Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

4.5 stars
I think that Shaun and Ginny might be my favorite Bluelick couple. I have enjoyed how well Ms. Beck combined the "Brazen" aspects and the small town setting in the Private Pleasures series .
Ginny was a great character, she wasn't needy or bogged down with "issues" and Shaun was practically normal (with a few little bits of issue here and there) In other words, there wasn't a bunch of crazy miscommunication or stupid back and forth.
I truly enjoyed Ginny and Shaun. Shaun and his "Sweet Virginia" had my knees all wobbly and he was a perfect mix of affectionate and dominant with some stellar dirty talkin' thrown in.
I have more to say but I'll save it for later.

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

Another 4.5 star from Ms. Connor!!

I was in complete denial about this book ending. I wanted more Stephen, more Hannah and more of the McKinney and Walker families. The ending was perfect though.

Stephen. Definitely different from Matt and I appreciate a writer than can write unique characters and Stephen was his own man and what a man he was. I can tell that this author/series is going to be another Marie Force for me. Books that I can read over and over and enjoy as comfort reads. (I just re read Worth the Fall...sigh)

If you loved Matt and Abby, I think you'll enjoy Stephen and Hannah just as much, if not more and I can't wait for everyone to meet them!

I'll share a more detailed review in January.

Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

Copy for review provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Remember me?  Football girl!

I LOVE this series.  This series is so solid for me, all 3 books are GREAT and frankly, I did not want this to be the last book.  But I guess if you're going to end it, ending it on a virgin football player, isn't a bad way to go.

Oh, I hear you....a virgin football player?  Let me tell you, it's refreshing and you will LOVE Flynn.  It's a nice change of pace to read a male MC that issn't a man whore.  But don't let that deter you, Flynn has been so focused on his football career, he has always felt like a relationship, much less sex, would be a distraction.  Flynn iss truly a student of the game and is concerned that a woman will break his concentration and possibly compromise his athletic performance.  That's not to say he hasn't done...anything.  So he isn't a complete freak of nature. ;)

Enter Aubrey, publicist extraordinaire and this woman has a rip roaring raging crush on Flynn.

He also made Aubrey's toes curl every time he so much as looked her way.  A rather difficult thing to ignore, considering she was his publicist and worked with him all the time.  As in, she had to stare at that handsome face and listen to that deep, delicious voice all the time, too.  Which in turn led to her curling-toe affliction and the rapid development of her mad, crazy crush.

 

The thing is, the attraction is completely mutual and undeniable.  Flynn began to wonder if there more to life than being a back up quarterback...

When these two finally give in to their attraction, FIREWORKS!  From the very first kiss, I was completely sold on Aubrey and Flynn.

Aubrey was completely surrounded by a warm, big muscular man, and it felt so incredibly good to be in Flynn's strong arms.  He was kissing her as if his life depended on it, and she buried her fingers in his hair, holding him close.

 

Once Flynn gets a taste of the fantastic lovin' that Aubrey serves up, he feels the need for MORE.  They both have personal and professional issues to wrestle with that certainly didn't help make things any easier.  They each have a parent that is a pain in the ass and that doesn't help.

Ok- I truly enjoyed this book and this whole series and that's the best I can give you out of my very tired brain :)  Although, I'd still love more from this series because I love every single one of these books.

 

 



 

 

Purchase Game for Tonight : Amazon //B&N

 This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

I'm a bit of a Jeannie Moon junkie.  Recently, I read Ms. Moon's The Second Chance Hero and that caught me up on all of her books.  To say that I was despondent would be an understatement.  Then, I found out that Ms. Moon was releasing a holiday novella and felt the heavens open up and smile down upon me.  (Dramatic much?)  So, I tracked that book down and thanks to NetGalley and Tule Publishing, I was able to read it and bask in the loveliness that is Ms. Moon and her writing.  (And now I'm stuck with no new Ms. Moon crack on the immediate horizon.  Hold me.)

For a novella, this was a well rounded book.  I didn't feel shortchanged and the story was fleshed out so well.  From the very beginning of Sabrina and Jake's story which begins 10 years before, I really felt clued in to the depth of their relationship and exactly what was sacrificed by both of them when Jake left.

Fast forward 10 years later, her daughter, Charlie (who I loved) is ten years old and Jake comes back to town and face to face with his daughter....that he did not know he had.  I ate this book up.  Nom nom nom.  I LOVED Jake and I loved the moments Jake has with his daughter, getting to know her.  Jake was meant to be a father.  Jake and Bree (Sabrina) were so sweet and I appreciated that there were no stupid back and forth games between them.  It was such a lovely story of the two of them rediscovering each other.  I loved the setting of the small town, Holly Point and her family home.

Thanks to Ms. Moon, I also discovered a new publisher, Tule Publishing.  New publisher means new authors!  Guess what?  There's a series that this book is a part of and they are set in NY also.  Some in NYC (which... I LOVE LOVE LOVE New York City and I'm sucker for any book set in the city.)

Christmas in New York series
Book 1: This Christmas by Jeannie Moon
Book 2: All I Want for Christmas by Jennifer Gracen
Book 3: A Light in the Window by Jolyse Barnett
Book 4: Goodness and Light by Patty Blount

 

 

 Purchase This Christmas:

 ❃ Goodreads // Amazon  ❃

 

 All I Want for Christmas by Jennifer Gracen

Cassandra Baines almost has it all: a flourishing career as one of the youngest English Lit assistant professors at NYU, an apartment in a city she adores, and a close circle of lifelong girlfriends that are like sisters. The only thing she doesn’t have is someone special to share it with. She’s been married to her work since Sean McKinnon broke her heart seven years ago.

Musician and bar owner Sean McKinnon keeps busy – too busy for a love life. He blew it with Cassie all those years ago, and no one has held a candle to her since.

But then one fateful night, of all the people in New York City, Cassandra walks into his bar, and he’s drawn to her as strongly as ever. She wants nothing to do with him, but he’s not going to give up so easily.

Can a bit of New York Christmas magic help two people take a second chance on true love?

 

 ❃ Goodreads // Amazon ❃

 

 A Light in The Window by Jolyse Barnett

Adirondack girl-in-transition Jade Engel comes home to recharge after ending a career she never truly wanted, but soon realizes she’s in danger of also being swept off her feet by the boy-next-door, her former best friend, Ben Stephens. If only he’d stop kissing her every time she falls into his arms.

Everything local celebrity Ben Stephens ever wanted is in Starling. Then Jade comes home after an eternity away and sends his simple world into a tailspin. He’s determined to pursue her—the one girl who got away. But when their friends-with-benefits arrangement blows up in their faces, will they have the courage to put their pasts to rest in order to forge a future together?

 

❃  Goodreads // Amazon ❃

 

 

 Goodness and Light by Patty Blount

Thirteen years ago, two teens met on the ramp to Ground Zero, on a cold and snowy day, strangers bonding in a moment of grief. The boy pressed a crystal snowflake ornament into the girl’s hand and disappeared into the crowd, unaware that his simple act of kindness saved her from the guilt that threatened to consume her.

Since losing her mom, Elena Larsen hasn’t set foot in New York City -- until now. Agreeing to help her sister prepare for her baby’s birth seems like a good way to spend Christmas and Elena vows not to let the monstrous guilt that weighs on her heart ruin everything. But those plans go awry when she meets Lucas Adair, a man whose own grief and guilt just might rival her own.

When Elena discovers Lucas is the boy who gave her that crystal snowflake all those years ago, she can’t accept it as the sign Lucas believes it to be. For her, it means only one thing --- even beyond the grave, her mother can never forgive Elena for breaking her heart.

For Lucas, New York is hallowed ground that he can never leave. He spends his days working in the Financial District and his evenings volunteering and it’s almost enough to help him forget what he did. Lucas knows better than to make plans with a woman who will soon be leaving, yet can’t help himself. There’s something about Elena that pulls him in. He doesn’t put much faith in signs but even he starts to believe Elena is his absolution. Now, he only has to convince her.

❃  Goodreads // Amazon  ❃

This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

5 Stars. No joke.
My Kindle is still smoking.

 

I'm always excited beyond belief when I start a Marie Force book and depressed when I'm done.  Every single book, I am beyond excited to start it and to return to the world that Ms. Force has created!  Then as I'm reading, reality dawns upon me that sooner or later, I'll come to the end of the book and finish it.  I guess I can call that a First World/Book reading problem.  There are much worse problems to have.

Now, this book?  I ADORED Lucy and Colton!! Colton was just as delicious and charming as his older brother, Will.  I remember when I read Will and Cameron's book, All You Need Is Love, and I completely freaked out over Will.  I kept wondering, are all of the Abbott men, this AWESOME?  So far, the answer is

HELL YES.

There is something about the Abbott men and their skills in and out of the bedroom.  Holy CRAP.

 

He kissed her.  Hard.

When she moaned and opened her mouth to his tongue, he took full advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate the other things she could do with her mouth beside obsess about other women in his life.  He wrapped his arms around her and settled into his kiss as his muscular body pressed against hers.

Lucy curled her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips.  She'd never been kissed the way Colton Abbott kissed her, as if kissing her was the only thing keeping him alive.  He didn't kiss so much as consume.  She felt consumed by him, and it was the sweetest feeling she'd ever known.

 

 

 

Colton and Lucy lead very different lives in completely different places and neither one has any plan to make a change.  So what happens with you fall madly in love (while in a bit of denial about it) with someone and all you can think of is that person, wanting to be with that person and you can't see them on a daily, much less weekly basis?  This is the conundrum for Colton and Lucy.  To Ms. Force's credit, there was no easy, quick fix.  She brought them along slowly and I kept wondering, how in the world would Lucy and Colton figure this out?  I love that there was no quick fix, it was all about Colton and Lucy figuring out what was important to them and how to manage their lives and compromise.

And of course we cannot forget the elder members of the Abbott family and their adorable meddling ways.  I truly love how Ms. Force has woven the parents and grandparents into this series (just as she has done in the McCarthy/Gansett series).  Although, the elder Abbotts are on another level of meddling, but it's meant in a "we know what's good for you  and we are going to do it anyway- way".  We also get to hang out with Cameron/Will (squee) which made for some hilarious conversations between brothers and BFFs.  Hannah/Nolan of course made several appearances and we got a little bit more of Hunter.  I really cannot wait to see how Hunter's book plays out.  I loved getting a glimpse of the Abbott family members via conversations with Colton (aka giving advice) and family dinner.

In conclusion.  I LOVED this book.  Love Love Love and I cannot wait for more from Ms. Force and this series.  Hell, I'll read anything she writes, she's THAT author for me.  If she writes it, I'll buy it.

 

 

Book 3- I Saw Her Standing There:

❃ Amazon // B&N ❃

Book 2- I Want to Hold Your Hand:

 ❃ Goodreads // Amazon // B&N ❃

Book 1- All You Need Is Love:

 ❃ Goodreads // Amazon // B&N ❃

Preorder Book 4- And I Love Her

 ❃ Goodreads // Amazon // B&N ❃

---

 

This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

I think we all have a series where, you meet a character that you kind of become obsessed with.  Let's say you meet that character pretty early on in the series, say book one or two.  That's nice isn't it?  And then the author proceeds to TORTURE you, giving you little pieces of the character and possibly introducing a love interest a couple of books before said lusted after character.  Are you still with me?  Good.

In case you haven't caught on yet, Roman Hart, is that character for me.  I wanted his story from the moment he jumped off the page in Garrison's Creed.  Actually, he didn't jump off the page, so much cuss right off of it.  That's how we meet him, cussing at Cash.  Ha! Roman is surly. He's been through a lot, everything with Nicola and now it seems it's his turn to fall head over heels in love with a woman is going to challenge him every step of the way.

Beth.  Our girl Beth is formidable and yet quite vulnerable down deep and she has wrapped herself in her work to function in her life.  Beth carries a huge amount of sadness and guilt around and I really just wanted to hug her.  (Actually, I really wanted her to let Roman hug her) She knows that Roman is her Achilles Heel but feels the undeniable pull towards him.  It's almost comical the dance the two of them do around each other.

Like all of the Titan women, she is no slouch and Lord knows she has to be a badass in some way to be able to deal with Roman.  Let's face it, he can be kind of jerk and he makes no apologies for that and it's rather endearing to me in a "I'm an alpha giving you a hard time because I care about you" way.

 

"I didn't say you were a booty call, Beth." He left the door open and walked down the hall.

"Come in or leave.  Either way, shut the door."

Freakin' attitude problem.  "You're a jerk."

"Surprise."

"The asshole routine isn't a good look for you, just so you know."

Though, the shirtless look was.  Carefully, she stepped into his house and prayed that he'd put a shirt on.

Well, kinda.

 

To say that there was a fair amount of verbal sparring in this one would be an understatement.(Also the kind of verbal sparring where you just want them to finally throw down and get naked)  I enjoyed the give and take of Roman and Beth, they were well matched and complemented each other.  Professionally, they worked well together too and I really enjoyed that aspect of the book.  Oh and there's Roman suit porn.  YES.  Roman in camo and cargos is one thing but the thought of Roman in a dress shirt and suit jacket makes MAH knees all wobbly.  Good googly moogly.

Let's talk about the Titanverse.  Yes- that's my new name for it...I'm trademarking that name.  TITANVERSE.  The whole gang showed up and I freaking loved it.  Sugar, who I enjoy more and more made a memorable appearance and of course, cracked me up.  Hell, they all made an appearance!  I love Titan family reunions.  Ahhhhh.

Can we take a moment to appreciate the bromance between Cash and Roman?

 

"Doesn't your wife feed you?"

Cash ignored him.  "So who was the lucky lady?"

"It's not like that."

"Man, you broke out the crescent rolls.  Of course it's like that-"  Cash pivoted, head tilted.  "Is a Beth thing?"

"No"

"Not a thing?  Or not Beth?"

Roman stared at the rolls. "If you choked and died this minute, I'd be okay with it."

 

Awww see?  I love these boys.  Oh...so um I kinda got to ask Roman my favorite 10 questions (from Inside the Actors Studio) and he DID NOT disappoint. (You can read it on the blog)

 

 



 

 ✯ Pinterest // Amazon // B&N  // iTunes // Kobo ✯

 

This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

I love a good holiday/Christmas story and I gotta tell you that this is a GREAT book and I loved it.  Holiday books tend to be light and fluffy, this one is not.  It's intense.

Both characters are gong through some very heavy stuff.  Hutch is recuperating from being wounded while deployed and his throat injury complicates his life a great deal.  Let's throw Meredith in on top of that, this woman is running for her and her son's life from a truly crazy son of a bitch.  She settles in the lovely town of Twilight with her precious little boy and almost starts to feel like maybe she could make a life there.  She remains super cautious and ready to pack up and leave at any time, though.

Twilight is a typical small town with plenty of meddling folks who mean well.  Let's face it, Hutch and Meredith needed all the help they could get!  The challenges they needed to surpass were pretty epic.  While there was an extremely intense plot, the holiday aspect was well represented and I loved that too.

The children in this one were also fantastically written and were so cute.

Overall, an excellent Christmas read to add to your Holiday tbr list.  Even though this is book 5 in the series, you can read it as a stand alone.

 

Purchase Christmas at Twilight:

❃ AMAZON // B&N  // KOBO //iTUNES  ❃

 

This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

Interesting beginning. Looking forward to more.

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking through my TBR and Covet by TGG caught my attention.  I had been putting off reading for a while and I guess I felt like the time was right to read it.  Long story short, I really enjoyed that book.  It completely pulled me in and ate my brain.  After I finished it, I was talking with a blogger friend who also reads TGG and I was gushing about it and then....poof! I was offered a review copy of Cherish by the author.  Being that I had just finished Covet and I was jonesing for the conclusion to Daniel's story, I accepted the gracious offer.

My thoughts about Covet via Goodreads:

I started this one late last night and got about 20% in and went to sleep. Today, I finished it. I procrastinated and just let myself disappear into this book. Ms. Garvis-Graves always manages to pull me into her books by my throat. :)
This one has been on my Kindle for quite awhile and I wanted to read it before the next book in the series comes out 10/28. Mission accomplished!
ETA:
Hours later, this book is still sitting with me. TGG's books always tend to stay with me afterwards and "stew" in my brain. You have to be a patient reader of TGG's books and understand that she is going to take you on a bit of a journey. I think we've become a bit ADD with our books and don't have as much patience for anything over 60k words. TGG needs you to be patient.

Enter Cherish, a follow up novella to Covet.  I'm really glad Ms. Graves wrote this novella, it was an excellent bookend to Covet.  I really don't want to give too much away, so I'm going to be careful with what I say here.  I thoroughly enjoyed Cherish, I'm so glad that Ms. Graves decided to give Daniel and Jessie a fulfilling story and closure. :)

I will say that if you haven't read Covet or have been waiting, now is the time to read it.  I think having Cherish to slide right into is the best way to go, because you'll want to read Daniel's story as soon as you finish Covet!

 

 

 

Purchase Cherish: Amazon // B & N // Kobo // iTunes

Purchase Book 1, Covet: Amazon // B & N // Kobo // iTunes

 

 

This review was originally posted on Straight Shootin' Book Reviews

COLTON. You naughty delicious mountain man. OMG. I loved Colton as much as Will and that's saying A LOT. I am just as addicted to this series as everything else Ms. Force has written.

I adored Colton and Lucy.

Review next week on the blog!
Straight Shootin' Book Reviews


Copy for review provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Hope.  Or how about feeling the complete lack thereof?  I'm sure we've all gone through periods of time where we felt completely hopeless and nothing feels right, so we bury our head and hope it will just go away.  Can you imagine feeling this way for an extended period of time and just kind of giving up and letting what you love most just slip away?  Like love, family, passion, and emotions.  This is a short story that goes through all of the emotions of feeling helpless and how you finally ask for help.  How you reach for the hand that is offering you help.

As always, Ms. Scott gives us a heartfelt look into what coming back home can feel like and how hard it can be on everyone.  I loved this novella, just as I've loved the other books in this series.  I would LOVE a full length prequel of Samantha and Patrick, how they met, how their family came to be.  I think I just want more Patrick ;)   If you're a Jessica Scott fan, don't miss this one!!

 

Purchase All I Want For Christmas:

Amazon  // B&N // iBooks // Kobo // Google Play

 

The novella ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU is also included in November 11th release HOME FOR CHRISTMAS with Joann Ross.

Purchase:

Amazon // iBooks // Kobo // Google Play

 

 

 

 Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Of course I enjoyed this one! It's Bauer and ZOE!
Push ups and Suit porn. Heeellllooooo!

I love this series.  Ms. Connelly has taken two adversaries and turned their chemistry on it's head.  Holy crap.  These two have quite a history, she tried to put him in jail for burglary and NOW he wants her help to get back insurance money after one of his paintings is stolen.

The story is quite interesting and the characters are so well executed.  Adam is a bad boy billionaire and Maddie is ALL business, in fact, her nickname is The Pitbull.  The woman can seriously bust some balls and let's face it, Adam could use some humility, lol.  One thing I liked about Adam was that he really, really liked Maddie just the way she was, feisty and badass.  He didn't want her to change or tone down who she was.

 

Madeline St. Clair might be tiny enough to fit in his pocket, but she had the grit of a two-hundred pound cage fighter.

 

Let's talk about the chemistry.  Adam and Maddie have it in spades, whether it's left over from being in an adversarial relationship, plain old UST or a combination of both..I don't know, but there is PLENTY of it.  Ms. Connelly crafts those moments so well and they just spill over with passion and HOTNESS.

The two MCs come into this coupling with some pretty serious baggage.  Both had less than idyllic childhoods and have pretty much given up on marriage and family.  As they spend time with each other, they come to realize that creating a family and having someone else to rely on, to come home to, wouldn't be such a horrible thing.   They fight it, more so Maddie that Adam but the pull towards each other is undeniable.

Ms. Connelly's books are ALWAYS passionate (HOT):

And with everything hanging on it, everything balanced on the head of a pin, he dipped his head, took her lips.  He held back this time, chained the animal within, and kissed her softly, licking inside, nipping lightly at her swollen lips.

She lay perfectly still, clutching the blanket, rigid with tension.  And he sank deeper, still gentle, but his tongue wanted inside.  She let it stroke her, let it learn the shape of her teeth.

His hand came up to cup her cheek.  His thumb grazed her jaw, touched the corner of her mouth.  Then pushed inside.

AND her books are ALWAYS funny (the beginning of each chapter features Maddie's BFF's perspective Wedding Vows)

Vicky: I promise to walk with you through the light and the dark, the good times and the bad.

Maddie: Unless there are zombies, then you're on your own.

 

I found myself laughing, sighing and fanning myself.  I cannot wait for the next book in February 2015!

 

 

 

Book 3- The Wedding Vow:

❃ Amazon // B&N ❃

Book 2- The Wedding Favor:

 ❃ Amazon // B&N ❃

Book 1- The Wedding Date:

 ❃ Amazon // B&N ❃

Add the series to your TBR: Goodreads

I started this one late last night and got about 20% in and went to sleep. Today, I finished it. I procrastinated and just let myself disappear into this book. Ms. Garvis-Graves always manages to pull me into her books by my throat. :)
This one has been on my Kindle for quite awhile and I wanted to read it before the next book in the series comes out 10/28. Mission accomplished!
ETA:
Hours later, this book is still sitting with me. TGG's books always tend to stay with me afterwards and "stew" in my brain. You have to be a patient reader of TGG's books and understand that she is going to take you on a bit of a journey. I think we've become a bit ADD with our books and don't have as much patience for anything over 60k words. TGG needs you to be patient.

Ohhhh Alex, you giant man whore.
I'm so glad I picked this series up, I'm really enjoying each book and I knew Alex's would be fun. Little did I know how much I'd enjoy his and Jessica's story. Jessica totally rocked Alex's world upside down and I loved how it changed both of them.
Very sweet, romantic and sexy and I'm really looking forward to Stratton's book.