Review: Any Given Snow Day

Any Given Snow Day

by Marie Harte

Blurb:

Ex-NFL star + snarky single mom = a touchdown of a holiday romance

After two Super Bowl rings, MVP status, and retiring from the NFL while still on top, Mitch “Flash” Flashman’s millions should make life at the ripe old age of thirty-five a blessing. Yet he’s restless, rudderless, and can’t tell up from down. Roped into helping his brother coach a bunch of teenagers, Mitch finds himself playing defense against the many women in town wanting his attention. Except for one particular woman who doesn’t seem to like him much. Becca Bragg is mouthy, vulnerable, and sexy, and she captivates Mitch despite himself. But Mitch has no time for a sexy single mom when he’s still trying to figure out who he really is. With the playoffs, a boy’s future, and his own heart on the line, he’ll need to figure out how to pull the ultimate victory—winning Becca’s heart and keeping it. For good.

Themes: Holiday, Contemporary

Rating: 4 Stars                                                           

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Marie Harte is an author that has a special skill to slip her reader’s into just about any setting and make us feel like we are right their with her characters experiencing their dramas at their sides.  This holiday story revolves around a snarky and sassy single mom and a retired NFL star that has come to loose ends since his retirement.  Roped into helping his brother with the coaching of the local high-school football team, Mitch finds himself confronted with a smartass but also kickass young player that he sees himself at that age in.  When he tries to get Simon to step up and act like the mature and brilliant player he is, Mitch is confronted with his single mother who has her own brand of sarcasm, with a serious side of sexy.  Becca has been raising her son on her own for a long time now and when Mitch barges in trying to tell her how to parent, she is just a little bit pissed, until she sees the attitude her kid is throwing for herself.  Thrown together again and again, Mitch and Becca soon find the heat between them impossible to resist, pushing them into a hot and sexy affair.  Then it goes from being a hot sexy affair to becoming something so much deeper and neither of them realized just how much they would come to depend on one another.  Mitch is an interesting character and I enjoyed seeing him find his place in the new world he finds himself inhabiting where his daily agenda I pretty much empty. It was obvious that he loved coaching the kids and even more that he loved showing Becca just how much she means to him.  He was strong, sweet, loving, adventurous and HOT all mixed together into a potent and loving man.  Becca has a lot of issues to work through before she can devote herself to any man, but the more time she spends with Mitch the more she comes to understand that he could really come to be an important part of her life.  Seeing Becca come out of their shell and find a way to let go of past hurts and embrace the love of a good man was a great way to help us remember that even the deepest love, once lost, can make room for another love.  The potential for love never hits a maximum, always finding room for just that little bit more love.  I loved the sparks that flew between these two whether they are loving, laughing, or crying together.  It was also great to see their friends and family truly embraces them as a couple and show them how much they mean to one another.  Marie never lets me down when I want a good read and Any Given Snow Day was another masterpiece with a special bit of holiday magic mixed in to make the story all the more fantastic.  I look forward to possibly seeing these characters in a future story and would enjoy a new series based on these characters if she saw fit to make another new series.  Thanks for the holiday magic and sexiness of two amazing characters falling in love.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: Fuel for Fire (Black Knights Inc. #10)

Fuel for Fire (Black Knights Inc. #10)

by Julie Ann Walker

Blurb:

A brooding covert operative and a spunky CIA agent discover a burning passion in the next installment of Julie Ann Walker's red-hot BKI series

Dagan Zoelner has made three huge mistakes

The first two left blood on his hands.

The third left him wondering...what if? What if he had told the woman of his dreams how he felt before his world fell apart?

Spitfire CIA agent Chelsea Duvall has always had a thing for bossy, brooding Dagan. It's just as well that he's never given her a second look, since she carries a combustible secret about his past that threatens to torch their lives...

Themes: contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The Knights are back!  This series continues with the story of a sexy special operator and a sassy CIA agent coming together in the most unlikely of circumstances and finding love.  I have been a fan of this series since the very beginning and have enjoyed the changes and adjustments to the team and their lives as they each found love with their true mates.  Julie Ann Walker is the kind of amazing author that takes us deep into the lives of her characters and allowing readers to experience all new lifestyles, adventures, and dramas that 99% of us could never imagine truly experiencing in our real lives. Dagan has been a little bit obsessed with Chelsea since the first time he saw her years ago, but when his life blew up in his face, leading him to join BKI he never thought he’d see her again, much less have a chance to have her for himself. Chelsea wants so badly to prove to Dagan that she is the kind of woman that can handle herself, but he seems to see her as immature and unable to handle the tasks of her new job.  When they are forced to deal with one another again they both come to realize that what they thought they knew about the other is completely inaccurate.    The passion flares between them leaving them both burned and what rises from the ashes is truly the phoenix of myth.  Dagan has to come to terms with what he thought he needed to do to keep Chelsea safe and the fact that he was VERY wrong. He was sexy, bumbling, silly, and sensual all while making Chelsea fall deeper in love, but boy when he screws up he does it in a BIG way.  Chelsea has her own fears and worries about their shared past, but she is unwilling to risk the chance she has to be happy with Dagan by leaving him in the dark.  While Chelsea certainly has a few regrets about her decisions she knows that the only way to build a life with the man she loves is to come clean about her secrets, even if it means she loses him.  I cried a lot as Dagan and Chelsea dealt with their issues, but I was reaching for ice a few times to cool me down from the heat between these two as well.   Dagan and Chelsea found a way thankfully to embrace forgiveness and share their lives and love with one another.  I am reminded again and again that no matter what these couples might face, they always find a way to overcome and have their HEA in a big way.  Walker remains one of my favorite authors for intense romantic suspense and even though I know the series is ending, I know that whatever adventure she takes us on will keep me a happy reader. As always a magical experience to enjoy the reading about the lives and loves of these sexy and fascinating special operators.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: Santa Paws is Coming to Town (The Dogfather #3.5)

Santa Paws is Coming to Town (A Dogfather Short Tail) (The Dogfather #3.5)

by Roxanne St. Claire 

Blurb:

What could be more joyous than a Kilcannon Christmas? But for Daniel Kilcannon, the man they call “The Dogfather,” this holiday season is anything but happy. It’s been three years since he’s lost his wife and though his family is growing – thanks to his matchmaking efforts – he still dreads the day his dearly departed wife used to love so much. Determined to make Christmas Eve festive and fun, he puts his sadness aside for the family and pretends everything is normal…until it’s not.

When a recently rescued puppy goes missing on Waterford Farm, all celebrations come to a halt. The entire family, from Gramma Finnie down to the youngest Kilcannon and their cousins, is enlisted on the search. Before they can continue the old Irish tradition of putting a candle in the window to welcome strangers, they must find little Jack Frost…and nothing short of a Christmas miracle can make that happen.

Themes: Novella, Holiday

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I have never read a single story by Rocki that I haven’t wanted to reread again and again and this story is no exception.  I was thrilled when I saw that she would be sending us a short holiday tail (sorry couldn’t resist) about my favorite new family.  The wait was going to be so long for the next story that this gave me just the fix I needed.   I was thrilled to get to meet some of the Dogfather’s extended family, which will hopefully mean there is the possibility for spinoff series later on when this one closes. There were lots of sad moments as Daniel thought back on his loses, but just as many sweet and loving moments as the new couples spent time together and as a family.  I LOVED the little plot twist at the end and most assuredly loved all the sweet animals in the story.  Rocki knows how important the love of family is and how it can keep sadness from overwhelming us when we think back on all we have lost.  But knowing that there is always more love out there reminds me why I love romance novels so much and that love truly does exist out there, if we are willing to wait and look for it. I am looking forward to the next book in the series and seeing Molly find her love again, but I know there is no way that I won’t love it every moment it’s in my hands. Thanks for the fun story Rocki; I enjoyed every second reading snuggled with my four sweet babies on a cold fall evening.  

*eARC provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: The Legend (Sons of Texas #3)

The Legend (Sons of Texas #3)

by Donna Grant 

Blurb:

A LONE STAR LOVER

Callie Reed doesn’t need a man to protect her. An expert sharpshooter and renegade hacker, this Texas-born spitfire’s got the skills and the courage to stand up to any danger―no matter how deadly. But when she becomes the target of a shadowy organization known as the Saints, Callie is forced to team up with the one man she can’t outshoot: the gorgeous, and infuriating, Lone Star legend named Wyatt Loughman…

A Delta Force Colonel with a rock-hard body and stone-cold heart, Wyatt has been teasing and tormenting Callie since they were playmates on his family’s ranch. Of course, he’s wildly attracted to the fiery, strong-willed Callie. But he’s always hidden his feelings behind a wall of Texas tough and military cool, even as he’s burning up with desire. Can Wyatt save Callie’s life―without putting her love in the line of fire?

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 The final brother has found a way to open his heart to the woman that has always had a place in his life, even as he tried to push her away, and their father has returned to the fold, but I have to wonder—is the series truly over? This series was a surprising contemporary change by one of my very favorite paranormal authors, and while I was skeptical from the beginning, as the series progressed I found myself enjoying the stories more and more.  Wyatt and Callie have been forced to team up together in this battle for their family and friends including but not limited to Wyatt’s father who has been like a father to Callie for many years.  Wyatt once allowed Callie to breach his defenses, but felt he had to push her away to keep her safe and in the process broke more than simply her heart.  Now he is faced with the truth that he wants Callie back and he isn’t sure he can get her back.  Working together on their mission they get closer and closer until the passion between them finally explodes leaving them both a bit confused and unsure if they can find a way to save themselves, much less find a way to come back together in a meaningful way.  I liked seeing Callie stand up to Wyatt and make him understand that he has a lot to atone for in order to win her back.  She makes him work for it which I totally loved; at the same time she has to come to terms with some of the mistakes she has made both in regards to Wyatt and her own choices through her life.  Wyatt knows he was an asshole in his past, but now that he is faced with the results of his choices, the loss of Callie as even a friend, he begins to understand what he truly threw away.  I enjoyed seeing Wyatt grow and change his way of living as he begins to see what changes he needs to make in his life, but I never formed a connection with him as my hero like I have in previous novels by Ms. Grant.  The connection between Wyatt and Callie is explosive from the beginning, which makes perfect sense once we get to learn the truth of their shared past, but when they come together again in the present the passion between them is just as hot.  Overall the plot of this story was VERY complex and contained so many twists through the trilogy of books that I honestly wasn’t sure from chapter to chapter who would be an enemy to the brothers and who was an ally, but in the end I felt like there were still a few more plot lines that were not wrapped up, leaving me hoping for another story in the series in the future.  Ms. Grant’s paranormal novels will always be my favorite, but I can see how her branching into contemporary novels could lead to a whole new chance for Donna to spread her wings.  Keep it up Donna and I can promise you that I will keep reading.

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: SEAL Wolf Undercover (Heart of the Wolf #22)

SEAL Wolf Undercover (Heart of the Wolf #22)

by Terry Spear 

Blurb:

 No wolf is safe in USA Today bestseller Terry Spear's new installment of the SEAL Wolf series.

Never be so foolish as to fall for the enemy...

Special wolf agent Jillian Matthews has joined the jaguar-run United Shifter Force to track down a deadly criminal. She's even willing to work with PI Vaughn Greystroke―until the hot, growly SEAL wolf makes the mistake of getting in her way. Naturally, she shoots him. Who could blame her?

Vaughn Greystroke has always worked alone. But when a string of attempted murders puts him in the crosshairs, teaming up with the Shifter Force begins to sound like a good idea. Even if he has to work with alluring―and potentially treacherous―Jillian Matthews. Vaughn is a trained SEAL, after all. He can surely keep his distance from Jillian...no matter how much she's getting under his skin.

Themes: Paranormal, wolf-shifters

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 This long-running series about sexy wolf-shifters has veered into a new direction with the crossover from the Heart of the Jaguar series and all I can say is I LOVE that twist.   Terry has a great way with her characters whether they are Wolves or Jaguars and she has no problem making the dramas of their lives human problems just as often as shifter-only problems.  That being said this story was a little slow for me is some ways and not as memorable as some of the previous stories in the series. Jillian and Vaughn were the story of a couple that has a second chance after spotting one another in a club and not taking the chance to introduce themselves despite their connection from across the room. Jillian is on the trail of a criminal and finds Vaughn in her way, accidentally shooting him, and bringing them together in a way that will certainly be a story to tell their grandchildren one day.  I liked Jillian’s independence and determination to get her man, even as she works with anyone that is able to lend a hand; she will never allow ego to get in the way of protecting her people and accomplishing her mission.  I enjoyed seeing her stand up to Vaughn and she was certainly an interesting woman.  Vaughn was a sexy, brave, and deadly alpha male that was also sweet at times and certainly a match for Jillian.  I liked Vaughn ok in the beginning but as he worked beside Jillian and her team I started to like him even more, seeing that he was definitely a good man and one that Jillian would be able to count on for years to come.  I have followed this series since the very beginning, following Terry through the different packs along the west coast, and even to a pack in Scotland, and the series keeps taking new and interesting turns, but I am beginning to lose a bit of the connection with the couples themselves so hopefully future stories will bring back that magic.  And the crossover connection between this author’s two series are becoming more and more interesting and I am looking forward to seeing where this might go in the future, perhaps even a jaguar/wolf mating? Whatever happens I know I will enjoy this series for a long time to come. 

*ebook provided by publisher (via netgalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: A Rancher's Heart (Heart Falls #1)

A Rancher's Heart (Heart Falls #1)

by Vivian Arend

Blurb:

This cowboy has given up on love, but the new nanny might just make him change his mind. The first in a brand-new series from New York Times bestselling author Vivian Arend.

Caleb Stone is wearing too many hats and it’s making him crankier than usual. He’s a cowboy, a father, and the head of his large family—and has been since tragedy claimed his parents over ten years ago. The ranch is struggling, but it's the title of single dad that’s got him tangled up in knots. He needs a full-time, live-in nanny at the Silver Stone homestead in Heart Falls, Alberta, to help with his two little girls, but the woman about to arrive on his doorstep? Tantalizing, tempting, and trouble with capital T’s.

Tamara Coleman doesn’t regret the choices that led to losing her job, but she definitely needs a fresh start. When a friend recommends her for a nanny position in a new town, she swears this time it’ll be different. No more acting on impulse—except sexy, gruff Caleb is exactly the kind of man who pushes all her buttons. And what’s more, it’s so much fun to push his in return. Sparks fly between Tamara and her gorgeous boss, but she can’t risk her position, and he doesn’t dare risk his heart.

With two people fighting their true natures, something’s going to give. Luckily, there’s more than one way to capture a rancher’s heart.

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 A new and sexy spin-off of the much beloved Coleman Clan series has arrived from Vivian Arend.  In the finale of the Rocky Mountain House series Jesse Coleman fell in love with the sweet and loving Dare and we got to meet her family, the Stone’s, and in this new series we will get to see the Stone men fall in love.  A Rancher’s Heart brings the Coleman and Stone families together once again with Tamara Coleman traveling to the Stone Ranch to serve as nanny for Caleb’s two little girls. Caleb is the kind of rancher that every man wants to be; he is the leader of his small family and worries constantly about keeping them healthy and happy.  Caleb is determined that Tamara be nothing but the nanny that he needs for his girls, but the longer she is in their lives, the more he begins to wonder if she might be needed even more in another role.  Tamara came to the Stone’s as a way to get away from the small-town gossips in Rocky Mountain House, even though she doesn’t really know if she can handle the job.  But the moment she meets Caleb and his two girls, Emma and Sasha, she begins to fall for them.  She is determined she won’t make another unforgivable mistake on the job, but giving and receiving love is so natural to her that soon she is trapped by her own wants and needs. I loved getting to know both Caleb and Tamara, but my favorite moments were when they were working together to improve the lives of the Stone family.  Tamara is the kind of woman that I strive to be, dedicated to both work and family, but unwilling to overlook injustice just because it’s a rule.  She is brave, sweet, and loving to all those she finds worthy of love, and it was obvious that she was just what Caleb and the girls needed to get over the trauma of the woman that broke all their hearts. It was also amazing to see her helping with the ranch and making Caleb accept that she will have to be his partner if they are going to have a future together.  Caleb was the kind of rugged and sexy rancher that every woman has imagined for herself as some point in her life, but he is even more than just that.  His heart is certainly broken, though he refuses to admit it, and his girls need him to truly find a way to heal his heart so he can be there fully for them.  He is resistant to giving into the emotions and lust that Tamara inspires, not just because of his fears about heartbreak, but mainly because she is his employee and living under his roof as such.  Afraid to take advantage, it is only after an eye-opening moment that he decides she is worth the risk, and Caleb jumps in with both feet. The passion between Caleb and Tamara was hot enough to melt all the snow in even the Canadian Rockies these ranchers call home, and there was no way they were going to be able to fight that heat for long—THANK GOODNESS! I enjoyed every second of this story and am looking forward to the next in the series for sure.  I am not sure if we will be seeing more of the Coleman clan, since of course there are a few single gals (Tamara’s sisters) that need to find love still, but I can only hope that we do get to see them.  If you need a sexy and fabulous read for a long cold winter day, I highly recommend A Rancher’s Heart along with a good cup of hot cocoa (whiskey optional of course).

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.