(R) The Frenchman by Lesley Young

 

Fleur Smithers has traveled to France to spend time the birth mother who gave her up.  One night, she meets Louis Messette, star player on an international rugby team.  Immediately attracted to each other, she takes him home only to have him reject her when he realizes she's still a virgin.  But he cannot stay away from her - they quickly fall back into each other's arms... but with stipulations.  The main one being Fleur must keep their relationship a secret.  Confused but willing, Fleur agrees.  She accepts a necklace of the family crest, a fleur-de-lis, as a symbol of their love.  Soon, Fleur is caught between her biological mother who happens to be a high-ranking officer of the French Police Force and her lover, whose family she discovers is criminal royalty.  Fleur's mother discovers Louis is her boyfriend and is enraged.  Storming into his apartment, she quickly arrests Louis and his brother, Georges.  When Georges is charged with drug trafficking, Louis tries to make Fleur realize her mother is not the upstanding police officer she appears to be.  As an American in a foreign country, a girl finding her mother for the first time, and a woman who's heart is fighting to be heard, who does she believe?

I LOVED this story!  It took me a few chapters to get into but once I was, I was hooked.  I love how Fleur talks - she's a true American.  Many of the things she would say are things that, I feel, many Americans would say when they are found in a foreign country with foreign laws.  "I'm an American in France, what do I know?"  You really start to feel her confusion as the book goes on.  She knows Louis is hiding something and when she finds out, she's torn, being the daughter of a police inspector and all.  But she loves Louis - all dominating, confusing, loving parts of him.  As I read the book, I often questioned how Louis treated her but when you realize that Louis is also torn between protecting his family and protecting the woman he loves, you understand why he does the things he does.  And the very end... *swoon*  You will never question how much Louis loves Fleur when you reach the end.  One of the best endings of a confused set of lovers ever.  I cannot wait to read more by this author in her upcoming The Australian.

ARC was provided by the editor in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Control by Laura Marie Altom

Ella Patton is escaping from an abusive husband by adopting a new identity and working at a local store as a deli clerk.  Its there that she meets Liam Stone.  She thinks he is merely an every day kind of guy, looking to flirt (and more) with a local girl.  But she couldn't be more wrong.  Liam Stone is a billionaire who is used to getting what he wants by throwing money at it.  So when he throws his money at Ella, she turns and runs.  And then runs back to him.  Deciding the best way to hide is to go across the country, she agrees to become Liam's latest conquest.  They soon fall in love and Liam decides to take his relationship with Ella even further.  But what will happen when a drastic secret is revealed?

I have mixed feelings about this book.  At first, I couldn't connect with the characters and I spent a good majority of the first chapters wondering what in the world was going on.  But as I continued reading, I got the impression that the author was trying hard to make the reader FEEL what Ella and Liam are feeling.  The confusion; the panic; the uncertainty; the love; the lust.  Once I realized that was the author was aiming for, I was able to pour myself into the book more and I found myself enjoying it much more after that.  You know something is going on in Ella's mind - a secret she doesn't want known - but you are still rooting for her to understand Liam wants the girl he met at the deli who found him wasabi mustard.  And when you find out the secret, you are just as devastated as Liam.

So why only 3 stars?  Because I felt it took too long for me to realize the author's intentions with this novel.  Sometimes I wanted to slap both Ella and Liam and send them packing far away from each other; other times, I was just waiting for them to jump into bed so they could show each other just how much they loved the other.  I will certainly read the conclusion to this story because I want to know how Liam and Ella handle conquering this secret that could tear them apart.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) The One by Belle Ami

I've only had the good fortune to read bad books very few times in my life.  This, unfortunately, is one of those times.  I could not even get beyond the prologue of this book.  I mean - REALLY?  I felt like I'd walked into the middle of a movie without even knowing the title or seeing a trailer for film.  Your thoughts are random and completely don't make sense.  This is how the prologue felt to me.  I understand that romance novels are supposed to be in this magical world where things can be made right and perfect by the end of the book.  But at least make them SOMEWHAT realistic!

I was originally interested in book based on the synopsis about a young woman who is an equestrian.  I ride Saddlebreds so I was obviously interested.  In the prologue, the main male character, Miles, is looking to hook up with a prostitute.  Who he sleeps with and, supposedly, after one sexual encounter, he realizes how terrible her life is and gives her money to help her leave this life sexual servitude.  So........... yeah, where do the horses fit in?  Unless you're a psychic, you aren't going know someone's deep, dark pain and secrets after have an S&M shagging session.  That sort of stuff takes an ENTIRE book to read and figure out!  Maybe the book got better after the prologue.  But I was so put off by the prologue I didn't even bother.

Note to the Author:  Not everyone know French.  If you're going to put in a different language, either use context clues or a translation.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Blind Faith by Rebecca Zanetti

Nate Dean is a man who has loved and lost.  The woman who stole his heart betrayed him and he has vowed to never love again.  He and his brother are running on borrowed time as they try to figure out a way to stop a chip in their spine from killing them.  Yet when Nate realizes the one person who can help is the woman he has spent his life trying to forget?  As a man who will do anything for his brothers, including seducing the woman who broke his heart, he goes in search of Audrey.

Audrey Madison still loves Nate.  And when she spies across a crowded ballroom, she realizes the boy she knew and loved has now grown in a man.  A dangerously sexy man.  But Audrey has her own secrets.  Despite her mother being the woman who helped create Nate and his brothers, Audrey wants to bring down the man behind it all - no matter what the cost.  She infiltrates a government office to help make this happen, joining forces with Senator Nash, hoping to bring down the machine that created Nate, his brothers, and a bevy of other soldier-assassins.  And then, there is a deeper secret, one that hits much closer to home, and not just her own.

This has been my favorite book in the Sin Brothers series.  We have had seen bits and pieces of Nate in the other two books in the series, Forgotten Sins and Sweet Revenge, and I'm glad to see this book of his own.  Nate is my favorite brother - he loves hard, he protects without thought to his safety, and his sense of duty runs deep.  (Who wouldn't love that?) We've known since Forgotten Sins that he still had feelings for Audrey and I had hoped that when he went to find her that she would be worthy of the deep feelings that run through this man.  And, boy, was she ever!  Audrey is a great heroine.  Her love of Nate runs so deep - even deeper than the misplaced love of her mother.  Even though Audrey hopes that her mother loves her and, deep down, wants to be a good person, Audrey knows that the things her mother has done are wrong and unforgivable.  When Audrey finds out that her mother only loves her as a science experiment, she realizes that no one will ever love her as much as Nate does.

A side note about Senator Nash.  Omg.  I LOVE this character!  He may be an old man but I'd kill to see a novella, just with him, after everything is all said and done with these characters.  When he rises to the challenge of helping Audrey and Nate defeat the Commander - it is the funniest part of a serious book.  He is a lovable character and one I'm looking forward to seeing more of in the final book of the series, Total Surrender (due out in 2015).

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Necessary Force by D. D. Ayers

Georgia Flynn is a freelance photographer in Washington, D.C., used to photographing senators, dignitaries, and major events.  But when a friend calls in a favor, asking Georgia to photograph sexy members of law enforcement and their working dogs for a fundraising calendar (to benefit retired K-9s), she can't help it when she becomes attracted to one man in particular.  Out of every man there that day, one strikes up a conversation and in a moment of weakness, she takes him home for a one night stand, completely understanding she'll never see him again.

When Eric Lawson and his dog Zander are called in for a suspected bomb threat, he is shocked to see Georgia Flynn standing across from him.  As a suspect.  The woman who had photographed him and slept with him.  He knew there was no way she was the terrorist he was chasing after but he has a job to do.  After working it over with his superiors, he pushes himself into her life after seeing that she is in danger - not only from a stalker but a stalker who may end up being the terrorist he is looking for.  While he does wonder if Georgia knows about what is going on, he eventually learns that her life is seriously in danger and he will do anything to protect her.

As someone who works with dogs, I could NOT resist requesting this book, especially when I found out the dogs are going to play a big role in this series.  (Who can resist a man in uniform AND a dog?)  While I think that this book would have been better suited to have just been told from Georgia's point-of-view, I still enjoyed the book.  Knowing this is a novella, you can only expect so much character development within it.  I really liked being able to see things from Eric's side as an investigator.  The action was fast-paced and I loved how she made sure that Zander was an integral part of saving Georgia.  I'm really looking forward to seeing more from this author and of this series!!

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) His Every Need by Terri L. Austin

Allie Campbell is willing to do anything to help her family.  After having to take over the reins of her family when her mother passes away, she learns her father has managed to lose their house as well.  When Allie learns the name of the man whom her father as gotten a loan, and managed to default on, is Brit tycoon Trevor Blake, she goes to see him.  She agrees to move in and become his mistress in exchange for forgiving her father's debts.  Even though her father is oblivious to the problems within the family, her younger sister is running with the wrong crowd, and the youngest sister is withdrawing into herself, Allie still decides this is the best she can do to save her family.

While Trevor never really intended to follow through with this ridiculous scheme, things don't exactly go as planned (do they ever?).  His parents show up and, with them, chaos.  He is closed off from them, causing him to do the same to Allie.  As he begins to find solace with her, not only physically but emotionally, he starts to develop real feelings for Allie.  But when he pushes her away and pushes too far, he loses Allie.  But can he get her back?

Is it possible to give a book more than five stars?  If so, this book would be at the top of the list to deserve those extra stars.  I LOVED this book!  When I first read the synopsis, I immediately thought it would be more Fifty Shades than romantic tale.  Boy was I surprised.  Trevor doesn't immediately get into bed with Allie, despite their agreement.  And the way their chemistry grows with the turn of every page and how they each handle the same situations when they are thrust together is a wonderful change of pace.  I love how both of their families add a further dimension to the story.  Trevor hates his family but Allie loves them (as so will the readers - eventually); Allie wants to save her family and Trevor wants her to see they need to save themselves.  Its a wonderful story, full of surprises and love.  This author is moving up on my list of favorites and I cannot wait to see even more of Allie and Trevor in the future!

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) My Hunger by Lisa Renee Jones

*SPOILERS*

Mark Compton's life is continuing to fall apart all around him.  Rebecca is gone and he blames himself.  His mother has cancer and he can't do anything about it.  He is developing feelings for the woman who runs his art galley in New York, Crystal, and he doesn't want to.  Wanting to face his demons, he tries to continue going on with his daily life even though the police are trying to find a way to pin Rebecca's murder on him.  He is a Master and relies on control and it is all slipping through his fingers.  But in Crystal's body, he finds solace.  Not control - a warmth, a connection that comes from a man just being with a woman.  Can Mark move on with Crystal even though he feels his control slipping through his fingers?

As the third book in Mark's point-of-view, I am growing to love Mark as a person, not just as a Master.  You know his feelings for Rebecca were real, he just was uncertain as to how to move forward.  With Crystal, a woman who by her own admission will never his submissive, bringing out the MAN in Mark, that is who I love and want to see more of.  Ms. Jones writes Mark so well - his confusion, his frustration, his love.  Although this is a novella, the way Mark's emotions unfold is storytelling at its best.  As Mark develops feelings for Crystal, the confusion it causes him as he tries to juggle not only his daily life of running two successful art galleries that are across the country from each other but also his struggles as a Master who is supposed to never get emotionally attached.  Crystal has her own skeletons in her closet and I can't wait to see how this story continues!  I love Mark and I love the Master in him - the more of him, the better.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Runaway Cowboy by Keira Cole

Rebecca Bonifay is the youngest member of the Bonifay clan and runs the ranch and her own horse rescue operation.  When Jesse, a cowboy drifter, saves Rebecca from her ex-boyfriend, she wants to repay him.  And when Jesse is injured, she just knows that having him recuperate at her farm is just what he needs... and just what she wants.  She wants Jesse to be her first but he wants to keep her at bay, which is difficult since they are both working on helping an abused horse recover.

As their passions grow between them, Jesse beings to wonder if he will be able to stick around for Rebecca.  After being so damaged in his past, he thinks he isn't worthy of someone like Rebecca.  From the beginning, he had told her that he wouldn't be sticking around and that he would leave her one day, hoping against hope that it would guard both their hearts.  When he finally does leave, a tragedy strikes.  Has Rebecca healed Jesse's heart enough to know that he's the only man for her and that he can be by her side always?

I so wanted to love this book!  As someone who does animal rescue (horses and dogs), I could certainly connect with Rebecca on a personal level.  But I didn't love this book but I did like it.  I really loved seeing Jesse and Rebecca's love grow as they worked together to help a damaged horse gain love and trust of people again.  But I felt like something was missing.  Rebecca went so quickly from saying, "I want him to be my first" and that's it to being in love with him that I just felt like the development of feelings was missing.  It was touched on but never explored.  However, I LOVED Jesse.  Watching Jesse grow emotionally through his love of horses and his feelings for Rebecca was wonderful to read.  Their passions cannot be denied and when they finally come together, its fireworks.  Overall, a good read and an author I would like to see more of.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) The Master Undone by Lisa Renee Jones

*SPOILERS*

The old saying goes, "You never knew what you had until its gone."  Mark has lost Rebecca.  And in that, he has lost himself.  He can't believe Rebecca has died - killed by a woman who used to be his submissive.  Through his own problems, he finds out his mother in dying of cancer.  His world has been thrown completely off-kilter and he begins to doubt if he could ever be a Master again.  Then he meets Crystal, the woman running his business while his mother is in the hospital...

Mark doesn't want to feel anything for her but you can't fight who you're attracted to.  The way she speaks to him, no one has ever done that.  He's a Master - he commands those around him, not the other way around.  Yet he allows Crystal to do so.  His confusion furthers when he realizes that it may just be what he needs.  And after a single passionate night in his hotel, Crystal leaves him, saying it never happened and it won't change their working relationship.  But Mark isn't so sure that he wants to forget.

This amazing novella allows us to get inside Mark's head.  After seeing and reading about him through Rebecca's eyes in her Lost Journals, you do wonder just how deep do Mark's feelings for her go.  You know what Rebecca wants and in The Master Undone, you see just how conflicts Mark's feelings were.  He wanted to have more, he just wasn't sure how to have more.  Being a Master was all he'd known and until Rebecca, was all he needed.  And then he lost her.  Can he find himself, find the Master he is, with Crystal? 

Lord I hope so - I need more Mark, I need more Master.

(Mark and Crystal's story will continue in My Hunger.)

An ARC was provided by NetGalley as a part of the ARC of Rebecca's Lost Journals.

(R) Undone by Shannon Richard

Paige Morrison is the round peg trying to fit in the square hole that is Mirabelle, Florida.  After losing her job, her boyfriend, and her home in Philadelphia, she is forced to move back in with her parents.  After a series of unfortunate events, Paige meets Brendan.  He helps her find a job (even if it is in a funeral home), new friends, and even a new boyfriend - himself.

Brendan realizes very quickly that Paige is the only woman for him and he wants her to marry him.  Together, they weather the storm that is Mirabelle's gossiping women.  When a man attacks Paige, the tongues of Mirabelle's gossip blog begin to wag, blaming Paige for what happened.  Brendan wants to protect her from their harsh words but when the post is placed on her office door, she not only finds out what they said but also some skeletons from Brendan's closet.

When another tragedy strikes, Brendan again wishes to protect the woman he loves.  But how can he protect her from the heartbreak within her own family?

I really liked this book - to a point.  I felt like the author tried to condense too much into a book.  She dragged out the problems within their relationship much longer than I thought was necessary.  I feel that more time could have been better spent on the attack and aftermath rather than adding another problem onto the plates of Brendan and Paige.  I feel the family problem could have been better done as a standalone novella rather than in the book.  It felt rushed.  But despite that, I really fell in love with Brendan and Paige.  Their love was fresh and vibrant and you supported them through everything.  The way Brendan stands by Paige, no matter what, just goes to show that his love for her runs deep in his veins.  It was a joy to read them falling in love and I look forward to seeing more of Paige and Brendan in this series.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Rebecca's Lost Journals by Lisa Renee Jones

There is always a back story.... *SPOILERS*

Rebecca is lost in her life.  She wants to work in the art world but can never seem to find the right moment to pursue her passion.  Then she meets Mark who owns an art gallery in town.  Her asks her if she wants to work for him and she agrees, deciding it is time for her to go after what she wants.  There's just one problem - she wants Mark.  And she knows Mark wants her.  But not in any ordinary relationship.  Mark is a Dom and he wants her to be his submissive.

In this grouping of novellas, we get to see inside Rebecca's mind as she is presented with his contract.  She wants Mark to have a relationship with her and yet she knows he won't have a "normal" relationship.  If she wants him, she will have to give into his contract.  When she begins her submissive, she feels free.  She loves how attentive Mark is to her; the way he seems to know what she needs before she needs it.  He pushes her boundaries; sometimes, she feels, too much.  Can her feelings for Mark change into what he wants or should she move on and try to have a normal relationship with someone else?

This book is written in journal form so there is no "normal" flow to this book.  But what I really love about this book is just how much you feel for Rebecca.  You feel her confusion, her elation, her heartache, and her love.  Through her journal, we get to know Rebecca deepest thoughts.  You know her feelings for Mark are genuine and yet we can also see how Mark pushes Rebecca almost too far.  It was nice to see a heroine who realizes the man is not enough for her and even though she loves him, she decides they are better off apart.  It might hurt her but she knows that Mark will never love her in the way she loves him.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) His Secrets by Lisa Renee Jones

Chris Merit, a Dom on the run from his demons, is in Paris with Sara.  She is a balm to his soul and he hopes that she can stop his past from attacking him as they hide away, painting and making love each night.  But the past never stays away for long.  Receiving a phone call from his friend Tristan, he finds out someone from his past is in trouble - Amber.  Chris, being the man he is, rushes to her rescue.  Chris feels guilty since he is the one who got Amber into the mess she was in so he feels it's his duty to get her out.  But once Sara realizes just now deep Chris' demons go, will she stay or flee?  When she sees how dark his world truly is, will she turn to him or from him?

This book is a novella in the AMAZING Inside Out series.  Since this book is written in Chris' POV, you really get to see how his mind works and just how much he loves Sara.  He wants to become a better man for her - not just a Dom, but as a lover and a partner.  But when his secrets threaten their relationship, when you see just how deep his feelings for Sara go and how this is a man who wants to change for her.  This novella will stick with you long after you finish reading it and gives us a deeper clues into the man, and Dom, that dominates the series.  I look forward to reading more of Ms. Jones' series now that I have a better understanding of Chris Merit.

In order to understand these characters, I do not recommend this book be read as a stand-alone novella.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Lantern Lake by Lily Everett

Cooper Haynes has arrived to Sanctuary Island to stand next to his best friend Miles' at his wedding.  He is bound and determined not to fall prey to what Miles' considers the island's romantic allure, causing everyone who comes there to fall in love.  Why?  Because the woman he loved, the woman who broke his heart, is also across the aisle as a bridesmaid.  His ex, Vivian Banks.  Cooper is still attracted to Vivian and decides to use the opportunity to use and lose Vivian the way she did him all those years ago.

Vivian's life has been turned upside down since she made the regretful decision to follow her family's wishes instead of her heart's.  When she sees Cooper, all of those feelings come rushing back.  She has a feeling that Cooper will try to make her fall in love with him all over again, although she wonders if she ever stopped, and decides to give herself one more night of pleasure in Cooper's arms and hopes that she can watch him walk away with her heart still intact.

This is the third and final installment of Ms. Everett's Billionaire Bachelors series.  And she has saved the best for last!  This bulk of the book takes place after Miles' wedding which was a nice change from the first two books in the series.  I felt like she had the most character development in this one.  You start off feeling sorry for Miles' broken heart.  You feel his anger at Vivian and you really want to hate her, knowing how she led Miles on only to leave him waiting at the courthouse to get married without even a reason as to why she left.

And yet, by the middle of the book, you are cheering for them to get back together!  When you find out why Vivian left and how badly she had yearned for Cooper after all these years, you realize the place they both need to be is by each other's side.  Cooper has spent those years apart chasing death and "living life to the fullest" while Vivian has fallen farther down than she could ever imagine.  Coming to Sanctuary Island was a new beginning for her and after seeing Cooper, she realizes she wants a new beginning with him as well.

This final book really is the best, not only in terms of characters, but also in tugging at your heartstrings.  So many novellas that come out don't come close to developing characters the way Ms. Everett does.  If you are looking for a quick, romantic read, you cannot do better than Lily Everett!!

(Book One - Billionaire Bachelors Series, The Fireside Inn)

(Book Two - Billionaire Bachelors Series, Bonfire Beach)


An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Bonfire Beach by Lily Everett

Zane's story is Book Two in the Billionaire Batchelors series by Lily Everett and it has made me love this author even more!  Zane is quintessential billionaire playboy, used to getting whatever he wants, regardless of the price.  If its thrilling, he wants to do it.  After overcoming a childhood tragedy, Zane has always lived life to the fullest.  But will meeting Felicity on Sanctuary Island make him realize that love can be as thrilling as any thing else in life?

Felicity has always been the responsible one.  One huge mistake when she was young made her realize just how responsible she needs to be if she wants to succeed.  When she is paired off with Zane in planning the wedding and reception for his friend Miles' wedding, she immediately is wary of billionaire playboy who is her exact opposite.

Their chemistry is immediate and their characters compliment each other perfectly.  I love how the author really showed how good these two were together and grew as a couple.  When you find out about Zane's large secret, the way Felicity handles it just shows how perfect she is for them.  But when they reach a bump in the road and Felicity pulls away, Zane fights against his feelings for her.  He has never been one to settle down but once he realizes Felicity is the one he wants by his side,  the way he wins he back took my breath away.

I am growing to love this author more and more with every book that I read by her.  She manages to still give characters great chemistry that we can watch grow in only a novella.  Not every author can do that.  I look forward to reading more from her!!

(Book One - Billionaire Bachelors Series, The Fireside Inn)

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) The Fireside Inn by Lily Everett

When Brit Lord Leo Strathairn is asked to do a reading at his best friend Miles' wedding on the small Sanctuary Island in Virginia, he agrees even though he is hiding a secret from his friends.  Wanting to keep them in the dark, he goes to the local library and meets head librarian, Serena Lightfoot.  Using all of his charm, he gets Serena to agree to help him - all without revealing his secret.

Serena has always been unlucky in love.  She was always attracted to men who only wanted her brain more than her body and once they had what they needed, they dumped her.  She was wary of Leo at first but when the sparks between them fly, she is hopeful that she will finally meet someone who wants every last bit of her.  But when she discovers Leo's secret, Serena realizes he is just like every other man who has come into her life.

She and Leo realize they are perfect for one another in this sweet little novella.  This book is the perfect read for anyone looking for a wonderful, light romance.  There is no sex, although it is alluded to, and yet these characters still manage to make you swoon.  Leo is the atypical alpha male who thinks doesn't want anyone to know his weakness.  And Serena was a nice change from the "men only want to screw me and then leave me" female character that we normally see in these books.  The way Leo manages to make Serena know just how much he loves her really makes this book complete.  I loved this novella and I am looking forward to reading more by Ms. Everett!

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Blue Lines by Toni Aleo

A one night stand with the man of her dreams lands Piper Allen pregnant.  The father of her bun in the oven?  None other than the star of the hockey team Nashville Assassins, Erik Titov.  Piper has been in love with him for a long time so when he finally notices her one night and offers to show her a good time, she jumps at the chance.  She just didn't expect to get pregnant.

Erik is on thin ice with his team.  Being put on probation for his behavior off the ice, he knows he needs to shape up.  And what better way than by marrying the woman carrying his child?  He manages to get Piper to agree to get married, knowing they will split up once the baby is born.  The marriage is for looks alone but they are going to tell everyone they are hopelessly in love.  Even though everyone around them knows Erik is a womanizer and certainly had no plans to settle down when he and Piper announce their marriage.

As time progresses, they begin to see just how good they are for each other.  You know they will end up together.  But I have mixed views on how I feel about this couple.  I think this was the first time I was rooting both for and against the couple.  I felt that Erik needed a good kick in the pants to get his act together and Piper needed some sense knocked into her because she could have done SO much better than Erik.  But I also wanted them together.  Once Erik got his head out of his behind and realized that everything he ever wanted was standing there in a Piper-shaped package, they worked as a couple.  And I rooted for them until the very end.

I understood Erik had some childhood issues that resulted in his inability to have good, stable relationships but he was also adopted by a wonderful couple who DID show him just how to love and be loved.  Erik was his own worst enemy in that sense.  I felt like once he started showing some of that love he has for Piper, the book took a turn for the better.  (Side note:  I do think he made the switch from "can't be with Piper" to "I'll be with you forever" was a little too abrupt for my taste but I digress.)  Overall, the book was pretty good and certainly worth a read if you're looking for a good, quick read.

The silver lining?  Erik's best friend Phillip.  I want this guy to have his own book!  He is way too funny to NOT have his own book.  My favorite scene, where Piper trashes Erik's game systems and his beloved TV (and I was screaming, "You go girl!" the whole time), Phillip is present.  When Piper leaves the two of them, Erik turns to see Phillip with a hockey helmet on his head because he felt like he needed protection with the swings Piper was throwing.  And that made me laugh SO HARD!!!  I can't explain it but I totally fell for Phillip and his crazy ways.  Hopefully, the author will give Phillip is own HEA because he deserves someone special too.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Fighting Love by Abby Niles

Tommy "Lightning" Sparks has lost his MMA title and his career.  When Tommy loses his home in a fire, Julie lets him move in with her until he's back on his feet.  The only problem is that she's in love with him and he has no idea.  When Tommy finally starts to see Julie as someone other than the "little sister" he spent most of his life protecting and caring about, he fights his urges.  But then Julie starts to date a fellow fighter, Tommy realizes that he wants her only for himself.  And Julie is thrilled!  But when Tommy starts fighting in a cage again, their relationship suffers.  Julie is scared that the old Tommy - the one who ignored her and cast her aside - is returning.  Can their relationship survive Tommy's biggest fight of his life?

I want to say that LOVE this book!  Honestly, one of the best books I have read the entire year.  I think Ms. Niles wrote these characters beautifully.  You really feel like you're inside these character's brains.  You really understand why Tommy wants to keep Julie at arm's length.  And you understand why Julie loves him so very much.  You can feel the long life behind these two friends and just how much they mean to each other.  I've never rooted for a couple more than I have these two.  As you read and watch the love grow between these Julie and Tommy, you really do just want to stand up and cheer when they finally get together and have a relationship.

When their relationship hits the inevitable wall, even though you are rooting for them, you completely get why Julie feels the way she does.  But you're cheering nonetheless.  And when Tommy offers to give up the big fight for Julie, it just makes you SWOON!  Just to see the love between these two... oh my goodness.  When you reach the end of the book and you see these two have their HEA, you don't know whether or cry tears of joy or shout to the rooftops over their happiness.

This book was a HUGE surprise for me.  I was not expecting to love it as much as I did.  Most romance novels seem like they are just following a form and injecting different character names.  This book was a breath of fresh air in the romance category - this book will certainly be reread time and time again.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

(R) Stranded with the Billionaire by Jessica Clare

Bronte Dawson is living MY worst fear - being in the Caribbean in the middle of a hurricane.  After winning an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas, the small-town waitress was having a terrible time, even before the hurricane.  The trip came with the option to bring a friend.  Not having many friends, Bronte brought along a co-worker.  A co-worker who spends more time complaining about how bad the hotel they are staying in is or running after the first man she sees.  The call for evacuation rings out, putting the cherry on the "worst vacation ever" sundae, her coworker tells her she cannot find her passport.  Uncertain if she left it at the bar the night before or up in the room they just left, they split up - Bronte taking the room and the friend taking the bar.  After searching the room and coming up empty handed, she takes the elevator down to the floor.  Entering with her, a handsome stranger.

Billionaire Logan Hawking is pissed.  The hotel he's just bought is a dump and is in need of a complete overhaul.  And now he's in the middle of a hurricane with little chance of escape.  When he walks onto the elevator with an attractive young woman, neither of them realize the turn of events about to happen.  The elevator halts, trapping them inside.  And Logan thought things were bad before the hurricane.  Now he's stuck in an elevator with some random woman who has a nervous giggle and quotes Plato.  (Can I just say that I adore the fact that she quotes Plato?)  Not wanting this woman to know his true identity, he introduces himself as Logan, the manager of the hotel.

Their sparks fly and before either of them know it, Bronte finds out he is a billionaire and is whisked off to New York.  She fears that she will turn into one of those women that Logan despises - a gold-digger.  Bronte doesn't want to spend his money but he wants her too.  Logan doesn't want her out working but Bronte is tired of spending all of her time at his penthouse, where she sees the stark difference between their lives.  After Logan comes up with a scheme to ensure that he isn't being used by Bronte, she passes and he declares his love for her.  She feels used and flees from him.

Logan is frantic to find her and when he finally does, he realizes that he needs to show her that he can be a normal man.  To be the man Bronte fell in love with on the island.  And Bronte realizes that she needs to stop being so hung up on his money that it lets her cloud her judgement.  Once they stop second guessing themselves and allow each other to be happy just as they are, they both get their Happily Ever After.

This is a great feel-good story, a very easy read.  The good sex scenes certainly help things along as well!  I did have some issues with Bronte constantly over-thinking things and feeling like Logan never wanted her just for herself, because she was so different from the other women he'd dated.  I really liked it when Gretchen put her in her place at the end of the book and helped her to realize that the problem was Bronte, not Logan.  However, Logan's scheming to find out if Bronte really was with him for his money was a terrible idea.  I know he was burned in the past but after spending time with Bronte on the island, where she was content being with "Manager Logan", he really should have known better.  I really like Jessice Clare's writing and look forward to her next book!

(This series continues with Beauty and Billionaire, with Gretchen and Hunter.)