Not the Marrying Kind: a high stakes game and a marriage of convenience

Not The Marrying Kind by Nicola Marsh is the first book in the Bashful Brides series. LA party planner Poppy Collins has a secret side business. She plans divorce parties as the Divorce Diva. When a new party prospect offers Poppy the chance to save her sister’s company, she can hardly refuse. Beck Blackwood is the Vegas golden boy who has a problem. His investors are worried about his reputation and image. In order to appear more respectable, he needs a wife and fast. With the knowledge of Poppy’s secret, Beck blackmails her into a marriage of convenience. Poppy realizes that she is about to get more than she bargained for; however, she has a few tricks up her sleeves. After all, they are in the city of high stakes. They are playing to win but will they end up playing for keeps? 

A marriage of convenience, a billionaire and a sassy woman with a secret, what could possibly go wrong? Or right? Although I am not a fan of the billionaire romance subgenre, I liked Beck and Poppy from the beginning. They both knew what they wanted and were willing to play the game to get it. However, they didn’t count on falling in love. I loved Poppy’s justification for divorce parties. It made sense to me and the Divorce Diva’s recommendations at the beginning of the chapters were fun. I enjoyed seeing Beck and Poppy soften toward each other. However, the story was over far too quick. Overall, I enjoyed Beck and Poppy’s story. It was not my favorite of the author’s romance books; however, it is still enjoyable. If you enjoy romance, I recommend Not the Marrying Kind. 

Not The Marrying Kind is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Barefoot in the Sand: a heartfelt story weaving past and present as secrets are revealed

Barefoot in the Sand by Holly Chamberlain is the first book in the Eliot’s Corner, Maine series. There are moments that define your life and can drastically change its course. Arden Bell has had those moments. Now she lives a quiet life as the owner of a bookstore in the small seaside town of Eliot’s Corner. She never thought the day would come when her life would take another turn until she opens her door to the daughter she gave up for adoption so many years ago. Laura Huntington is on the hunt to find her birth parents after the deaths of her adoptive parents and the end of her bitter marriage. Her appearance in Maine opens doors to the past and questions that everyone has been afraid to ask. Will the truth be revealed and the ghosts of the past finally put to rest? 

This book is my first by Holly Chamberlain and it probably won’t be my last. Barefoot in the Sand is a heartfelt story of past and present intertwining in a summer of new beginnings for a mother and daughter. Switching perspectives between Arden and Laura, readers learn about the summer that shaped their lives and a mystery that haunts them. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, this fast paced story hooks you in as a young woman fights against the strangling ties of her parents and the young man who sets her free. It is a story of a reunion between mother and daughter with a bit of a mystery and intrigue. My only complaint is the confrontation between Arden and a couple characters that fell flat for me. I look forward to reading more in this series. I recommend Barefoot in the Sand. 

 

Barefoot in the Sand is available in paperback and eBook

More Than This: a sweet and steamy romance and getting out of your comfort zone

More Than This by Shannyn Schroeder is the first book of the O'Leary's series. When she learns that her ex-husband is going to be a father, Quinn Adams is on a mission. With the help of her sister and their friend, Quinn is given a list of challenges to complete that summer, challenges designed to be life changing and get Quinn out of her comfort zone. Ryan O’Leary is the sexy bartender at their favorite hang out and he decides he is the perfect person to help Quinn with her list. As he helps her set up and complete the challenges, their friendship grows. Soon Ryan realizes that he wants more from Quinn. Can he convince her that he is the man for all her adventures? 

Wow! More Than This is a sweet and steamy romance, packed with humor and tough life lessons. Quinn is a high school teacher who plays it safe. Ryan is the sexy bartender who is willing to show her the fun in taking risks. I immediately loved Ryan and saw how perfect he was for Quinn. It takes her a bit of convincing but once she lets her guard down, the fireworks erupt! The challenges were fun and I loved seeing Quinn break from her shell and become more confident. I loved all the characters, especially the large and rambunctious O’Leary family. I loved this story and look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy sweet and steamy romance, I highly recommend More Than This. 

More than This is available in paperback and eBook

The Porcelain Maker: one daughter's search into the secrets of the past

The Porcelain Maker by Sarah Freethy is a story of love, betrayal and art inspired by the actual porcelain factory in Dachau. From the horrors of World War II to America, two lovers are caught at the crossroads of history and a daughter’s search for the truth. In 1929, Germany, Max, a skilled Jewish architect, and Bettina, an avant-garde German painter, met and the sparks were immediate. Their whirlwind romance takes them to the dazzling lights of Berlin but they are met with the darkness as Nazism becomes the rising threat to all they love and hold dear. When Max is arrested and sent to the Dachau concentration camp, Bettina is determined to rescue him and escape Germany. In 1993, Clara, Bettina’s daughter, is on a journey to discover the identity of her father, a second her mother took to her grave. As she traces her mother’s past, Clara is left with questions as to why her mother fought so hard to keep her past hidden. 

While I have a bit of World War II fatigue with the ever growing number of books which feature World War II, I was intrigued by a story I haven’t heard before. I was hooked in by the opening chapter as Clara is tracing down porcelain figures linked to her mother. I loved the electric and flirtatious meeting between Max and Bettina. However, the book fell fast. I was confused by the back and forth in time and places. Who’s who and how they all fit into the story of the concentration camp and the porcelain factory. Sadly, even the emotional moments that should have been more powerful and poignant fell flat. I didn’t care for Bettina or even Clara as she is on this journey. Max was a decent character. Overall, I appreciate the author’s desire to bring the story of Dachau to light, but The Porcelain Maker was uninteresting and too drawn out. However, if you enjoy World War II stories, you may enjoy The Porcelain Maker. 

The Porcelain Maker is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

The Singing Trees: lessons in forgiveness and second chances

The Singing Trees by Boo Walker is the story of one young artist who learns to forgive the past and embrace second chances. After losing her parents in a car accident, Annalisa Mancuso lives with her grandmother and their large Italian family in the small town of Payton Mills, Maine. Inspired by her mother, who left her artistic dreams behind for marriage, Annalisa focuses on painting. She is determined to never fall in love, to never marry and focus on her dreams. The first step is to leave her small town behind. She arrives in Portland, Maine and the thriving art scene where Annalisa hopes to discover her artistic voice. There she meets Thomas and ss their relationship deepens, Annalisa finds herself balancing her dreams with falling in love. Annalisa must decide if she is willing to take a risk, to truly open herself up to life and love. 

I heard an interview of Boo Walker on a podcast and found him to be interesting and immediately looked for his books. The Singing Trees was free with Amazon Prime Free, so I borrowed the book. It has a gorgeous cover and beautiful title that caught my eye and I looked forward to reading it. From the beginning, I found Annalisa to be harsh and unlikeable. I did not like her constant woe is me attitude. The story was drawn out and boring. Misunderstandings which would have been made clear by simply talking to each other! The dual timeline plot lines were confusing. There were revelations that didn’t make sense. Even the ending was a tangled mess. I closed the book confused. Overall, I did not like The Singing Trees which is disappointing as Mr Walker was likeable on the podcast and his books have been highly praised. 

The Singing Trees is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Saving Noah: a wounded warrior romance

Saving Noah by Kaci Rose is the first book in the Oakside Military Heroes series. When his unit was attacked, Noah Carr acted on instinct and saved as many men as he could. The attack left him scarred with burns over half of his body and unbearable pain. Noah couldn’t imagine anyone daring to look at him again. With painful treatments and physical therapies ahead of him, he never felt so alone. Lexi Bates arrives at the hospital to see her brother when she realizes Noah has no one. Not wanting him to be alone, as no soldier should have to suffer alone, Lexi never leaves his side. She finds herself opening up to him about her own painful past. As their feelings for each other grow, Noah and Lexi wonder what awaits them as he prepares for life outside the hospital. With their own emotional and physical scars, can a heart truly learn to love again? 

Saving Noah is a wonderful mixed story that hits all the emotional buttons. It is an emotionally hard hitting as Ms. Rose doesn’t shy away from the aftermath that leaves wounded warriors lost in limbo between the military and civilian life. The story also features what the families and loved ones are left with when their soldiers are wounded or even never make it home.  I loved how the author features some of the wonderful programs that exist for wounded warriors and the great need for more help across the country. It is a sweet romance with spicy scenes. Some of the love scenes were a bit too spicy for me and a tad bit disgusting. Looking past those moments, overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading more in this series. There were moments of smiles and moments of tears. If you enjoy emotional love stories with military heroes, I recommend Saving Noah. 

Saving Noah is available in paperback and eBook

Call the Canaries: three estranged sisters confront their past and reconnect

Call the Canaries Home by Laura Barrow is the story of three estranged sisters who reconnect and face an unresolved past. Savannah was only four years old when her twin sister, Georgia, went missing from their small Louisiana town. Twenty-eight years later, she convinces her older sisters, Rayanne and Sue Ellen, to honor their pact and retrieve a time capsule from their old backyard. Going home would mean confronting their painful past and their stubborn grandmother. As they sift through the artifacts from the capsule, they come across a photograph and see a familiar face in the background. Savannah believes this woman could hold the answer to what happened the day Georgia disappeared. Old tensions, rivalries and memories resurface, each sister must confront what they remember about that day, what they know about each other and themselves. Will they finally learn the lesson that Meemaw has been trying to teach them? That family is everything. 

Touted as “a heartfelt novel about family, grief, secrets, and forgiveness” I expected Call the Canaries Home to be a profoundly emotional story of sisters, the past and family. Unfortunately, it was not as profound as I expected. The story is told from the perspectives of the three sisters in the present and Meemaw in the past. The plot itself was not interesting with twists and turns that were left wanting. The sisterly drama dragged on and seemed without real resolution. I couldn’t identify or feel for any of the sisters. I feel the author really didn’t give any reason to care for these sisters who had lived through horrible situations. The setup was about the mysterious disappearance of their sister and then it became an afterthought and a disappointment when the mystery is solved. Overall, this story was drawn out with way too many points of view to follow. I do not recommend Call the Canaries Home. 

Call the Canaries is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook