImpulse

Description:
Just until Christmas…

That’s what Paris socialite Siena keeps telling herself. She’ll hide away in her sister Laurie’s cottage near London to escape her hot-tempered fiancé.

However, when Jason – gorgeous but a bit of a Grinch – picks her up from the airport, he reveals that Laurie hasn’t lived there for months, complicating Siena’s holiday getaway.

At first, Jason and Siena don’t see eye to eye. But after a weekend in the most romantic city in the world, experiencing all it has to offer – from the magic of a fir-lined Champs-Élysées, lit up by thousands of sparkling fairy lights, to the swoosh of skates on ice at the Eiffel Tower – Siena shows Jason her Paris, and a whole other side to herself. Suddenly Siena’s December deadline seems far too close…

This Christmas, jet off to Paris with Siena and Jason and experience the magic of the holiday season.

My Opinion

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I've skipped over it a couple of times due to the cover. It appeared more like women's fiction, which isn't really my thing. However, I was looking at festive reads and caught this at the time this was free. I thought I'd give it a chance and I was pleasantly surprised. 

From Paris With Love was a sweet romance with believable emotions and friendships. It hooked me straight away and I thought the author did a wonderful job of creating characters that felt real and had great depth. 

Siena was misjudged often by those in England. However, she developed with the book and flourished with independence. She had a good heart and I thought her eternal optimism was entertaining. It countered Jason's grumpiness well and balanced the book as the two evolved.  I thought their relationship was tender and well-crafted. It wasn't rushed and the author gave the characters time to grow into friends and then more. 


Overall, I'm glad I caught this book and was convinced to give it a go. I really enjoyed it and the author's writing style.  I would definitely recommend it. 

4

Review ~ Some Girls Lie (Outback Heat, #4) by Amy Andrews

ebook downloaded for free via Amazon.

Release Date: November 10th 2015

Publisher: Tule Publishing

Description:
Local pub owner Jemima Jane Ericson is living a lie. She’s been in love with her best friend Ethan since forever. But he fell in love with another woman, married her, and despite their tempestuous relationship and decade old divorce, JJ knows Ethan’s heart is still down for the count. And friendship is better than nothing, right?

Single dad and Jumbuck Springs chief of police, Ethan Weston, hits the pub the night his ex-wife remarries and announces she wants custody of their daughter. When he wakes the next morning to find himself in JJ’s bed he’s mortified that they’d crossed a line they should never have crossed. Until JJ’s abusive ex, Shane, shows up at her door and Ethan claims he and JJ are engaged to protect her.

Both are stunned by the unravelling of their normally sane lives but suddenly it makes sense – JJ gets a deterrent and Ethan gets the respectability of a wife for any custody claims. But when JJ’s life is threatened, Ethan is forced to confront feelings that may just run much deeper than convenience…

My Opinion

I didn't really know what to expect from this author. I found Some Girls Lie through a free search on Amazon. The blurb sounded like it was for me, so I thought I'd take a chance on it.

Anyway, I didn't expect to read this book so quickly. I found it to be an engaging story that kept me turning the page rapidly. I enjoy the fake fiancée trope and Ethan was a great guy in this book. I enjoyed watching the passion grow between him and JJ. I believed in their friendship and later on their relationship.

My only minor quibble is the ending was slightly abrupt. I was enjoying the book and thought there could have been a few more chapters. The ending seemed to unfold too quickly and easily for my tastes. It gives the resolution you want though. 


Overall, I did really enjoy it. I'd definitely recommend it.

4