Review: A Cup of Autumn (Silver Falls #3) by Melissa McClone

He thought he had the perfect plan…

When elite university professor Keaton Andrews walks into a meeting with the dean, he expects to hear that his tenure application is on track. Instead, his beloved department is cut. Regrouping in Silver Falls with family seems like his best option. One morning, he takes a risk and orders a pumpkin spice latte from the beautiful barista at the local coffee shop. Too bad she doesn’t seem to find him nearly as intriguing as he finds her…

Raine Hanover is no longer swayed by a charming smile, especially by a nerdy—and distractingly handsome—academic. She’s taking a break from romance and focusing on running her increasingly busy coffee shop. But when Raine is involuntarily put in charge of organizing the town’s Halloween bash, Keaton jumps in to help, and it’s not long before sparks, and kisses, fly.

As the leaves begin to fall, Raine wonders if she should risk taking another chance on happily ever after, especially with a man who has dreams and goals so far away from Silver Falls and her.

 

My Review: 

Sweet, small town charm.  

This sweet, clean romance is an opposites attract story.  Raine owns a coffee shop in Silver Falls and is overworked and understaffed.  At the worst moment, she has another task dropped on her, now she has to find time to organize the Boo Fest, an annual Halloween festival.  She doesn’t know how she will manage running her shop and planning a festival and this causes even more stress for her.  That’s when Keaton, who recently lost his teaching job, and came to Silver Falls to spend time with his family, steps up and offers to help with the event planning.  As Raine and Keaton work together, they start to fall for each other.  The problem is, Keaton is only in town temporarily and Raine will not do a long distance relationship.  The last one only caused her heartbreak.

I enjoyed reading about Raine and Keaton and seeing how they finally get their happily ever after.  I enjoyed the small town feel of the book.  The other characters were also fun to catch up with as I read the previous books in the series. 

 

 
 

Review: Small Town, Big Magic: A Witchy Rom-Com (Witchlore Book 1) by Hazel Beck

There’s no such thing as witches…right?

Emerson Wilde has built the life of her dreams. Youngest Chamber of Commerce president in St. Cyprian history, successful indie bookstore owner, and lucky enough to have her best friends as found family? Done.

But when Emerson is attacked by creatures that shouldn’t be real, and kills them with what can only be called magic, Emerson finds that the past decade of her life has been…a lie. St. Cyprian isn't your average Midwestern river town—it’s a haven for witches. When Emerson failed a power test years ago, she was stripped of her magical memories. Turns out, Emerson’s friends are all witches.

And so is she.

That's not all, though: evil is lurking in the charming streets of St. Cyprian. Emerson will need to learn to control what’s inside of her, remember her magic, and deal with old, complicated feelings for her childhood friend--cranky-yet-gorgeous local farmer Jacob North—to defeat an enemy that hides in the rivers and shadows of everything she loves.

Even before she had magic, Emerson would have done anything for St. Cyprian, but now she’ll have to risk not just her livelihood…but her life.

 

My Review:

I loved this book.

Many years ago, Emerson Wilde had her magical memory erased.  She had no idea her friends were witches and the town where she lives is was full of them too.  And the biggest surprise of all is Emerson herself is a witch who comes from a long line of powerful witches.  When Emerson is attacked and she unknowingly performs a spell, her friends finally tell her the truth.   Emerson immediately finds herself involved in the world of witches when she is needed to help ward off the eminent danger that is coming to St. Cyprian.  There is also a romance in this story too.  Emerson realizes one of her good friends and her went meant to be together.  I enjoyed seeing how her and Jacob found their way to each other. 

I was really surprised by this book.  I loved it.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  The only drawback is it does end in a slight cliffhanger, but the main part of the story wraps up.  I can’t wait to get the next book in my hands to read it and see what happens next. 

 

Review: The Texas Cowboy's Proposal (Texas Heritage #1) by Debra Holt

They had a foolproof plan...until one little girl got involved.

Sammi Jo Burkitt's formidable grandmother's will is pushing Sammi Jo to the brink. Yes, the feisty cowgirl can keep the ranching empire known as Aces High, which has been the family birthright for two centuries, but she must marry her rival and stay married for three years as part of the deal. Say no, and Aces High goes on the auction block.

Beaudry Hawkes wants nothing to do with the high and mighty Burkitts. Until the day Sammi Jo shows up on his doorstep with a proposition no one in their right mind would refuse: wear her ring, then accept thousands of acres of rich ranch land and a tidy sum of three million dollars when they part ways. The windfall could change everything for his daughter's future.

But eight-year-old Lacy is becoming attached to the idea of one happy family. Nothing short of a true marriage between the two can make her dreams come true. Can Sammi Jo and Beaudry find their freedom and love too?

 

My Review:

A great start to a new series.

Sammi Jo Burkitt’s grandmother was a master at ruling lives.  So when she passed away and left a stipulation in her will stating Sammi Jo was to marry her neighbor/rival, Beaudry “Beau” Hawkes in order to save the family ranch, Sammi Jo shouldn’t have been surprised.  Her grandmother was literally telling people what to do, even from the grave.  Will Sammi Jo and Beau be able to put their differences aside for the sake of the ranch? 

I enjoyed this book quite a lot.  The background of a family feud that went on through generations was interesting.  I liked seeing how it finally ended when Sammi Jo and Beau unite.  Love was right in front of them all along and they were just too stubborn to see it. 

Review: A Line in the Sand (Turtle Beach #2) by Teri Wilson

 

A heroine who's vowed never to date again-for real, this time!
Her rambunctious Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppy
The handsome and brilliant marine biologist she can't ignore
And the nonstop antics of her friends determined to be matchmakers

Sparks fly when Molly Prince's puppy Ursula constantly disrupts the beachfront area where new-in-town marine biologist Max Miller is studying sea turtle mating habits. Max and Molly are instantly attracted to each other, but Molly dismisses Max out-of-hand. She's not dating anymore. Maybe not ever, since her last relationship ended in a spectacular disaster. As for Max, he refuses to take Molly seriously when her job is to play pretend as the aquarium's mermaid. But when Ursula won't stop digging in Max's beachfront yard and reveals her unique ability to sniff out sea turtle nests, she might bring these two opposites close enough to help save the turtles, and maybe even save the aquarium...

 

My Review:

I couldn’t get enough of this story. 

This sweet rom-com is about Molly, who, portrays a mermaid at Turtle Beach Aquarium and her new boss/neighbor, Max, who has taken control of the aquarium after his uncle retires.

This was such a fun book to read.  I loved the chemistry between Molly and Max, even when they hated each other.  I couldn’t help laughing about some of the situations they found themselves in.  Molly’s dog, Ursula, made a lot of the scenes in this book special.  I also found the retirees at the senior center a lot of fun.  They brought some good laughs too.  This book is the perfect escape and so good, I could easily picture it as a movie.