Kitty Smile

The Charm Bracelet by Viola Shipman - Review

Synopsis:
 

Lose yourself to the magic of The Charm Bracelet.

Through an heirloom charm bracelet, three women will rediscover the importance of family and a passion for living as each charm changes their lives.

On her birthday each year, Lolly’s mother gave her a charm, along with the advice that there is nothing more important than keeping family memories alive, and so Lolly’s charm bracelet would be a constant reminder of that love.

Now seventy and starting to forget things, Lolly knows time is running out to reconnect with a daughter and granddaughter whose lives have become too busy for Lolly or her family stories.

But when Arden, Lolly’s daughter, receives an unexpected phone call about her mother, she and granddaughter Lauren rush home. Over the course of their visit, Lolly reveals the story behind each charm on her bracelet, and one by one the family stories help Lolly, Arden, and Lauren reconnect in a way that brings each woman closer to finding joy, love, and faith.

A compelling story of three women and a beautiful reminder of the preciousness of family, Viola Shipman's The Charm Bracelet is a keepsake you’ll cherish long after the final page.


My Review:

A mentally stimulating story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the very end. 

Everyone in Scoops Michigan loves Lolly Lindsey.  The tourists flock to the resort town to watch her perform her show as Dolly at the ice cream shop.  But what most don’t realize is Lolly is losing her memory.  A call to her workaholic daughter Arden prompts her return home for a visit and check up on her mother.  Lauren, Arden’s daughter, also makes the trip.    

The story flashes back and forth between the past and present day as Lolly tells the story of each charm on her bracelet.  Each has a significant meaning and Arden and Lauren’s lives are changed when they finally give in and listen to what Lolly has to say about living life and learning to take risks to find their true happiness. 

This is one of those books that will stay with you for a long time after you finish reading it.  I can honestly say this is the best book that I have read so far this year.  If you are looking for something incredibly touching and inspirational, you need to read this book. 

 

 

Kitty Smile

A Dangerous Bargain by J. S. Scott - Freebie

The first book In The Sentinel Demon Series, a paranormal romance by NY Times and USA Today bestselling author J.S. Scott.

27 year old Kat Larson is haunted by demons. Literally. And how was she to know that there was more than one type of demon? The Evils want to destroy her soul, while billionaire Sentinel demon, Zachary Winston, claims that he wants to protect her. Kat opts for Zach’s protection…but it doesn’t come without a price. It requires a demon bargain…and what he suggests surprises poor Kat almost as much as the fact that demons really do exist. Why would the handsome billionaire want to make such an agreement with a curvy, plain redheaded woman like her?

Billionaire Zachary Winston has a mission and it’s one that he vows to complete. As a Sentinel demon, his task is to protect Kat from the Evils that will corrupt her soul. His only problem is that she is his “radiant,” the one woman who can lighten the darkness of his demon existence and be his eternal mate. Zach has to fight an internal war between man and demon as he protects Kat, not quite sure which one will win. He’s one part demon, one part man, but they both yearn for Kat’s lush, full figured body and kind, compassionate heart. As Zach becomes more and more enchanted with Kat, he’s hoping she can learn to love a lonely man/demon that’s only slightly wicked.

This paranormal romance contains graphic language, steamy love scenes, and lovable alpha males that also happen to be mythological demons.


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Book One by #AuthorJSScott
is absolutely #FREE 25-26th March only
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Marry Me by Karen Stivali - Review

Synopsis:

When British drummer Ben Davis lost his childhood sweetheart, he vowed to never love again. He immerses himself in his music, which propels him to international stardom and a lavish lifestyle, but has left his heart cold---until he meets creative and sexy clothing designer Julia Jones.

Julia's career may be skyrocketing, but her personal life tanked when her last boyfriend crossed the line from controlling to violent. Certain that romance is not in the cards for her, she focuses on her career. Then devastatingly sexy Ben strolls into her life and his intoxicating charisma is impossible to resist.

Once Julia allows Ben into her bed and her heart, they fall hard and fast. But when Julia's life is endangered, Ben's reaction terrifies her. They both must confront their past demons if they want a chance at a future together.

My Review: 

A bad boy rock star and a clothing designer should make for an unlikely pairing, but together Ben and Julia make the perfect pair in this steamy romance. 

 

Julia Jones wasn’t interested in a relationship after her last one ended in violence.  She never expected the next man she fell for to be a drummer for a rock band known for having a different woman every night.  But she fell for Ben Davis and she fell hard and fast. 

Ben never expected to fall in love again after losing his wife and unborn baby in a tragic car accident.  When he met Julia, he knew she was different from the women he had been meeting lately.  She was the designer for the band’s stage costumes and he was spending a lot of time with her.  The first time Ben joked around with Julia asking her to marry him.  He had no idea he would soon become serious about wanting to marry her.  He will do anything to make Julia his wife. 

If a book could become an addiction, this one would be mine.  I was not ready for it to end.  I wanted more.  I wish it was a full length novel.  The story was very well written.  The characters had a lot of depth to them and worked well together.  The secondary characters made their appearance but didn’t overtake the story.  It was the perfect balance. 

 

Porn Money & Wannabe Mummy by Laura Barnard - Release Day Blitz

 Release Blitz

Porn Money and Wannabe Mummy

Release date: 23rd March

Hosted by Two Ordinary Girls and their Books

What is it about turning thirty that sends rational women into a tailspin?

Suddenly going from having all the time in the world, to cringing at the ticking of her biological clock, Poppy is drowning under the strain of trying to get pregnant.

With a dad in the throes of a mid-life crisis, a crazy mother-in-law and time racing towards Lilly's wedding, will she be able to cope with it all...and give Ryan the baby they so desperately want?

Finally able to inherit her dad's porn money, Jazz can't wait to be rich! She can buy a house in Chelsea, go out partying with her old mates and start living how she deserves.

But with Ollie, Jemima and Meryl each clawing at their own little piece of her happiness, will she have to leave behind those closest to her in exchange for it?

The real question is, can Poppy and Jazz rescue their own lives before everything gets ruined, or will their own stubbornness destroy the lives they've created

Author info

Laura Barnard lives in Hertfordshire, UK and writes romantic comedy or 'chick lit' as its so often described. In her spare time she enjoys drinking her body weight in tea, indulging in cupcakes the size of her face and drooling over hunks like Jamie Dornan, Ryan Gosling and Leo Dicaprio.

She enjoys wearing yoga pants and reading fitness magazines while sitting on the sofa eating chocolate. She's a real fan of the power nap and of course READING!

She writes not to get rich or famous, but because she LOVES writing. Even if one person tells her they enjoyed her book it makes the midnight typing worth it!

http://www.facebook.com/laurabarnardbooks

https://twitter.com/BarnardLaura

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3490836.Laura_Barnard

Buy Links

UK - http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CO08HW6

US - http://amzn.com/B01CO08HW6

Review: Training the Temp by Melinda Di Lorenzo

Synopsis:

Part-time journalist Beth Styles has been assigned the terrible task of reporting on one of Seattle's most eligible bachelors. All she has to do is get in, get the story, and get out. Everything is going fine, until she opens her big mouth and challenges the man of the hour to a bet. Thank goodness the only thing on the line is her career. And her integrity. Oh, and her hand in marriage...

Real estate mogul Parker Stephenson likes to be in control, and he hates the press, so he'll do anything to keep from ruining his reputation, including taking on this pretty, mouthy journalist. Even if that means promising - in front of thirty witnesses, no less - that he can make her fall in love with him in just 28 days. Too bad he can't seem to take charge of her, the way he takes charge of everything else...


My Review:

The challenge is on.  Who will win?

Parker Stephenson is a private CEO who made the mistake of being caught in camera saying he could make any woman fall in love with him and then train her to be a good wife.  He ruffled a lot of feathers with that statement.

Beth Styles needs an interview with Parker in order to secure a permanent position with Between The Sheets, the magazine that she works for.  She will do anything to get it.

When Beth confronts Parker about his statement and wanting an interview, he gives her an ultimatum.  He tells her that he can have her trained to be his wife in 28 days.  If it doesn't happen, Beth can have her interview.  Beth isn't happy about the arrangement but she goes along with it so she can get the interview.  A lot of things can happen in 28 days, even falling in love.

This book was hard to put down.  It covered a wide range of emotions and I couldn't help but cheer on Beth and Parker as I read their story.  They were perfect for each other but they just needed a big push to realize it. 

 

Kitty Smile

Kitty Smile

The Art of Us by Teri Wilson - Review

Synopsis:

Harper Higgins, art history professor and Vincent van Gogh scholar, doesn’t need a man. She needs an artist. Fast. The art show she’s counting on to secure her tenure is in trouble.

So when she collides with a ruggedly handsome man carrying a basket of violets on a rainy night in Boston, she thinks she's found her miracle. Cynical, brooding ex-soldier Tom Stone can paint. And he’s quite good. He just needs Harper’s artistic touch.

But once she talks him into pretending he’s a long-lost descendant of van Gogh, the trouble really begins. As the art opening draws near, their identities—both real and imagined—hang in the balance. The student becomes the master as Tom teaches Harper that passion is its own work of art...


My Review:

Two completely opposite people brought together by their love of art. 

Harper Higgins is up for a promotion.  The success of a scheduled an art show is what she is depending on to help her get the job.  When her artist suddenly ends up in jail, she scrambles to find a replacement.  She soon finds out Tom Stone, a man she recently met, is an artist and she asks him to show his paintings in her show.  Harper fabricates details about Tom's background to make him sound more interesting to impress her boss.  Against his better judgment, Tom decides to go along with it to help Harper. 

Tom, an ex-soldier who lives on a boat in Boston Harbor and walks dogs for extra money, learned to paint while recovering in the hospital from an injury he received in Iraq.  He paints as a hobby to relax and to forget.  He had no intentions of ever showing his work to anyone until Harper came along.  Will Harper and Tom be able to keep up with the story long enough to pull off the art show? 

This is an interesting and informative book.  I admit I didn't know much about art before reading this book.  The premise and book cover intrigued me.  I thoroughly enjoyed Harper and Tom's story.  It was a memorable romance. 

Kitty Smile

Review: Falling Hard (Falling for the Freemans Book 2) by Kate Hewitt

Synopsis:

He didn’t want complications. She was looking for a miracle.

Quinn Freeman has spent his life avoiding the dangers of commitment, but his reluctant return to his home town that’s in tragedy for his family stirs up memories and emotions he’d intended to leave buried. His arrival lights hope in many hearts including one long dormant.

Meghan O’Reilly, the town’s only plumber and solo caretaker of her dependent sister, is weighted down with responsibility. She only sees in Quinn a careless charmer who isn’t used to hard work—but she still can’t keep from imagining his kiss... and longing for his touch.

Surely some things, like a fling between them, can be simple... Or is it possible for a fling to become forever?


My Review:

Creighton Falls was once a happening town.  People loved living there and tourists would stop by to enjoy everything the town had to offer.  After a tragic accident resulting in a death, the Freeman family closed their hotel and left town.  The town's residents have struggled to survive since then.

Quinn Freeman has no memories before his family left Creighton Falls when he was six years old.  It's been over twenty years and his mother has decided it's finally time to sell the hotel.  Quinn has returned to see what it will take to get the hotel ready for the sale.  Little did Quinn realize, returning to his childhood hometown would bring back some long forgotten memories along with a new appreciation for the town and its residents. 

Meghan O’Reilly, Creighton Falls only plumber, has lived there all her life.  She loves her town, but as everyone there knows, the closure of the hotel has taken a toll on the town.  People lost their jobs, businesses closed and tourists stopped visiting.  She is excited about the opportunity to help out at the hotel and hopes it will help bring the town back to what it once was. 

When Meghan and Quinn give into the attraction that is growing between them, they decide it can only be a fling.  Quinn will be leaving Creighton Falls as soon as he finishes the hotel renovations.  And with Meghan raising her special needs sister, she is afraid to get too close to anyone.  Too many people have walked away in her life and she doesn't want to go through that again. 

This is an emotionally charged story to pulls you in from the start.  I enjoyed the growing romance between Meghan and Quinn and how hard Meghan worked to keep Polly safe and happy. The book was written in a way that pulls you into the story and makes you feel as if you are part of it.   

 

Review: The Devil You Know by Mimi Wells

Synopsis:

Domnhall Cameron, the Devil of the Pitch, has come a long way from the gritty streets of Glasgow. Now an international football star, he has a new team to launch, but only one thing stands in his way: Calla Stewart. They shared one explosive night years ago that ended with him in handcuffs and her out the door...

Now that Domnhall is the bad boy darling of European football, he and his millions are stirring up trouble from Scotland to South Beach. But Calla's divorced, down to her last few hundred bucks, and desperate to unload her house before it drags her down for good. So when Dom makes her an offer that is her ticket to a new life, she can’t refuse. Even if it means ten days at his command...

My Review: 

It's been ten years since professional soccer player Domnhall "Dom" Cameron has seen Calla Stewart, but he hasn't forgotten her or the time they spent together.  He is back in Florida for the start of a new expansion team and he has plans for Calla.  He wasn’t happy how things ended between them.

Calla didn’t like the idea of driving cross country for an appointment with a potential buyer for her father's mansion, but she will do what is necessary to make the sale.  She was shocked to find out the buyer was Dom.  He was the last person she expected to see. 

Dom comes up with a plan for Calla.  She must spend ten days with him and then he will buy the house.  But as we all know things aren't always as they appear.  Will Calla be able to play along with Dom without falling in love with him?

Dom and Calla had a spring break romance that ended badly.   My heart went out to Dom when he ended up in jail and Calla didn’t even contact again afterwards and for the threats that her father made to him.  As I read the story, I could feel the attraction they shared for each other, but the incident ten years ago still stood in the way of their happiness.  I enjoyed this book and hope there will be another follow up.  I feel Isabel has a wonderful story waiting to tell. 

 

Kitty Smile

Review: Return to Silver Bay by Lara Van Hulzen

Synopsis:

Maggie Mitchell returns to her hometown of Silver Bay expecting to bury her father, her past, and move on. But when Josh Harden, her high school sweetheart, shows up, her world gets turned around.

Drawn to Josh, but afraid of their history, Maggie’s head tells her she can handle things alone, but her heart says otherwise.

Recognizing a second chance when he sees one, Josh is determined to win Maggie’s heart once more and show her that she can trust love and begin again.

My Review: 

An inspirational story about family secrets and first loves reconnecting.

Returning home to Silver Bay to prepare her family home for sale, Maggie Mitchell fights her emotions and the pull towards her high school boyfriend, Josh Harden.  She thought being back in Silver Bay would tear her down again like her father did. Instead, she was reminded of the girl she used to be.  The girl Josh saw when he looked at her.  The girl she wanted to be again.

Even though Maggie left town shortly after the night her father burst into the school dance and made Maggie leave with him, Josh Never stopped loving her.  There has only been one girl he could ever love and that girl was Maggie.   How far will Josh go to convince Maggie to give him a second chance?

While going through her mother's things, Maggie comes across a stack of letters revealing a secret of her mother’s past.  Maggie was adopted.  She gets the surprise of her life when she finds out her biological mother lives in Silver Bay and is someone she already knows.

I enjoyed all of the facets of this story.  Each character held an important part in the book without getting lost or making the book confusing.  The characters were well defined and the plot moved along nicely.   

Review: The Remingtons: Race of Love (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Melissa McClone

Synopsis:

Harboring secrets has jeopardized Bree Winthrop's spot on the US Ski Team. She's lost her focus and drive to win. Her only hope to remain on the team is Riley "Ry" Guyette—the one man she doesn't trust. Bree must let go of the past if she wants to keep her dreams alive.

Ry knows what it's like to crash and burn after a ski accident sidelined him from competition two years ago. But his coach wants Ry to help a teammate regain her focus and competitive edge. Too bad he hasn't spoken to Bree in six years—six very long years.

Bree and Ry face a mountain of struggles. Will they be able to learn that forgiveness isn't the steepest slope they must conquer?

My Review: 

It’s never too late for love.

Six years ago, Riley “Ry” Guyette of the US Ski Team spent the night with Bree Winthrop but he had been too drunk to remember what happened.  Partying had been Ry's way of rebelling against his father who wanted him to give up skiing take over the family business.  All Ry wanted to do was compete and win more medals.  Ry hadn't thought about Bree over the years, but now his coach wants him to work with her so she can keep her position on the team.

Bree wasn't thrilled to be working with Ry, but she needed a win in the downhill and slalom portions to prove she was worthy of staying on the team.  She had been naive and star struck six years ago when she first saw Ry in the snow drunk and took him to his room.  But he turned out to be a jerk and she didn't want anything to do with him after that.

When Ry starts helping Bree, he learns a lot about her including something very personal that is going on in her life.  This news could be very bad for her racing career if it were to get out.  Is Ry the right guy to help Bree get mentally ready for competing and will he be able to convince her that is really is a changed man?

This is a wonderfully sweet story with likable characters and a well planned plot.  Bree and Ry seemed to be the perfect match.  They just needed a little push to realize it.  The story about Bree's mom and Coach Cunningham was a nice addition too.