All Made Up by Kara Isaac

Book Summary:

Everyone thinks Katriona McLeod is living the dream. Her professional career as a make up artist sees her traveling the world working with the stars and she’s got no shortage of men wanting her affection. Only problem is she’s never gotten over Caleb Murphy, the one guy she’s ever loved. When she accepts a job on the latest looking-for-love reality TV show, Falling for the Farmer, she discovers to her horror that Caleb is the leading man and she’s cast as one of his harem. But she hides a secret that means that even if she wanted a second chance with the guy who broke her heart she could never have it.

Caleb Murphy couldn’t care less about C-Class celebrity fame or reality TV and he certainly doesn’t believe it could lead him to love. The one thing he does care about is fulfilling his mother’s last wish. Kat’s presence on the show seems to offer up a solution that will make both the network and his mother happy. It might have been almost ten years since they split but he knows he can trust her with his plan. Just as long as he doesn’t fall in love all over again with the woman who will never stay.

 

My Thoughts:

There are a few authors that are instant read, instant purchase for me!  And Kara Isaac is one of them.  I love her writing!  Humor, sarcasm, pop culture references, I love it all!  And there is always a healthy dose of each in her books!  I have been waiting for Kat’s story!  And it did not disappoint!  Something that ya’ll may not know about me is that I am a total Bachelor junkie!  Judge all you want! A small group of us get together every Monday and we watch whatever mayhem unfolds!  This book had so many little bachelor nuggets dropped in!  So much fun!  Kat and Caleb’s story was quirky and fun and kept me interested in what might happen next.  This story showed how old hurts can really affect how we view new relationships and our ability to trust others.  I loved the communication between Kat, Allison, Paige and Jenine.  It was hilarious!  Plus any glimpse of favorite characters from novels past is just such a treat!  I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to contemporary romance readers!  It won’t disappoint!

If you would like to purchase a copy of All Made Up or learn more about Kara Issac, visit the links below!

Amazon: All Made Up

www.karaisaac.com

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A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson

Book Summary:

Ninety years ago, Millie Sullivan’s great-grandmother was a guest at oil tycoon Howard Dawkins’ palatial estate on the shore of St. Simons Island, Georgia. Now, Millie plays a 1920s-era guest during tours of the same manor. But when her grandmother suggests that there is a lost diary containing the location of a hidden treasure on the estate, along with the true identity of Millie’s great-grandfather, Millie sets out to find the truth of her heritage–and the fortune that might be hers. When security guard Ben Thornton discovers her snooping in the estate’s private library, he threatens to have her fired. But her story seems almost too ludicrous to be fiction, and her offer to split the treasure is too tempting to pass up . . .

Get ready for a romantic escapade through dark halls and dusty corners that will have you holding your breath and sighing with delight as two charming characters get caught up in the adventure of uncovering the past and finding their way to an unexpected future.

My Thoughts:

This was a fun treasure hunting adventure with a dash of romance. I enjoyed the adventurous atmosphere that the treasure hunt added to this story, it kept me interested and invested in the outcome. I thought that Ben and Millie were easy to like and I thought that while the circumstances that lead to their romance were a bit unbelievable, the time spent together during their treasure hunt allowed them to have gradual and genuine relationship. I enjoyed that part of this story was told through old journals, it added a bit of a historical element without interrupting the story too much to look back into the past. All in all it was a easy to read romantic mystery. I tend to prefer books with a more realistic plot line, however that is a personal preference. I think many readers will enjoy getting lost in the romance and fortune hunting details that this book offers. There is a bit of a twist or surprise at the end which was great!!! No spoilers from me!!! Add this book to your reading list if you are into light reads with mystery and romance!

If you would like to purchase a copy of A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson, or learn more about this author, visit the links below!

Amazon: A Sparkle of Silver

www.lizjohnsonbooks.com

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

The Cumberland Bride by Shannon McNear

Book Summary:

In 1794, when Kate Gruener’s father is ready to move the family farther west into the wilderness to farm untouched land, Kate is eager to live out her own story of adventure like he did during the War for Independence and to see untamed lands. And she sets her sights on learning more about their scout, Thomas Bledsoe. Thomas’s job is to get settlers safely across the Kentucky Wilderness Road to their destination while keeping an ear open for news of Shawnee unrest. But naïve Kate’s inquisitive nature could put them both in the middle of a rising tide of conflict. Is there more to Thomas’s story than he is willing to tell? Is there an untapped courage in Kate that can thwart a coming disaster?

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this historical adventure story.  This book is the next book in the Daughters of the the Mayflower series by Barbour Publishing.  Each of these stories has been unique and focuses on a different time or place in history, but follows a family lineage.  This book followed Kate Gruener and her family as they travel to settle in the Cumberland Gap area of Kentucky.  The story really highlighted the real life experiences and struggles of traveling as a family to a new settlement area. I loved that the author highlighted difficult situations, but didn’t solely focus on the tragedies and heartbreaking things that could easily have made the story heavy and hard to read. I really enjoyed the slowly built relationship between Kate and Thomas as the journey progressed.  I am not usually a fan of pioneer type stories, but this one was well written, held my attention, and was driven by the characters more than just their circumstances.  This book is a great addition to this series!

If you would like to purchase a copy of The Cumberland Bride or learn more about the author, visit the links below!

Amazon: The Cumberland Bride

www.shannonmcnear.com

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Deadly Isle by Dani Pettrey-The Cost of Betrayal Novella Collection

Book Summary:

Tennyson Kent is trapped on the isolated island of her childhood by a storm surge, and she is shocked when the typically idyllic community turns into the hunting grounds of a murderer. Cut off from any help from the mainland, will she and first love Callen Frost be able to identify and stop a killer bent on revenge before they become the next victims?

My Thoughts:

Can I just be honest?  The main reason I purchased this novella collection was because of this story!  I love a good Pettrey novel, but even more than that, it sounded super suspenseful!  A storm surge, a murderer, I mean it’s loaded with potential danger!  The first moments of this book grab you and capture your attention!  When things are written from the perspective of the murderer, it just gives you chills!  I enjoyed this novella.  It had some twists, turns, and some very tense and suspenseful moments.  I was kept guessing until the end.  If I had one minor complaint, it would be that some of the circumstances felt slightly rushed, however it didn’t detract from the story in any way.  I really enjoyed this novella and would highly recommend it to fans of romantic suspense!

Want to purchase a copy of The Cost of Betrayal novella collection which features Deadly Isle by Dani Pettrey? Visit the links below!

Amazon: The Cost of Betrayal

www.danipettrey.com

 

 

Betrayed by Dee Henderson-The Cost of Betrayal Novella Collection

Book Summary:

Janelle Roberts is freed–thanks to the actions of strangers–after serving six years of a twenty-year sentence for a murder she did not commit. But a murderer is still at large, and Janelle needs to be somewhere safe with someone she can trust. She may not survive another betrayal.

My Thoughts:

Betrayed, by Dee Henderson is the first novella in the Cost of Betrayal novella collection published by Bethany House.  I found this novella a little hard to get into at the beginning, but it picked up after a few chapters.  I thought that the plot of this story was interesting and I was anxious to see who actually committed the murder that sent Janelle to prison.  The pacing of this book was a little different, mostly due to the fact that the characters were basically trying to solve a cold case with evidence and circumstances from the past.  I wasn’t wowed by this story, but it was enjoyable and I was invested enough to see it through to the conclusion.  The conclusion of this novella was a little lacking in my opinion.  I won’t give any spoilers, but it didn’t wrap up quite the way I hoped.   This one just wasn’t for me, however I do think that it is just a personal preference, there were no major issues with the writing, or characters, it just wasn’t my personal favorite.  If you are a suspense fan then I would recommend that you read it and decide for yourself.

If you would like to purchase a copy of The Cost of Betrayal which features the novella Betrayed by Dee Henderson visit the links below!

Amazon: The Cost of Betrayal

www.deehenderson.com

Called to Protect by Lynette Eason

Book Summary:

For the past year, Chloe St. John has been working as a K-9 cop with her German shepherd partner, Hank. After being dumped by her fiancé for another woman, Chloe has decided that Hank is just about the only male she likes. She’s over the whole romance thing and focuses her attention on doing her job. Because a serious case of human trafficking with connections to her missing cousin just landed in her lap.

When US Marshall Blake MacCallum’s daughter goes missing, he’s ordered to kill the judge he’s protecting and tell no one about his daughter’s disappearance or she will die. Blake races against the clock to rescue his daughter while Chloe and Hank are asked to be a part of the task force assembled to bring down the traffickers. Chloe finds herself attracted to the silent, suffering man, but thanks to her previous bad judgment, she wonders if she can trust him. And can Blake trust himself around this firecracker of a woman?

My Thoughts:

This book was fantastic!  It was edge of your seat action and suspense. The way that this novel opens will absolutely grab your attention and keep you hooked. I felt like every time I was about to take a break, something would happen to suck me back into this story.  I love the way this series is shaping up!  The family dynamic of this series is really  making me invested in the series as a whole, as well as each individual book.  I absolutely loved Hank Chloe’s dog!  The plot being connected with human trafficking made me anxious for the characters and added a realistic sense of danger to this story.  I felt like this was  another solid addition to the Blue Justice series.  I am a huge fan of this series and cannot wait for the next one!

To purchase a copy of Called to Protect by Lynette Eason or learn more about this author, visit the links below!

Amazon: Called to Protect

lynetteeason.com

An Hour Unspent by Roseanna M. White

Book Summary:

Once London’s top thief, Barclay Pearce has turned his back on his life of crime and now uses his skills for a nation at war. But not until he rescues a clockmaker’s daughter from a mugging does he begin to wonder what his future might hold.

Evelina Manning has constantly fought for independence, but she certainly never meant for it to inspire her fiancé to end the engagement and enlist in the army. When the intriguing man who saved her returns to the Manning residence to study clockwork repair with her father, she can’t help being interested. But she soon learns that nothing with Barclay Pearce is as simple as it seems.

As 1915 England plunges ever deeper into war, the work of an ingenious clockmaker may give England an unbeatable military edge–and Germany realizes it as well. Evelina’s father soon finds his whole family in danger–and it may just take a reformed thief to steal the time they need to escape.

 

My Thoughts:

This series has been fantastic!  I have been anxiously awaiting this book for so long!  Well, probably since the last page of the previous book!  I loved Barclay’s story!  This book held my interest from start to finish.  This book is an example of my favorite type of historical fiction.  These characters have personality and depth and it adds so much life to the story.  Also, the plot was interesting and the book moved at a good pace.  There were a few twists that I did not see coming, and I love it when that happens.  I appreciated that this story was set during the war, but that the war was not the focal point of the book. I loved the appearances from siblings and previous characters that pop up in this book.  This family of thieves has been one of my favorites.  I think these books have such a unique point of view and this one has been just as good as the first two.  I was happy with the conclusion of this book, and also sad to see this series come to an end.  It is truly an great series!

If you would like to purchase a copy of An Hour Unspent or learn more about Roseanna M. White, visit the links below!

Amazon: An Hour Unspent

www.roseannamwhite.com