Forever Romance Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: If the Duke Demands by Anna Harrington

If the Duke Demands

Capturing the Carlisles: Book 1

Anna Harrington

Forever

February 28, 2017

A LESSON IN SEDUCTION . . .

Miranda Hodgkins has only ever wanted one thing: to marry Robert Carlisle. And she simply can't wait a moment longer. During the Carlisle family masquerade ball, Miranda boldly sneaks into his bedchamber with seduction on her mind. Soon she's swept into rock-hard arms for the most breathtaking kiss of her life. But when the masks come off, she's horrified to find herself face-to-face with Sebastian, the Duke of Trent-Robert's formidable older brother.

Shocked to find Miranda in his bed, Sebastian quickly offers her a deal to avoid scandal: He'll help her win his brother's heart if she'll find him the perfect wife. But what begins as a simple negotiation soon spirals out of control. For the longer this reformed rake tries to make a match for Miranda, the more he wants to keep her all to himself.

My Thoughts:

Saved By Darkness by Katie Reus (Review)

I enjoy the Darkness books. They all have been pretty good. I have a couple of favorites, one being Hunted By Darkness. This is where we meet Bo's brothers. Yes, has brothers, then again his father tried to sleep any creature he could get his hands on. Nice. Anyway, that reasoning is revealed in Saved By Darkness. Pretty cool, I know.

So, in the last book Into the Darkness, we had a sub-plot with Rory (Bo's half-brother) and Liberty. So, they found a love. Now in Saved By Darkness, we focus on Ian. We learn quite a bit the half-demon-dragon. One is he lost a love. 😢 He was planning to spend the rest of his life alone. Which is a freaking long time. Well, his first and only love came into his life again, Fiona O'Riley.

Fiona's family didn't approve Ian, because of his heritage. Horrible dragons by the way. So, they tried to keep him away from his love. In someways she stayed away to protect him. Anyway, they are thrown together in a huge mess and now Ian is trying to save Fiona, but time could be running out.

Saved By Darkness was emotionally brutal. I can't say too much why, because that would give the story away. However, they travel into the Hell Realms and everything turns out bad. I would use more vulgar phrases here, but I hope you get the point. Anywho, a ton things happen, and I still think Drake's mother is one of the most frightful characters in the series. Overall, still a good story. Yes, this can be read as a standalone. Yes, you will get glimpse of Fiona and Ian's past that leads to the present. Plus, other things happen. I'm looking forward to more Darkness books, because another character was added to the mix and now I want his story.

Copy provided by author

Rating:
4 Stars

Tasty Book Tours Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: Tangling with the London Tycoon by Suzi

Tangling with the London Tycoon

Brick Square #1

By: Suzi Jennings

Releasing February 13, 2017
Entangled Indulgence

Blurb
London publishing tycoon Rosco Redmond closely guards his family, his business, and his privacy. When his sister’s wedding brings the paparazzi baying at his door, wedding photographer Kitty Mayfair unwittingly becomes his decoy girlfriend. But the mysterious Kitty has secrets of her own.

Despite the sexy hint of an appealing Irish brogue, Kitty’s new boss is bent on micromanaging his sister’s wedding and the crazy fake relationship she’s been dragged into. The only thing they seem to have in common, is that neither of them believes in happy-ever-afters. But the more time Kitty spends with the tycoon, the more she begins to suspect there’s a lot of fire beneath his cool facade.

With the past complicating their present, and the zoom lenses of photographers everywhere they go, the commitment phobic control freak and the globe-trotting free spirit clash and ignite.

My Thoughts:

That Monroe Girl by Ilona Fridl (Review)

I actually liked That Monroe Girl; it was a pretty good read. We meet Cat Monroe who is in search of her father. She has followed the trail to Tombstone, Arizona. I have to say is pretty good. When she arrives her father doesn't believe she's his daughter, because he received news many years ago that she passed. Complicated mess. Anyway, Jake Spencer is trying to help and at the same time write a story about her reuniting with her family. However, he comes to his senses. In someways the story reminded me of 27 Dresses, not that she was a bridesmaid to 27 women. More like the hero in that movie was writing a story about the heroine and decided to take another approach, but boss decides to do what they want to do anyway.

Anyway, there is a lot going on in the story, but it all ties together. A lot of themes going, but it works. We have father reuniting with long last daughter and possible use her to his advantage, blackmail, and of course romance. Overall, a pretty good read. So, if you are in need to take a journey to the wild west, you might consider taking a ride with That Monroe Girl.

Copy provided.

Rating:
4 Stars

Almost A Bride by Jo Watson (Review)

Almost A Bride showed great potential to being a fun romantic comedy, but I felt I was overwhelmed with all the cliches in the story. I love cliches. I mean that is what romantic comedies tend to have. A few would have been all right, but there were so many.

Like I said, Almost A Bride showed great potential with the Annie catching her boyfriend cheating on her in their bed, and having kinking sex, and there is so much more to this opening. Truly, it starts to spiral out of control at the beginning. However, I decided to stick on this train. About half the book, I could see the derailment of the story, but decided to stay on hoping that it won't happen. I probably should have DFN this book, but I hoped beyond all hope that it wouldn't go into crazy town too.

I don't know how to put into words on some of the ridiculousness of this story. Chris pretends to be Boyden from Australia with a terrible accent. I wish Annie would have said dude, I broke up with Boyden (by the way he's an imaginary boyfriend), and introduced Chris as her new boyfriend. Trevv and Tess are interjected into the story so many times. By the way Trevv is cheating sack of scum, and Tess is the hookup from work. You see them so much, by the end we don't even know if they are still together. The author spent so much time having part of the story, that we don't get to know what happen to them. Granted they did have stalk-ish feel to them. Still. However, Chris and Annie did have a happy ending, and I did like how Chris won Annie back. Very classic romantic comedy jester, with a grand love and sorry please take me back kind of deal.

Overall, I felt Almost A Bride was a train wrecked that derailed in crazy town. Did this story work for me. NO. I wanted it. The blurb sound like it could be amazing. However, it was too much and I felt overwhelmed. Yes, Almost A Bride worked for others. So, you might want to checkout their reviews to see what they loved about the story.

Copy provided by Forever.

Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis (Review)

All right, we have gotten to know the gang from Heartbreaker Bay books quite a bit. We have met some interesting characters, now we get to know Elle Wheaton and Archer Hunt better. Now Elle and Archer have an antagonistic relationship. They basically egg each other on, because they are ignoring the chemistry between them. It doesn't help Elle feels indebted to Archer for saving his life, and Archer can't get with her because so-called debt. Elle is adorable. She has come to the realization that Archer isn't going to go for her, so she decides to try to date other guys. By the way is pretty jacked up of Archer.

Actually, Accidentally On Purpose is a fun story, because we have these two characters that are going to kill each other or have tons of fun. So, glad that one isn't dead, because they are fun to watch. Even there friends are like, "Dude do something." Jill's writing is always fun and entertaining. Yes, you will find those lines that will have you laugh out loud. My kids were like what are laughing about, and I was like the book. Overall, a good time read, and I seriously can't wait for Spencer book. Seriously, Jill teased a little Spencer's character, after all he's Archer's and Elle's friend. So, if you are into a fun read, you might consider Accidentally On Purpose.

Copy provided by Avon via Edelweiss (also purchased a copy).

Rating:
4 Stars

TLC Book Tours Spotlight + Review + Giveaway: The Worthington Wife by Sharon Page

The Worthington Wife
Roaring Twenties, 2
Sharon Page
HQN
December 27, 2016

Blurb:

Sharon Page sparkles in this poignant and irresistibly entertaining follow-up to her breakout novel, An American Duchess

Lady Julia Hazelton is the most dazzling among 1920s England's bright, young things. But rather than choosing the thrill of wanton adventure like so many of her contemporaries, Julia shocks society with her bold business aspirations. Determined to usher the cursed Worthington estate into a prosperous, modern new era, and thus preserve her beloved late fiancé's legacy, the willful Julia tackles her wildest, most unexpected adventure in Cal Carstairs, the reluctant new Earl of Worthington.

The unconventional American artist threatens everything Julia seeks to protect while stirring desires she thought had died in the war. For reasons of his own, Cal has designed the ultimate revenge. Rather than see the estate prosper, he intends to destroy it. But their impulsive marriage—one that secures Julia's plans as well as Cal's secrets—proves that passion is ambition's greatest rival. Unless Cal ends his quest to satisfy his darkest vendetta, he stands to ruin his Worthington wife and all her glittering dreams.

My Thoughts:

His Fake Alien Fiancée by Patricia Eimer (Review)

When I started His Fake Alien Fiancée, I wasn't sure what I got myself into, other than the title and the cover caught my attention.  When I started reading the story, I felt I was missing something, which I was. So, I would recommend reading Out of This World first, because there are somethings I would have benefit knowing. Anyway, we are going to press forward.

So, I read His Fake Alien Fiancée and I wasn't sure if I was going to keep going. I was considering quitting the book about 21%, but I continued on. You know what the story grew on me. Not something I would normally read, but it was interesting. We have Brandt who is emotionally stunted. He chooses to lack the ability of committing, because of what his father did when his wife was dying of cancer. So, he used women and women let him. However, when he was around Perri he restrain himself. So nice of him. Anyway, Perri is alien princess and there is more on how she ended up on this planet. She's still learning the ways of being an earthling.

In some ways I'm glad, I didn't give up on the story. I wasn't sure how I felt about Perri. At the beginning she's not sure about herself, but I did like her character growth. However, it's a little slow, but towards the end I did like her. She's sweet and kind, and a bit wholesome. Brandt I liked in the beginning, but as the book progress I sorta didn't like him. Eventually, he gets his head screwed on right.

Overall, not a bad read. Definitely different. In some aspects it reminded me of Men in Black, so that was kind of cool. Would I read more from this series, the jury is still out. However, I was interested in reading the book, because the cover who knows.

Copy provided by Entangled via NetGalley

Rating:
3 Stars

Seven Minutes in Heaven by Eloisa James (Review)

If you have read Desperate Duchesses you remember a young man Teddy now goes by Edward or in Duchess By Night you would remember a young Eugenia Strange. By the way I haven't, because I have read a couple from the Desperate Duchess and they tore me up. Seriously, some of them are emotional wrecking balls. The one that tore me up was A Duke of Her Own. By the way this is where we get a chance to really see how crazy Lady Lissette. Trust me Villiers dodged a bullet there. It wasn't until I got towards the end when I realize who Ward's mother was, and dude she was CRAZY.

Poor Ward. I mean in Four Nights With the Duke he was tossed in jail. Next he finds out he's guardian for his two half-siblings and on top that his maternal grandmother is trying to get custody of them. Good times. He just need to prove that he's a fit guardian, but he has one black mark, he's a bastard. Crap. He enlists the help of a Mrs. Snowe of Snowe's Registry Office for Select Governesses to help him look good to the courts. At the same time fight his attraction to said Mrs. Snowe.

Now Eugenia is the proprietor of her business and she's very good at helping find perfect governesses for those who need one. She's also a widow and has no desire to remove her widow weeds. She helps Ward with his problems, but they don't seem to go away after all he keeps writing to her. Now she's taken captive to help him figure out a solution to his problem.

Now the children are unique. Lizzie and Otis have been in the care of their crazy mother up until she died. They are now in the care of their brother who doesn't know how to reach out to them, but he wants them to be model citizens in order for him to them. I mean he's going up against the Duchess of Gilner.

Okay, I yammer on what the story is about. Basically, Ward and Eugenia have this attraction to one another and they have an affair while she helps him with the children. Ward her sees her as perfect, but there's one problem she's not eligible. HAHAHA. He really needs to read his Debretts. Basically, the story is a little slow to start off with, but Eloisa is great at building a story. This is what she's establishing when we get to Seven Minutes in Heaven. Once we get to the pinnacle everything starts to pick up and you watch everything unfold. Eloisa does seem to have the magic touch on having me fall in love all the characters. I love how Eugenia makes her way into each and everyone's heart, but Ward is too stubborn to realize he needs her more. I love that we see previous characters from the Desperate Duchess and it truly makes me want to revisit them and read the ones I haven't read yet. Overall, Seven Minutes in Heaven takes an unconventional heroine and a hero who is in desperate help. By the end, I was happy as a lark. Those who love Eloisa James work will love this story too.

Copy provided by Avon & author.

Rating:
4 1/2 Stars