Review: Chasing the Ring by Lauren Rowe

Iris Benedetto’s wedding day just went viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.
After a heated blowout with her lying, cheating fiancé at the altar, Iris storms off on a solo honeymoon—loudly announcing that she’s finally going to find out what good sex is all about. Rebranding from small-town preschool teacher to #Horny Runaway Bride was not the plan, but the insanely hot stranger who ends up double-booked in her bungalow on the island of Kauai is an opportunity even devastated Iris can’t ignore.

It’s not often NFL quarterback Roman Maguire meets someone who doesn’t recognize him. Even rarer to have that someone barge in while he’s taking a shower and quickly make him an irresistible offer. Roman is in Hawaii to secure the deal that could finally land him a Super Bowl ring—and closer proximity to his son. A sexy fling in paradise is a perfect way to spend a week with a surprise roommate . . .

Except . . . suddenly a week doesn’t seem nearly enough. And once the truth about Roman’s identity, Iris’s internet infamy, and all kinds of loyalty-testing secrets are revealed, will they both be willing to step into the real-life spotlight together? 

 

My Review: 

Fun, sassy and romantic. 

I enjoyed everything this book.  The story starts with Iris discovering, the night before her wedding, her fiancé is a cheater.  This led to the wedding being called off in the most dramatic way which was caught on video and shared on the internet.  The video, unfortunately goes viral the next day.  Instead of dragging her feet, Iris goes on the honeymoon alone and has her world totally turned upside down when she meets football player Roman, who just happens to be staying in the cabana that was supposed to be reserved for Iris and her husband.  This is just the beginning of a fun and emotional romantic story that I read in record time.  I was hooked from the start and I didn’t want the book to end.   

 

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.   

Review: Buried in the Sand (Elmo Simpson Mysteries Book 4) by J.C. Kenney

Paradise Springs is buzzing with its first-ever arts and music festival—but a shocking murder threatens to bury the fun.

Elmo Simpson, animal removal specialist, resort owner, and festival committee chair, expects a weekend of sandcastles and performances. Instead, there’s a body buried in the sand the morning of the beach sculpture contest. When his friend and business partner, Jordan Selassie, becomes the prime suspect, Elmo is forced into another high-stakes investigation.

The list of suspects reads like a who’s who of trouble: a hot-tempered wife, a secretive event promoter, and a local artist desperate for cash. Each hides secrets that could make or break the case. With the festival’s reputation, the pest control business, and his friend’s freedom on the line, Elmo must uncover the truth—before Paradise Springs turns on him.

 

My Review:

An unpredictable and entertaining cozy mystery. 

This book is the perfect complement to the Elmo Simpson Mysteries series.  It opens with the preparations of an upcoming festival when a dead woman is found buried in the sand where the sandcastle building competition is to be held.  There were lot of twists and turns in the story and just when I thought I knew who the killer was, I quickly found out I was wrong.  The author pulls you in with a great plot, setting and unusual and memorable characters.  I can’t get enough of these books.

 

 

Review: A Rancher to Remember (Cabins in the Pines Book 4) by Cassidy Carter

A wayward cow brings them together. A threat to everything they love might tear them apart.

Alexandra Brent-Collingsworth runs a tight ship at Cabins in the Pines. So when a runaway cow crashes her high-profile lakeside event, she’s furious–especially when the owner turns out to be the gruff rancher next door who can’t seem to control his livestock or his attitude. Alex has worked too hard to protect her found family and her stake in the resort bordering Cannon Ranch to let one stubborn cowboy derail it all.

To widower Maddox Cannon, the ranch is more than land. It’s a legacy. His family has lived there for generations, and he’ll do whatever it takes to defend it from the noise, traffic, and constant expansion of Cabins in the Pines. The last thing he needs is a city-bred businesswoman meddling in his way of life.

But when newly unearthed documents call both their properties’ ownership into question, Alex and Maddox must team up to protect what’s theirs. Control has always been their armor—but to find the truth, they’ll have to risk something even bigger: their hearts.

 

My Review: 

A great addition to the Cabins in the Pines series. 

Feuding neighbors, Cabins in the Pines and Cannon Ranch are possibly losing their land.  But when Alexandra and Maddox team up to fight to save their properties, they soon learn their first impression of each other was totally wrong.  This is the ultimate enemies to lovers story and such a fun book to read.