Review: Then Came You (Compass Cove #1) by Jeannie Moon

Mia DeAngelis knew it was time to make a change. Wanting to provide a better life for herself and her ten-year-old nephew, Ben, she took a chance and moved to the small town of Compass Cove, New York, on Long Island’s north shore. Now, the college librarian is adapting to a new job, a new town, and living with her feisty seventy-eight-year-old grandmother. Mia is determined to make it all work, hoping the coastal hamlet gives both her and Ben the sense of community, family and belonging they both want so much.

Adam Miller, a retired NFL quarterback, has come back to Compass Cove to start over after an injury puts an end to his high-octane life. Home never figured into his plans, but when the spectacular crash to earth forces the former superstar to return to his family, Adam must build a new life from the ashes of his old one. Settling into the small town routine proves to be a challenge, but his job coaching at Jennings College gives him a sense of purpose while keeping him connected to the game he loves.

It won't be easy, but with the help of a few meddling family members, and a little bit of small town magic, these two lost hearts might find the love they so desperately crave.

My Review: 

Then Came You is a wonderful start to a new series.  I was hooked from the start.  Mia DeAngelis and Adam Miller were total opposites, but perfect for each other in so many ways.

Mia is the new librarian at Jennings College.  She had spent her summers in Compass Cove with her grandmother and was happy to finally be back.  It would be the perfect place to raise her nephew.

Adam, former professional football player, now coach at the college, was used to a life in the fast lane and even faster women.  When he met Mia, she was nothing like the women he was usually attracted to.  Plus she had a kid.  But he was drawn to her like no one else he had ever met.

This story was full of memorable and emotional scenes.  Because it's a romance, you know Mia and Adam would have their happily ever after.  But some parts had me wondering how they would work through the situations they found themselves in.  I can't wait to read more in this series and hope we can see more of Mia, Adam and Ben in future books.  I also enjoyed learning the back story about the town and the legend of the compass. 

 

Review: Halloween at the Graff by Sinclair Jayne

Starting over at thirty-two is never fun, especially in a town the size of a postage stamp. Chasing that with having to beg for a job she’s wildly over-qualified for and Walker Wilder’s pride is really burned. But now that she’s the new events director for the historic Montana Graff Hotel, she’s tasked with creating buzz and traditions to fill rooms during the off-season. Halloween may not scream touristy, but hiring a spirit-hunting TV crew will definitely grab some headlines... But when the sexy spirit hunter shows up, he haunts more than her dreams.

Calum Quest is done. He’s created an entertainment empire by chasing something he’s never seen and is tired of asking questions with no answers. His life has been defined by ghosts he needs to exorcise, yet, when a red-haired, grey-eyed beauty with a body that melts his mind pours him a double shot of Laphroaig whiskey and challenges him to one more round, how can he say no?


My Review:

After her political career in Washington DC comes to a crashing halt, Walker Wilder is starting her life over again in Marietta, Montana as the new events director at the Graff Hotel.  Her first job is getting the hotel ready for Halloween where she encounters a mysterious chair in the attic.  It was creeping her out and she could have sworn it moved.  Walker starts thinking the idea of a ghost in the hotel would be a great way to bring in more business.  She needs the help of a ghost hunter fast.

Calum Quest, of the television show Ghost Quests, is headed to Marietta to visit one of his friends when he gets the call from Walker about the possibility of a ghost in the hotel.  He didn’t plan on doing any scouting during his trip, but he does have a Halloween show he needs to think about.  Maybe the Graff Hotel would be a good fit for the show.

As Walker and Calum spend time together, they find they are drawn to each other.  But a secret that Walker keeps could threaten their new relationship.  

I was intrigued by the idea of a ghost hunter as the hero in a in a romance book.  So, the fresh idea had me hooked.  It was a well written and interesting book.  But I was left with a couple unanswered questions.  Maybe they will be picked up in future books as this is the start of a new series.    

Cute Kitty Pic

Review: Lie to Me (Between the Sheets Book 2) by Melinda Di Lorenzo

Undercover journalist Audrey Albertson has one job–get the scoop on Seattle’s most eligible ex-con. She's already completed step one–convincing Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome that she’s a fully functioning image consultant, who can provide him with a much needed man-makeover. Now, she just has to get to step two–get him to reveal his secrets. Of course, it would help if she could do it without falling straight into his arms.

Recently released felon Derek Stone needs a little help being perceived as something other than what he is, a man who stole a million dollars. His plan is simple: hire an image consultant. Have her make him into someone the world won’t hate. Reap the rewards without revealing the truth behind his crime. Letting the prim, sassy little blonde into his heart isn’t on the agenda.

As Audrey gets closer to Derek, she becomes positive that there is more to him than just his alleged criminal past. His walls might be high, but so is her motivation. Can she figure out his secrets before he figures out hers? Will the truth build a bridge between their hearts, or will it just tear them apart?

My Review: 

The second installment in the Between the Sheets series brings us Audrey Albertson, a journalist, who is undercover as an image consultant for Seattle’s most eligible ex-con Derek Stone.  Little did Audrey know, once her investigation was over, she would come away with more than just the story that she expected.

When I started reading this book, I knew I would like it from the blurb.  But I had no idea how much I would enjoy it.  I found myself laughing in different parts and wondering what could possibly happen next.  The author did a great job with Audrey and Derek’s story.  I wasn’t ready for it to end.   

Review: A Cowboy to Keep (Canadays of Montana #4) by Barbara Ankrum

On the run from her past, photographer Ali Thibeaux arrives undercover in Marietta to find her biological half-sister. Plan A: Meet Olivia, photograph her wedding, and disappear before endangering anyone. Plan B: All hell breaks loose.

Reclusive rancher Adam Wolfe’s only plan when he hires Ali to manage his dysfunctional household is to go on hiding from the world. But his scars don’t seem to matter to the beauty who unexpectedly turns his house into a home and heals the rift between him and the teenaged niece he’s taken in. Still, he suspects there’s more to Ali than meets the eye and he’s determined to uncover what she’s hiding from him before it’s too late.


My Review:

Having spent the last couple years on the run, photographer Ali Thibeaux ends up in Marietta where her half-sister (who doesn’t know about her) lives.  When Ali needs some cash, she ends up pawning her camera.  When Ali finds out rancher Adam Wolfe bought her camera, she seeks him out in hopes he will sell it back to her. 

When Ali shows up at Adam’s ranch looking for her camera, he mistakes her as an applicant for the job of housekeeper and companion for his niece.  They strike up a deal, Ali takes the job in return she gets her camera.  In the end Ali and Adam needed each other as much more than they knew. 

I enjoyed this book.  The story pulled me in from the start.  I could tell the characters and plot were well thought out.  The story rolled along at a good pace.  Even though this book is part of a series, it can also be read on its own. 

 

Review: Sweet Dreams Baby (Love at the Chocolate Shop Book 12) by CJ Carmichael

Three weeks ago, Portia Bishop mailed a letter to the father of her baby, Saddle Bronc rider Austin Bradshaw. It’s a letter she should have written a long time ago—like when she first found out she was pregnant, shortly after she ended things with Austin, dropped out of college, and went running to her family in Marietta, Montana.

Austin has loved Portia since he first laid his eyes on her in college. A year ago, he convinced her to do something impulsive and very romantic. Now, as he opens her letter, Austin has two reasons to return to Marietta–win back the heart of the woman he still loves and convince her he's a good bet for a forever man and father.


My Review:

It's hard to believe this is the last book in the Love at the Chocolate Shop series.  If you have read any of the books, you will recognize the name Portia Bishop throughout the series.  We finally learn Portia's story and what happened between her and the father of her son, Zavy. 

After a year, Portia finally decided to write a letter to Austin Bradshaw saying they needed to talk.  When they got together, Portia confessed her concerns about Austin being in the rodeo and how she didn't want to raise a child the way she was raised.  Her father was a rodeo cowboy and always on the road leaving her mother to raise their children on her own.  Once Austin found out he was a father, he wanted to be there for his son.  Besides, he already planned on leaving the rodeo and pursuing a job in Seattle.  As he spends time in Marietta getting to know his Zavy, he realizes what a special place Marietta really is and why Portia returned there.  Austin has mixed emotions about Portia and how she left him keeping her pregnancy a secret.  As Portia and Austin work together on a fundraiser, they rediscover the reasons they fell in love and just might have a second chance after all.

This was a wonderful story and the perfect ending for the series.  There is also a short epilogue at the end of this book that catches up on the rest of the characters in the series.  It's sad to see this series end, but I know we will be seeing more of the characters in future books.