Harlow once again left me snorting with laughter when two best friends start up a sexual relationship after one discovers her boyfriend of 10 years haHarlow once again left me snorting with laughter when two best friends start up a sexual relationship after one discovers her boyfriend of 10 years has cheated on her...again. An adorably cute, funny and extremely sexy romance that addresses infidelity, commitment, growing up, and family. A definite winner. ...more
Originally posted at SmexyBooks-B review- Fitness Junkie by Lisa Sykes and Jo Piazza (comedy/tori)
Favorite Quote: “You work out 3 hours every day for Originally posted at SmexyBooks-B review- Fitness Junkie by Lisa Sykes and Jo Piazza (comedy/tori)
Favorite Quote: “You work out 3 hours every day for fun?
Fitness Junkie is snark-filled laugh out loud satire that wildly swings on a pendulum from realistic and relatable to the outrageous and insane as authors Sykes and Piazza mock and poke fun at the fitness and health fad craze of the rich and famous. Delightfully humorous and loaded with energy, we follow Janey Sweet, the CEO of B Wedding Designs, through her weight loss odyssey after her business partner and best guy friend catches her eating a bruffin at a fashion show. He informs her that she needs to lose thirty pounds in three months or not bother coming back. Apparently, being photographed eating in the fashion world is akin to sacrificing little babies on TV. Janey, devastated but determined, dives feet first into the complicated world of dieting as she investigates the latest and greatest weight dissolving ploys such as nipple free yoga, fat freezing, clay diets, and supposed terrorist run boot camps. With the help of a cousin and her best gal pal, Janey learns a lesson about relationships, friendship, family, and being happy.
As someone who hates working out and dieting, I can certainly relate to this book. Sykes and Piazza capitalize on the wild and crazy but also dig down deep and take a good hard look at the unrealistic expectations society places on people and the extent to which we will go to measure up. Thin is in and God help you if you aren’t what others think you should look like. The story does start out a little slow as we are dragged down memory lane and Janey recaps her relationship with Beau from first meeting in grade school to the present. Luckily, after that chapter, the book speeds up to a comfortable level.
Janey was very easy for me to relate to. Even with her $1500 Chanel distressed knee-high boots. She’s a divorced forty years old who built a business with her childhood friend, Beau, and is content with her life. She may have gained a few pounds here and there but she’s not obese nor unhealthy. But in a town where eating is a crime, her partner, Beau, humiliates her by calling her fat and demanding she lose the weight. Beau’s actions hurt Janey and cause her to doubt herself, but also force her to take an honest look at her life and the decisions she’s made through the years.
I liked that Janey isn’t made to be a martyr or a flake. She is a strong, self-assured, intelligent woman who at first follows Beau’s edict because she scared of losing her business and her friend. But as the story progresses, we see Janey slowly evolving. We see how she has used Beau and her work to shut herself off from the world and not have to deal with its unpleasantness. Through her reconnection with old friends, the making of new friends, and a few romantic encounters, Janey is ushered into the here and now with a stronger self, core, and outlook on life.
A very eclectic secondary cast punctuates the story with humor and drama as they filter in and out of Janey’s life.CJ is a diet & fitness aficionado and is a hoot as she joins up with Janey on her quest. Janey’s cousin Ivy is an expensive former ballerina/ fitness instructor with anger issues. We meet born again shamans, financial advisors turned juice gurus, and a few actress/bloggers *cough cough* whose unrealistic articles will leave you giggling at their pretentiousness.
Fitness Junkie is a hilarious look at humanity and it’s many many MANY issues. It left me giggling and promising myself to stop stepping in the scale so much.
A humorous British lit employer/employee romance that addresses the finer points of infidelity, death, and learning to let go of the past. I really enA humorous British lit employer/employee romance that addresses the finer points of infidelity, death, and learning to let go of the past. I really enjoyed the first half. Ellie was a hoot with her unfiltered dialogue and punchy best friend. I loved the antagonism fueled banter between Jack and Ellie. The romance is where I began to have issues. Jack is womanizer whose deplorable actions are excused due to his tragic past. I was quite shocked by his vehemence towards love and the way he chose to take it out on Ellie. Of course, we get our HEA but part of me wanted Ellie to tell Jack to go to the devil and find someone who didn't need therapy in order to comfortably love her. ...more
This series has been compared to the Stephanie Plum series but in my opinion it is FAR FAR better. The heroine, Fortune Redding, is a CIA operative whThis series has been compared to the Stephanie Plum series but in my opinion it is FAR FAR better. The heroine, Fortune Redding, is a CIA operative whose brains and skills are only matched by her snark and common sense. A fun down to earth heroine whose last assignment goes far south and lands her in hot water with a huge bounty on her head. Her boss has the perfect answer though and Fortune soon finds herself smack dab in the middle of Sinful, Louisiana, posing as an ex-beauty queen/librarian who has come to the small town to settle her deceased aunt’s estate. When she discovers a bone in her backyard on her first day there, Fortune’s intent to lay low is blown out of the water and soon she finds herself pulled into a mystery that spans years. Add in a gray-haired mafia that secretly runs the town, bootleg booze that is served in cough syrup bottles, a banana pudding recipe worth dying over, and a local hot shot deputy who is not all that convinced Fortune is who she says she is and you have a southern cozy mystery that will leave you crying with laughter.
This is my first time reading Kat Latham’s London Legends series but not my last. Though I did not read the first two books in the series, I found it This is my first time reading Kat Latham’s London Legends series but not my last. Though I did not read the first two books in the series, I found it didn’t take away from my comprehension or enjoyment at all. Tempting The Player is sweet sexy contemporary with just the right balance of humor, emotional trials, and smoking hot sex. Well plotted with engaging dialogue and whimsical scenes that sweeps you up into the story with no hesitation. Friends to lovers is not always a favorite trope of mine but Latham doesn’t subscribe to the normal overused plot lines and “convenient” situations that force the romance and instead allows the characters to win at love on their own merits and at their own pace.
Delightfully quirky and flawed characters carry deep vein of realism. It’s always enlightening to see a story from two different sides and Latham indulges us by giving us Libby and Matt’s points of views. Written in an enjoyable conversational style, the laugh out loud dialogue and scenes will keep you entertained all the way to the end. Latham takes her time in giving us insight into this couple’s friendship and the underlying attraction that has been there the whole time. Best friends for years, neither were been willing to cross the line for fear of losing their friendship. But circumstances have changed and now Matt and Libby have the perfect excuse to indulge their curiosity for one another’s bodies as long as they both realize nothing can come from it.
Matt and Libby are adorable together and individually. Their deep friendship makes their eventual copulation believeable. Matt is sexy, sweet, funny beta whose famous father and prior unhappy marriage has left him with a low self esteem. He has a tiny toy chihuahua he adores and host of insecurities that play off his rugged rugby personae with flair. He has been struggling to prove himself to the club and take his career to the next level and has no time for relationships.
Libby is a strong intelligent female with some childhood baggage in the romance department. She has the career she wants though she, like Matt, is looking to take it to the next level. Comfortable in her sexuality, she has no hangups about sleeping with Matt though her issues prevent her from thinking of a future with him. She doesn’t want to end up like her mother who became a stay at home parent while her father circled the globe and had a girl in every port. She wants a career and a family but she’s not willing to compromise for it.
Using Matt’s phobia of flying to instigate a physical relationship is a novel theme and I enjoyed Libby’s “rewards” every time Matt accomplished something that took him out of his comfort zone. Matt’s fears are real and Latham takes care to not rush or trivialize his issues. Their chemistry is felt from page one but the sexual tension and anticipation build at a decent pace and continue to develop throughout the story. This couple has no problems in the bedroom, it’s only out of it that their issues become obstacles that need addressing.
Matt and Libby’s path to happily ever after comes with some turbulence and a few air pockets but once they open the mike they have a direct flight to happiness. Fans of sport themed contemporary romances will enjoy the easy camaraderie and sensual journey of Latham’s newest couple.
Vera Hadley has spent her whole life being a Hadley and all that comes with it. Now poised on the eve of her wedding to a man she doesn’t love, Vera decides to finally live her life on her own terms and sneaks away with the help of two servants. Vera arrives in Round O, South Carolina and soon sets herself up living quarters, a job, and a possible suitor. When she receives a call about an old friend in trouble, Vera has to make a choice on whether she will continue to hide from her father and fiancee or will she finally make a stand and claim her life as her own.
Set in South Carolina during the 1940’s, Palmetto Moon is a southern contemporary about a young woman of privilege whose family’s social and financial ambitions push her to seek her own way in the world. I adore a good bygone era women’s independence story and envisioned a possible mixture along the lines of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Carrie Khoui or Kathryn Stockett’s The Help. Unfortunately, this story had neither the strong characters nor dynamic storylines of either book.
Disney-fied to the utmost extreme, Palmetto Moon is a saccharine story that has all the elements to be a wonderful journey of discovery, hope, and love but fails to deliver. An interesting premise that never seemed to quite gain a foothold and develop. It is a deliciously decorated package that when opened, lacks substance. The best I can say is that it is sweet. The characters are formulaic and sweet; never emerging from their cocoon to develop and grow. It’s all tell and no show. The plot and subplots are sweet with little to no exploration. There were certainly many openings for our heroine to explore her new found freedom in areas of sexuality and social structures that never panned out. Numerous plot holes and dead ends left me frustrated. The ending is sweet and predictable from the halfway mark. Even the villain(s), who aren’t really villainous, are mere caricatures that hint towards a danger we never see. There is no sense of adventure within the main plot. No standing on the precipice, quivering in anticipation wondering what will happen. There is a faint religious theme that flows under the story, giving kudos to the time and place in which Boykin is writing about.
Our heroine, Vera, comes off strong in the beginning of the book. Boykin’s voice slowly draws the reader in as Vera tells us of her dreams, desires, and fears. We learn that she had been planning to run away from her autocratic family for sometime now and has been stealthily putting things in motion to facilitate her escape. She is scared but determined to take her fate into her own hands. Once she arrives in the small crossroad town of Round O however, the story begins to fail for me. Everything just falls into place. She arrives and within 24 hours she has a place to live, a professional job which she has no qualifications for, a handsome suitor, and a new best friend. Vera is perfect. She is beautiful, soft spoken, and well educated. There is very little adversity or moral dilemmas for her to overcome; both which are key components in a coming of age trope. She is the quintessential heroine who triumphs in the face of…no danger.
A variety of secondary characters only to exist in order to tell Vera’s story. They aren’t viable sustainable characters of their own. Frank Darling is a handsome diner/store owner whose dreams were shattered when he was denied entry to the armed forces for a health defect. Stuck in this one horse town, he self flagellates himself for his supposed failings. Once he meets Vera, he falls head over heels and his life mission focuses solely on getting Vera to marry him. We have the stereotypical nasty busybodies that only the southern small towns seem to breed. But Vera is able to put them in their place with a well heeled insult and arched brow. Vera’s fiance and parents are here today-gone tomorrow. Clare, Vera’s new best friend, is a young widow with three adorable small boys. She can’t leave the boarding house because…widowed women can’t live on their own? I didn’t understand that part. She is being pressured to marry one of the older gentlemen boarders but of course, Vera will swoop in and save the day *sigh* Various other characters offer vague humor and depth but as I stated earlier, they are place holders and their issues all fall by the wayside as the main conflict blows through.
The ending comes at us fast and is really the only true obstacle that Vera faces. A small obstacle that is easily and painlessly rectified. And we don’t even see that. We learn of it after the fact. Everyone is made happy in the end and our leads live happily ever after. All in all it wasn’t a bad book. It’s well written with a smooth flow that makes for an easy simple read. I just expected more and was saddened to see it didn’t deliver.
Another enjoyable rom com by Higgins. Funny and sexy though the constant digs about the hero's past criminal activities and the heroine's inability3.5
Another enjoyable rom com by Higgins. Funny and sexy though the constant digs about the hero's past criminal activities and the heroine's inability to stand up for herself concerning her family (Oh, heads would have rolled if that had been me) took some of the enjoyment away. ...more
Victoria has always had a crush on Rider James but he never paid her the least nevermind in high school and she pined for him in silence. Now he’s back in town to open a new business but an overheard conversation confirms that men like Rider don’t look at women like Victoria. Hurt, Victoria decides to fight fire with fire and changes from everyone’s nerdy best friend into a sex kitten with some help from a friend. Suddenly Rider is falling at her feet and all her dreams are coming true. But as she starts to fall hard for Rider’s charms, Victoria’s scared that he can’t see past the artifice to the real woman behind it.
I really wanted to like this book. The premise instantly caught my attention. I’ve always enjoyed a ugly duckling to swan trope. Unfortunately, this one failed on all levels for me. The hero could never convinces me he isn’t the shallow man we originally think he is. When Victoria overhears the Rider tell his sister she’s nerdy and unattractive, she is hurt and rightly so. Rider feels bad for what she overheard but not for what he said. He apologies then goes about his merry way. It’s only when his sister gives Victoria a complete makeover and sends Rider pictures of said transformation on the sly, suddenly he’s calling and wanting dates. He says it has nothing to do with the makeover but all his actions say it does. Once he sees her lush figure and beauty accented with form fitting clothing and makeup, he pursues her to no end. The author tries to convince us Rider has always liked her and thought her attractive, but I wasn’t convinced.
The sexual tension is minimal (this all happens in a very short time frame). We are gifted with one full love scene that while erotic, felt rushed and formulaic. A little oral, some missionary, flip her over & bind her up, get off and we’re done.
There is also a plotline used to undermine Victoria’s already low self esteem and push her into acknowledging her depth of her feelings about Rider.
(view spoiler)[The “false” fiance premise. What I didn’t understand was why the “fiance” is so nasty and condescending to Victoria but when the moment comes for her to explain herself to Victoria, she says nothing. Only when Victoria runs away does she become all apologetic and teary-eyed to Rider. We aren’t told why she did it to begin with, just how she was feeling. (hide spoiler)]
It was overly dramatic and poorly executed.
The ending comes at you hard and fast. Everything is resolved with a few sentences and our couple finds their happily ever after.
A cute romance between two people who have been hurt before. A relatively mild conflict romance with some sweet sex heat and a lovely ending. I lov3.5
A cute romance between two people who have been hurt before. A relatively mild conflict romance with some sweet sex heat and a lovely ending. I loved seeing the Fitzgerald's again and I must say the heroine's little boy was adorable. ...more
I enjoy L.H. Cosway's romances. She tends to drift out of the lines with her complicated characters who meet and fall in love in a rather straight forI enjoy L.H. Cosway's romances. She tends to drift out of the lines with her complicated characters who meet and fall in love in a rather straight forward simplistic manner. The emotional conduits blended well with the development of the relationship and the protagonists singular growth. Sprinkles of humor and some incredibly steamy love scenes made this a fast read that hit all my happy places. I also enjoyed the faint mystical/destiny vibe that flows though out the story.
A terribly sweet and romantic love story between two people who had thought their chance at love was gone. Well written with multiple story lines, 4.5
A terribly sweet and romantic love story between two people who had thought their chance at love was gone. Well written with multiple story lines, engaging characters, and just enough humor and witty dialogue to make the book fly by. This was my first time reading this series but definitely won't be my last. ...more
Reading The Will proves that Ashley does far better when she is not corralled by her publishing company. A steady paced contemporary romance that is rReading The Will proves that Ashley does far better when she is not corralled by her publishing company. A steady paced contemporary romance that is reminiscent of her earlier works. An older set of protagonists with an uptight heroine who needs a strong alpha male to help her live life to the fullest. Steamy hot sex scenes, a nice romantic set up, clueless exes, and a tiny bit of conflict thrown in for fun. Steady pacing and a lot of detailing made this a fun read. I loved meeting Jake and his kids. Fun and rambunctious, they (along with various other eccentric secondary characters) went a long way in making the story enjoyable. I liked everything and everyone but the heroine.
Josie was annoying. She was too perfect. A combination of KA's best heroines, she lacked their down to earth appeal. She was too perfect. She literally had no flaws. She dressed perfect. She cooked perfect. She gave the perfect advice. She never really got angry. She's rich and has famous connections. She even tripped in an adorable manner. She was a sexy Mother Theresa. Plus, her dialogue was odd. Maybe because she lived all over the world, her speech was stilted, uncomfortable, and condescending at times.
Regardless of my issues with the heroine, The Will proves that Ashley still has 'it'...as long as her publishers quit trying to mess with 'it.'...more
I adored this romantic contemporary; especially the couple. Lanie and Kyle were hilarious and delightful as they plot to win the love of Lanie's life,I adored this romantic contemporary; especially the couple. Lanie and Kyle were hilarious and delightful as they plot to win the love of Lanie's life, Kyle's bff, Brad. However, fate has other plans and soon these two are heating up the sheets as the playboy falls in love for the first time in his life. ...more