Review: Sleepover by Serena Bell

Elle and Sawyer just look so happy. Which is, of course, exactly how they end up.

But it's not an easy trip.

It was just supposed to be once.

It was just supposed to be sex.

But now they're next-door neighbors. And before they can put up their fences—or defenses—their eight-year-old sons have forged an unstoppable friendship.

They're still reeling—Elle, from a Facebook message she was never supposed to see, Sawyer, from the kind of death it's hard to live through. A relationship seems like a terrible idea. So they make a deal. One more blazing hot night, at Elle's ex-husband's wedding.

You know, because the "just once" thing has worked out so well for them ... 

Kindle Edition

Expected publication: November 13th 2018 by Loveswept
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

This book was everything that I have come to expect from Serena Bell. It was an interesting contemporary romance with likeable characters and enough steam to iron my shirts.

In Sleepover we were introduced to a widowed father and a recently divorced mother who have boys the same age. It just so happens that they had a one night stand when they were both hurting and then months later find themselves as next door neighbours with boys who become instant BFF's.

My favourite aspect of any contemporary romance isn't the sexy time but the chemistry and the anticipation. Bell does a great job in this book as Elle and Sawyer resist their attraction and then eagerly anticipate the wedding date and their little agreement. I was in their corner and hoping that they could heal enough to allow themselves to be happy together.

I have read numerous books by Serena Bell and plan to read many more. She always seems to satisfy my contemporary romance itch.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author and RT Reviewers’ Choice Award nominee Serena Bell writes richly emotional stories about big-hearted characters with real troubles and the people who are strong and generous enough to love them.

A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and she adores hiding in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also her enormous collection of constantly changing and passionately embraced hobbies, ranging from needlepoint to paddle boarding to meditation.

Connect with Serena

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Instagram/Goodreads 

Review: All the Promises We Break by Brenda Benny

How do you move forward from a night that changes everything if you can’t even remember it?

With high school finally over, and her long-awaited South American adventure just around the corner, Savannah expects to wind up in the arms of her first real love Chase at the end of tonight’s party.

Instead, she wakes up on the bathroom floor.
She knows she wasn’t alone.
Except she can’t remember any of it.

Chase is nowhere to be found. And the only one picking up the pieces is her outrageous and unpredictable best friend, Pete. Amidst the devastating emotional wreckage of sexual assault, Savannah struggles to fit together the jigsaw puzzle of before and after, while shielding the truth from everyone around her.

Will the worst night of her life keep Savannah from her dreams of first love and finding the road less travelled?

All the Promises We Break is the first of a two book series that follows Savannah through a tragic 1990’s night that tears her apart from her first young love, only to set in motion a chain of events that will lead them back to one another, years later in the sequel, to reveal if the healing process can truly offer a second chance at first love.

Kindle Edition, 271 pages

Published October 13th 2018 by Liddle Book Press 

Genre: Young Adult/Contemporary

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

Right off the top I will tell you that this book will rub some people the wrong way. I caution those who like things to wrap up nice and neat and tidy to take a pass. On the other hand, I encourage people who like a story that is (unfortunately) pretty realistic when it comes to such a serious topic and how people deal with it to pick it up.

All the Promises We Break basically told two separate stories about Savannah that collided at one time. The first was the story of first love and the second was of a sexual assault. Weaving back and forth the reader gets light and sweet mixed with dark and messy. Personally I thought the author pulled this off quite well. I was glued to the pages and finished the book quickly. Young readers will really like the first love side of the story and will route for a happy ending.

What readers will not like is the way Savannah dealt with her assault and how the book ended. However, from reading the synopsis it is very clear that there is a second book that will hopefully resolve all of the issues and questions the reader is left with. This is what allowed me to enjoy the book. If I didn't know that there was to be a second book I probably would have been very unsatisfied but knowing that Savannah's story wasn't finished helped me to truly enjoy all that I was reading.

Did I wish Savannah would have dealt with things differently? Absolutely. Did I want her to speak up? Most definitely. However, statistically she did what a lot of people in her situation did and I feel like it made the story less fanciful and more real.

I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book and to find out what becomes of Savannah. Like all believers in true love, I hope she gets hers.

About the Author

After a couple university degrees and some world travel, Brenda Benny settled down to a life of helping others communicate their stories. One day she decided to start writing her own.

When she’s not shining in the glow of a computer screen, she can be found warming up in the sun after a freezing cold lake swim, chilling with friends at an outdoor music festival, skate skiing on a sunny day, or hiking to the summit because it’s there. She believes that dark chocolate and tortilla chips are two overlooked food groups.

Brenda is lucky enough to live amongst the awesome lakes and forests of Muskoka Ontario Canada with her husband, two sons, and their guinea pig named Chocolate.

Connect with Brenda

Website/Facebook/Instagram/Goodreads 

 

Review: Home Again (The Bradshaws #2) by Shirlee McCoy

For the Bradshaw brothers, coming back to their hometown is the last thing they wanted. But to cope with family tragedy, they're reuniting in Benevolence, Washington—a place of hope, caring, and ever-surprising love . . .  
It’s ex-Navy SEAL Porter Bradshaw’s toughest challenge ever—six grieving nieces and nephews. With his brother, Matthias, killed in a car crash, and his sister-in-law, Sunday, hospitalized, Porter must take his turn looking after their children and the ancestral farm. He doesn't know much about parenting.  Still, Porter is used to going it alone professionally—and personally. But warm-hearted teacher Clementine Warren is a complication he can’t resist . . .
 
For Clementine, Benevolence is where her hopes for a real home and family crashed and burned. But as Sunday's friend and former neighbor, she promised to always be there for the children. And as she and Porter work to comfort the young Bradshaws, his sense of duty and passionate commitment are rekindling more than Clementine’s dreams. Now with trouble coming, she'll face down her fears to prove to Porter, and herself, that together they can make a future full of love . . .

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published October 30th 2018 by Zebra

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!**

I had hoped to get this review out before the publication date however sadly life got in the way and I am only getting around to it now.  This is no reflection on my opinion of the book, simply that things have gotten really busy and my real job had to take priority.

This is the second in the Bradshaw series and if you have not read the first one, you may lose some of the impact of this one as there is a backstory that runs through them both that essentially is the basis of the whole series.  I would recommend starting from the beginning to get the story of Matthias' death and the impact on the children.

Speaking of the children, this is what the story is really about.  Children from various backgrounds, all with a tragic story, coming in to a loving home just to have it all snatched away due to a tragic event and trying to come to terms with uncertainty and chaos.  Then we have virtual strangers, in this case Porter, trying to step up and give them stability.  It was the stronger story than the one between Porter and Clementine.  I could be wrong but this may be intentional.

While I felt the story went at a little bit of a slower pace, I was invested to see how things would unfold, and will unfold in future stories.  I enjoyed this and look forward to the next installment in the series.

About the Author

Website

Review: Be with Me (Return to Haven #2) by Jules Bennett

Three best friends are starting over in the cozy town of Haven, Georgia, where revamping the local airport brings dreams of love and family within reach . . . 
Since moving to Haven to help out her closest friends, Melanie Ramsey has begun to reclaim her strength after a difficult divorce. Through Mel’s Motivational Blog, she’s inspiring other women too. Then a wild, one-night fling with Haven’s gorgeous deputy leaves her shaken, stirred—and pregnant.  But Melanie’s not giving up her newfound independence for another powerful man. Not even one as upstanding and intriguing as 
Tanner Roark . . .
 
What matters most to Tanner: defending the weak, seeking justice, and protecting his heart after a tragic loss. Random hookups have been working out just fine until he and Melanie collide. Despite her domineering ex’s best efforts to rattle her, she’s still kind and resilient. Not to mention witty, straight-talking, and sexy as hell. Chemistry is easy. Trust, not so much. But when you find the one who sends your heart soaring, what can you do except buckle up and hold on tight? . . 

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Published October 30th 2018 by Zebra 

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!**

I am late writing this review as I read the book about two months ago.  I therefore apologize if my review is high level and I do not go in to detail about the finer points of the plotline.

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of storylines where the pregnancy comes first and then the romance.  I am fine if there is already a child in the picture but for some reason I always find the pregnancy version a little awkward.  I gave this book a chance in my quest to constantly be expanding away from my comfort zone.  I am glad I did for the most part.

Both Melanie and Tanner were easy to like.  Melanie, a former victim who was pursuing a new healthy life after getting away, and Tanner who is the stereotypical alpha male with the kind of looks and heart every woman swoons over.  Their chemistry was obvious..ahem... she is pregnant with his baby after all.

As everyone knows how this one will end, I will avoid any spoilers for you all.  At the end of the day this was a nice and quick read.  It didn't blow my mind however it was entertaining for someone who went in knowing this isn't her cup of tea.  

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling Author Jules Bennett has written for multiple publishing houses and currently has books with Harlequin and Kensington.

Review: Badly Done, Emma Lee (Riches to Romance #3) by Leah Marie Brown

All seemed lost—until this Southern belle embraced a new beginning in the unlikeliest of places . . .  

Spoiled, stylish, socially connected Emma Lee Maxwell has spent her life in the idlest of pursuits—attending debutante balls, organizing sorority mixers, and acting as Charleston’s unofficial Gossip Queen.  But when her family’s fortune suddenly dwindles, Emma Lee realizes her days as a Lowcountry Princess are numbered.
 
When she discovers that she’s inherited her aunt’s cottage in Surrey, she hightails it to England, nurturing fantasies of polo matches and jaunts to London. . . . Instead Emma Lee is surrounded by spinsters and sheep farmers, and spends her nights reading her aunt’s old Jane Austen novels. So when she’s invited to join the local chapter of the Austen society, she reluctantly agrees. But the novel Emma inspires an epiphany: She will put her people-pleasing ways to good use by becoming the village’s very own matchmaker! And she’ll start with three local brothers . . .
 
 There’s just one skeptical, handsome, charming challenge: the oldest brother, Knightley, is stubbornly insisting Emma Lee abandon her well-meaning ways and focus on making a match of her own—with
him . . .

Kindle Edition, 352 pages

Expected publication: October 30th 2018 by Lyrical Press

Terri's Thoughts

** I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you**

I feel so bad because I read this book ages ago and I am only getting around to writing my review now.  I always like to review books prior to their release and missed my target on this one.

Anyone who is familiar with the work of Leah Marie Brown will enjoy this book.  It offers up the same quirky main character, reference to pop culture and lets not take life to seriously theme that her other books and series.  This is what I seek from her books and it was delivered.  

This is part of her Riches to Romance series.  I read the first and somehow missed the second, not sure how that happened.  I can say I liked this one better than the first.  I cant seem to pinpoint it, there was no particular reason as I enjoyed both.

What I liked the best was the character of Emma.  She was overwhelmingly positive to a fault.  It did not seem that anything could phase her.  The funny thing about that is the fact that she is the complete opposite of me.  I can sometimes be a "negative Nelly" and overly positive people are usually annoying to me, but I loved Emma!

I wont divulge more but if you have read any of Brown's work, take the time to pick this up.  Actually, it would be better to start at the beginning of the series so you can spend a little more time with some quirky characters.

About the Author

(From her Goodreads profile)

I am an American writer with a penchant for Paris and all things pink!

Before writing novels, I worked as a print journalist for a Pulitzer prize winning newspaper and served in the United States Air Force as a Radio and Television Broadcaster.

An avid traveler, I have had adventures and mishaps from London to Tokyo, which I write about on my blog, On Life, Love & Accidental Adventures, and in my contemporary romantic series, The It Girls.

I was once a collector of truly useless bric-a-brac and cheesy tee-shirts. My cheesiest? A tee with a cartoon Jesus riding a surf board and the words, "And on the eighth day, Jesus went surfing in Greece."

Today, I prefer to gather friendships and memories as travel souvenirs.

I live in the shadow of Pike's Peak Mountain, near Colorado Springs, with my family and shamefully pampered poodles.

In my free time, I like to watch movies, read, and snap photographs. You can view my photography by clicking on the Adventures tab above or by following me on Instagram.

Message from Terri

As life has become busy lately, we have taken a short hiatus.  Not to worry, we will be back soon with lots of new book reviews!  Stay tuned for new reviews coming starting December 1st.

Sale Blitz & Giveaway: His Christmas Wish by Melissa McClone

 

Carly Bishop loved Christmas…until tragedy struck.

Distraught and grief-stricken over the deaths of her fiancé and brother, she left Hood Hamlet and her Christmas spirit behind, to start over somewhere new. But now, six years later, her family needs her. Carly returns home to face her past and give her niece and nephew the best Christmas ever.

Burdened with guilt, Jake Porter believes he could have saved his two friends on that fateful day and kept Carly from experiencing such a heart-wrenching loss. When she arrives in town, Jake wants to make amends so they can both finally move forward with their lives.

As Jake helps Carly experience the magic of Christmas so she’ll embrace the holiday again, will he also be able to open her heart to something else she’d given up on…love?

Previously published as Rescued by the Magic of Christmas.

About the Book

His Christmas Wish
by Melissa McClone

Series
Mountain Rescue Book One

Genre
Adult
Contemporary Romance
Sweet / Clean Romance

Publisher
Cardinal Press LLC

Publication Date
November 1, 2018

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About Melissa McClone

USA Today bestselling author, MELISSA MCCLONE has published over forty novels with Harlequin and Tule Publishing Group and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® award. With a degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University, Melissa worked for a major airline where she traveled the globe and met her husband. But analyzing jet engine performance couldn’t compete with her love of writing happily ever afters. Her first full-time writing endeavor was her first sale when she was pregnant with her first child! When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her driving her minivan to/from her children’s swim practices and other activities. Melissa lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do!

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