Christmas All Year 'Round

Published: September 24th, 2013

Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)

By: Susan Mallery

Harlequin HQN

ISBN-13:  9780373777822

Noelle Perkins just got a second chance at life, and she intends to make the most of every minute.  That's why she ditched a frustrating legal career to open her own store in Fool's Gold, California.  The Christmas Attic celebrates everything that's magical about her favorite season.  Business is booming, and as a bonus, gorgeous army doctor Gabriel Boylan has offered to help out during the holiday rush.

Gabriel's memories of Christmas past contain more sour grapes than sugar plums, thanks to a drill sergeant father who ran his home like a boot camp.  Spending the holidays with his family while he recuperates from injury sounds as appetizing as last year's eggnog.  Still, there are some enjoyable distractions in town, including sunny, sexy Noelle...and the red-hot mistletoe kisses they can't stop sharing.

Gabriel didn't think he was made for happily-ever-afters.  But when fate hands you a love as sweet and surprising as this, only a fool could refuse...

Review

       So, imma be completely honest: I just wanted a cute, slightly schmaltzy, Christmas romance.  I have never read any other books by Susan Mallery before, including the others in this series.  In other words, I started twelve and a half books into a series.  I am a dum-dum and I FULLY admit it.  But that doesn't mean I think I'm rating/reviewing this book unfairly.  It just means that I don't have the rose-colored glasses and series-fan filter that many other readers are going to have going in to it.  I can admit also, that had I read the other books in the series, I think I STILL would have been disappointed.  Her name is Noelle, she runs a store called "The Christmas Attic" and lives in a small town called Fool's Gold.  His name is Gabriel, he's an army doctor struggling with PTSD, and is just in town to visit his brother for the holidays.  Of course, the two of them meet-cute and it's instant attraction.  Unbeknownst to him, Mom and Dad are visiting too; so he does the only thing he can: offers to work at Noelle's store (she's short-handed) to get out of the house.  The attraction only grows but can the two of them work past their issues, and end up happily ever after?

       Their cheesy holiday names didn't bother me that much.  Neither did the dumb way they met each other.  It was her Mary-Sue perfectness, topped with the "loveable ditz" routine, that really got on my frickin nerves.  Her stupidity when driving on snow and ice really made me roll my eyes and scoff - then again, I'm from Michigan.  If I drove like she did, I'd be laughed out of the state.  They had no real reason to resist attraction.  The whole of their "obstacles" were forced at best and tritely unbelievable at worst.  He doesn't believe in love.  And that's pretty much the base of the whole thing.  Not to mention, his leave from the army is forced and he doesn't even want to really be there.  The whole thing of why she lost her job/quit and moved to Fool's Gold - to open a Christmas store of all things! - was so cliched, even for a romance during the holidays, that it kind of made me gag.  And his family problems were resolved way to easy.

       I think what REALLY made me mad though, was the ending.  They have known each other for six-freaking weeks!!!  I do not know anyone (at least anyone SANE) that would jump from misunderstandings, to sex, to not speaking, to marriage!  It must be luuurrrvve apparently.  The whole thing with the town "booming" and needing all those doctors, etc. just seemed so Mayberry that it had me rolling my eyes every time the Mayor or anyone else talked about how great the town was, or how they'd never expected to love it so much.  Uh-huh, okay...  Overall, not the series or writer for me.  It was just too cheesy and cutesy, and I hated the ending.  I'm sure fans of the author and people who liked the other books in the series might feel differently.  But I for sure won't be revisiting Fool's Gold.

VERDICT:  2/5  Stars

*I received this book from Harlequin HQN, on NetGalley.  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on September 24th, 2013.*

Bite Sized Reviews: Most Eligible Sheriff

Published:  March 4th, 2014

Most Eligible Sheriff (Sweetheart Nevada #3)

By: Cathy McDavid

Harlequin

ISBN-13:  9780373755110

A Reason To Stay

Las Vegas casino manager Ruby McPhee needs to lay low while the police deal with a stalker at work.  So she's trading in her high heels for cowboy boots and assuming her twin sister's identity at the Gold Nugget Ranch.  Ruby only plans on staying in Sweetheart, Nevada, until the threat back home has passed.  But then she discovers a detail her sister forgot to mention -- the handsome sheriff she's dating.

It only takes a single kiss for Cliff Dempsey to realize the woman in his arms is someone entirely different...and completely irresistible.  To protect Ruby's secret, Cliff mantains her ruse, but soon the lines between duty and desire begin to blur.  Ruby and Cliff know they have a once-in-a-lifetime connection, but will they have a chance to let their love grow?

Review

     Ruby McPhee is on the run, to take over her sister Scarlett's life while her stalker is in jail in Las Vegas.  She needs to get away until the trial is over, and Scarlett is trying to reconcile again with her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Dimitri.  So Ruby goes to fill in at work for her, so Scarlett won't lose her job at the ranch where she works.  Of course her sister left out a very important detail when she was giving Ruby the lowdown on her life - she's been dating Cliff, the local sheriff!  Imagine Ruby's surprise when he shows up at the ranch, starts talking about going out on a date, and kisses her!  Cliff immediately knows that she's not Scarlett and after some skepticism and anger, he decides to help Ruby pretend to be Scarlett until her stalker is put away.  But when the danger finally comes to town, can everyone escape unscathed?  And can Cliff and Ruby ignore their attraction to one another, or are they simply meant to be?

     I for the most part really enjoyed this small-town romance!  I didn't realize that it was #3 in an on-going series, but it definitely works as a stand-alone as well.  The history of Sweetheart, the town Cliff lives in, was very adorable and I loved how it played into his romance with Ruby.  Also, the differences between her and Scarlett, and the mishaps they caused were pretty funny at times.  The attraction between Cliff and Ruby definitely rings true throughout the book, and I liked that this one wasn't all about the sex between two people.  It was more about the falling in love part of love, than the lust factor in the equation.  I totally understood why Cliff was hesitant to get involved with Ruby, after having gotten involved with a witness to a crime in Reno and being burned by the relationship.  Plus, it ruined his standing with the police department he worked for.  Probably my least favorite things about this one were the selfish, flaky attitude of Scarlett, who is stringing along Cliff as a placeholder until she can be with Dimitri, and the attitudes of Cliff, his family and the other townspeople after the showdown with the stalker.  Yes, Scarlett made a bad decsion to go off on her own with Cliff's cousin's children, when a crazed freak was after her identical twin.  But it was Cliff's fault for leaving the kids with Scarlett, when he knows she's an undependable, opportunist who has not a brain in her head most of the time!  

     The way they blame Ruby for everything and how they treat her about it, is completely abominable.  The ending resolves very sweetly after Cliff and his Aunt (the mayor) take their heads out of their asses and Ruby swings a high profile wedding to jumpstart the town's economy.  Overall, a very cute and fast-paced romance, with a slight thriller element to it.  But that ending just left a little bit of a bad taste in my mouth.  If you're looking for a quick, romantic read and you might enjoy it.

VERDICT:  3.5/5  Stars

*I received a print ARC of this book from a representative (thanks Anna!) at Harlequin, as part of their Just Can't Get Enough campaign (March Theme: Weddings).  No favors or money were exchanged for this review.  This book was published on  March 4th, 2014.*

Too Much Cake Isn't Good For You

Published:  September 15th, 2013

Cake

By: Lauren Dane

Harlequin

ASIN:  B00D45018E

She won’t be satisfied with just one bite...

Art student-slash-bike messenger Wren Davis pursues what she wants. And what she wants now is Gregori Ivanov, rock star of the Seattle art scene. With his tattoos, piercings and sensual sneer, Gregori is the ultimate bad boy. Wren’s gotten to know the man beneath the body art, too—and it only makes her crave him more.

But Gregori loves women like he loves cake and champagne—intensely, but only for the moment. And after Wren experiences just how scorching sex with Gregori is, she’s determined to show him that just one taste won’t be enough...

Review

     Wren Davis has been working as a bike messenger just to make some extra cash while she's in art school.  While on her rounds she meets and becomes friends with famous artist Gregori Ivanov, who has a bit of  a reputation.  Wren decides she wants nothing else more than Gregori, but first she needs to get him to leave behind all the women who burned him in the past - namely his crazy ex-wife who always comes crawling back again.  Can Wren get Gregori to give a relationship with her a chance, or will all they ever shared just amount to tea times and fond memories?

     I honestly never saw the attraction of Gregori in this book.  He's got tattoos, piercings and a mohawk.  He's oh-so misunderstood.  Give me a break!  I did like Wren who seemed very self-assured, but after awhile her inhuman confidence got on my nerves.  It seemed a little like she never had any doubts about herself.  Gregori was the opposite and despite being a famous artist had zero confidence in his relationships.  I would have liked to see more interaction between Wren and her roommates/friends Kelsey & Lindsey.  I felt like their relationship was more interesting to me than the "romance" between Gregori and Wren.  To me the whole famous artist and student dynamic came off different from anything I've read before, but only because Wren wasn't the cliched bubbly ingenue.  I don't know, something about this novella just felt really forced to me and the third person narrative was used in a way that kept the characters at a distance from me as a reader.  I just didn't connect and though it was well-written for a novella, it still wasn't the best I've ever read.  Overall, I wouldn't even recommend it to anyone honestly because I wasn't a very big fan of the story and over $3 is a bit much for a novella that isn't even 100 pages.

VERDICT:  2.5/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book was published September 15th, 2013.*

Go Home Book, You're Drunk!

 

Expected Publication:  October 15th, 2013

Naked Sushi

By: Jina Bacarr

Cosmo Red Hot Reads from Harlequin

ISBN-13:  9781459254817

 

From Jina Bacarr comes a sexy and provocative new release from Cosmo Red-Hot Reads from Harlequin.

One day I'm getting canned from my job as a computer programmer for having wild copy-room sex with a guy I thought was the new game designer. The next, I'm crashing my ex-boss's business lunch in a creative attempt to get my job back and men are eating sushi off my naked body!
That's when I realize:

a) My ex-boss is a hiding corporate secrets

b) Hot copy-room guy is an undercover FBI agent

c) I would make a kick-ass spy!

Then Special Agent Hottie brings out his cuffs, and things get really interesting…

 

Review

 

     Pepper is a very geeky girl, working in a job that can bore her to tears on some days.  So when she comes across the hot guy in the copy room, late at night, making copies of her boss' classified documents she can't help herself.  They get caught having sex in the copy room and Pepper loses her job.  Determined to get it back, she goes undercover as a naked sushi model for her boss' business meeting.  And the hot guy from the copy room just happens to be one of the guys at the meeting!  Turns out he's an FBI agent undercover, who is trying to expose her now ex-boss for less than savory business practices.  She decides to help him, in the hopes of resuscitating her failed ambitions to work for a government agency that she thought were long since dead.  Can they keep their hands off each other long enough to catch the crook?  Will they find something more than just hot sex in the person they least expected to connect with?

     This is going to be a short review because I have very clear and concise opinions on this book.  I kind of think it was pretty horrible.  I like it when a book knows what it is and where it's going.  This one tried a little too hard, never deciding between erotica or a plot.  It tried to have both, but couldn't really manage it all that well.  Pepper starts out kind of likeable.  That goes out the window immediately after she and the random guy have sex.  She gets fired and really thinks she can get her job back and seems almost surprised she lost it in the first place.  Okay, whatever.  She also goes from freaky-smart, super geeky girl to giggly, sex-obsessed and empty-headed fluff ball.  And we're supposed to believe that she has a shot at being employed by the FBI.  Also, FBI-guy is a serious douchebag about his encounter with Pepper.  He has to be the least stealthy, least covert undercover FBI agent ever. 

     The whole Naked Sushi thing barely takes up any of the plot at all and really is just a minor event.  The sex was boring and almost straight-up, porn type sex with nothing that interesting or great about it.  Overall, this was a (thankfully) short, time-wasting read.  But I wouldn't recommend it to anyone and I definitely won't be reading it again.  A true disappointment.  It only gets as much credit in the ratings as it does, because I was able to finish it and it didn't drag unnecessarily.  It needs to go home, sober up and get some more depth to its characters.  Then we'll go on another date!

 



VERDICT:  1.5/5  Stars

 

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley.  No money or favors were exchanged for this review.  This book's expected publication is October 15th, 2013.*

She Was Already Ruined

Expected Publication:  February 19th, 2013

The Rake to Ruin Her (Ransleigh Rogues # 1)

By: Julia Justiss

Harlequin

ISBN-13: 9780373297290

Once a rake…

Known as "Magnificent Max," diplomat Max Ransleigh was famed for his lethal charm until a political betrayal left him exiled from government and his reputation in tatters. He seems a very unlikely savior for a well-bred young lady.

Except that Miss Caroline Denby doesn't want to be saved… she wants to be ruined! To Caroline, getting married is tantamount to a death sentence, and meeting the rakish Max at a house party seems the answer to her prayers…. Surely this rogue won't hesitate to put his bad reputation to good use?

Review

     Caroline Denby is mourning the loss of her beloved Father and trying to hold on to the control/ownership of the family's horse-stud business.  But her Stepmama had other ideas and won't rest until Caro is married off to the first gentleman that will have her.  Besides being reluctant to be subservient to a man who may not approve of the business, Caro doesn't want to have children because almost every woman in her family has died in childbirth.  So she propositions Max Ransleigh, a notrious rogue with a ruined political career, in hopes of him making her un-marriageable.  When he declines her offer, but scandal erupts in an entirely unexpected way, Max and Caro end up newlyweds.  But will they be able to make things work?  Can the rogue and the bluestocking fall in love for real?  This book was cute.  That sentence pretty much sums it up for me.  I didn't find any lasting feeling for it when I finished reading and the characters had too many moments of odd two-dimensional personality.  Caro was a bold, honest and beautiful woman who just wanted to keep her freedom.  Max was a little too modern thinking and politically correct to really fit into the time period of the book, but he was a good guy all in all.  The whole Napoleonic War background and Max's struggle to clear his name of diplomatic wrongdoing were just not my cup of tea.  And the amount of time that he and Caro spent in angsty agony over their respective personal issues, really got on my nerves.  To be honest I thought that this book didn't have very good romance in it.  I thought it would have been more interesting if it had picked a direction - it all felt very aimless.  Yeah right!  Like Caro would have gotten away from that situation still in polite society, with her reputation intact.  Overall, a fluffy read that I will probably forget all about by the time it's published.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is February 19th, 2013.*

Out of Fortune's Favor

Expected Publication: January 2nd, 2013

Back to the Good Fortune Diner

By: Vicki Essex

Harlequin

ISBN-13:  9780373718283

Everville, New York — it's the town where Tiffany Cheung grew up, and the last place she wants to be. But after losing her job in Manhattan, that's exactly where she finds herself. Worse, she's working at her family's Chinese diner and feeling like the outsider she once was. The only bright side is that Chris Jamieson, the boy she used to tutor, is still around. Her high school crush is hotter than ever, and he needs her help… again. Tutoring Chris's son is the perfect temporary job. Except, Chris finally seems interested in her — and is hinting about a less temporary arrangement. Talk about bad timing! Because Tiffany's not staying and nothing will stop her from getting back to her real life. But maybe what's real is about to change….

Review

     Tiffany Cheung is back in Everville, New York after avoiding it for almost her entire adult existence.  But after she was laid off from the publishing house where she was an assistant and evicted, she had no other place to go but home.  Back to her parents who constantly pit her and her brother Daniel against each other, and can't have a conversation without a horrible fight ensuing.  Daniel is still stuck working in the diner, with no obvious advancement or use for his business degree, and Tiffany is determined not to end up like him.  So while she's busy looking for another publishing job in the city, she takes a side job tutoring her former high school crush's teenage son in English.  Over the years Chris Jamieson had only gotten hotter and more interesting, so when he starts showing an interest in Tiffany sparks fly.  But with the prejudices of a small town and issues from the past, plus their diverging career paths can Tiffany and Chris make things work?  Or will they only be a summer fling?  This started out very promising.  I liked Tiffany, even if she was a bit of a bitch to practically everyone and bordering on completely socially defunct.  She was still relatable and had a wry sense of humor that I liked.  Chris had a pretty hard life since high school, and I felt like he had matured quite a lot.  Simon was a teenager, and mostly a brat but the family problems and how he fit into them had me rooting for him even when he was a douchebag to Tiffany and his Dad.  All the issues with Tiff's family were mostly mis-communication and culture clash between her, her brother and their parents/grandmother who had immigrated from China and been raised in a more traditional environment.  I liked the slow build of the relationship, it was definitely realistic in that aspect.  My least favorite part was the trite, played out ending.  I felt like Tiff gave up everything that she had ever wanted because she was suddenly in 'lurve' which trumps a career and outside life.   It went against the message of the rest of the book.  Daniel's ending was far better to me.  Overall, a cute romance but pretty much exactly what you'd expect from Harlequin.  The treatment of inter-racial relationships was pretty awesome though.

VERDICT:  3/5  Stars

*I received an Advanced Reading E-book Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book's expected publication date is January 2nd, 2013.*