Short & Tweetish Review: A Gentleman Never Surrenders by Lauren Smith

I've had so much going on in real life and training for a half marathon is taking up so much of my time I think I'll be posting shorter reviews for a a while. Short & Tweetish Reviews (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!) style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth.

A Gentleman Never Surrenders (Sins & Scandals #2) by Lauren Smith
Publisher:  Forever Yours
Publication date: September 12th 2017
My rating: 4 Stars
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

 

Love is worth a little scandal.

Owen Hadley needs a wife. Preferably a wealthy one. Alas, there aren't a great number of heiresses willing to marry a rogue of no particular fortune---luckily, if there is ever a gentleman capable of melting a lady's chilly heart, it's Owen.

Milly has had enough of the marriage mart. If matrimony means giving up her freedom for a foppish husband, then society can take their idea of marital bliss and toss it. But when the ton's most notorious rogue mistakenly makes his way into her bedchambers, Milly finds herself unexpectedly and unwillingly at the altar . . .

Yet the more time she spends with her new husband, the more Milly starts to wonder if the marriage she never wanted may be the best thing that's ever happened to her. Now it's up to Owen to convince Milly that what started as a mistake is anything but---and that every night with him will be more wonderfully scandalous than the last. 

My Thoughts:

Couldn't help but think Owen was some sort of a fortune seeking dirt-bag at first, but as I got to know his reasons, I couldn't help but soften towards this man. Owen wanted a marriage of love no matter the crappy start, so I admired his efforts.  Loved Milly soooo much! She was a sweetheart despite her initial goals and dreams being dashed (in her mind, only at first) by Owen's ruining. The physical part was no problem for these two and very hot, but the emotional bonds took a while to build, and I loved every step! 

There was a surprising amount of emotional depth for such a short amount of pages. Loved this story so much, and I'll be checking out more by Lauren Smith for sure.  Thanks to Alyssa at Eater of Books for the recommendation!

 

Connect with Lauren Smith:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Short & Tweetish Reviews #8 Paradise, Idaho series by Rosalind James

I'm back to doing Short & Tweetish Reviews (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!).  This style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth. 

Carry Me Home (Paradise, Idaho #1) by Rosalind James
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Publication date: June 16th 2015
My rating:  4 stars  
Links: Amazon | B&N | TBD | GRs
 

My Thoughts:

Zoe is focused on the goals drilled into her by her father, a completely selfish man, IMO, and doesn’t know how love and family can fit in. That’s okay she has Cal to help her with that. He’s funny, confident and successful, even though Zoe misjudges him at first they soon click. Good thing because Cal is exactly who you want in your corner when you have a stalker after you. There was a lot of sexy, fun banter, but this story was a turns scary, and the end had me on the edge of my seat! The mystery of who is behind it all is good and kept me guessing!

Hold Me Close (Paradise, Idaho #2) by Rosalind James
Pubulisher: Montlake Romance
Publication date: December 8th 2015
My rating:  4.5 stars  
Links: Amazon | B&N | TBD | GRs

My Thoughts:

Love the small town and the way they helped each other out; the Jackson family and the unquestioning support they gave to Kayla. Loved that Luke allowed Kayla be her own person with dignity and respect, allowed her to rescue herself and Eli, but also gave help and support. Even though intimacy between Luke and Kayla was taken slow, and with caution, it was very hot! I was thrilled to visit with Cal and Zoe (from the previous installment) again and be in on special events/news.

This was very much romantic suspense and had me on edge over Kayla’s safety! Alan made my skin crawl and frightened the heck out of me, because I know so many Alans are out there in real life! Rosalind James' had me hooked! This was my favorite of the series!

Hold Me Close (Paradise, Idaho #2) by Rosalind James
Pubulisher: Montlake Romance
Publication date: May 17th 2016
My rating:  3.5 stars  
Links: Amazon | B&N | TBD | GRs

My Thoughts:

Rochelle Marks has been a staple in this series, the sexy fun loving friend with curves. She has a big heart and a fierce drive to make the best of herself.  Seeing her friends find happiness has underscored Rochelle’s desire to have her own happy ending. She’s no longer willing to waste time on someone who just wants to have fun.  Rochelle has had her share of letdowns in her love life, but Travis seemed different, someone with possibility, until she didn’t hear from him. Now he’s back in her life, in a temporary position at the University she works at, wanting another chance. 

Travis needed to sort through some things in his life before he could get serious with anyone, so his one night with Rochelle, even as unforgettable as it was, had to be put on the backburner.  Meeting up with her again Travis can’t ignore the powerful pull Rochelle has on him. They have smoking hot chemistry, and Rochelle is amazing. Now Travis just needs to convince her he’s serious.   

This was probably the least suspenseful of the three books. Rochelle’s sister’s problems translate into big trouble, and I kind of wanted to smack her a few times. She’s lucky Rochelle and Travis had her back!

I love Rosalind James’ brand of storytelling, especially with romantic suspense.  One minute it’s all fun, or steamy hot, and the next you’re on the edge of your seat hoping for the best! Thrilling and addictive! A total recommend!

Short & Tweetish Review #7 Deep Dark by Laura Griffin

I'm back to doing a Short & Tweetish Review (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!).  This style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth. 

Deep Dark (Tracers #10) by Laura Griffin
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication date: May 24th 2016
My rating:  4 stars Amazon | B&N | TBD | GRs

My Thoughts:

Loved the age difference and the opposites attract romance here!  Laney was only twenty-four and Reed thirty-eight, but they had instant chemistry and attraction.  Laney was a young, edgy computer genius, with pink highlights, not Reed’s usual type. Reed is a conventional clean-cut cop and definitely not Laney’s usual type, either, but, boy, Reed was very male in the best way possible, and they just clicked together!

As for the mystery, I was keep guessing and on the edge of my seat with lots of revelations, danger and twists! I loved all the crime procedural bits, and piecing together all the clues, technical and otherwise. The technical aspects, computer/software details seemed very well researched and cutting-edge.  Laura Griffin is writes top-notch mystery/romantic suspense and I plan on adding all her backlist to my TBR.

 

Short & Tweetish #6 & Giveaway: Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre

I'm back again with a Short & Tweetish Review (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!).  This style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth. 

Mortal Danger (Immortal Game #1) by Ann Aguirre
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication date: August 5th 2014
My rating:  4 stars 
Amazon | B&N | TBD | GRs

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Edie Kramer has a score to settle with the beautiful people at Blackbriar Academy. Their cruelty drove her to the brink of despair, and four months ago, she couldn't imagine being strong enough to face her senior year. But thanks to a Faustian compact with the enigmatic Kian, she has the power to make the bullies pay. She's not supposed to think about Kian once the deal is done, but devastating pain burns behind his unearthly beauty, and he's impossible to forget.

In one short summer, her entire life changes, and she sweeps through Blackbriar, prepped to take the beautiful people down from the inside. A whisper here, a look there, and suddenly... bad things are happening. It's a heady rush, seeing her tormentors get what they deserve, but things that seem too good to be true usually are, and soon, the pranks and payback turns from delicious to deadly. Edie is alone in a world teeming with secrets and fiends lurking in the shadows. In this murky morass of devil's bargains, she isn't sure who—or what--she can trust. Not even her own mind...

My Thoughts:

Engrossing and disturbing, Mortal Danger combines revenge, horror, and the trials of high school. Edie was a sympathetic character, a victim of cruel school bullying. This pushes her to take a deal that ends up being too good to be true.  The consequences are ugly and terrifying and Edie is caught up in a deadly supernatural game.  While Edie’s back and forth with Kian was understandable, it was a little frustrating at times. Still, I was rooting for their romance because they had so much in common, pain and circumstance. Revenge stories can be tricky and very negative, so I was happy that Edie’s human compassion made her horrified by the actuality in spite of her past treatment.  

 

 I'm giving away my ARC copy of Mortal Danger by Ann Aguirre to one Readers Den follower.  The giveaway is restricted to US or Canadian residents only.  Fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.

Short & Tweetish #5: Until the Beginning & Third Grave Dead Ahead

I'm back again with a couple of Short & Tweetish Reviews (There's no way I can keep it to 140 characters!).  This style of reviewing was introduced to me by Mary@The Book Swarm  and Karen's @For What It's Worth. 

Until the Beginning (After the End #2) by Amy Plum
Publisher: Harper Audio
Publication date: May 5th 2015
Length: 8 hrs and 30 min
Narrator: Emily Rankin, Graham Hamilton
My rating:  4.5 stars 
Amazon | B&N | TBD | Audible | GRs

My Thoughts:

Excellent conclusion to an exciting duology!  This is YA at its best! I definitely recommend the audio version.  Emily Rankin and Graham Hamilton’s performance made the story come to life!

I was amazed with Juneau and Miles ability to strategize and use whatever they had available in pursuit of the ultimate goal of saving Juneau’s clan.  Juneau had to sort through her beliefs to and find her own truths, but she didn’t let the questions hold her or her powers back.  I have to say her father and clan trained Juneau well, in spite of the lies they told. 

I loved the positive character growth Miles had through this journey, and I was pleased he caught on so quickly and became a real asset. The romance was lovely. Not so much that it took over the plot, but enough swoony moments to satisfy this romance junky. 

Third Grave Dead Ahead (Charley Davidson #3) by Darynda Jones
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Publication date: January 31st 2012
Length: 9 hrs and 51 min
Narrator: Lorelei King
My rating:  3.5 stars 
Amazon | B&N | TBD | Audible | GRs

My Thoughts:

As usual I laughed my ass off (got weird looks from my hubby all the while, lol!) at Charley’s antics.  The mystery was addictive, but I put a few things together way before Charley should have.  I was surprised by at how things got serious real quick and there were grisly parts that creeped me out and wrenched my heart!  Darynda really put Charley through the ringer in this installment! Betrayals from loved ones and something sad at the end made me feel terrible for Charley!

I wished we got more meaningful interactions between Charley and Reyes, and that we got more information on him.  I’ve already started the next book, and I’m happy to report we are finally getting somewhere on that front!