A Proper Scandal: a clean Victorian historical romance

A Proper Scandal is the first book in the Proper Scandal series by Esther Hatch. After her parents’ death, she was taken in by the vicar and his wife. Despite making herself useful, Grace Sinclair has been cast out of her home. As the vicar’s daughters are about to enter Society, Grace’s beauty is seen as competition. She is sent to her aunt’s home in London with hopes of a better situation. However, she learns it has only gotten worse. Grace learns that her aunt’s new husband is a despicable scoundrel who is after her sizable dowry. In order to protect her from danger and her husband’s schemes, her aunt orders Grace to find a husband. She has two weeks to marry or she will be turned out. With no clue how to attract a husband, Grace realizes that finding a worthy suitor isn’t so easy. 

A Proper Scandal is a clean Victorian historical romance. The story started off great as Grace lives simply and longs to stay in her hometown near her parents’ graves. Grace is unwilling to marry the cousin who inherited the family estate and she certainly doesn’t want anyone to know about her dowry. She is forced to find a husband. A typical historical romance; however, I did not care for Grace at all. Overall, I did not care for this story. I found it dull. The historical anomalies bothered me. In Victorian society, a woman with a dowry would be very well known. The exact amount probably not but that she had one would be. The dialogue used modern vernacular and didn’t feel like I was reading a story set in Victorian England. I will not be continuing the series. If you enjoy clean historical romances, you may enjoy A Proper Scandal. 

A Proper Scandal is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Bridesmaid: a second chance military romance

The Bridesmaid is the third book in the Brides of Beaufort series by Jess Mastorakos. Layla Robinson is always the bridesmaid and never the bride. Not that she is really looking for a partner after her heart was shattered three years ago. Zac Miller left three years ago with no goodbye, no explanation. Now he arrives back in town with a young son in tow. He is determined to make things right with Layla, to explain what happened three years ago. That is if she’ll listen. Avoiding Zac is difficult in a small town. Layla is reluctant to hear him out. After the urging of her friends and sister, she decides to talk with him, if anything, to find closure so she can move forward. What she finds is the old feelings are them, for them both. Can they start over? Or can she finally get the goodbye she wanted? 

I have enjoyed this series so much. This story was a tad different as it is a second chance romance with a painful past. At times, I thought Layla was a tad unreasonable as she scoffed at Zac’s attempt to explain; despite her questions. However, since I have never been hurt in the way she was, I didn’t judge her too much. I continued reading, hoping that she would seek the answers she asked herself for three years. I cheered when she started to soften toward Zac and listened to his explanation. Zac was wrong to ghost her so many years ago and he knows it. His explanation made sense, even if it doesn’t elevate the hurt. I really enjoyed his plan to win Layla’s heart. I smiled quite a bit. Overall, I enjoyed this story so much. If you enjoy second chance military romance, I highly recommend The Bridesmaid. 

The Bridesmaid is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Accidentally Yours: an enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy romance

Accidentally Yours is the first book in the Little Sky series by Alexa Rivers. While pursuing a promotion, Aria Simons’s journalism career has gone up in flames. Now disgraced, she retreats to her lakeside hometown with the determination to redeem herself. She wants the scoop on millionaire CEO Eli Lockwood and the new property development he is working on. However, Eli hates the press and he is equally determined to stop her. Eli then realizes that Aria could help him with his troubled sister and they strike a deal. What they do not account for is their attraction and one night of passion leads to lasting consequences with one positive pregnancy test. Eli never put much thought in wanting to have children and Aria is still trying to figure out her life. Can they pull together for their ready made family? Or will they fall apart? 

The surprise pregnancy trope is usually one I avoid; however, I do enjoy a good enemies to lovers romance, so I decided to take a chance. I also enjoyed that it was set in a small town in New Zealand, which is new and different. However, from the very beginning, I did not care for Aria and Eli as characters or as a couple. The insta-lust was cringey. I didn’t see the attraction between them as all. I definitely didn’t like that Eli was so possessive after one kiss. The conflict of will they be together or not dragged on way too much and I wanted to scream at them to talk to each other and make a decision! The waffling back and forth is annoying. Overall, I did not care for this story and I will not be continuing the series. I do not recommend Accidentally Yours. 

Accidentally Yours is available in paperback and eBook

The Planner: a friends to lovers military romance

The Planner is the second book in the Brides of Beaufort series by Jess Mastorakos. Will Paxton is Paul Bristol’s best friend and his family has been Will’s family since childhood. His sister, Aria, is off limits. Not just because she is Paul’s little sister; but because she deserves better than someone like him. However, that didn’t stop him from falling in love with her. Will pushed his feelings aside and had become a master at hiding them from everyone. She’s fierce, feisty and isn’t afraid to speak her mind. It is getting harder and harder to hide. Now that he is stationed back home and they are spending more and more time together, it is getting harder and harder to hide his feelings. One desperate kiss brings those buried feelings up and he doesn't even want to hide anymore.  What does Aria feel? If he pursues a relationship, will he lose their friendship and the only family he has? 

The Brides of Beaufort series is so good and The Planner is a story of found family, love and finding purpose and worthiness in love. I loved Will’s character. Will comes from a broken family and has found love and acceptance with the Bristols, his childhood neighbors. He and Paul joined the Marines together and he has become a worthy leader of those in lower rank. He looks out for those who need help. I understand his concerns about expressing his feelings and losing the only family he has. I also loved Aria’s character especially after Will expresses his feelings and she expresses hers. She is the voice of reason and encouragement for Will. They worked so well together that they were surprised that the people around them were thinking they belonged together. Overall, I enjoyed this story so much and I am looking forward to continuing the series. If you enjoy friends to lovers, military romance, I highly recommend The Planner. 

The Planner is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The SEAL: a spicy former military suspense romance

The SEAL is the first book in the Black Hawke Security series by Juliette N. Banks. Josh Hawke is a decorated SEAL and co-founder of Black Hawke Security, an elite team of former special ops who offer protection. When Blaze Cartwright, a famous rockstar, hires him to protect his daughter, Josh thinks it’s just another job. What he doesn’t count on is Cassy Cartwright and the instant attraction between them. The last thing he wants is to mix business with pleasure. Cassy isn’t happy that the quiet life she has fought for is being interrupted with private security; but when a stalker escapes from prison and makes it known that he is on his way to her, she can’t deny it anymore. Vowing to never love again, Josh focuses on protecting his clients. What will he do when Cassy begins to breach his walls? 

I love stories about the military and former military. The Black Hawke Security series is a steamy private security romance with lots of spice and suspense. I was enjoying The SEAL as Josh is a tough, intimidating former SEAL and Cassy is a sassy woman who won’t be a shrinking flower. The problem was the spicy scenes. I can enjoy and even tolerate certain levels of spiciness. However, the level of spiciness in this story was too much for me. I think it got too spicy too quickly. There was no build up, no learning curve. It went full throttle right off the bat. Overall, I enjoyed the story but felt the spiciness was too much for me. I am unsure if I will continue with the series. However, if you enjoy steamy romance with lots and lots of spice and suspense, I recommend The SEAL. 

The SEAL is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Operation: Restoration: second chances, suspense and faith

Operation: Restoration is the first book in the Wayside Ranch series by Kari Trumbo. Junior works at a special ranch that helps rehabilitate victims of human trafficking. When his boss is challenged to fix his one regret, he challenges everyone to do the same. Junior’s one regret: Gabby. Desperate to see her again; but how can he explain that he is not the same man? Gabby Loftens has become a counselor when Junior calls out of the blue and asks for her help with a new patient. Gabby is skeptical, why now? However, she wants to help and maybe it gives her the opportunity to learn why Junior walked out of her life. Maybe she can move on with her life once she learns this information. But when a trafficker threatens her patient, the ranch and everyone there, Junior and Gabby must find a way to protect them all. 

When I read the synopsis of this story, I was intrigued and looked forward to a story of redemption, hope and maybe a second chance romance. However, from the beginning, I felt the story dragged on and it was very hard to get into it. I didn’t care for Gabby as she was annoying and made odd decisions. I felt more for Junior who obviously was dealing with deep emotional wounds. Although the sensitive issues like human trafficking and PTSD were dealt with care, I felt Junior’s story was discussed far too quickly without any depth. Overall, I did not connect with this story. The story didn’t feel like the first book in a series. I felt as if I started in the middle. I will not be continuing the series. However, if you enjoy a clean, faith based drama, you may enjoy Operation: Restoration. 

Operation: Restoration is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Into The Tide: a brother's best friend, friends to lovers romance

Into the Tide is the first book in the Cottonwood Cove series by Laura Pavlov. Lila James is Hugh Reynolds’ best friend’s little sister and completely off-limits. She comes home for the summer after graduating from college and her brother, Travis, asks him to hire her at his restaurant. Of course, Hugh says yes. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for Lila or Travis. However, it becomes complicated when he realizes that Lila has grown into a beautiful woman and she asks for a favor of her own. She wants him to help her fulfill a summer bucket list including losing her V-card. She’s only here for the summer and promises she won’t fall for him. They can remain friends at the end of the summer and it can be their secret. With so much at stake, how can he agree? But then every man has his breaking point. How can he refuse her? 

From the very beginning, Into the Tide is filled with drama, flirty banter, laughs and smiles with plenty of spiciness. I enjoyed Hugh as the protective man who struggles to see Lila as his best friend’s little sister. While Lila is nonchalant about her request, Hugh knows better and yet is very tempted. I enjoyed Lila as a woman who is trying to break free from her family’s past and wants to show the town and the world that she is a woman who can stand on her own two feet. She has a fight in her and I cheered as she fought to be her own person. I also enjoyed their supporting characters and I hope to see their own love stories in the series. Overall, I enjoyed this story and I look forward to the rest of the series. If you enjoy brother’s best friend, friends to lovers romance, I recommend Into the Tide. 

Into the Tide is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook