Make Me Wilder: a fun, sweet, sexy romance

Make Me Wilder by Serena Bell is the first book in the Wilder Adventures series. In the small town of Rush Creek, Oregon, Gabe Wilder and his brothers operate the Wilder Adventures. Offering everything from fishing, hiking, survival camping and more, they have done well. That is until new businesses came to town and the new tourists have no interest in getting dirty in the woods. Enter Lucy Spiro, a city girl  sticks out like a sore thumb. She has been hired to give Wilder Adventures a bit of a makeover and help the family business thrive once again. Gabe and Lucy have an instant connection and while they are on the opposite ends of the ideas for the business, they cannot fight their attraction. Lucy is there to do a job and go back to New York City. Can Gabe show her that life in a small town with him would be worth it? 

Serena Bell is a new author to me. Make Me Wilder is a fun, sweet, sexy romance. I could not put it down. The banter and head butting between Lucy and Gabe had me smiling and the grand romantic gesture at the end made me sigh. I loved Gabe as the strong, older brother who felt a duty to take care of the family and the family business. I loved Lucy as a woman out of her element and yet willing to prove she can be as rough and tumble as the small town. Their banter and spicy moments were wonderful. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and look forward to reading their own stories. Every character felt real as their strengths, flaws and fears were relatable. If you enjoy easy to read, page turner romances with great banter, I highly recommend Make Me Wilder. 

Make Me Wilder is available in paperback and eBook

Fatal Affair: murder mystery with a sexy, steamy romance

Fatal Affair by Marie Force is the first book in the Fatal series. Washington D.C. Metro Police Detective Sergeant Samantha “Sam” Holland needs to salvage her career as well as her confidence after a disastrous investigation that left her shaken. She needs a big case, a big win. Soon she will be assigned to the biggest case of her career.  Senator John O’Connor is found brutally murdered in his bed. Things get complicated when she discovers that O’Connor’s Chief of Staff and best friend is none other than Nick Cappuano, the man she had one memorable night together years ago and never heard from again. Nick always thought about Sam and their night together and wondered why she never returned his calls. They discover their chemistry is still hot but they need to stay focused. There’s a murderer to find. As the danger builds, can they deny their connection any longer? 

Fatal Affair is a suspenseful whodunit with the unexpected twists and turns as they get closer to the identity of the killer. From page one, the murder mystery grabs your attention and the steamy, sexy tension between Sam and Nick adds to the danger. From the political intrigue, suspects everywhere and the personal secrets that are threatened to be revealed, I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the relationship between Sam and Nick as well as her relationship with supporting characters. I loved that Sam had the bravado of a seasoned cop but also hides a fear of inadequacy and self-doubt. I enjoyed that I couldn’t figure out who the killer was and the reveal of his or her identity was a great suspenseful moment. I look forward to reading the rest of the Fatal series. If you enjoy a murder mystery with a sexy, steamy romance, I highly recommend Fatal Affair. 

Fatal Affair is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Maid for Love: a fun, sexy romance for a lazy afternoon

Maid for Love is the first book in the Gansett Island series by Marie Force. Single mom Maddie Chester has been the source of rumors and innuendos on the Gansett Island for years. She has been determined not to let them affect her. One day, on her way to work, she is knocked off her bike by Gansett’s “favorite son,” Mac McCarthy. The son of her bosses at McCarthy’s Resort Hotel. Mac is back in town to help his father sell the family resort and has no intentions to stay. But when he accidentally injures Maddie when she falls, he feels moved to help her as she heals. As he gets to know Maddie and her young son, he learns her history with the people and the island, he is moved to correct the misconceptions. He realizes that his heart has been lost to Maddie, but can Maddie allow herself to love despite her past hurts? 

Maid for Love is a cute, sweet romance. It was great for a lazy afternoon. The romance between Mac and Maddie was wonderfully sweet. As Mac tries to convince Maddie that he is sincere, she desperately attempts to keep him at arm’s length. She doesn’t think she deserves the love of the island’s Golden Boy and she definitely knows his mother wouldn’t approve. But little by little, she feels her resolve fade as Mac proves he’s not like his family and he certainly doesn’t believe the rumors. While Maid for Love is a predictable romance with a happy ending, there were some surprising twists and turns that kept my attention and rooting for Mac and Maddie. Overall, I enjoyed it. Maid for Love was a cute, sweet and sexy story. It is a great story to the series and I look forward to reading other love stories on Gansett Island. If you enjoy romances, I recommend Maid for Love. 

Maid for Love is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The One You Fight For: another great book in The Ones Who Got Away series

The One You Fight For by Roni Loren is the third book in The Ones Who Got Away series. In this story, we get Taryn Landry’s story as she is determined to find the reason behind school shootings and prevent them from ever happening again. Not only was she there that night at the Long Acre prom when two teenage boys came in and started shooting, Everyone knows she also lost her younger sister that night, but no one knows that it was her fault. Shaw Miller has spent the years since the shooting dealing with the fallout of his younger brother’s tragic actions. After losing everything, his chance at the Olympics, his family and almost his sanity, he changed his name, his look and started a new life where he lives by one rule: Never look back. Shaw and Taryn weren’t meant to meet. They weren’t meant to be attracted to each other, But as they give in to their undeniable attraction, they are both wondering, hoping that even when the world defines you by a tragedy, can you have a happy ending? 

The One You Fight For takes another facet of a tragedy and presents it in a real, heart wrenching way. It follows the same hard hitting, in your face reality of those who live with regrets, pain and the fight to move forward. Taryn and Shaw both have guilt, a part to play in the tragedy and feel undue responsibility for that part as they try to live life in the aftermath. It is a story of love, loss, lies, redemption and the search for a happily ever after. Mixed in with the sorrow and pain, there is laughter, teasing and other lighter moments. I enjoyed Taryn’s drive to find the answers and to develop a program to make sure it doesn’t happen again. I also enjoyed Shaw’s vulnerability as he takes on the bad family label and tries to disappear into the shadows. I loved that Ms. Loren takes on the task to show that the reasons behind such tragedies aren't so cut and dry. I loved this book and it is a great addition to the series. I highly recommend The One You Fight For. 

The One You Fight For is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.

The Ones Who Got Away series

Book 1 The Ones Who Got Away

Book 2 The One You Can’t Forget

Book 3 The One You Fight For