While Paris may be known as the "city of love", Italy as a whole, captured my heart years ago when I visited with my parents. Could it be all3.5 stars
While Paris may be known as the "city of love", Italy as a whole, captured my heart years ago when I visited with my parents. Could it be all the men yelling "bella"? Could it be the abundance of handsome men? Could it be some of the best food on Earth, imo? Could it be the beautiful charm in the small towns throughout the country? All I know is I could easily find myself wrapped up in it all and changing the course of my life for a man, all in the name of love.
The heroine of the story, Julia Volpe, does just that. Only it doesn't work out so well. Packing up with low funds and no place to stay, she ventures off to another town - trading labor for a place to stay, while she gets her passport paperwork in order. And on her first day there, she meets Alessandro "Alex" Mattelig. Sharing one night of passion should help get over her broken heart, right?
Fate has other plans in mind, as the two who thought they'd never see each other again, are forced to live together. It was obvious where things would eventually lead, but Alex's past relationship does slow down the whole process.
What I loved most about this story was the life Julia led, immersing herself in this new world, working on an olive farm, and embracing everything around her. I loved how she made the best of the circumstances, even when things seemed to completely go wrong. And I think her attitude about life made Alex rethink his own approach to it.
While parts of this story were predictable, there was still a charm that I relished, and I adored the grand jesture at the end. Overall a fun romance that made me want to rebook a flight to Italy.
The three women of this book, Nora Wilder, and her daughters Zadie and Finn, all have some special abilities (I would call more of a curse). In flashbThe three women of this book, Nora Wilder, and her daughters Zadie and Finn, all have some special abilities (I would call more of a curse). In flashbacks, we see what it was like for the two girls growing up with a parent who wasn't always present, both physically and mentally. But it was never clear what was wrong with Nora, and then one day, she just disappeared and never returned.
In the present, this story centers on Finn's quest to find her mom, when she begins to sense some of her mother's memories. It sounds a bit crazy, but the two sisters pack up in an attempt to find out what happened to their mom. The fact that they make some discoveries about her along the way, speaks to their own abilities.
I didn't particularly love the pacing of the story, which dragged at times, but I loved the connections they made with Myron's family in their travels. Not only did he know Nora, she briefly lived with him. In addition, his daughters unknowingly help guide Finn and Zadie to their next destination.
Do the sisters ultimately find their mom? I won't say. But they discover a lot about each other in their travels and grow closer together from the experience.
Overall, this was an intriguing read, with a supernatural element that I haven't read much about.
A forest spite. An amorphous green boy. A shifter. The Antichrist. A garden gnome. And a wyvern. What do they have in common? They have all stolen my heart.A forest spite. An amorphous green boy. A shifter. The Antichrist. A garden gnome. And a wyvern. What do they have in common? They have all stolen my heart.
Like many other readers, I fell in love with the whole cast of The House in the Cerulean Sea, particularly the magical children in the orphanage on Marsyas Island. Are the children maddening at times? Absolutely. But Arthur Parnassus, and his partner, Linus Baker, have the patience of saints, and learned to pick their battles with the children. Instead, the two allow the children to explore their individuality and not be afraid to take risks. As long as no one is hurt . . . I'm looking at you, Lucy.
In this installment, DICOMY (Department in Charge of Magical Youth) has begun investigating Arthur and the orphanage he runs. It is clear early on that the intentions of this investigation are not good. They say that they want to make sure the kids are safe. We the readers know that Arthur is the first adult to provide these unusual kids a safe haven, so for him to be challenged, was concerning. And the orphanage is on high alert, when an investigator from DICOMY comes to stay with them. What could possibly go wrong? *cringes*
The group as a whole try their best. But when Arthur learns of DICOMY's true intentions, it is difficult to contain the phoenix within him (I don't remember this being covered much in the first book, but I loved seeing this side of him). I admired how they all handled this news and how they reacted. Could their actions ruin everything? OF COURSE. But who wouldn't react the way they did. The cards were stacked against them, so lashing out was not unexpected.
One of the reasons TJ Klune has a firm place on my Favorite Author list, is how he manages to make me so invested in the unusual characters he creates. I wanted to hug the yeti, David (a new addition) and stop his ice cube tears. I wanted to cheer on Zoe as she established her claim on the island. And of course, I wanted to protect all the wildy crazy kids at the orphanage. I'm often leery of sequels, especially when the first book is so beloved. But Klune managed to match my adoration with this new installment.
Books have always been the perfect escape for me, and this one delivered the heartwarming feels I so desperately needed. A MUST READ for all fans of The House in the Cerulean Sea!!
Bethany Castle has worked tirelessly to create the perfect life. Or an illusion of one. But her high standards are put to the test, when she steps out oBethany Castle has worked tirelessly to create the perfect life. Or an illusion of one. But her high standards are put to the test, when she steps out of her brother's (Scott) control and to prove her abilities. With zero experience, she challenges him on a house flip - whomever does a better job, gets bragging rights. Seems minor enough, until a home improvement channel gets word of their little bet, and decides it would be perfect for one of their reality shows. And that show takes place over less than two weeks. Now, I'm a big fan of home improvement shows, so I know this timeline is nearly impossible. So, you'll have to ignore that fact, and just enjoy the process.
If you all know this author, then you know there's got to be spice in this book, and that comes courtesy of Wes Daniels. He's only temporarily in town to help out his sister, and agrees to jump ship from Scott's team to join Bethany. He may have done so to avoid seeing a woman in distress, but his attraction to her, had to have played a role. And it is clear early on, that given Bethany's lack of experience in construction, along with the deteriorating condition of the house, she can use all the help she can get.
Remember that spice I mentioned? Well, it does take some time to be tested, but I wouldn't call this book a slow burn. The heat between the two is tangible, but there's pesky little things like tv cameras recording their every move, and the young child Wes is now responsible for, with his sister skipping town. But as the two are constantly in one another's orbits, the sexual tension is hard to push aside for too long.
What I enjoyed most about this story, other than Wes' adorable niece, Laura, is how this two characters had each other's back, noticed when they were vulnerable, and stepped up to help. I also loved Bethany's bravery in coming out of her comfort zone (staging homes post flip) and diving head first into actual construction. Together, they prove themselves to be a formidable team. Do they win? I can't say, but I did love how things played out.
This is the third book in the series, but if you are like me, you don't need to read all the books in order to follow along, since each book features a different couple. But I definitely plan on circling back and reading book two, which I missed out on.
I think I've read almost all of this author's books, and Rue Siebert is definitely the most aggressive, sexually, of all the author's heroines. She knI think I've read almost all of this author's books, and Rue Siebert is definitely the most aggressive, sexually, of all the author's heroines. She knows what she wants. Sex. One night stands, to be more specific. She has no interest in love or commitment, and a second night could just muddy the waters.
She meets the hero of this story on one of her one night hookups. Only, they don't hookup. But the little time she does spend with Eli Kilgore (what an unfortunate last name), does intrigue her. While she's unsure whether their paths will cross again, she does something she'd never done before, give him her number. And then the next day happens.
Yes, Eli just so happens to be part of the Harkness Group, who pose a threat to her job at Kline. Are they there to dismantle the company? Take over and fire everyone? Steal Rue's research? It wasn't entirely clear for some time (when it was revealed, I absolutely sided with them). And while Rue feels uncertain about her future professionally, she seems to throw caution to the wind with Eli despite the risks. Scratching that itch, so to speak, on more than one occasion.
What is it about Eli that has Rue changing her whole approach? Is he the game changer? I think all signs pointed to yes. And his version of a grand gesture near the end is sure to win you over if he didn't do so previously.
While this book has some of the classic Ali trademarks (wicked smart heroine who has some vulnerabilities, an equally smart hero to challenge the heroine), the author shook up her formula a bit and delivered a heartwarming yet super sexy story, sure to please romance lovers.
A preacher's daughter gets tempted by the small town's resident bad boy in this author's latest release. Adding some spicy tropes to the mix,4.5 stars
A preacher's daughter gets tempted by the small town's resident bad boy in this author's latest release. Adding some spicy tropes to the mix, there is a 6 year age gap, AND the bad boy just so happens to be her boyfriend's brother. EEP!!!
While you could say this story is a love triangle, I had no illusions that Matthew Cory was Sarah Jacobson's soulmate. Did they love and care for each other? Yes, but I think family expectations, more than a deep seated commitment to one another, kept them together. But when "Satan" aka Issac is around, it is clear Sarah is focused on the wrong brother.
As much as Issac may seem like a bad influence, it was evident that he was one of the few people who listened to Sarah and wanted to make her dreams of singing a reality. Did he always want to do nasty things to her? Of course, but that's not necessarily a bad thing, lol.
There is quite a bit of small town drama in this story, and also some heartbreak with that drama. Is Sarah strong enough to overcome that heartbreak, defy her father's wishes and take a chance on her dream? With a guy like Issac by her side, she just may stand a chance.
Overall, the author deftly mixes her trademark humor with a good dose of angst and a smattering of sexy times for a great coming of age romance.