Her Christmas Cowboy (Copper Mountain Christmas #5) by Katherine Garbera - Review

There's no place like Marietta, Montana for the holidays, and retired Marine Lane Scott has finally, reluctantly, returned home...

...only to run into a sweet and sexy woman from his past, Felicity Danvers, who is running away from her Christmas loving momma.

Lane can’t resist playing the hero and sweeping Felicity out of town. He vows he’ll do everything he can to make this holiday special for her. And as Christmas approaches, they discover that their love can conquer and overcome any obstacle—but can they both trust that it’s not just Christmas magic bringing them together?

The Scott Brothers series
Book 1: A Cowboy for Christmas
Book 2: The Cowboy's Reluctant Bride
Book 3: Her Summer Cowboy
Book 4: Cowboy, It's Cold Outside
Book 5: Her Christmas Cowboy


My Review:

An emotional story that I had a hard time putting down.

Felicity Danvers had a huge crush on Lane Scott when they were in school together.  But she was shy and afraid she wouldn’t be good enough for him, so she steered clear of him.  When Lane returned to Marietta after a life altering injury in Afghanistan, he was a different man.  He had lost both of his legs after stepping on and IED.  Though he accepted his life as it was, he still felt something was missing.  When Lane meets up with Felicity again and they start dating, he feels he has finally found a new meaning in his life.  But first he must convince Felicity to trust him.  With Lane’s love, Felicity is finally able to put her fears in the past and move on.

I was very impressed with this story.  I don’t personally know anyone who lost limbs in a war, but after reading this book, I feel I know a lot about the subject.  I enjoyed Lane and Felicity’s story and how they bought light to each other lives.  The Christmas background was a fun addition too and the perfect tie in to the story. 

The Christmas Challenge (The Wilder Brothers Book 3) by Sinclair Jayne - Review

Prodigal daughter, infamous flirt and fiery-haired champion barrel racer Tucker McTavish blazes back home to Marietta with both a secret, and a personal challenge. She will keep a low profile at her twin sister’s Christmas wedding. Which means no whiskey. No kissing. No scandals. No fun. What she needs is a miracle, so it's too bad when she visits the legendary Miracle Lake to plead for inner strength: a tall, dark, and handsome bad boy is waiting with a challenge of his own.

Extreme sports guide Laird Hunter doesn’t do boring. And he thought he didn’t have secrets. He thrives in carving his own trail through tight and dangerous spots, but when he finds out his entire life has been built on a lie, he heads to Marietta for answers. But when he meets the redhead with the killer smile, laughing eyes and body with more curves than a mountain road, he finds himself asking a whole new set of questions.

Will these two daredevils – with more than a few secrets between them – find the one person from whom they don't need to hide ?

The Wilder Brothers series
Book 1: Seducing the Bachelor
Book 2: Want Me, Cowboy
Book 3: The Christmas Challenge



My Review:

In the previous book, Want Me, Cowboy, Tucker came across as annoying and someone who didn't care about anyone but herself.  And the way she hurt her sister Tanner by coming on to her boyfriend Luke was not right at all.  But the carefree Tucker is working on redeeming herself in this book when she comes home to help Tanner prepare for her wedding.  She even vows to the month of celibacy in order to keep from causing any scandals while she is in town.

Laird was a character that I instantly felt drawn to.  He had been hurt by a girlfriend and recently lost the woman who he thought was his mother.  On his mother's death bed, she confessed to Laird that he was adopted and that he possibly had a twin.  He learned that he was born in Marietta and so he was there seeking answers about his birth and hopefully find his twin.  He is also searching for a place to put down roots and prove that he is not the man that his ex thought he was.

Tucker and Laird meet while skating on Miracle Lake and form a friendship which leads them to challenge each other in their goals, the reasons they are in Marietta.  But when they start sharing the small apartment at Triple T Ranch, things change quickly and they find themselves fighting the urge to just hop in bed together.  They realize they need to stay focused on their goals before anything else can happen.  It will be tough, but if they make it through the month, they can give into their desires.

Tucker and Laird are as different as night and day.  Tucker is outspoken and does as she wishes where Laird is more laid back and go with the flow type of guy.  Typically I would have thought their personalities would have clashed, but the author did a good job of making their differences work.  Their backgrounds and the writing made this a memorable book for me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Book Girl's Guide to Marietta: Montana Born Reader Guide by Montana Born - Review

Love nothing more than snuggling up with a western or cowboy romance? You've found the best place to start! A Book Girl's Guide to Marietta includes everything a book girl needs to know about Tule Publishing's most popular town for love, Marietta, Montana.

Starting with an exclusive Forward by founding Tule author and USA Today Bestseller CJ Carmichael, you'll get insight to the history of Marietta, a map and guide to all of the key locations in town, an overview of every series and how their characters are connected, delicious recipes straight from the kitchens of Marietta residents, and much more!

Whether you've loved Marietta from the start, or are brand new to town, this guide is a must-have for every Marietta romance reader!


My Review:

I have been reading Montana Born’s books set in the fictional town of Marietta Montana from the start.  So when they came out with this book, I knew I had to get it.  It is the ultimate guide for anyone who enjoys the books.  I especially liked the map in the front.  It helps me visualize the locations when they are mentioned in a book.

The book also talks about the history of Marietta and backgrounds on the founding families.  It also lists series and little tidbits about each character in the books.  There is a section with recipes and a part with information the authors. 

I would definitely recommend getting this book if you have read (or even thinking about reading) any of the Marietta books.  I will definitely be referencing back to it as I read each of the upcoming books. 

 

Featured Book: For Sale by Owner by Marlene Bateman

Blurb: 

Filled with plans, McKenzie Forsberg returns to her hometown to spend Christmas with her family. Stressed by a year of intense, ongoing problems, she quit her high-powered job to move back and rebuild her life. Kenzie desperately needs the peace and security she is sure will come from buying the home she grew up in. But when she arrives, Kenzie discovers that a handsome widower, Jared Rawlins, has already put an offer on the house. However, he can only close the deal if he sells his own house by Christmas Eve.

When Kenzie unexpectedly runs into a couple who are considering buying Jared’s house, she unthinkingly gives them information that changes their mind. Jared is more than a little interested in Kenzie, but has second thoughts when it appears Kenzie may have attempted to sabotage the sale of his home. Feeling bad, Kenzie apologizes but the damage may be too much for their relationship to overcome. Despite themselves, sparks of attraction grow into something more. Then, a few days before Christmas, Kenzie makes a stunning discovery about her past. In that moment, everything changes. Will the power of love be enough to bring Jared and Kenzie together and allow them to find their happily ever after?


 
Excerpt:

“What made you decide to move to Lake Forest?” Kenzie asked.
“I’ve always loved it here,” Jared said. “It’s a beautiful area, and there’s a special atmosphere here. People are so friendly. I guess part of the reason I came is because I needed to go someplace new and kind of start over, you know?”
Kenzie did know. That was exactly what she was doing now. She’d gotten over Larry, but she needed to go someplace new and reinvent herself and her life.
“Now let me ask you,” Jared said. “What made you decide to come back?”
“A lot of reasons. I need a fresh start too. I’m tired of the hectic pace in Chicago.” Impulsively she added, “Also, I had to get away from my job at Midwest. A guy was causing some real problems for me—” She stopped. Their eyes met and lingered. Jared’s compassion was evident and the expression on his face kind. She felt so comfortable talking with him—as if they were kindred spirits. Something in her heart softened into a spreading pool, and she smiled at him.
Tearing open his packet of Oreo cookies., Jared took one and dunked it in his hot chocolate.
Kenzie frowned. “Figures. You’re a dunker.”
“And I bet you’re a twister.”
Snatching up a cookie, Kenzie twisted it open and took a bite of the creamy middle. “Ummm.”
Jared shuddered. “That’s wrong in so many ways.”
Picking up her mug and warming her fingers, Kenzie sipped her hot chocolate. “This is wonderful!”
“It’s a secret recipe—been in my family for generations.”
“Really?”
“No, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?”

Bio:

Marlene Bateman Sullivan was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and grew up in Sandy, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor's degree in English. She is married to Kelly
R. Sullivan and they live in North Salt Lake, Utah with their two dogs and four cats. Marlene has been published extensively in magazines and newspapers and wrote the best-selling romance/suspense novel, Light on Fire Island. She has written three other mysteries; Motive for Murder, A Death in the Family, and Crooked House.

Marlene has also written a number of LDS, non-fiction books: Latter-day Saint Heroes and Heroines, And There Were Angels Among Them, Visit’s from Beyond the Veil, By the Ministering of Angels, Brigham’s Boys, Heroes of Faith, Gaze into Heaven; Near-death Experiences in Early Church History, and The Magnificent World of Spirits; Eyewitness Accounts of Where We Go When We Die.


Pick up your copy of For Sale by Owner today:

Amazon: https://goo.gl/5a60QZ 
Seagull Book; https://goo.gl/yQboNh


Be sure to check out Marlene on Goodreads and her website too:

GoodReads
Marlene Bateman



 

Mixing It Up by Tracie Banister - Review

Synopsis:

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, Manhattan upper-cruster Cecily Sinclair now uses that pricey utensil to dish up fancy French fare on her cooking show, Serving Romance. When there’s an executive shake-up at the network, she’s not worried. Not much anyway. Her show’s a hit after all. Why would the new CEO want to mess with success? The driving force behind several buzzed-about networks, Devlin Hayes is considered to be a wunderkind in the television industry. Although his plans to rebrand CuisineTV and make Serving Romance more Millennial-friendly don’t thrill Cecily, her charming, blue-eyed boss is a hard man to say “no” to and she really wants to keep her job—even if that means sharing screen time with a loathsome blast from her past. Mercurial Italian chef Dante Marchetti a.k.a. “Il Duce” was once Cecily’s boss, and she has the PTSD to prove it. Now the owner of one of the hottest restaurants in town, Dante’s egomania knows no bounds and his constant attempts to provoke and upstage Cecily make her want to conk him on the head with a sauté pan. She thinks they’re toxic together, but viewers love their chemistry and clamor for more. As Cecily battles to maintain the integrity of her show, she finds herself scheming and manipulating right along with Dante and Devlin. Is she fighting a lost cause? Does she really belong on TV, or would her culinary talent be better served elsewhere? And could one of the men who makes Cecily’s blood boil ignite a passion in her for something other than food?

My Review: 

An absolute joy to read.  With witty dialogue, fun characters and scenes, this book had me hooked from the start.

Mixing It Up is set to the backdrop of a cooking show so food is mentioned a lot.  Grab your snack before sitting down to read.  There are a lot of comical and entertaining moments between the chefs on the set of the show and in the personal life of Cecily Sinclair who is also part of a high society family which isn't as perfect as they appear. 

This story follows Cecily through the changes in her life on air and in private.  It also follows Cecily's quirky astrologist cousin and her best friend as they search and find love.  Cecily also finds love and a new meaning in her life when she decides to mix it up as well.

Anyone who loves a good romantic comedy will really enjoy this book.  It has all of the elements to keep you entertained to the very last page

 

 

Kitty Smile

The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Taming of the Sheenans Book 3) by Jane Porter - .99 Sale

All he wants is a Christmas memory...

Trey Sheenan has cultivated his reputation as Marietta’s resident bad boy, until one day he lets things go too far and he loses everything—his freedom, his fiance McKenna Douglas, and his infant son.

McKenna has loved Trey since they were kids, but she’s had enough. When Trey is sent away for five years, McKenna is determined to do what’s right for her and baby TJ, which means putting her mistakes—namely Trey—behind her, and move on.

When Trey is released early, he returns to Marietta determined to beg McKenna’s forgiveness and become the father TJ needs him to be, only to discover that he’s too late. McKenna’s marrying local insurance agent Lawrence Joplin in a candlelight Christmas wedding.

Or is she?

Once again, Trey risks everything, but this time it’s for love….and the memory of one perfect Christmas together as a family.

Taming of the Sheenan series
Book 1: Christmas at Copper Mountain (Brock Sheenan)
Book 2: The Tycoon's Kiss (Troy Sheenan)
Book 3: The Kidnapped Christmas Bride (Trey Sheenan)
Book 4: Taming of the Bachelor (Dillion Sheenan)
Book 5: A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (Cormac Sheenan)
Book 6: The Lost Sheenan's Bride (Shane Sheenan)


On sale for only .99 (for a limited time)  Amazon

Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard - Countdown to Release Day!

Guess what I'll be reading this weekend?  An ARC of Adventurous Proposal 

#WhirlwindRomance #ThreeSleeps #ChristmasChickLit #FlorenceandHugh #CountdowntoChristmas

Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard - Countdown to Release Day!

This sweet Christmas Novella is due out on 14th November

#DoctorJedwards #Foursleeps #ChristmasChickLit #FlorenceandHugh #CountdowntoChristmas

A Frost Family Christmas Anthology

I read each of these books a couple years ago and really enjoyed them.  And, right now you can get this set for FREE until November 13th on Amazon. 

A Frost Family Christmas Anthology


Synopsis:

Three generations of the Frost Family come together to celebrate the holidays on their maple syrup farm in Carol Falls Vermont...only to be thrown into turmoil when a baby is found abandoned in their outdoor nativity scene. This anthology includes three connected romance stories involving the Frost family and the abandoned baby, plus a bonus short story.
WHAT CHILD IS THIS by C.J. Carmichael: When PR manager Lily Parker finds an abandoned baby in the nativity scene at work, her relationship with her boss, Garret Frost, becomes a lot more complicated.

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by Roxy Boroughs: The past catches up with black sheep, James Frost, when he returns home for the holidays. His first love, April Rochester, is back in town, too. And all of James’ secrets – one of them involving the abandoned baby – are about to come tumbling down.

THE HOLLY & THE IVY by B. C. Deeks: Police Officer Joey Frost has her hands full this Christmas trying to find the mother of the abandoned baby, but Joey can handle it…until a snow storm blows her high school sweetheart, Noel “Fletch” Fletcher, back to town.

PLUS BONUS STORY, THE GIFT by C.J. Carmichael: What would you do if a child in need showed up at your door on Christmas Eve? Kindergarten teacher Amy Frost, and her deputy boyfriend, Gray Cassidy, never counted on this.
The series continues with:
Book 4: More Than A Feeling by C. J. Carmichael
Book 5: The Greatest Gift by Roxy Boroughs


My Review:
The Frost Family Christmas stories will inspire you and get you into the Christmas mood. Each story is well written and very entertaining.

What Child Is This by C.J. Carmichael
This was a sweet Christmas story that I really enjoyed.
Garret Frost has been running Frost Farms, his parents maple syrup business, since his father retired. He is still suffering the loss of his wife and puts all his effort into the family business while trying to raise his young son Duncan and living in his parent's home. He needs a bit of help in the office and hires Lily Parker as the public relations manager.
Lily is hiding a past about her divorce, what went wrong in her marriage and why she left New York City to live in a small town in Vermont.
When a newborn baby is left in the manger of the nativity scene during Frosty Frolics, the annual fundraiser to help needy families in town. A lot of questions are raised about who she belongs to and why she was dropped off there. Plus, questions are raised about why Lily became so emotional any time she is around the baby.
What Christmas miracle will bring Garret and Lily together?

Home For Christmas by Roxy Boroughs
James Frost is returning to his hometown of Carol Falls, Vermont. He had grown up here. Stolen his first kiss here and ran away as fast as he could, taking a lot of secrets with him. What his family and friends don't know is he's scouting for a location for a new Getalot store. Before heading to his family home, he decides to stop in town to watch the Holiday festivities in the middle of town. He watches the skaters on the ice rink and waits for the lighting of the Christmas tree. Then, he spots his former girlfriend April. He hasn't seen her in 10 years. She now has a young son. April has inherited her late grandfather's maple syrup farm. She has plans of fixing up the home and creating a school for autistic children, like her Liam. James wants to help her with her dream. But, will his job ruin everyone's dreams when the town finds out about his plans for the big box store. A store like that will hurt local businesses including his own family's. The mystery of baby Holly is still hanging around too. Local girl Heather tells James the baby is his. But, she she really? And, how does this effect the relationship that James and April are trying to get back?

The Holly & The Ivy by Brenda M. Collins
A wonderful story of rekindled love, mystery and family values.
Joey Frost didn't want to spend her life working at her family's maple syrup business. She decided to become a police officer in her small town of Carol Falls, Vermont. She enjoys what she does and is up for a promotion. She is out patrolling to streets one night during a snow storm when she comes across a stranded motorist who's car is stuck in a ditch. Little does she know it happens to be none other then her old crush Fletch. What is he doing back in town after leaving 10 years ago without even saying goodbye to her? He has been a military police officer in Afghanistan and his tour is finally up. He wants Joey back. He is back to try to convince Joey to move to Boston with him where he has accepted a position with the police department there. He has accepted a three month contract working for the police department and becomes Joey's partner. Joey still can't trust him after he broke her heart so bad back in school. Will Fletch be able to win her back? The mystery of baby Holly is solved in this book which give the series a great ending.

The Gift by C.J. Carmichael
This book isn't related to the first three, but is a great story on it's own.
A heartwarming and inspiring short story that proves there really is magic at Christmas time.
Amy Gold has always wanted children, but is unable to have any. She plans to leave her boyfriend, Gray Cassidy, because he deserves to have a loving family and lots of kids. On Christmas Eve a little girl shows up at Amy's house all dirty and obviously abused. She says her name is Dora. Amy will do anything to help this child. Following Dora's tiny footsteps, back to where Amy believes she came from While out, she sees the sheriff and his daughter Kirsten, who is psychic and just by seeing Dora, she is given the vision of what happened to her mother. The mystery is solved, but will Amy and Gray be able to work out their differences? And, what happens to little Dora?

Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard - Countdown to Release Day!

Not long now until we get our ARCs for Laura Barnard's Adventurous Proposal.  It sounds hilarious!

#BananaBread #PigfuckingAnother #ChristmasChickLit #RomCom #HughandFlorence

Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard - Countdown to Release Day!

Want to win a signed paperback of new Christmas novella Adventurous Proposal?  Simple, head to Laura Barnard's page and tell her about the first time you met the parents. 
Extra points if she finds it funny ;-)

www.laurabarnardbooks.co.uk

#sixsleeps #Royals #PottyMouth #ChristmasChickLit #RomCom #HughandFlorence 

A Thankful Heart (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 2) by Melissa McClone - Review

Synopsis:

Chocolate is better than men, and so are dogs. At least, that’s what Dakota Parker tells herself as she mends her broken heart and finds forever homes for rescue animals. So far, so good. She can indulge her love of chocolate where she works while her foster dogs provide her with the unconditional love she craves. What more does she need?

Seattle architect Bryce Grayson is counting the days until he can return home to the big city with his father in tow. That is if he can convince his dad to leave Montana. Bryce’s escape plan, however, goes astray when he meets Dakota. Her sweet kisses put the chocolate she sells to shame. Maybe he should be the one to move to Marietta, but could he be happy living in such a small town?

He has until Thanksgiving to decide.

Love at the Chocolate Shop series
Book 1: Melt My Heart, Cowboy by C.J. Carmichael
Book 2: A Thankful Heart by Melissa McClone
Book 3: Montana Secret Santa by Debra Salonen
Book 4: The Chocolate Cure by Roxanne Snopek
More books coming soon

My Review: 

Dakota Parker had two passions, chocolate and animals.  When she wasn't working at Copper Mountain Chocolates, she could be found at Whiskers and Paw Pals.  Volunteering filled her heart with joy and the animals gave her the love she craved.  She didn't think she needed a man in her life until she met the son of one of her volunteers.

Bryce Grayson had rushed to His father's aid when he heard he had fallen off a ladder and had broken both legs.  His goal was to convince his father to move back to Seattle with him where he could be closer if he needs help again.  But Walt had created a life that he loved in Marietta and refuses to leave.  He has friends that he sees often and volunteers at a local animal rescue. 

When the animal shelter gets flooded and Walt can't help out, he sends Bryce in his place.  Bryce figures it will give him something to do while he is in town.  Bryce and Dakota soon find themselves drawn to each other and eventually start dating.  They both no it can’t last as Bryce lives in another state.  But who says they can’t enjoy themselves even if it is for a short time?

I really enjoyed this book.  The animal rescue story was a nice addition to the romance.  I also liked seeing how Bryce and Dakota overcame their hesitations about new relationships after they both had bad experiences in the past.  The appearance of characters from past books also makes this book fun to read.  If you are looking for a nice clean romance and love animals, this book is definitely for you.

 

Cover Reveal - Adventurous Proposal by Laura Barnard

Synopsis:

After a string of bad dates, Florence Gray is so over online dating. So much so, that if she has to survive another guy standing her up she might just do something crazy ... like accept the first proposal she gets. 

So when she finds herself alone in the bar, again, Florence can hardly believe her eyes-or ears-when Hugh Humphreys swoops in and presents her with an proposal so adventurous she can't believe she's actually considering saying yes.

Because, after all, twenty five days to plan a wedding is some feat and that’s while getting to know your fiancée, their disapproving Mother and dealing with a jealous ex. Throw in the small matter of where they should live and you have Florence wondering what the hell she's gotten herself into.

Can you really countdown to a wedding like an advent calendar? Fall in love with a stranger and make them your husband? Because if she's going to make it down the aisle Christmas morning, Florence has to find out and fast.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32857580-adventurous-proposal