Review: The Wedding Lullaby (One Night to Forever, #2) by Melissa McClone

One night of fun—one night of escape.

That’s all Laurel Worthington’s joke marriage to Brett Matthews was ever supposed to be. But somewhere between the tacky Reno ceremony and annulment day, the troubled socialite surrendered to the romance of a honeymoon night and her wealthy husband’s undeniable charm.

Now back in the real world, broke and alone, Laurel finds out her faux wedding has produced a very real result. She reaches out to Brett for help, but what can she expect from a virtual stranger—even if he is the father of her unborn child?

Determined to be the kind of father he never had, Brett has his mind set on marriage. But this time around, Laurel won’t settle for less than a love match. Does Brett have what it takes to win her heart and keep his new family together?


My Review: 

An inspirational friends to lovers story with a few twists and turns to keep things interesting.

What else could go wrong for Laurel Worthington?  Her father left town with a younger woman taking Laurel’s trust fund money with him.  Her mother took off to find another rich man to marry.  And, Laurel was left penniless with idea of how to survive without her parents help.  But the kicker was when Laurel found out she is pregnant, after a fake wedding with one of her friends, which ended with them spending the night together in a Las Vegas hotel room. 

Brett Matthews had no idea his friend Henry’s yearly birthday event would have repercussions until Laurel showed up at his office asking for a job and telling him she was pregnant.  Brett is a man of honor and wants to marry Laurel, but Laurel doesn’t want to marry someone like her mother and grandmother did, just to have a good life.  Laurel wants to provide for herself and her child on her own.  She just needs a little help getting started with her plan.  That’s where Brett comes in.  But, Brett has a plan of his own to win over Laurel.  He will do anything to keep their child from growing the way he was raised, without a father.  In the process of the plan, Brett and Laurel start to fall in love.  But their road to love isn’t paved in gold.  There are a lot of factors that almost tear them apart. 

This was a fun read.  It is a good clean romance with characters you can’t help but cheer on as the story progresses.  I enjoyed getting to know Laurel and Brett and what drove them to who they had become.  Their strengths, fears and concerns all added to the story.  I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a romantic story. 

 

Review: Rescued by Christmas by Erika Marks

All pop star Jackson Wilder wants this Christmas is a few weeks out of the spotlight in a rented cabin in the Colorado mountains. But when a blizzard leaves him stranded on a country road on his way out of town—and still wearing the Santa costume from a last-minute commercial shoot—he takes shelter in a nearby horse barn to wait out the storm.

Miranda O’Keefe will be lucky to get a wreath up on her door this year. Between raising her six year-old son, Ollie, running her vet practice, and getting her horse rescue project off the ground—Christmas will have to take a back seat. But when Ollie tells Miranda he’s found Santa Claus asleep in their horse barn—and has asked Santa to heal his beloved rescue horse Twisty—the self-reliant single mother finds herself asking for a stranger’s help to grant her son’s Christmas wish.

But when attraction turns to affection, will love come to the rescue this holiday for Miranda and Jackson too?

My Review:

A sweet story about an unlikely match who make a memorable Christmas for one special little boy.

Pop star, Jackson Wilder, just finished up shooting a Christmas commercial where he portrayed Santa right down to the red suit and spray on white hair and beard.  He slipped out the back door in his costume so his fans wouldn’t recognize him and hit the road to the cabin that he rented to spend Christmas alone working on some new songs.  Along the way Jackson loses control of his car in the snow and wrecks.  He manages to get himself to a barn to take shelter only to be found by Ollie who thinks he really is Santa and he is hurt. 

When Ollie comes running to his mom, Miranda O’Keefe, claiming Santa is hurt and needs help, Miranda goes to see what he’s talking about.  She helps Jackson and lets him stay there until the blizzard passes.  During this time, Ollie comes to believe Jackson really is Santa.  Jackson and Miranda play along with it to keep Ollie happy.  But as the days pass, it gets harder and harder to keep Jackson’s true identity a secret.  Will they be able to pull it off until Christmas?  And, will Jackson be able to fulfill Ollie’s one Christmas wish, to help their horse Twisty get better? 

I enjoyed this book.  It was almost too short for me.  I was really getting into the story when it started wrapping up.  I liked the relationship that Miranda and Jackson formed.  Ollie was a sweet little guy who I couldn’t help falling for.  I also enjoyed the background of the horse rescue and how much of her heart Miranda put into helping the horses.  The author did a wonderful job keeping the story flowing along and keeping it fun, light hearted and entertaining.  If you’re looking for a sweet Christmas story, don’t miss this one. 

Review: Caught in the Current (Cape Cod Shores Book 2) by Charlee James

Retired Marine Jason Hall is a force to be reckoned with. When his nephew Luke is kidnapped by his fresh-out-of-jail father, he knows there’s one woman he can count on to help in the search. The last time he saw private investigator Alexandra Macintyre, they were steaming up the windows of her black SUV. Forgetting the scorch of her lips against his hasn’t been easy, but Jay knows the crippling pain of betrayal far too well.

Alexandra Macintyre is no stranger to tragedy. Haunted by her past, she seeks redemption by helping families find their loved ones, hoping their outcome is different from her family’s misfortune. Alex and Jay make a formidable team as they band together to rescue Luke, but the road trip south tests their emotional stamina. Alex is used to being alone, but Jay gives her a taste of the love and belonging she’s never dared to hope for.

Will Alex be able to make peace with her tragic past for a future with Jay?

 
My Review: 
 

I couldn’t put this book down.

Retired Marine, Jason Hall, just found out his nephew, Luke, has been kidnapped by his unstable father who was recently released from prison.  Jay needs to find Luke as quickly as possible before he ends up in danger.  Alexandra “Alex” Macintyre, Jay’s friend who is a private investigator, immediately jumps into action to help find Luke.   

Because of a tragedy that happened to Alex when she was younger, she has dedicated her life to helping reunite people with missing loved ones.  When Luke goes missing, Alex doesn’t hesitate for a minute to help. Finding Luke is the number one priority.  But, during the road trip along the eastern US coast, Jay and Alex give into the attraction that has been building between them for a while.

This book moved along at a fast pace and kept my attention throughout the entire thing.  The author did a great job with the characters and their backgrounds.  I also enjoyed learning about Alex and what happened to her when she was a kid.  Although this story wraps up at the end of the book, there is a sneak peek into the next book, a connected story that I can’t wait to read.

 

Review: The Rodeo Cowboy's Baby (The 79th Copper Mountain Rodeo Book 5) by Heidi Rice

What happens at the rodeo… Doesn’t always stay at the rodeo!

A year after her marriage has crashed and burned–along with her dreams of becoming a mother–Irish newspaper columnist, Evie Donnelly, is not impressed with her editor’s suggestion she head down to Marietta to find some ‘new meat’ for her dating column. With her confidence as a woman at an all-time low, surely the last thing she needs is to risk hooking up with a rodeo cowboy?

Despite a troubled past as a foster kid, call roping champion Flynn is a man who adores women. Maybe he doesn’t do commitment, but he does do good times and he is only too happy to help when he discovers a smart, funny and beautiful but undeniably fragile woman behind Evie’s tough exterior who is in desperate need of his own personal brand of sexual healing.

But when the rodeo is over, Evie and Flynn can’t forget those three stolen nights together in Marietta–especially when their wild, wonderful ride turns out to have even more unforgettable consequences.

My Review:    

Its rodeo weekend in Marietta and Evie Donnelly has arrived from New York City to write a feature on hot rodeo cowboys her newspaper column.  Her boss wants a juicy story since Evie lost a lot of readers after her marriage ended.  Evie had no idea she would be living a real life fantasy when her friend Charlie introduced her to Flynn O’Connell, a calf roper, who is known as the kind of guy who always ends up in bed with a woman on the first date.  Sure enough, that’s what happened.  But, Evie and Flynn's fling ends with consequences neither could have predicted.

I enjoyed his story quite a bit. Both characters had emotional backgrounds that really added to the story. I liked the setting and secondary characters.  The book was fast paced and fun to read.

Review: The Cowboy's Last Rodeo (The 79th Copper Mountain Rodeo Book 4) by Jeannie Watt

Shane Marvell's career as a rodeo rider is ending far too soon. He doesn’t have a plan B, so during his last season, he’s all in, determined to win as much prize money as possible--even if it means riding injured and taking more risks than he should.

Ella Etxeberri has always played it safe, so when her life still takes a bad turn despite her caution, she wonders if if isn’t time to see what she’s been missing. While researching risk behaviors in rodeo riders, she meets Shane Marvell, a cowboy who merits additional study of the personal variety.

Just as Ella is hitting the point to embrace risk, Shane is pulling back. He knows Ella’s all-in approach is born of curiosity and whim. He’s not what she wants forever, and perhaps Ella is one risk he can't allow himself to take.



My Review: 
 

Ella Etxeberri has always been considered the safe one of her family, where her siblings have always been risk takers.  When she is passed up for a research promotion because she doesn’t take risks, she decides to travel the rodeo circuit talking to bull riders about the risks they take for their profession. 

Ella finds herself talking to Shane Marvell, even though he’s a bronc rider, not a bull rider.  This is Shane’s last season on the rodeo circuit and he wants to go out on top to prove his success despite what his ex-girlfriend said about him.  He still hasn’t gotten past the words she said to him.  Ella felt she wasn’t really living until she met Shane.  Ella and Shane soon find themselves taking a chance on love. 

I enjoyed the rodeo excitement in this story along with the romance between the characters.  The book was written in a way that made me feel like I was right there. 

 

Book Review & Giveaway: Go On, Girl by Hilary Grossman

Executive, wife, and mother of an outgoing first-grader, Sydney Clayton crushes her day-to-day obligations at work but flounders in the cutthroat world of parental politics.

She manages to avoid the local drama until she’s faced with an ultimatum: join the Forest River PTA or risk her daughter becoming a social outcast. Sydney reluctantly becomes treasurer, and takes the recently vacated position of the president’s sidekick. If protecting the children’s freedom of speech, one best friend ban at a time, isn’t complicated enough, Sydney and her husband receive an unexpected offer for their house they don’t think they can refuse.

Embroiled in the deception and manipulation rife among the elementary school moms, Sydney struggles. Should she sell the home she worked so hard to build in a town where betrayal runs rampant? Or should she stay put to avoid the fallout from uprooting her child? As Sydney focuses on what is best for her daughter, and lets go of her judgments, she finds friendship can develop in very unexpected ways.

Warm, witty, and wise, Go On, Girl dramatizes the dilemmas of life in the suburbs and the bonds shared by women. Perfect for fans of Class Mom and I Don’t Know How She Does It.


My Review:

I honestly didn’t know how or if I would relate to this book since I am not a mother and have no knowledge of school PTAs. But, as a huge fan of Hilary Grossman’s books, I knew I had to give it a chance. I was pleasantly surprised and hooked from the very start. I couldn’t imagine doing the things Sydney did in order to fit in and make sure her little girl, Amanda, enjoyed school and made lots of friends.

As women, we tend to put ourselves in situations we may not be comfortable in and often we find out it was just what was needed. Sydney found herself being coerced into the treasurer position on the PTA and it was a lot more work than she expected. But, the friendships she made were well worth it and Amanda was also happy.

When Sydney and her husband receive an offer to buy their house, they couldn’t turn it down. Add the drama of gossipy, bickering and backstabbing women, to house hunting, the hassle of disasters, repairs and renovations to Sydney’s already full schedule; it’s almost enough to break her. But Sydney stays strong and follows her dreams.

From this book, I took away the value of friendships and the importance of having strong, inspirational women in your life. I thoroughly enjoyed Sydney’s journey and was sad when the book ended. I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the new friends I found in the story. I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun filled read. And, you don’t even have to be a mother to enjoy it.
  

Enter the giveaway here
Rafflecopter Giveaway 


Purchase Go On, Girl on Amazon for a special price of only .99 for the first 10 days.  After that the price will be 3.99.
Purchase Go On, Girl

Another fantastic book that I really enjoyed by Hilary Grossman is Plan Bea and it FREE right now.
Purchase Plan Bea 


About Hilary Grossman:

By day, Hilary Grossman works in the booze biz. By night she hangs out with her "characters." She has an unhealthy addiction to denim and high heel shoes. She's been known to walk into walls and fall up stairs. She only eats spicy foods and is obsessed with her cat, Lucy. She loves to find humor in everyday life. She likens life to a game of dodge ball - she tries to keep many balls in the air before they smack her in the face. She lives on Long Island.

To find out more of what Hilary is up to check out her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/HilaryGrossmanAuthor or find her on Twitter https://twitter.com/feelingbeachie