Sink or Swim

   In this blog post, I reviewed Annabeth Albert’s Sink or Swim, the second installment in the Shore Leave m-m contemporary romance series. This steamy love story will fog up your windows. For navy chief Calder Euler, he loved to be deployed and go to shore in a submarine. But when he won a cabin from a poker game in Queen Anne Michigan, and also had a freak accident, life threw him some unexpected surprises along the way. That’s when he met Dr. Felix Segund, a geriatic psychologist, who was the owner of the cabin, and a single father raising his two nieces, during the midst of a snowstorm. Felix didn’t expect to see Calder at his cabin, when he was dealing with a brutal divorce from his ex-husband Tim. They started to get to know each other within time and built a friendship from there after they had stolen some kisses. Felix’s worried that Calder might return back to the shore and run from taking care of two kids. Calder didn’t know what he wanted in his military career, though he had lucked out when he met Felix and his nieces. The closer they got to determining the future, the more they found that they were a good match for each other.

This sizzling contemporary romance is steamy and emotional. I cared for Calder, who lived in a military family, and had built a career for himself. He loved sailing in a submarine from shore to shore. After that freak accident, it did more than set him and his priorities straight in life. I also cared for Felix, who was nothing more than a family man, and his only focus was on his two nieces. He wasn’t expecting to fall in love or looking for romance. The location of Queen Anne Michigan was perfect to picture in the winter with mesmerizing scenic settings.  The theme of the story is sometimes you have to take a gamble when it comes to love. 

This sensual contemporary romance is a fantasy read. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love contemporary romance for same sex or opposite couples with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and hints of sexy twists and turns, check out Sink or Swim. This book is recommended for fans who love Hallmark and military themed love stories.

 

The Godmothers

    In this blog post, I reviewed Monica McInerney’s The Godmothers. This stand-alone women’s fiction novel is moving, heartfelt, and touching about family and discovering who you are. When Eliza Miller was seventeen years old, she lost her loving mother Jeannie, right before she told the truth about her birth father. She died from an accidental slip in the tub and faded away. Heartbroken, Eliza never knew the identity of her biological father. But years later, after she lost her job in Melbourne, Australia, with the encouragement of her two mothers, Olivia and Maxie, she flies to Edinburgh on a life-changing journey. There, she stays in Olivia’s hotel and asks about the truth about her mother that she had never known, and who could’ve been her father. Though they hedged the truth a tiny bit, they looked for clues in paperwork and photos. She also meets Lawrence, a widower of two years, who works for the hotel and for Olivia. There, she bonds with them and goes to Trim, Scotland, where she discovers the identity of her father and the hidden secret behind it. Lawrence tags along with her on the trip as they grow closer together. After that revelation, she flies back to Edinburgh and heads home to Australia to start a new life and a new future.

This emotional women's fiction is deeply profound, heart-breaking, and heart-wrenching.  I cared for Eliza, who had been through a lot at a tender age, and had the tender love from Olivia and Maxie to help her through it all. I also became worried for Olivia and Maxie, who harbored the real secret about how Jeannie died. The dual locations of Melbourne and Edinburgh were magnificent with gorgeous scenic settings.  The theme of the story is family–and what makes a family–who would love you who you are.

This heartfelt women’s fiction will pull at your heartstrings. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love women's fiction with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and hints of twists and turns, check out The Godmothers. This book is recommended for fans who love Karen White, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Sex, Lies & Hot Tubs

   In this blog post, I reviewed Elissa Ambrose’s Sex, Lies, & Hot Tubs, this stand-alone women’s fiction novel has a bit of humor and intrigue into this storyline. It all started to go downhill for Ellen Dunwell, who had celebrated her fiftieth birthday, with friends and family. As a mother of a surly teenager and a high school math teacher, things aren’t what they seem or appear to be to her. Her daughter Claire has been struggling in her senior year of high school and been hanging out with the wrong people.  Her neighbor’s son is a Peeping Tom and has eyes on her. Though she’s suspicious of her husband Jeffrey, who had affairs in the past, and had been coming and going for “business purposes.” But when he was supposed to come home from a trip, Ellen had sleuthed around to find out what he had been up to and discovered some shocking clues. The deeper she looked, the closer she would get to find out the truth… it would hit close to home with a startling revelation.

This compelling women's fiction has you hooked and intrigued from the first page.  I cared for Ellen, who wanted nothing more than her daughter to behave, and her husband to be straight with her. I became suspicious of her and everyone in her neighborhood who might’ve had an affair with her husband. I also became worried for Claire and her attitude toward her mother.  The location of Phoenix was perfect to set the idyllic scenic settings. The theme of the story is trust your gut when people can mislead you.

This interesting women’s fiction will keep you in suspense and make you gasp and laugh.  I rated this book, four out of five stars, due to some typos and minor punctuation errors and passive wordings. If you love women's fiction with non-stop dramatic action, plenty of suspense, and hints of mystery, give Sex, Lies & Hot Tubs a try. This book is recommended for fans who love Karen White, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

To All the Dogs I Loved Before

  In this blog post, I review Lizzie Shane’s To All the Dogs I Loved Before, the third installment in the Pine Hollow contemporary romance series. This endearing romance has plenty of sweet scenes with a hint of humor.  This contemporary romance has a great mash-up of grumpy-sunshine and second chance for the tropes that makes this an awesome lovely story. It all started when the town newsletter’s editor reported that Elinor Rodriguez was back together with her ex-fiance Levi Jackson. In Pine Hollow, Vermont, it gave their small town something to talk about and speculate. Though it wasn’t true and nothing but conjecture. But when Elinor’s Aussie Dory keeps escaping from her home, Police Chief Levi Jackson keeps bringing it back to her, safe and sound. Elinor, the school librarian, has always hated Levi for blindsiding her on their broken engagement three years ago. She didn’t know why or for what reason. While she deals with her younger sister Charlotte’s relationship problems, she has aspirations to become a published author. For Levi, he had kept a secret he never told anyone: he has dyslexia. And he didn’t want to be anything like his old man and how he treated women. But everytime when Dory escaped, he was always on call to bring it back to Elinor, though he always took care of her and did things for her when she least expected it. While being the police chief for Pine Hollow, he was always there for her and his friends. But in the end, would he tell the truth to Elinor about his true feelings for her to make things right?

 This heart-warming contemporary romance is moving and heartfelt. I cared for Elinor, who always thought she was perfect in everyone’s eyes. She might be too harsh on Charlotte and cared for Dory and her students. And she would never give up on love and on her dreams. I adored Lexi, since he’s diverse as a main character with a learning disability. We don’t see that everyday and need more of them in novels. I loved how he became fond of Dory and looked out for people in Pine Hollow.  Dory was a hoot and adorably sweet Aussie who loved Levi and Elinor.  The location of Pine Hollow, Vermont, is lovely and wholesome for a small New England town with picturesque scenic settings. The theme of the story is no one’s truly perfect when love will find the way.

This sweet contemporary romance is recommended for those who love dogs in the story with a second chance storyline. I rated this book, four out of five stars for no reason. If you love romances with non-stop romantic action, plenty of suspenseful drama, and hints of sweet loving romance, add To All the Dogs I Loved Before to your TBR list . This book is recommended for fans who love Hallmark Movies, Kristan Higgins, Jill Shalvis, and Marina Adair.

Read, Write, Love at Seaside

    In this blog post, I reviewed Addison Cole’s Read, Write, Love at Seaside, the first installment in the Seaside Summers contemporary romance series, this sweet romance will make your heart sigh and weep for joy. Leanna Bray is a free spirit and didn’t know what she wanted to do with her disorganized life. But she wanted to make a name for herself, a niche in selling her jellies and jams in the local farmer’s market. When she vacationed in Cape Cod, she never thought she would find her love for her life there, and how it would change her life. Kurt Remington is a best-selling thriller writer who loves the peace and quiet to write in his novel in his cabin. But when Leanna and her dog Pepper got caught up in a wave from a storm, he stopped everything and rescued them even if it interrupted his concentration. Ever since then, this love story built on how Kurt helped Leanna find her footing and grounding in selling her jams, and how she made his life easier when there was life outside of writing in an organized world. Within that summer, he began to grow on loving her and also on Pepper, and wanted to do something more for her and her business. When she received a contract of a lifetime to stay locally, she didn’t know what to do and didn’t want to lose Kurt in the process. In the end, they made things work out to stick together and to build their future for forever with a happy ending.

 This lovely contemporary romance is wonderful and fantastic.  I cared for Leanna, who loves her friends, making jams, and being with Pepper. She found her true soul mate with Kurt who helped her guide in the right direction and was the perfect sounding board to make her dreams come true.  I also cared for Kurt, who lived one to write the next best thing, and haven’t had the time to smell the salty-sprayed roses. Though Leanna had upset his apple cart, he found the perfect work-family business when he first met her. The dual locations of Seaside and Wellfleet Cape Cod were dreamy and magnificent with picturesque scenic settings. The theme of the story is that love will sneak up on you in the least expected way.

This breath-taking contemporary romance is perfect for all romantics at heart and love reading love stories taking place nearing the ocean or sea. I rated this book, four out of five stars, because it made me smile at the end. If you love romances with non-stop action, plenty of romantic  drama, and hints of sweet romance,  Read, Write, Love at Seaside will sweep you off your feet. This book is recommended for fans who love Hallmark Movies, romcoms, Susan Wiggs, Sheryl Woods, and Debbie Macomber.