 Corporate analyst, Ivy Bishop, intends spending Christmas holed up in an isolated Montana ranch house with only an abandoned puppy for company. When the festive season ends her broken heart might just have had just enough time to heal. Ex-rodeo rider, Rhett Dixon, has put his playing days behind him. He has something to prove. Despite being the first son in three generations of ranchers, he is determined to succeed in ranching on his own merits. But when Rhett’s new neighbor proves to be far-too-pretty and far-too-compassionate, his single-minded focus deserts him. And the more time Ivy spends with the workaholic, blue-eyed cowboy next door the more she realizes her heart isn’t actually broken – yet Oh my, I'm starting to think, Marietta, Montana is the place to be over Christmas time. Another charming, Christmas story with cowboys, puppies, baking and Marietta Christmas stroll to be enjoyed. It is a really delightful and adorable story of ancestors, heritage, community, Christmas spirit, romance and love. Both Ivy and Rhett are healing from lost of parental figures. They have a lot of resistance towards a (new) relationship, and are fighting against the attraction and the pull they feel for each other. Their love story is kept rather clean, and is inspiring. Just another heartfelt tale of love conquering it all ~ Four spoons!
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 When Navy SEAL Drew Lanham sees Jenna Huntley rising out of Magnolia Bay, she reminds him of the goddess of the sea, but he has to ignore her siren’s call as he’s home on a brief leave trying to recover from a devastating mission where he lost a teammate. Jenna’s more interested in protecting and studying Sea Turtles and building a local hatchery than in men; except when she first locks eyes with Drew, she realizes he just might be the one man who can pull her out of her lab and into his bed to celebrate Christmas Magnolia Bay style. Even though this is listed as a Christmas story, it is so much more than that. The beautiful Magnolia Bay, with its charming residents, and turtles, mixed with a navy SEAL and marine biologist guaranteed for great entertainment! Aunt Evie deserves a special mention with her charming maneuvers, funny disposition, and energetic yearn for life. I always find it commendable, when stories of the heroes are included with the damage a war can and will do. Drew's struggle with PTSD, and sorrow for fallen brother, is deep. But he is able to find new purpose and passion from that heartache. Jenna and Drew together are both sweet and passionate. I had a bit trouble to connect with them at the beginning, but that was soon resolved. Heartfelt tale of love, passion, and finding a meaning in the midst of pain. ~ Four spoons  New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling indie authors Jennifer Probst, Emma Chase, Kristen Proby, Melody Anne, and debut author Kate Meader come together to write a sizzling romance anthology. Can a determined woman executive and a playboy billionaire survive being stranded together in a snowstorm? Jennifer Probst depicts an encounter almost too hot to handle... Searching For You is exciting, sensual thrill ride to love! Two attractive, successful, completely opposite people have been matched by the matchmaking computer as the perfect couple with 100% match. When they are set up for a date, it turns out they are old college rivals who once shared a kiss to be remembered. Their sparring is fun and electrifying, the sparks are flying, it is like hot lava bubbling in ready to burst volcano. And then they get snowed in... Fun, HOT, and merry, the perfect combination for a Christmas story ~ Four spoons! Drew and Kate play an encore to Tangled in this sexy take on a "Christmas Carol" by Emma Chase. When a Christmas Eve argument condemns Drew to a troubled night, three dream women teach him that no gift could be more tantalizing than Kate... I have to say, I didn't really feel It's a Wonderful Tangled Christmas Carol. It is told from his point of view, in first person. He has a rather negative, work oriented mind, as in the original Christmas Carol. The language was crude, and even though it kind of fit with his personality, I felt it was unnecessary. But the story has the Christmas Carol message in it, reminding us all, what is really important in life, and to set our priorities straight, how life is a collection of memories, and those shapes us to what we really are. For that reminder ~ Three spoons With Kristen Proby, ski slopes are quite delightful. Grace Douglas is sure she'll never learn to ski, but instructor Jacob Baxter could teach her lessons of a different kind... Saving Grace is a lighthearted, humorous, and adorably steamy tale located - yes, in Montana! The story is told in first person, by both her and his point of view. The banter is a joy to read, her clumsiness, something that could be pie in your face humor, is taken with a nice positive twist. The story has a surprisingly deep history to their background, to be a novella. Just a really enjoyable read all around! ~ Four spoons Can a southern California transplant survive Montana's deep snows? Melody Anne, author of the bestselling Andersons series, melts the icy drifts completely away with the heat between sexy Hawk Winchester and brand-new teacher Natalie Duncan... Safe in His Arms was like like a Christmas magic itself. Small, caring, picturesque town in Montana, where everyone looked after each other, warm, loving community. Where Christmas miracles still happen, and people fall in love fast and furious. ~ Four spoons What could be hotter than a firefighter? Kate Meader shows how, as Brett Farraday and heiress-turned-tattoo-artist Lucy Cochrane discover, nothing ignites holiday flames like rekindling a lost love.. Edgy and darker, a story of lost love and second chances. A great tale of independence, making it on your own, finding your own voice. What I missed was the Christmas feeling, but in itself, a good story. ~ Three spoons  Assassin Alex Morgan will do anything to save an innocent life—especially if it means rescuing a child from a hell like the one she endured. But going undercover as husband and wife, with none other than the disarmingly sexy Detective Nate Sanders, may be a little more togetherness than she can handle. She's used to working alone, and no man is going to change that—not even a man who makes her heart pound and her defenses crumble with just a touch Nate has dodged more than a few bullets over the years, but fighting his attraction for Alex may be the bullet that does him in. Still, Nate's determined to help her find the missing kid. There's no doubt in his mind that they're walking straight into danger, but Nate's willing to face anything if it means protecting Alex. She might have been on her own once, but Nate has one more mission: to stay by her side—forever. Ah, I get all excited when I read an excellent story and get ready to write the review! I wish I had caught this series before, I absolutely love the tone of this author. The whole story is a perfect blend of action, love, tragedy, and humor. I truly enjoyed it! Nate and Alex's love story is such beautiful tale. The tragedy and horror of Alex's past, and nearly constant reminder of the inhumane treatment Alex suffered is in between them, but their fight for the chance for a relationship. The way Nate handles Alex's brokenness, his understanding towards her wounds, it is heartbreaking and so adorable. There are so many *swoon worthy* scenes in this story, but the fishing trip must be one of my favorites. The action is explosive and fiery. It is drizzled through the story, and kept me on my toes. With several unexpected surprises in the plot, there's no possibility that I could have lost interest in the story at any point. Absolutely exhilarating action packed romance ~ Five spoons!  At 35-years-old, Cole Stanton is burned out. His high-paced, uber-successful career has left him yearning to start over. He finds Indigo Island, buys a restaurant and settles into an uncomplicated life. But Christmas is a mess. He has over-committed the small restaurant’s resources again, and is over his head. He finds himself longing for everything he has left behind, until a chance encounter with gorgeous Lily offers a spark of salvation to his business and, perhaps his life. Beautiful pastry chef Lily Edmonds is thirty years old and heartbroken. It’s just before Christmas and she’s just been dumped by via telephone by her fiancee. Her best friend Avery Putnam invites her to Indigo Island, hoping to add joy back into Lily’s life. A chance encounter with the sexy owner of a local restaurant makes Lily feel an attraction she thought she’d never feel again, and offers her a business challenge to keep her mind focused on something other than her broken heart. Cole Stanton and Lily Edmonds are both starting over. Will the joy of the holiday season bring them together or will the troubles with Christmas push them apart When it's a Christmas story, with a heroine who is a pastry chef, and food is a major point in the story -- it is pretty much an instant winner with me. And The Trouble with Christmas didn't disappoint. It is a heartwarming tale with many positive life messages, closeness and love of a family, as well as adorable romance. The Putnam family, the closeness, the care and acceptance of Lily, and each other, as well as the community, is enough in itself to put you into Christmas spirits. How the whole island pulls together, to 'save the Christmas' of a restaurant is inspiring. For Cole and Lily to realize and accept the love and joy within each other, in such a stressful time in their lives is breathtaking. And all the life lessons Lily learns in the process is uplifting. Just a cheerful story to get you into the joyful Christmas spirits ~ four spoons!  When Navy SEAL Leland Gates runs off to his family's secluded cabin to lick his wounds, he never expects to find makeup heiress Jamie Pearson hiding out there. His sister's best friend swears she's only there for a weekend of relaxation, but his well-honed instincts tell him that she's in big trouble. Getting tangled up in Jamie's latest hot mess—or her sheets—is the very last thing he needs, but in close quarters like these, there's no denying the white-hot passion blazing between them. Yes, another hot SEAL story, with a mix of a steamy romance and intrigue - perfect makings of an entertaining book. Leland and Jamie had known each other for years, after all, she is his sister's BFF. They both have had feelings for each other since the teenage years, but, of course, there has been some misunderstandings. I enjoyed that Leland and Jamie cleared up the misunderstandings early on in the story, and were honest about their feelings to each other. The story gets rather... steamy (HOT!), and the heat level is high up. But it is a very loving and tender romance. The intrigue and threat, grows as the story unfolds. And the recuperating SEAL gets to save his girl from real danger, when the menace finds her even in the cabin. Close Quarters is well written, the sizzling story has a lovely flow, and an epilogue, that gives the book a satisfying ending. ~ Four spoons!  Liz Flowers has never enjoyed Christmas, but this one is shaping up to be the worst by far. She let her ex take her daughter to Mexico while she stays behind in a strange town, sitting her former mother-in-law’s high strung little dog. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, but this California girl doesn’t have much in common with the ranchers in small town Marietta. Blake Canon perks up with male interest when he sees a new face at his friend’s Christmas cocktail party. His son is away and a light affair would take his mind off his financial troubles. Then he realizes he knows Liz. She was once married to the brother of his ex-wife. Their children might be cousins, but Blake and Liz do the kissing—under the mistletoe. It’s the beginning of a new view of Christmas for Liz, but when their children arrive home unexpectedly, and family secrets are revealed, Liz isn’t sure she’ll stay in Marietta for Christmas after all. What an interesting setting on this Christmas novella! Their ex's were brother and sister, and both divorces were battlefields. So when they find themselves to be attracted to each other, they have several obstacles on their way. As Blake and Liz share about their past, and battles, they end up sharing their deepest secrets with each other. At first there seemed to be a bit bitterness from the failed marriages, but soon the story turned into a warmhearted, picture perfect, Christmas love story. I liked how they shared, and supported each other, in the face of the former in-laws, their children, and other crises that rose up during the story. Also the epilogue gave a full closure to the otherwise fast paced love story. ~ Four spoons!  Zane Alexander was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but the rebellious bad boy traded it, along with his share of the family fortune, for a Navy SEAL trident and freedom from his controlling father. Ten years later, Zane’s teammates are depending on him to secure the startup capital they need to open their security company and he’s gambling on his skills at covert operations to get it. For a million dollars he’ll fake interest in Missy Greenwood, the Senator’s daughter his father wants him to date in exchange for the investment. But when Missy is kidnapped and Zane and his team are sent to Nigeria to rescue her and the others being held, bullets as well as sparks of attraction start to fly. There’s no more faking when the danger and the emotions both turn very real... This is a bit short, but rather a sweet book number two in Hot SEALs series. Zane and Missy are fun, energetic, and adorable together. Zane, the horn-dog, finally finds his match, the one who understands him, and accepts him with all his falls, Missy, his childhood friend. There is a bit uphill and drama, until the HEA, but who expected for Zane just to give up his 'love-them-and-leave-them' days. There is a lot of focus on comparing Missy to Zane's previous women, but just to highlight, how different Missy is from the others. The action in the story is more about avoiding the bite of a shark-like father of Zane's. The rescue mission is short lived, the action left into understanding that it had happened. It was a good story for all fans of romance, military and SEALs ~ Three spoons  After making a deathbed promise to her father, Joelle Winslow is ready to seize the NYC business opportunity to take her jewelry designs global. All she needs to do is cash out her inherited half of the family ranch in Montana—which means convincing her childhood rival, and now co-heir, to sell or buy her out. Sparks fly when Matt, no longer a gangly, solemn teenager, but a tall, handsome cowboy with work-hewn muscles, is unwilling to give up on the legacy he's worked so hard to keep without a fight. And part of his bargain includes Joelle staying at the ranch with him through Homecoming Weekend. The son her father never had... The Winslow ranch rescued Matt Locke from a life in the foster-care system. As an orphan boy adopted by Clark Winslow and groomed to take over the ranch, he wants nothing more than to marry, raise a family, and continue the legacy of the man who became a father to him after his parents’ tragic deaths. Matt can't imagine a life anywhere else, and he definitely can't afford to buy Joelle out. Can he convince the dark haired beauty to not walk out on him and her home a second time? Cowboys and Montana with happily ever after... After a couple of heavy reads, I wanted something a bit lighter to read on a rainy autumn evening. Home For Good is part of a series, that I followed before, stories filled with families, legacies, and love that lasts. Matt and Joelle had some misunderstandings from the childhood their shared, creating lots of competition, animosity, and unnecessary walls between them. But now, as adults, they finally have a chance to get to know each other, clear up the air, and the attraction flares. It is a sweet and clean story, with dignity, loyalty, honor, and values. Just a good, solid read about small town Montana, families, friends, and love that has to face some obstacles before finding the home with each other. ~ Three spoons  After finding each other and falling in love in Someday Girl, Cat and Jace’s incredible love story continues in One Day His. When the beautiful and sheltered Cat Nichols left her life in Malibu for a fresh start at college, she had no idea she would meet and fall in love with sexy former Marine Jace Butler. After confronting his difficult past together, the loving couple had hoped that the worst was behind them. But when a family emergency calls Cat back home, they will both soon realize that their newfound love is once again going to be put to the test. This time, Cat will come to face to face with the one person who, instead of loving her unconditionally, lives to darken her world, just to make their own shine brighter. Will Cat and Jace have the strength and courage to face their deepest, darkest fears when they are challenged in ways neither of them could have imagined? Or will outside forces tear them apart once and for all? You can’t choose the one you love, but you can fight like hell to protect them. The story of Cat and Jace continues with One Day His. And it is as involved and intense, as the Someday Girl, part one, was. I cherished to see how the relationship between Cat and Jace is growing, at the same time as they are growing themselves. They are learning to know each other, and trust each other. They truly seemed to have found home within each other. For the first time ever, they both are able to love and receive total support, and are cared for. The relationship is HOT and steamy, the heat level is high, but the relationship is so loving, and it is so beautifully written, it fits into the story well. Cat is growing as a person, learning to stand up for herself, as she sees her old world through the eyes of Jace, while Jace is feeling centered by Cat's love and presence. The relationship, the depth of the feelings, between them is so exquisite and lovely. The abuse Cat has suffered at home before she left for college is now even more evident, as Cat and Jace are visiting her mother's estate. The tension Cat's mom, creates around the house is palpable. Reading about her is like watching a train wreck, you see it coming, but there's nothing you can do to stop her, and no way can you put the book down either. The story pulled me in so tight, got so under my skin, I could feel the pain and devastation she left behind. The story is written in first person, with both Cat's and Jace's point of views. The book ends in a cliffhanger, but thankfully, you don't have to wait for too long to get the next installment into your hands. Yes, it is another five spoon performance from Melanie Shawn, with high recommendations. (And keep the tissues near by!)
 The Danger Has Only Begun Having survived a brutal childhood, Sabrina Fox believed she could handle anything. That was before she watched the love of her life die before her very eyes. Brokenhearted, her emotions on lockdown, she finds purpose and hope as an LCR elite operative rescuing victims from some of the most volatile places in the world. As a covert ops agent, Declan Steele was used to a life of danger and distrust, but when the one person he trusted and believed in above all others sets him up, he’ll stop at nothing to make her pay. Finally rescued from his hellish prison, Declan has one priority—hunt down Sabrina Fox and exact his revenge. Trusting no one is a lonely, perilous path. Sabrina swears she’s innocent and Declan must make a decision--trust his heart or his head. As memories of their life together returns, he realizes just how treacherous his torture had been and the target of his revenge shifts. But when Sabrina is taken, retribution is the last thing on his mind. With the assistance of Last Chance Rescue Elite, Declan races to rescue the only woman he has ever loved before it’s too late. Dark, dangerous, and edgy story of survival, and love that can survive the unthinkable. This story goes deeper than many others, it touched my emotions and it took over my thoughts, and will stay with me for a long while. The setting is different from many other books, Declan and Sabrina are happily, if secretly, married, until the horrors and hell step into their lives in an unimaginable way. The results of the hell on earth puts love, trust, and loyalty to question. The story is so raw, gut- and heart-wrenching, I had pain in the pit of my stomach through most of the story. The action is bold, fierce, and violent. The images are so vivid and the pain so intense. The loyalties and honesty are suspicious, the betrayals run deep, and close to the heart of the main characters. This story blew me away. It is beautiful, passionate, guttering, and anguishing. It is heartbreaking, and tragic, but at the end, after all the agony, it shows that true love can survive the unimaginable. With high recommendations, I think this is the must read of all suspense lovers ~ Five spoons!  Sage’s life as a teenage runaway in San Francisco is simple: Snatch a few hours of sleep on park benches and bus stops; dodge perverts, predators, and cops; and make enough as a street musician to eat. But her world flips upside down when she meets Derek – hot, tattooed, and charming, a singer from Seattle whose looks and talent take her breath away. What begins as a reluctant partnership quickly develops into a cross-country race against time - and awakens a hunger in Sage that’s unfamiliar and exciting. As they travel from coast to coast, Sage and Derek pursue their dream, only to discover that they can never run far enough to escape the demons from their pasts Raw and powerful New Adult genre story of the life of a homeless street musicians. True 'from rags to riches' storyline, part one of the trilogy, that ends with a cliffhanger. The story is told by Sage's point of view, in first person. The life on the streets is described in detail, but somehow I felt it was a bit glorified, or the story didn't reflect to me the true terror, fear, and desperation people in that situation live with. The story focuses on the homeless life, the road trip, and the competition. There isn't any great romance in the story, only possibility of one, maybe, coming in the future books. Even though the story is emotional, with lots of drama both from Derek and Sage's past, and from the growing pains of these young people, I wish it would have gone a bit deeper. I felt many of the scenes were rushed. In general I don't read much YA/NA genre, but this was the second one, of the six I've read in recent years, that has the homeless street musician making it big, so the storyline for me wasn't that original. The second installment for the series is out, as well. And the third one will be out in the end of the November. ~ Three big spoons with a teaspoon on the side.
 The small mountain town of Nugget, California, has a strange way of giving people unexpected reasons to start over-and find the most irresistible chances to fall in love... Maddy Breyer needs to prove she can make her own life after betrayal blew up her previous happily-ever-after. Staying totally focused on renovating a decrepit mansion into a bed-and-breakfast might help her-and this recession-hit town-finally turn things around. But the mysterious new sheriff is the kind of lawbreaking temptation that's an even bigger challenge to resist... Detective Rhys Shepard is only back in Nugget long enough to care for his ailing father. He's got a big-city promotion far away from this place that never accepted him. He does not need a sudden crime wave to solve. Or one leggy case of heartbreak stirring up all kinds of trouble and challenging his rules. Which might explain why he's suddenly finding it hard to leave.. The small town, Nugget, population 6000, is really what all small towns are imagined to be: little run down, needed an upgrade but fighting against the change, improvements, and diversity. It has some happy memories, lifelong friendships, gossip, newcomers, old timers, and a bit of crime. The two newest members of town, police chief Rhys, and hotel owner Maddy, both are at the crossroads of their lives, not happy about the change they are facing. The story moves slowly through the town, introducing its characters, with lots of history lessons embedded in the tale. The romance between Maddy and Rhys is delicate, with all the adjustments in their new lives, relationship takes time to build, and feelings time to grow and to be trusted. The story pulls you into the small town living, in its people, chatter, and events, opening a door to the new series, while sharing the story of the beginning of Maddy and Rhys's romance ~ three big spoons with a teaspoon on the side  Stacy Finz was an award-winning reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle. After more than twenty years covering notorious serial killers, naked-tractor-driving farmers, fanatical foodies, aging rock stars and weird Western towns, she figured she finally had enough material to launch a career writing fiction. In 2012 she won the Daphne du Maurier Award for unpublished single-title mystery/suspense. She lives in Berkeley, California with her husband.
 Ten years of dedication to the Navy taught SEAL Jon Rudnick one thing—he’s not afraid to risk life and limb for his country. But when navigating military red tape begins to present more challenges than the enemy it makes Jon question his future. So does Alison Cressly, the woman he can’t get out of his head. When Ali’s life is threatened and military rules won’t allow him to intervene, Jon decides it’s time to take back control. A team of sexy SEALs, a terrorist threat, and an attraction that can’t be denied . . . it all comes together in this launch of the new Hot SEALs romantic suspense series from New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author Cat Johnson. Yet another hot SEAL series I stumbled on, I seem to be reading with a theme, even though it's not planned, this time around. Night with a SEAL is a great introduction to the new series, where the security team, GAPS, will fight against crime, and I assume, fall in love in the process. The veteran SEALs, served for ten years, are feeling the years of service in their bodies, and changed the rules of engagement in their skin. They want direct, fast action, while they feel the higher ups are playing the game of politics. At the same time Jon meets Ali. And what was meant to be a one night fling, seems to grow into more in their minds, while Jon is deployed. Now, I didn't feel much affection between Jon and Ali, they really didn't have a chance to get to know each other. But the possibility, and will, for the feelings to grow is there. The heat level is a notch over medium in this story. The SEAL team together was solid, the brotherhood vivid. The scare of the kidnapping, and the results from it, consequences of the disillusionment with the current situation in the teams, all leads to the GAPS to be born. I'm looking forward to the series, I hope the future installments gets a bit deeper, and more involved, into the story ~ Three spoons.  A rebel on the run… Victoria Royal is a traitor. Or so the U.S. government believes. Victoria was once a promising sniper in the Army, but now she’s gone rogue—worse, she’s just landed in the middle of a Hostile Operations Team mission in the desert and blasted it all to hell. Nick “Brandy” Brandon doesn’t expect to run into Victoria when he’s bugging out from a mission gone wrong. It’s been more than three years since she disappeared from the sniper course they were in together, and he’s finally stopped thinking about her killer curves and smart mouth. But now she’s back—and she’s far more dangerous than Nick ever believed possible… Is she really a traitor? Or is there something more at stake? He has to decide fast—because time’s running out and too many lives hang in the balance… Amazing how the H.O.T. series just gets better with each book! I absolutely loved this story of Nick and Victoria, it was full of military type action, suspense, and HOT romance. It is intense, and pulled me right from the first page, and kept the interest through the rest of the story. Nick and Victoria's ribbing each other is fun and electric. Them two together are steamy hot, but at the same time, they have a sweet friendship, innocence and protective tenderness between them, that is just adorable, made me sigh so many times. It is heart wrenching, delicate, and delightful. The action is exiting. The tension and fear is palpable, and I found the sniper's routines before the shot interesting. Nick and Victoria's mission in the desert was ardent, and the trust, the brotherhood between the H.O.T. members is touching. Fierce action, intense suspense, and just adorable, love story all in one book ~ Five spoons with high recommendations! |
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January 2022
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