Showing posts with label Second Chance Romance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Second Chance Romance. Show all posts

Friday, June 18, 2021

{Book Review} BITTERSWEET by Sarina Bowen

 


Bittersweet
True North Book 1
Sarina Bowen
Contemporary Romance, Second Chance Romance
349 Pages

Blurb:
The new series is set in Vermont. True North is populated by the tough, outdoorsy mountain men that populate the Green Mountain State. They raise cows and they grow apples. They chop a lot of wood, especially when they need to blow off steam. (Beards are optional but encouraged.)

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the orchard.

The last person Griffin Shipley expects to find stuck in a ditch on his Vermont country road is his ex-hookup. Five years ago they’d shared a couple of steamy nights together. But that was a lifetime ago.

At twenty-seven, Griff is now the accidental patriarch of his family farm. Even his enormous shoulders feel the strain of supporting his mother, three siblings and a dotty grandfather. He doesn’t have time for the sorority girl who’s shown up expecting to buy his harvest at half price.

Vermont was never in Audrey Kidder’s travel plans. Neither was Griff Shipley. But she needs a second chance with the restaurant conglomerate employing her. Okay—a fifth chance. And no self-righteous lumbersexual farmer will stand in her way.

They’re adversaries. They want entirely different things from life. Too bad their sexual chemistry is as hot as Audrey’s top secret enchilada sauce, and then some.

My Review:

I'd just read two books I really loved, going into Bittersweet I thought no way could I love a third book in a row that much, but boy was I wrong. 

Five years ago, Griffin and Audrey spent two steamy nights together when he was a senior and she was a freshman in college. Their chemistry was hot then, but nothing came of it at the time. 

Now, five years later Audrey put herself through culinary school after her mother cut her off for not being the perfect child she wanted. Griffin is the patriarch of his family after his father passed away unexpectedly from a massive heart attack two years ago and he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. 

Fate brings Audrey and Griffin back together when the restaurant conglomerate that Audrey works for sends her to Vermont to find suppliers for their farm-to-table initiative. Audrey is not in Griffin's plans and he doesn't trust the company that she works for but their chemistry is even more off the charts than it was five years ago and soon he can't imagine his life without her. But can Audrey see that they're meant to be? 

This book is sexy, addictive, and deliciously humorous all at the same time. I enjoyed it from start to finish, reading late into the night because I didn't want to put it down. I can't wait to read the rest of this series and I'm really excited that the next book is about Jude. I loved him as a side character in Bittersweet and hope that he can find the happiness he deserves. 

My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
5 of 5 Stars!

Tuesday, February 16, 2021

{Release Day Blitz + Review} THE BACHELOR by Carly Phillips

Release Date: February 16

The Chandler Brothers from New York Times Bestselling Author Carly Phillips are back!

In honor of THE BACHELOR’s 20th Anniversary all three books have been updated and will be reissued with gorgeous NEW covers with the same content but modernized for your reading pleasure. The BACHELOR was the first book that Kelly Ripa chose for her Reading with Ripa Bookclub.

The Bachelor

He’s got wanderlust and no intention of settling down.

She’s home to stay and has put her bad boy ex in her rearview mirror.

After spending his life abroad, embracing his freedom at every turn as a foreign correspondent, Roman Chandler finds himself the brother nominated to deal with his ailing mother’s matchmaking shenanigans. Thanks to a coin toss, he needs to find someone to marry and fast.

It shouldn’t be that hard in sleepy Yorkshire Falls where women fall over themselves to hook a Chandler man.

But Roman only wants the one woman who got away.

Charlotte Bronson is back home to put down roots and get her lingerie business off the ground. She’s not interested in her past or a man that chose to chase breaking news stories to the far corners of the earth over her.

No matter how good they used to be or how combustible their chemistry still burns.

It’s up to Roman to convince Charlotte he’s a changed man and here to stay. 
  
Grab Your Copy Here!
***
My Review:
I first read The Bachelor many, many years ago. Probably close to 13 years now that I come to think of it. It was the second book I read by Carly Phillips after The Playboy - which is actually the second book in this trilogy but as always, I read the series out of order. As a standalone in a series this can be done. All of the Chandler brothers books are connected, but each is about one couple - Roman and Charlotte, Rick and Kendall, and Chase and Sloane.

Roman is a foreign correspondent who has no desire to settle down in his small upstate New York hometown looking at the same woman's face over the breakfast table for the rest of his life. Until his mother falls "ill."

Rayna Chandler, widowed at 37 who raised her three sons on her own wants one thing - grandchildren. Of course she wants her three wayward sons to settle down and find happiness with the women of their dreams too of course. But she's not getting any younger and a recent health scare brings into perspective what she really wants most. So she tells her sons that she has a serious heart problem and that her greatest wish before something worse happens to her is to be surrounded by grandchildren. Heavy dose of guilt there right? Even I'm feeling it and I'm undecided on the whole kids thing. 🤣

So, since oldest son Chase helped their mother raise Rick and Roman, the two younger brothers flip a coin to see which will be unlucky enough to have to find a woman, get married, and get said wife pregnant as soon as possible. And the unlucky bastard is... Roman. But hey, nobody said it had to be a marriage filled with love? All he needs is a woman who wants children above all else who doesn't mind if her husband is gallivanting all across the world chasing the latest story. What could go wrong? (also - side note... does anyone else see a potential problem here? What if the wife he chooses has fertility issues and it's not just bing-bang-boom here comes baby?)

Insert Charlotte Bronson, the girl who got away. The one girl in high school that didn't fall at Roman's feet, the one he never got over. Back in their hometown and running a sexy lingerie store on the Main Street Charlotte knows she eventually wants to get married and have kids. But she doesn't want to repeat her mother's mistake of falling for a man that's always on the go for his job and never at home. That's why after their one and only date in high school Charlotte told Roman he didn't "do it" for her after hearing his plans to get out of town as soon as possible once school was over. 

It must be fate that they're back in town at the same time. And Roman isn't going to let Charlotte go a second time, but can he convince her to give him a second chance?

The Bachelor is a cute, small-town romance about second chances. Parts of it make you laugh, other parts will melt your panties. This edition releasing today is the 20th anniversary edition, so the main content hasn't changed other than all three books in the series getting new covers and a few modernizations made throughout the book - pagers and blackberries become smartphones, Charlotte promotes her business through social media which didn't really exist/wasn't prominent when this book was originally published. Reading it again was like catching up with an old friend and remembering all the feels it gave me the first time, all those years ago. 

It will appeal to new readers who like a dash of humor, a ton of heat, and that small town feel that's trademark to so many Hallmark movies. If you're looking for a new contemporary romance to steal your heart, look no further than The Bachelor. 

Rating: 4 of 5 Stars!


The Playboy

He’s the town’s most popular playboy.

She’s sworn off men and weddings for good.

Police officer, Rick Chandler, has managed to fend off the marriage-minded women in his small town but it’s getting more difficult with each passing day. After all, there’s something about the Chandler charm that keeps them coming back with hope in their hearts.

What’s a man determined to stay single to do?

Kendall Sutton is a cliche, a runaway bride stuck on the side of the road, until she’s rescued by the sexiest cop she’s ever seen.

In spite of her pearly gown and tiara, Kendall vows to never get married -- which makes her the ideal fake girlfriend to ward off Rick's legion of admirers.

But when their charade starts to feel real, suddenly the town’s most popular playboy has marriage on his mind - but will a woman with Kendall’s jaded past ever say “I do”?

Grab Your Copy Here!

The Heartbreaker

He's a loner who indulges in a one night stand out of town. 

She’s a senator’s daughter who never expects to see her indulgence again.

Small town journalist Chase Chandler has waited a long time for the chance at a national story, putting his dreams on hold to help with his younger trouble-making siblings and taking over the family newspaper.

His trip to Washington D.C. is business only until he gets a look at the seductive red-head.

Sloane Carlisle isn’t just any woman.

She’s a senator’s daughter whose world has been rocked by news that devastates her and she finds solace in Chase’s arms.

She was never supposed to see him again except when she heads to the small town of Yorkshire Falls to uncover the truth about her family, she runs headlong into the man she can’t forget and suddenly he’s by her side. 
All. The. Time.

Because unbeknownst to Sloane, in exchange for an exclusive, all Chase needs to do is keep her safe.

He’s watched his siblings fall in love and marry and suddenly the man who thought he was finished raising a family wants one with the woman who made him believe in love at first sight.

What will it take to get Sloane to say the two words that could turn the town's most eligible bachelor into the world's sexiest spouse?

Grab Your Copy Here!


Meet Carly Phillips


NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire. 

She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. 

The author of 50 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a full time writer. 

Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as a romance club pick and was the first romance on a nationally televised bookclub. 

Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. 

Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter (below) and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.

Connect with Carly Phillips


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Tuesday, February 19, 2019

{Release Week Blitz} THE CORNER OF HEARTBREAK AND FOREVER by Addison Cole

Today I'm part of the release week blitz of Addison Cole’s THE CORNER OF HEARTBREAK AND FOREVER! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever

Author: Addison Cole

Genre: Sweet Romance

About The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever:

Fall in love with Addison Cole's rich and romantic storytelling, and discover the magic of the Montgomerys. In The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever... 

Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters' drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again-ruggedly handsome Reed Cross. 

 Reed was one of Michigan's leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle's business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he's spent years trying to escape. 

 Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed's spell again-and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he's never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas... 

** The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever is a Sweet with Heat novel and conveys all of the passion you'd expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. 

If you're looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition, Embracing Her Heart, written by New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole is Melissa's sweet-romance pen name.

Get Your Copy Today!

KINDLE | iBOOKS | KOBO | NOOK | GPLAY | PAPERBACK


My Review:
This will teach me to read blurbs instead of blindly signing up for blog tours because of cute covers. A romance novel without sex scenes or swearing... oy boy. 

I will say, this book was "cute" and a quick, easy read that grabs the reader right away. I can see this book being perfect for the more innocent reader or the type of novel a mother could share with a teenage daughter. 

I do like the second chance romance trope and if you're like me that will draw you to this book. 

Overall, I should have read the fine print on this one because it's not for me. Clean books that focus heavily on romance instead of physical attraction aren't my style but it was an okay read. 

My Rating:
🌟🌟🌟
2.5 of 5 Stars!


About Addison Cole:

SIGN UP for ADDISON'S Sweet with Heat newsletter. Fun, flirty romance with a dash of heat. www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

 DOWNLOAD the first book in Addison's Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series free: READ, WRITE, LOVE AT SEASIDE here on Amazon.

 Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.

 Addison is proud to be part of the Main Street Romance family, a partnership with bestselling authors Nancy Naigle, RaeAnne Thayne, and Chris Keniston, bringing sweet happy-ever-after love stories to the Main Street Romance community.

Join them at www.MainStreetRomance.com ~ open 24/7 just for you. Addison enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups and welcomes an invitation to your event.  

Connect with Addison:

Website | Newsletter | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Google Plus | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon

 

Enter Addison’s Giveaway:

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

{Release Day Blitz} The Evolution of Us by D. Kelly

Today is the release day of D. Kelly's latest book, The Evolution of Us! Check it out below and be sure to enter the giveaway!
Cover Design: Kassi Snider / KassiJean Formatting and Design
Release Date: October 11, 2017

Synopsis

They say most people meet the person they will marry while in high school. Balancing one another perfectly, Holly Ryan and Declan James were together through most of college—until their relationship blew up, leaving Declan with more questions than answers. For the past two years, Declan has tried everything he can think of to earn Holly’s forgiveness, but even if he manages to help her let go of the past and give them another chance at happiness, she still has a secret. Not to mention, she can’t get over the revolving door of women he seems to have coming in and out of his apartment. Declan is desperate to prove to Holly she’s the one for him and isn’t above using his celebrity status or enlisting the help of their friends to win her back. All’s fair in love and war, right?

Goodreads

Purchase Links

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2xyx2QV


Giveaway

Signed Paperback of The Evolution of Us (1 winner) & $20 Amazon Gift Card (1 winner)



About the Author

D. Kelly, author of The Acceptance Series, The Illusion Series, and standalone companion novels Chasing Cassidy and Sharing Rylee, was born and raised in Southern California. She’s a wife, mom, dog lover, taxi, problem fixer, and extreme multi-tasker. She married her high school sweetheart and is her kids’ biggest fan. Kelly has been writing since she was young and took joy in spinning stories to her childhood friends. Margaritas and sarcasm make her smile, she loves the beach but hates the sand, and she believes Starbucks makes any day better. A contemporary romance writer, D. Kelly’s stories revolve around friendship and the bond it creates, strengthening the love of the people who share it.


Connect with D. Kelly

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2rDWw81
Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2sGlJ6y
Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2rDMOTc
Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ta3eES
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/2ta8pEZ
BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ffgEdo

Monday, October 2, 2017

Book Review: The Evolution of Us by D. Kelly

The Evolution of Us by D. Kelly
Blurb:
They say most people meet the person they will marry while in high school. Balancing one another perfectly, Holly Ryan and Declan James were together through most of college—until their relationship blew up, leaving Declan with more questions than answers.

For the past two years, Declan has tried everything he can think of to earn Holly’s forgiveness, but even if he manages to help her let go of the past and give them another chance at happiness, she still has a secret. Not to mention, she can’t get over the revolving door of women he seems to have coming in and out of his apartment.

Declan is desperate to prove to Holly she’s the one for him and isn’t above using his celebrity status or enlisting the help of their friends to win her back.
All’s fair in love and war, right?

My Review:
In true D. Kelly fashion (at least from the books I've read by this author) this story flips back and forth between the present and the past. Holly and Declan went to school together, fell in love and were together through college before a drunken misunderstanding ruined everything. 

Now Declan will do anything to get Holly back and makes a public declaration of love on his life stream YouTube channel. Holly misses Declan but she's not sure she can get past the parade of women in and out of Declan's apartment since they broke up or if she's able to forgive him for not hearing her out two years earlier. 

When Declan makes a bet with her that they'll end up together and coaxes her into going on a series of dates with him Holly reluctantly accepts, making Declan promise that "when" things don't work out he'll move out of her building and leave her alone. But with the sexual chemistry still smoldering between them and Holly's feelings toward Declan growing once more, she's not sure she can resist her charming ex. 

Can these two get a second chance at love? Or will the secret Holly's been hiding destroy them again - possibly forever this time?

I'll be honest: this was not my favorite D. Kelly book. The story seemed... lacking in a way and a little one dimensional. After reading about the Weston brothers in the Just An Illusion series I was expecting a male lead like Noah or Sawyer but Declan just didn't do it for me. He was so... agreeable and he kind of acted like a chick in the beginning. All the whining about wanting Holly back while Holly acted like she didn't care. And Declan's "celebrity status" didn't make much sense to me either. I know people make money making videos for YouTube but the blurb made me think he was a musician or an actor or someone legitimately famous and finding out what he really did for a living was a letdown.

I also couldn't get into the secondary characters, Baxter and Sage. Their interactions and humor just didn't jive for some reason. 

I kind of predicted Holly's big secret just from reading the blurb so it didn't surprise me that I was right, although the circumstances were different than I expected. 

I didn't care for how the story kept jumping back and forth between the present and the past. Usually I don't mind that, I love seeing backstories woven into the present, but it felt out of place in this book. I know it was meant to show the "evolution" of their relationship but seeing their teen selves went back a little too far for NA. And the ending of this book reminded me of others by this author.

Overall, this book was okay, if not a little cheesy on the romance. If you're looking for a quick romance this is your book, but it just didn't do anything for me.

My Rating:
★★★
3 of 5 Stars!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Book Review: Chaos by Jamie Shaw

Chaos (Mayhem #3) by Jamie Shaw
Blurb:
From the moment she saw Shawn Scarlett perform at a school talent show, Kit Larson has loved two things: the guitar, and the gorgeous, green-eyed boy who inspired her to play. But one careless night in high school shatters her hope of ever being more than a notch on his bedpost.

Six years, two bands, and one mostly-mended heart later, Kit’s about to make her rock star dreams a reality as the new guitarist for Shawn’s band, The Last Ones to Know. He may not remember their reckless night together, but Kit has never forgotten… and she’s determined to make him eat his heart out.

The release of their new album means a month cooped up on a tour bus, sleeping inches away from the ridiculously sexy musician she’s never quite gotten over. And as Kit gets to know the real Shawn—not Shawn Scarlett, the rock god, the player—their attraction becomes too hot to resist. But the past is paved with secrets, and when they finally surface, Kit could lose everything: the band, the music, her dreams… and Shawn. 

My Review:
Chaos is the third book in the Mayhem series and is about Shawn and The Last One To Know's newest rhythm guitarist, Kit. 

The prologue turns the clock back six years and explains Shawn and Kit's past and when the first chapter begins it has still backtracked a little from when Riot ended. I wasn't sure I would like Shawn after how he treated Kit when she joined the band in Riot but I liked Kit instantly.

Reading Chaos completely changed my opinion of Shawn and I loved the two of them together. We also get to see more of Leti in this book, which I loved because he's one of my favorite characters in this series and we were introduced to Kit's four awesome, overprotective brothers - one of which hits it off with Leti (but I won't say which one!). 

Kit acts all tough and strong on the inside but the reader sees that behind the walls she's erected flashes of the vulnerable teenager she was still crept through. 

The plot moved well and I waited for the inevitable moment where Shawn and Kit's past would come to light and OMG that part was perfect! I was laughing and embarrassed all at the same time. 

Overall, this is possibly my favorite book of the series so far. I didn't want to put this book down and found it easy to finish the 380+ page book in about a day and a half. This series is fantastic and definitely a must read for fans of rock star romance and romance in general.

My Rating:
5 of 5 Stars!  

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