Review: A Sunset in Sydney (The Holiday Romance, Book 3) by Sandy Barker

How far would you go in the name of love?

Sarah Parsons has a choice ahead of her. After the trip of a lifetime she’s somehow returned home with TWO handsome men wanting to whisk her away into the sunset.

Pulled in two directions across the globe, it’s making life trickier than it sounds. Her gorgeous American Josh, wants to meet Sarah in Hawaii for a holiday to remember. Meanwhile silver fox James plans to wine and dine her in London.

It’s a lot to handle for this Aussie girl, who had totally sworn off men!


 

My Review:

Which man will she choose?

Sarah traveled to Greece after a bad breakup with her boyfriend.  She had no intentions of meeting a man, she just wanted to have fun and restart her life.  But Sarah fell for two men during the trip.  Josh, an American, who was younger and enjoyed having fun.   James was a rich older man who lived in London and traveled the world for his job.  Each man had so much to offer Sarah and she was having trouble deciding which one she wanted in her life.

This book was a real treat.  It swept me away to exotic locations, London, Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand while telling Sarah’s story.  As I was reading, I honestly couldn’t decide which man was right for Sarah.  They each brought so much to her life.  But as the story started to wind down and one man was chosen, I couldn’t have been any happier with Sarah’s choice. 

When I started reading this book, I didn’t realize it was part of a series.  The Greece trip is featured in a previous book.  This book can be read as a stand-alone, but I would like to go back and read about everything that happened during the Greek vacation.  

Thank you to Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Review: A Spark of Romance by Jamie K. Schmidt

Is she out of reach?

Fire Chief and former Army sergeant Kayleigh Baker is determined to save Mulberry's annual Fourth of July fireworks display. She doesn’t want to disappoint the kids and the fireworks are a bittersweet memory of her mom’s last summer. As the town prepares for the summer parade and picnic, Kayleigh works to convince her former high school crush — now the straight-laced police chief — to help her cause.

Does he stack up?

Police Chief Liam MacAvoy doesn’t like the chaos the fireworks cause for his department and can't hide his relief when they’re cancelled. But now he’s got the woman he’s been in love with for as long as he can remember asking for his help. How can he say no? What he’d really like is to show her that fireworks and town traditions are not the only things worth fighting for.

Can the boy next door and the town hero find the courage to finally seize their chance at love? 

My Review: 

Sparks fly and it’s not just the fireworks.

Kayleigh and Liam have been friends forever.  They have also been crushing on each other for the longest time too, but afraid to act on it.  And now they are at odds about the annual fireworks show.  Kayleigh wants to hold the fireworks show in honor of her mother, who used to run the show before she passed away.  But Liam, the police chief, doesn’t want the hassle of it, especially after a little boy got hurt the previous year and Kayleigh set Liam’s car on fire.  So, Kayleigh sets up her own plan to make it happen even if it might upset Liam.  Will they be able to come to a mutual agreement and can they set their differences aside in order to start the relationship they both desperately want?

This was a fun book to read.  The stubbornness between Kayleigh and Liam kept things interesting.  There were quite a few comical moments in the books along with some seriousness.  I enjoyed all of the characters including Kayleigh’s neighbor’s mischievous dog who seemed to steal a couple scenes. 

Review: Lone Star Homecoming (Texas Justice #5) by Justine Davis

He’s haunted by one mistake…

Kane Highwater has been on the run for over a dozen years, since he was sixteen. And every step of the way he’s carried the weight of what happened the day he left Last Stand. He’d reacted in fear and anger, and it had cost him everything.

He stirs her heart in a way she never imagined…

Lark Leclair admires the Highwater clan for many things, including how they’ve never stopped searching for their missing brother. As a former Child Protective Services worker, she understands better than most why he’d run. But when she spots Kane in a crowd at a national reining competition where her friend — his sister — is competing, it will take all of her experience, compassion and instincts to convince him to stay.

Their attraction is immediate, but Kane is certain he can never regain his place in his legendary family. Can Lark convince him that with her by his side, it’s not too late for a fresh start?

My Review:

A highly emotional read.

When Kane Highwater was sixteen, he found out the man who had been raising him really wasn’t his father.  They ended up arguing and then Kane ran.  He traveled the country and didn’t look back for thirteen years.  Now that Kane is back home, he still isn’t sure if he fits in with his siblings and it causes him to wonder if he should leave again.  But there was one person Kane didn’t want to hurt, Lark Leclair. 

Lark was friends with the entire Highwater family, but she only knew Kane from conversations with his siblings and a picture they used in their search for him.  It was Lark who spotted Kane in Oklahoma where Sage, Kane’s sister, was competing at the NRHA Derby.  During the drive from Oklahoma to Last Stand, Texas, Lark and Kane got to know each other pretty well and they soon formed a relationship.  But will it be enough when Kane’s urge to flee becomes real again?

The author did a great job outlining the characters in this book.  But it took a little while for me to catch on as there were so many characters.  At first, I found myself having trouble keeping them separate.  But once I moved further into the story, they started falling in place.  I could really feel the pain and struggle Kane had with his identity.  I really liked how Lark and Kane took their time to know each other before jumping off into a romantic relationship.  If you’re looking for an emotional romance with strong family ties, this is the book for you.