Wild Iris Ridge by RaeAnne Thayne

Wild Iris Ridge by RaeAnne Thayne

Lucy Drake moved away to Seattle hoping to escape the one thing that she wanted most Brendan Caine. They shared one steamy night together and she was hoping for more but then she never called. Once she finds out that her cousin/best friend Jesse and Brandon are now together she hopes that distance will help her forget what happened.

Fast forward a couple years later and now Lucy Drake is back in the town she never thought she would step foot in again. However, things have changed for her. Now she is jobless and in charge of a mansion that her great aunt left to her. Lucy hopes she will be able to restore the house enough to be able to sell it and get out of town before anyone recognizes she is home. Unfortunately, things don’t go as planned when her fireplace starts and fire and it forces her to  see the one man she thought she would never see again, Brendan Caine. 

Will Brendan and Lucy be able to keep their distance while Lucy is in town fixing up her Aunt Annabelle’s house or will their romance rekindle?

Review

This is the second book of RaeAnne’s that I have read and the second book that I have read in this series. I thought that RaeAnne did a great job of giving enough detail about the characters that allowed you to feel like you really knew who they were.  In addition, I think she did a great job of making this story able to stand on its own as if it wasn’t part of the series. The only reason that I knew that it was part of a series is 1) I read the previous book before this one and 2) it said it was number 7 in the Hope Crossing Series.

In addition, what I really liked about this book is that it was realistic. She had the characters laugh, cry, be mad at each other and make up. I really felt like these were two people that could be real people that I would know. What also was nice about the story was how she incorporated family into the story. She made you really feel like you were a part of the Caine family.

Although they say this may be the last book in the series I would have to disagree. I think that there is so many more great stories that she could get into this series. Can't wait to read what new book that she will come out with next. 

Undetected by Dee Henderson

Undetected by Dee Henderson 

Mark Bishop has always put the Navy first in his life. However, that all changes when Gina Gray shows up on base with a discovery that can help the US Navy but also could put them in harms way if anyone ever finds out.  In an effort to discover if her theory could actually be true she accompanies Mark on to his ship to test the theory. After Gina’s theory is proven true the General of the navy intrusts Mark to keep her protected no matter what it takes.  

Gina Gray has always had the brains and the beauty. But relationships have never gone right for her. So when her last breakup occurs she heads to her brothers base hoping to find a quiet place to be alone and work on her sonar work. However, things change when she discovers new things about Sonar and has a theory that can both help and could potentially hurt her brother’s job.

Will Mark be able to protect Gina and also convince her that he is the right man for her even though their age difference? Will Gina be able to open up her heart to  a man that is not her family?

My Review:

This is not the first book of Dee’s that I have read, however this is the first book that I have read in her new series. As always Dee’s writing is superb. She does a great job of giving you all the details and the past on the characters so that you know who they are and what their life has been like. In addition, I also like how she incorporates religion into the story. She does it without you even knowing that it is a key part of the book. This is nice especially for those readers who may want to read the story but who may not want to read an over abundance on religion.

The only part that I found difficult about the book was all the scientific and Navy terminology in the book. I think there is a need for the information in the book but it felt like it took up half the book. It is reason that it took me a while to get through the book because at times I felt like it overshadowed the story that Dee was trying to tell. About half way through the book I finally felt there was a story and I wanted to find out what happened.

I think that the book was very well written and had a great story. I felt that after reading it I had a better understanding of the Navy and about submarines that I didn’t know before.  I think that Dee wrote a great story that needed to be told and has not been told before. I am very interested in reading more of Dee’s books and can’t wait to see what she has in store for the next one in the series.  

Wild Iris Ridge Release Giveaway

Do you love to read? Is your favorite author RaeAnne Thayne? If you answered yes to either of those questions then you need to check out RaeAnne's new book Wild Iris Ridge! Below is a description of the book if you want to learn more! 

"Lucy Drake and Brendan Caine have only one thing in common… 

And it's likely to tear them apart. Because it was Brendan's late wife, Jessie—and Lucy's best friend—who'd brought them together in the first place. And since Jesse's passing, Brendan's been distracted by his two little ones…and the memory of an explosive kiss with Lucy years before his marriage. Still, he'll steer clear of her. She's always been trouble with a capital T. 

Lucy couldn't wait to shed her small-town roots for the big city. But now that she's back in Hope's Crossing to take care of the Queen Anne home her late aunt has left her, she figures seeing Brendan Caine again is no big deal. After all, she'd managed to resist the handsome fire chief once before, but clearly the embers of their attraction are still smoldering…"

For your chance to win RaeAnne's newest book comment below with what makes a small town the best place to live in rather than a bigger city! All comments will be entered in to a drawing to win RaeAnne's newest book or your choice from one of the earlier books in the  Hope Crossing's series!

Contest ends Sunday at 7pm CST

Blackberry Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke

Blackberry Pie Murder 

Hanna Swensen's life has never been as quiet as it has been the last four months.  So rather than relaxing and sitting still she decides to spend as much as time in her bakery as she can. However, things go downhill when she is driving home one rainy night with her friend and co-owner of the Bakery and they end up hitting a person by accident. From that moment on things go down hill for Hannah and she is forced to get back in crime solving mode to clear her name. Hannah will have to use her detective skills and her families help to find out who the unidentified victim is and why he was in town.

My Review:

I am an avid reader and have read a variety of books so this was not my first mystery novel that I have ever read, however, this was the first book that I have read of Joanne Fluke's. Having not read any of her books prior to this one I was unsure of the story behind the characters and Joanne's writing style. I thought although it would have been nice to know more about the main character Hannah Swensen and her family it was not necessary to read this book.

In regards to her writing style I thought Joanne did a good job of giving you the necessary back story on Hannah and her family in the beginning of the book that allowed you to understood how they would be incorporated into the story. In addition, I liked the love triangle that she had between the dentist, Hannah and the deputy. Their love triangle is something that I would like to see continue to grown and evolve in future books.

As far as the mystery part of the book I think that she did a great job of keeping you as the reader on the edge of your seat. I didn't know until almost the end of the book who the murder was and the reason behind it. Joanne did a great job of having you think you knew what was going to happen and then threw something into the book you didn't see coming. The book had me enthralled from the start of the book to the end wanting to know what happened. It was hard to put the book down and not be able to finish it one sitting.

I am very interested in reading the first book in the series. I would recommend this book to readers who like mystery, crime solving and romance.

When We Met by Susan Mallery

When We Met (Fool's Gold #13)

Taryn Crawford has always put work before her personal life for as long as she can remember. However, things change when her partners in her firm Score force her to move to Fools Gold, California. The town surprises Taryn because everyone says hi to her and wants to know how she is doing which is a far cry from what she grew up with. But what really grabs her attention is the dark dreamy man named Angel who has his sites on seducing her.

Angel Whittaker has always kept his distance from everybody but his friends since his wife and son pasted away. However, thing changed when he moves to Fools Gold where he has very little space and a job that loves. But what really suprises him is the new woman in town, Taryn. No woman other than his wife has really grabbed his attention like Taryn. Will their relationship into something more then a fling? 


My Review: 

This is the 13th book that I have read in the Fool’s Gold series so there could have been a chance that I may have not liked it. However, for me that was not the case. I think she did an excellent job with this story of Angel and Taryn. It was nice to see her dive into their pasts to find out why they had the hard core shells that they did. I really felt for them when they described to each other what horrible things they went through in the past. 

In addition, I liked how Susan showed Taryn as a strong self reliant women who didn’t need a man to get what she wanted. But I also liked how she showed how Angel was able to get past her hard shell and show her that people do care about her. Lastly, what I love about all of Susan’s books is the friendships that she shows develop for all the characters.

My only dislike about the book was that she dug more into more Taryn’s past rather than Angels. I would have liked to learn more about his past than just his wife and son dying. But other than that I don’t think there is too much else that I would have changed.

Link to Susan's Fool's Gold website: http://foolsgoldca.susanmallery.com

Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade

Celia Park always had a crush on Ty Porter when she was in high school so when their path's cross in Vegas it seems like fate brought them together. After spending a couple of days together they end up getting married, however, happily ever after doesn't happen for Celia as she though it would.

Fast forward almost six years later and Ty Porter is reminded of Celia, the woman he can't seem to forget. However, after looking up and finding her he gets an unexpected surprise that he never saw coming. A child of his own he has never known. His future seems unclear now and he is unsure now of what his really feelings are and what the future will hold. Will Ty and Celia be able to forgive and move forward? Can Celia turn to God to show her the way?



My Review:

This is my first book that I have read of Becky Wade's. Her books have always interested me so when this book became available on net galley I jumped on the chance to get the opportunity to read this book. This book did not disappoint at all. It had three things that I love most in books: faith, family and romance!

I thought Becky did a great job of developing the main characters from the start of the book. You were truly able to understand the back story of their relationship and what made them the way they had become. I also liked that she didn't hold back on what life would be like for Celia after she got pregnant and what she had to give up. It made the story more realistic and more believable.

In addition, I also liked how Becky developed Celia and Ty's love story. It was romantic and sweet at times but also heartbreaking at others. As a reader I was kept on the edge of my seat the whole time because you truly didn't know how the story was going to end.

The only thing that I would have changed is to maybe have more brought in about the daughter Addie. I think that she did a good job of showing the relationship between Addie and Ty but I thought their story could have been given more space in the book.

Defiantly would recommend this book to others.

A Sweet Life

A Sweet Life:

I Only Have Eyes For You by Bella Andre (The Sullivans)

This story introduces Sophia Sullivan and Jake McCann. Sophia has always been the little sister of his best friend. However, things change the night of Sophia's brothers wedding. Sophia lands on his doorstep wanting something more then friendship. Will this make things between them change or will Sophia just stay the best friends little sister.

Having bought Bella Andre's books in the past I but not reading them yet I wasn't sure of how the authors story was going to be. I found that I really liked the story and how the throughout the story you learned about not only the main characters past but also that of other characters who would have future stories in books down the road. I am very interested to read the other books in this series to find out what happens to the other Sullivan Siblings.

On A Night Like This by Barbara Freethy (Callways #1)

Again the first book by an author that I have never read before. I really liked it and would love to read another one from Barbara!

May Day! By Heather Graham

I tried to read this book but for some reason it did not peak my interest so i skipped forward to the next book. I am still interested in reading another Heather Graham book just not this one.

Shopping for a Billionaire by Julia Kent

This was a short cute read about a mystery shopper and a son of a billionaire. It was an inserted but funny read and would be interested in reading more from this author.

Built to Last by Susan Mallery

Having read Susan Mallery before in her series books I was very aware of what the writing style was going to be like but wasn't sure on her stand alone novels. I found that I really like the book and found the story interesting.

A Baby of Her Own by Brenda Novak

Brenda Novak is another author that I have read before and have loved her Whiskey Creek books. I found this book to be as interesting as her other ones and was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next in the story. It also did not end the way that I thought it would and took an interesting turn. I am very interested to read the next book in the series with Rebecca and Josh's story

Dare to Love by Carly Phillips

Wasn't the type of book that I was used to from Carly Phillips but it was very interesting. Not sure if I will read any more in this series from her.

Executive Seduction by Jennifer Probst

Good book and interested in reading more from Jennifer.

In Too Deep by RaeAnne Thayne

I am a fan of RaeAnne's books and this book did not disappoint. Can't wait to read more from her.

Every Girl Does It by Rachel Van Dyken

I thought that this storyline was very interesting. Very interested in reading more from this author going forward.

Homecoming Season by Susan Wiggs

Great author, great read!

Review of whole book series:

I thought this was a great idea that the authors had regarding this book. It is a great way for readers to try out books from other authors by not buying them individually. It was also a great mix of new and old books and stand alone and series novels. In addition, it is a win win for everybody because the books as 2.99 and the proceeds go to help the diabetes organization. Would defiantly recommend this book to other romance readers and anyone interesting in trying any of these authors out.