Heartsong Cottage by Emily March

Book Description

Haunted by the loss of his wife and son, Daniel Garrett left the police force to devote his life to finding missing children. But he still hasn't found a way to mend the wounds of his past-until he attends a wedding in the small mountain town of Eternity Springs...and meets a beautiful, intriguing woman who offers a glimpse of something Daniel thought he'd never have again.

Sometimes life gives us 
a second chance at love.

Shannon O'Toole isn't looking for romance. Ever since her fiancé's death, she created a quiet life for herself restoring Victorian cottages. Still, she can't deny her attraction to the handsome, broad-shouldered stranger. Daniel makes her feel things she's hasn't felt in years-including the desire to share her secrets. But can Shannon trust a detective when doing so could bring danger to her cottage door? In Eternity Springs, anything-and everything-is possible...

AVAILABLE: November 3, 2015

This was a struggle to finish... I was rolling my eyes throughout the whole thing.  I found the (internal/external) dialogue repetitive and just off (almost to the point where I'd laugh because I found it so unbelievable).  I felt NO connection/desire/love between Daniel and Shannon.  

The story progressed as such:

Worst day in Daniel's life
Wedding (In which Daniel tells Shannon his name is Samuel... I don't know why....)
One night stand
Pregnancy
"Fake" marriage
lying, lying, lying
Missing dog found after 10 years...
Pregnacy announced in which Daniel said horrible and unforgivable things
Forgiviness
Shannon told Daniel her past
Superstitions
Weird random killer person
Marriage.

I found this story such a struggle to find any part of it believable.

Rating: 2 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Unsung by Shannon Richard

Book Decription

Harper Laurence has been jilted on her way to the altar. Desperate for some time away from her friends and family, Harper takes off for Nashville-only to meet a hot, scruffy, tattooed stranger. A man she liked a little too much, and who left her the teeniest bit . . . well, pregnant.

Liam James is an up-and-coming country musician, who just found his muse. Ever since their weekend together, Liam hasn't been able to forget the curvy, vivacious woman who left him wanting more, even as she inspired some of the greatest songs he's ever written. He's determined to convince Harper that he's the guy for her . . . and that the best love songs can never be unsung.

AVAILABLE: November 3, 2015

Unsung is the fifth book in Shannon Richard's Country Road's series.  Each book can be read as a standalone since each book features a different characters.

Harper Laurence's fiancé left her 3 months before they were supposed to say "I do".  So rather than hang around home, she headed up to Nashville to visit her aunt on what was supposed to be her wedding day.  She meets Liam at a local bar, where he rescues her from getting it on by a guy with a neck tattoo.  When her aunt, who is a doctor, is kept away because of an emergency, Harper ends up spending the weekend with him.  Neither gives up anything "personal" about each other over the weekend.  And when Harper wakes up after their second night, she panics and returns home.  

Only to find herself pregnant...

Liam has no idea how to find the women that inspired his love ballad (which he was able to write after 12 hours of meeting her <3).  He can't stop thinking about her even though it has been 6 weeks since Harper took off.  So the last place Liam expects to see Harper again is at his brother's Stampede party (hockey team that won the Stanley Cup), yet there she is.  And she's telling him that he is going to be a father.

Even though he is pissed and hurt that she ran away the last time they were together, Liam is determined to show Harper how right they are for each other.  There are some obstacles in their way (tabloids, groupies, a diva actress with an agenda all her own, and pregnancy hormones) that put pressure on their growing relationship. 

This book brought me out of my reading slump.  I really liked all the characters and that their relationship wasn't focused on drama.  Yes, there is a little bit of drama, but what love story doesn't have a little bit of conflict, but it doesn't overwhelm the story.  You really got to connect with Harper and Liam and it made their love-at-first-sight all that more believable for me.  Great read.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Untamed by S.C. Stephens

Book Description

Being the bad-boy bassist for the world's hottest band has earned Griffin Hancock some perks: a big house, a fast car, and most importantly his incredible wife Anna. The one thing it hasn't brought him is the spotlight. Anna tells him to be patient, that his talent will win out. But Griffin is through waiting for permission to shine. 

Without warning, Griffin makes a shocking decision and takes the gamble of a lifetime. Suddenly he's caught up in a new level of lights, cameras, and chaos--one that pushes his relationship with Anna to its limits. Anna has always found his unpredictable behavior sexy, but lately he's seen an ache in her eyes, and it has his soul in knots. Just as the recognition Griffin seeks is finally within reach, the thing he loves most in life could be slipping through his fingers . . .

AVAILABLE: November 3, 2015

This is my first book I've ever read by S.C. Stephens.  And while I thought it was well written and I liked Anna and the secondary characters, I didn't like Griffin about 80% of the book and found myself skipping pages hoping there was something redeemable about this character.  He was a shitty friend, husband, bandmate, and (sometimes) father.  He was whiny, immature, selfish, lying, conceited prick for WAY to much of the book.  It didn't surprise me when Anna finally took the girls and left him.  And he even blamed HER FOR HER LEAVING HIM!!! WTF?! You lie to your wife, betray her trust and are shocked that she wants out... really?!  The one positive going for him is that he didn't cheat on Anna when she left his ass.

Maybe one day I'll go back and read the whole book... When I'm in the mood.

Rating: 2 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Our Now and Forever by Terri Osburn

Book Description

When Caleb McGraw sweeps Snow Cameron off her feet, she never expects their whirlwind romance to lead to a Vegas wedding chapel. Before she can catch her breath, Caleb starts talking kids and college funds while his wealthy parents make their disapproval painfully clear. Convinced she was blinded by lust, not love, Snow takes off for Ardent Springs, Tennessee, two months into the marriage.

Heir to a media conglomerate, Caleb never experienced struggle or rejection, until Snow sends him on a wild hunt for his runaway bride. When he finally finds her—managing a curiosity shop beloved by the quirky locals—she agrees to give the marriage another chance, but on one condition: no sex for a month. Can their love stand the test, or will they give in to their attraction?

In this humorous and heartwarming Ardent Springs romance, two lost hearts start over in a town where everyone deserves a second chance and love always wins in the end.

AVAILABLE: November 10, 2015

Almost two months into her marriage, Snow Cameron runs away from her husband, Caleb.  When she ends up in the town of Ardent Springs, Snow builds a life for herself.  She opens a business, Snow's Curiosity Shop, and makes new friends in this small town.  But what she doesn't know is that Caleb hasn't given up on her, and he looks for her for about 2 years before he finds her.  

Our Now and Forever starts with Caleb finding Snow and her shop.  He believes that he can easily convince Snow to back home with him to Baton Rouge.  But Snow has other ideas.  If Caleb really wants their marriage to work he has a month to convince her.  Caleb suggests that they "date" again, since they rushed that part of their relationship.  

After reading Our Now and Forever, I have to saw... I don't really like this book description.  To me, it makes it seem like they are just fighting their physical attraction to each other for a month.  When in reality, these two had only been "together" for a total of about 4 months (two months dating, and then married for two months).  They don't really know each other that well.  And Caleb's parents are HORRIBLE people (I'd run as far and as fast from them as I could too...).

Caleb was born into a uber wealthy family and is used to getting everything he wants.  There were times when he came off as a spoiled rich boy.  Not that he rubbed it in peoples faces that he was rich, but with Snow herself.  He felt it was only a matter of "convincing" Snow to come home with him with no real consideration about the life and business she built for herself.  It felt that the only reason he looked for Snow for so long was to "prove his parents wrong".  I didn't like that he kept thinking that to himself.      

I also didn't like that Snow "punished" her parents when she left Caleb.  She wouldn't tell HER OWN PARENTS where she was so that they didn't have to lie to Caleb about knowing where she was... really?! REALLY?!?! How selfish/immature could you be?!?!?!?! Instead she used her monster-in-law as a go between.  Oh, yeah... monster-in-law knew where she was pretty much the whole time. =/

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

**I recieved an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.**

The Billionaire Single Dad by Mandy Baxter

Book Description

In The Billionaire Single Dad, Carter Christensen takes a much-needed break after a less-than-stellar season as a Dallas Cowboy. He's ready to go to his cabin with his twin daughters and get a little peace and quiet. But what he doesn't count on is meeting a woman who will rile him up completely.

Tess Adams is still loving her decision to escape bustling New York-and her cheating boyfriend-behind, and live in a sleepy Texas town. But when a single dad with twins moves in to the cabin across the way, Tess feels anything but peaceful. The more she gets to know the oh-so-sexy Carter Christensen, the more Tess starts to think that she should give up her quiet, safe life, and give into passion.

AVAILABLE: November 3, 2015

I wasn't aware that this was a novella when I started.  As I've said before, I've read novella's that have read like a full length book.  This one did not.  The "love" between Carter and Tess happened WAY to fast and was quite unbelieveable to me.  For a man still grieving the death of his wife two years ago, falling in love after a week and a half is just ridiculous to me.  No. No. No.

Plus, Carter is kinda a grumpy asshole to everyone, including his 5 year old twin daughters.  I mean, the girls keep threatening to run away from him... h

I won't be looking for anymore in this series more than likely...

Rating: 2 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

The Bad Boy CEO by Sugar Jamison

Book Description

Colt King has spent his whole life trying to prove he's not the trash his hometown of Destiny, Nevada, thought he and his brothers were. As soon as he was old enough he left town, vowing to make a name for himself and never looking back at the place that looked down on him. But that plan goes out the window when his ailing elderly aunt asks him to come home.

He begrudgingly returns to help the woman who raised him. But he's no longer the poor kid from the bad part of town. He's the ruler of a custom car empire and a financial genius. He arrives expecting a boring stay, but when he walks into his childhood home to find a woman in nothing but her underwear pointing a shotgun at his face, he knows his trip home will be a memorable one. With his aunt sick and forcing him to help her restore her fledgling hair salon, he has more than enough on his plate. Colt has no idea that her sexy tenant, Zanna, is going to be the cause of his many sleepless nights.

Zanna Jacobs came to the ghost town of Destiny to stay out of trouble and stay the hell away from men. She's got a serious thing for bad boys that's she trying to kick, and when she lays her eyes on the brutishly handsome Colt, she knows he's got bad news written all over him. He's not the typical thug she goes for: He's too clean cut, too good looking, and too cold--and when he comes to take over her salon, she's not going to take it. Zanna decides to show him exactly who the boss is. Colt is used to people following his orders, and when Zanna challenges his every word he finds her infuriating and incredibly sexy. He can't keep his hands off her...and knows that once he returns to Las Vegas, all bets are off...

AVAILABLE: November 3, 2015

Basically if you read the description of this book, you've read the book.  I was rather bored with it.  I thought Colt was a jerk and obsessed with money and the bottom-line.  I didn't connect with any of these characters.  I felt they.... tried to hard to be tough.  In an artificial way.  I just didn't buy any of it.  And the relationship between the brothers was just bizarre, especially between Duke and Colt.  

There was no "backstory" of why Zanna was running from an ex.  To me, it just kind of popped up at the end of book and had no point...

I felt bored with book and didn't find any of these characters believable and some not even really all that likable.

Rating: 2 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

One More Touch by Mandy Baxter

Book Description

Strong, relentless, and lethal, he plays every angle to trap the worst criminals. But for the one woman he can't resist, he'll break all the rules…

For hotel manager Tabitha Martin, bad boys usually spell disaster. And her new guest promises just that, with his formidable build, tattooed biceps, and quiet take-no-mess attitude. Tabitha is already putting everything on the line to escape her vicious drug-dealing ex's control for good—but a single sizzling moment in “Damien Evans'” arms has her wanting all the trouble he can give…

He's been undercover too long and likes living dangerously too much. U. S. Marshal Parker Evans figures maybe that's why he doesn't immediately put Tabitha in custody. Sure, she's his one chance to finally take down a major drug ring. But every minute he protects this mostly innocent blonde leaves his heart all too vulnerable. And the cost of desire could be a deadly endgame…

AVAILABLE: October 27, 2015

For U.S. Marshall Parker "Damien" Evans, it gets more and more difficult to live in reality when he is in between undercover assignments.  The lines between Parker and Damien (his undercover name) gets more and more blurred until he sometimes can't tell the difference between the two.  And it gets easier and easier to push "Parker" further and further away while he is undercover, but all that changes when he sees Tabitha Martin.

Tabitha Martin is trying to better her and her brother's, Seth, lives, which means no more sexy, tattooed, bad boys.  She has to much going on in her life and can't be afford to be distracted.  Her brother seems to be finally getting his life on track and Tabitha is determined to keep him out of trouble and away for her ex-boyfriend, Joey.  And that makes it easy for Joey to blackmail her into letting him use her hotel for his drug deals.

The more Damien learns about Tabitha, the more he wants to protect her while keeping his cover.  She makes him feelWhen he learns that Tabitha could be the link between him and the arrest of the fugitive/drug dealer, named Gerald Lightfoot, all bets are off.  He'll do anything to protect the woman that has made him feel more like "Parker, the man" than "Damien, the criminal".

But will Tabitha be able to forgive him for lying to her and trust that their feelings for each other are real??

Rating: 4 out of 5

**I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**