Prepare to turn up the heat with the final book in the sizzling “Rising Star Chef” trilogy from romance author Louisa Edwards.Henry Beck thought he’d already faced the toughest kitchen challenge of his life. After all, what could top sweating it out as a Navy cook on a submarine? But when he learns his competition for the title of Rising Star Chef is the sweet hippie girl he married…and left…ten years ago, the heat is on.

Now Beck and Skye Gladwell are going head to head in the finals…and sparking up old flames every time they touch. But Skye wants more than a win over the man who abandoned her when she needed him most—she wants a divorce! Then her sexy almost-ex makes a deliciously dangerous proposition. He’ll give in to her demands, but if his team wins the RSC, he has a demand of his own…one last taste of the only woman he ever loved.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I was not ready for the Rising Star Chef series to be over, but also so incredibly excited to find out more about the reclusive Beck!

Beck’s long estranged wife is the one he is going head-to-head with in the finals of the Rising Star Chef challenge. The two make a bet: if Beck’s team win, he gets one last night with Skye before giving her a divorce, and if Skye’s team wins she gets a divorce right off. The more time they spend together, the more they realize they still have feelings for each other. But sometimes feelings are not enough.

Skye needs more from Beck than he has ever been able to give her, and the fact that he hides so much of himself is enough to drive her crazy, despite the fact that she is still head-over-heels in love with him. But unless he opens up to her a little more, Skye just doesn’t see how they can move forward.

*hangs head* I have to admit that I might have skipped the second book in this series because the heroine didn’t appeal to me after reading the first book. So there were a few parts in the beginning of this story that I felt a little lost having missed out on a few key moments between Beck and Skye. However, once the story got going, it was easier to follow along. I also will probably go back and read the second book, because the heroine did seem to be more likeable in this book.

I was so anxious to find out more about Beck! He has been this enigma since the first book. He was sexy and dependable and mysterious and quiet and never really willing to let anyone into his life, but as his back story came out, I found myself falling deeper and deeper in love with the guy. He was tortured from a horrific event in his past and just when he got his life to a point where he was happy and settled, he has to join the Navy to provide for his growing family. Once Skye goes through a heartbreaking event, she asks him to stay away, and he does for ten long years.

There were times I wanted to smack both Beck and Skye for staying away from each other for long, especially since it was obvious they still had feelings for each other. On the other hand, I could understand why they separated. They were both so young, and Skye didn’t seem to know how to handle her loss. When she asked Beck to stay away, he honored her wishes, even though he didn’t always want to.

I have to admit that the end of the book, when Beck really opened up to Skye and cooked the five course meal story of his life, I was in tears. Although his big gesture wasn’t a typical one, it was beautifully written and so incredible to read. I loved that he not only opened up to Skye, but that he also went outside of his comfort zone to cook a meal that explained the story of his life, that talked about what his happy memories and the sad ones. It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

All in all I was so happy with the conclusion of the Rising Star Chef series. I loved getting to know Beck and Skye, and watch as they dealt with all the buried emotions of their past and came together to build a future. I wish that Edwards would someday write a novel or novella around her gay characters as well, because I think they add so much to the story. I can’t wait to find out what Edwards has in store for us next!
I give Hot Under Pressure a B+

 Kindle ebook | Amazon

Review – Hot Under Pressure by Louisa Edwards is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Just one night? Yeah, right. Pippa Laingley should have known better. When an unplanned evening of passion with Cameron Hollingsworth results in unplanned pregnancy, she’s at a crossroads. She knew going in that the enigmatic entrepreneur had built a fortress around his feelings. What she’s just discovered is that he’s loved and lost before—wife and child. Tragically.

Now Cam stands to lose it all again. If he lets Pippa get too close. If he pushes her away with loveless arrangements of financial support. Either way, he’s doomed…unless he can let himself love again.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

When I first read Pippa in Tempted by her Innocent Kiss, I was excited to get her full story. While I absolutely loved Pippa to death, I was not a fan of her hero. At all.

Pippa is trying to get her business off the ground with the meager savings she has and the desire to success. After she spends on very steamy night with Cam, she figured life would go back to normal. That is until Cam calls to tell her that one of the condoms broke. Now Pippa is working to get her business running, and dealing with an unplanned pregnancy from a man who wanted nothing come morning.

Cam isn’t ready to love again. The one time he did before, it hurt too much when he lost everything. Now that Pippa is pregnant with his child, all those memories are being brought up and he is forced to face his past. As the baby’s due date grows closer, Cam becomes more and more unstable. If he can’t find a way to move on from his past, he might lose both Pippa and the baby forever.

I was anxious to see more of Pippa, and she really was the saving grace for me in this book. I loved that she was so full of life and optimistic despite being in circumstances that were not within her plan. I loved that she took life as it came and ran with it, making the best of it with what she had. I love people like that, and Pippa was one that I definitely enjoyed. I was hoping for Pippa to have a wonderful hero. One that challenged her and helped her realize her dreams. While Cam did help with her dreams, he definitely didn’t challenge her in any good way.

Cam was one of those heroes that I knew would be tortured. I knew he would be hung up on something from his past, and because of that unable to commit; especially when he took time out of some pretty heavy foreplay to make sure Pippa understood their night was a one-time thing only. I wasn’t, however, prepared for Cam to be a total jerk. He constantly belittled Pippa’s feelings and threw little hissy fits whenever he was placed in a situations where he couldn’t deal. He acted more like a four year old toddler than a grown man, and toward the end he was annoying me more than anything.

I wanted to love the relationship between Cam and Pippa, especially when I still held hope that Pippa could help Cam really grow from his past. Instead, I found that as the story continued, I kept getting more and more frustrated with Cam and wondered why Pippa stuck around. I get that it was for their child, but after awhile I wondered why Pippa would continue to be treated like crap, regardless of Cam being the father.

Toward the end, I felt as if Cam screwed up big time. His words and actions towards Pippa were so hurtful, and yet when it came time for the big apology, I didn’t think it was all that grand. I wanted more. Needed more from him. I felt as if Pippa gave in much too quickly given the way he treated her. I  could have used some begging and groveling.

All in all I wasn’t thrilled about the final book in the Pregnancy & Passion series. I expected a bit more from my hero and was a little disappointed that he didn’t live up to my expectations. Thankfully Pippa was a shining star, carrying me through and leading me to the end twinkling the whole way.
I give Undone by Her Tender Touch a C

Kindle eBook | Amazon

Review – Undone by Her Tender Touch by Maya Banks is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Luke Bailey has dreams of building homes and putting down roots. But for a man with a rough past, finding any job isn’t easy. When Mary Scott offers him a job-and a place to stay-mixing drinks and tapping beer at her theme bar, My Parents’ Basement, Luke accepts. Customers flock to the cozy pub, designed to evoke memories of lost childhood, to meet and mingle and play games.

For Mary, her gorgeous new employee should be off-limits. She’s his boss. And they’re very different-something her interfering family constantly points out. But Mary’s done playing the good girl. And Luke isn’t the bad boy everyone thinks he is. Their attraction simmers until Mary seduces Luke into playing some deliciously adult games. Then a shocking betrayal threatens everything…
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I’ve never read Summer, and only read one Dee book in the past, but I really liked the look of this story. Bad boy trying to reform, good girl who falls for him, breaking a few good girl rules along the way…. Sounds like a recipe for success!

Mary is working hard to make her bar a success, despite the fact that her family thinks it’s ridiculous. When she needs another employee, she helps out a friend by interviewing and hiring an ex-con. Mary is attracted to Luke, but she is also hesitant given his past and all the literature she got about con’s returning to civilian life, but she is willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Luke needs to make something of his life. He has dreams and wants desperately to achieve them. Although Mary is not the kind of woman he expected, he is drawn to her. He wants to be able to earn and keep her trust and love. But when things go missing from the bar, that becomes harder and harder.

There were quite a few things I really liked about this book. Luke, for a bad boy, was pretty much a total softie at heart. He accepted full responsibility for his actions, honestly regretted his past, and was resigned to whatever future he could make, even if it was a dismal one. At times he was really optimistic about life, and other times he wasn’t. I thought his attitude slingshot around a few too many times than I was comfortable with, but overall I liked his character.

Mary was very sweet and innocent, she comes from money yet wanted to break out and prove to everyone she could run a successful business on her own without her parents’ help. And she did it well. I liked the concept of her bar and thought the whole ‘parents basement’ idea was cute and worked well for her character. For as sweet and nice and yet stern with Luke, I wanted her to do the same with her family. She let her mom and dad walk over her left and right and I would have liked to see her stick up for herself instead of just meekly going along with them.

The romance between these two was cute, but at times felt a little awkward. There were some really sweet moments when Mary and Luke clicked, when the leaned on each other and supported each other when they both needed it. Other times it felt odd, like I couldn’t understand or figure out what they saw in each other, what they even liked about each other, how they could have a relationship without trusting one another.

One of the things that both annoyed me and excited me about this book was the way it was all resolved. SPOILER:

All in all this was a sweet and cute romance. I always love the bad boy paired with the good girl, and Luke and Mary did have some wonderful moments together. I would definitely be interested in checking out more from these authors together!
I give Serious Play a B-

Kindle eBook

Review – Serious Play by Bonnie Dee and Devon Summer is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

When all you hold dear is taken away . . .

When a hurricane roars through Lacey Armstrong’s home on the coast of Barefoot Bay, she decides all that remains in the rubble is opportunity. A new hotel is just what Mimosa Key needs, and Lacey and her teenage daughter are due for a fresh start. And nothing, especially not a hot,younger architect, is going to distract Lacey from finally making her dreams a reality.

A second chance is the only thing you have left.

Love has already cost Clay Walker everything. And if he’s going to have any chance of picking up the pieces of his life, he needs the job as Lacey Armstrong’s architect. What’s not in the plans is falling for the headstrong beauty. Her vision of the future is more appealing than anything he could have ever drafted for himself. Will Clay’s designs on Lacey’s heart be more than she can handle, or will she trust him to build something that will last forever?
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I am an absolute sucker for small town contemporary romances, and when the fairly new-to-me Roxanne St. Claire’s contemporary was posted on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read and review this book. I’ve only read a few things by her, but everytime I put down one of her books, I immediately want to pick up another.

Lacey lost her entire life in a hurricane and is forced to start over with her teenage daughter. Her lifelong dream of building a B&B on her grandparents land finally seems within her grasp. She wants none other than Clayton Walker to design and build it. However, she wasn’t expecting the younger Clay Walker to show up on her beach half naked and looking undeniably sexy.

Clay needs a second chance to get his life back, and the project with Lacey seems to be the best way to get that second chance. But as he begins working closely with her to get the B&B underway, Clay realizes that there is more to life than just work. But with the zoning issues on the island, Clay’s family drama, and an unexpected visitor from Lacey’s past, will she and Clay be able to build more than just a B&B?

I loved and adored this book. I couldn’t put it down, didn’t want to put it down! It was such a fun and lighthearted and super sexy read. This would be the perfect book to curl up with under the sun on the beach (or in the bathtub). One of the things that appealed to me the most in this story was the side relationships between Lacey and her best friends, Lacey and her daughter Ashley, and even Ashley and her father and Clay. St. Claire does a wonderful job of creating real and life-like situations between her characters, and those interactions were so wonderful to read. I’m super excited that we will get to see more and more of Lacey and her BFFs, especially since they were all so well developed, with their secrets and dreams.

I also thought that Lacey’s relationship with her teenage daughter was super realistic. I don’t have any kids, but my siblings are still teenagers, and I could absolutely relate to Ashley and her mannerisms and attitude in this book. I thought that St. Claire did an incredible job portraying the teen. I also really liked the differences in the dynamics between Ashley’s relationship with her mother, her absentee father who shows back up for a short period of time, and even Clay. Bravo!

I would have liked to get a little more alone time with Lacey and Clay, since it seemed like the time they had together was spent half on the page and half off. That being said, I loved their interplay together. They joked and laughed and shared so many little details with each other that it was easy to feel their connection. Although they both kept some pretty big secrets (well, really Clay kept the big secrets), he was also the kind of hero that you could tell felt every emotion deeply. His drawings of the future had me almost in tears. So sweet and romantic and beautiful!

I am anxious to see how this series progresses. It reminded me a lot of Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series in that the relationship between the heroines is a close one, with plenty of fun sexy times thrown in. I can’t wait to find out why Jocelyn is so scared to see her father, the backstory of Eve and her married doctor… I just know that St. Claire is going to rock the rest of the series, especially if this first book is any indication.

All in all I can’t say enough good things about this book. It was such a lighthearted read. It put a smile on my face for hours and I am so anxious to dive back into these characters to see where life takes them next. Fans of Jill Shalvis, Carly Phillips and Susan Mallery will definitely want to check out this series!
I give Barefoot in the Sand an A!

Kindle eBook | Amazon

Review – Barefoot in the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips presents her third novel set in the quaint upstate New York town of Serendipity—where fate, fortune and love intertwine…

Police Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the station. Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her.

But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job. And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past that Dare and Brian share threatens to keep the two apart forever.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I’ve been a fan of Carly Phillips for a long time, and whenever she writes books set in small towns, I know that I will be in for a fabulous read. The Serendipity series is no exception, and the third Barron brother book was just as good as the first two.

Dare is the youngest Barron brother and one of the local police officers in Serendipity. Dare has had a longtime crush on Liza, but he only gets to see her when she comes to the station to bail her brother out of jail. He’s long wanted to get to know her better, but between her enabling her brother’s horrible behavior, and Dare’s own secret shame from his past, he had never been able to be anything other than rude and abrasive with her.

Liza has always been attracted to Dare, but he was always so surly with her. But when things at work and in her personal life start spinning out of control, Dare volunteers to be her personal bodyguard. Their attraction to each other spirals and both Dare and Liza begin to fall deeply for each other. But with their pasts intertwined in violence and secrets, will they be able to move past it and start a life together?

I figured that Dare would be the Barron brother with the most issues and secrets, and I loved him for it. The motivation behind him becoming a police officer, his relationship with his brothers, even his interaction with everyone else around him is one of regret and guilt and his never ending desire to make amends for something he had no control over as a child. While I occasionally wanted to smack Dare and tell him to snap out of it, I have to admit that I adored his character so much because of it. And especially once he was able to let go of all that guilt… *melt*

I also really liked Liza for Dare. She seemed to match him so well. Not only was their attraction to each other so obvious from the moment they first laid eyes on each other, but they also balanced each other in every way. Where Liza was soft and insecure, Dare was there to be her strength and build back her confidence. They shared in the guilt from their pasts, and they each did everything possible to help the other move on and get past all the BS.

I was glad to see their relationship progress slowly. Neither one seemed ready or willing to jump into anything serious, and once they did get to that point, they were both careful of their budding relationship. I have to admit that Dare pissed me off a bit when he snapped at Liza after a stressful evening. While I understood why he was so upset, I wanted to hurt him for taking it out on her. At least his way of proving his love to her was pretty epic.

I’m so glad that this will not be the last book in the Serendipity series as a whole. I adore this small town and can’t wait to go back into the town and watch as more of the townsfolk find love.

All in all I was very happy with the third Barron brother Serendipity novel. I adored Dare from the first moment he walked onto the page and couldn’t wait to learn all his secrets. In this regard, Phillips doesn’t disappoint. The romance was wonderful, the heat was intense and the emotional journey from start to finish was a wild ride. Phillips fans will love this installment of the Serendipity Series!

I give Karma a B+

Amazon | Kindle eBook

I also have an extra copy of Karma to giveaway! Leave a comment below to be entered. Giveaway is open internationally and ends May 7th. Good Luck!

Review & Giveaway – Karma by Carly Phillips is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Who’s the sexy blonde stranger sleeping in Simon Holcroft’s bed? The workaholic returns from a business trip to find someone stretched out on his sheets. Between the laundry basket at her side and the smell of orange cleaner, he deduces that the young woman is his maid-and resists the urge to kiss her awake.

But when his brother’s fiancé-his own ex-bursts in and strips down to her panties, Simon has to get her dressed and back where she belongs. So he introduces the maid as his fiancée. But his little white lie gets bigger, because now he has to bring his supposed bride-to-be to meet the whole family. One offer-she-can’t-refuse later, Simon has bought himself a temporary fiancée.

In debt up to her eyeballs and all alone for the holidays, how could struggling grad student Caroline Sampson not accept her gorgeous client’s fantasy proposal? But acting like she’s in love comes more easily than she ever expected.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

When I requested this book I was in the mood for a sweet contemporary romance, something that I could read quickly and enjoy. This definitely had a category feel to it, and I for one adored the story.

Simon comes home after traveling and finds a sexy woman stretched out on his bed. When his brothers fiance comes barging in his house and puts the moves on him, he tells her that Caroline, the sexy maid who was upstairs asleep, is really his fiance. In order to keep Francine from causing problems at Christmas, Simon and Caroline come up with a deal – she goes with him and continues to pose as his fiance, and he will give her an interest free loan for law school.

Once Caroline meets Simon’s family, she begins to fall for both him and the rest of the Holcroft clan. She knows that nothing can come of their time together, but being accepted into the family is easier than she expected, and something she never dreamed of happening to her. But when the family trusts her with their secrets, will Caroline be able to keep them all? Including the biggest one of all – her love for Simon.

This was a short story, but didn’t feel like it at all. The plot moved quickly, the characters pulled me in and the book felt like a full length feature. There was so much I adored in this book: both Caroline and Simon were great characters, Simon’s family was hilarious and sweet, the romance was a slow build up (and one that I adored from start to finish). One of the things I loved most: after their secret came out to Simon’s family, the two were able to work things out quickly and like adults. I always love when my romance books don’t go through some huge misunderstanding or breakup.

The sweet build-up in romance for these two was too sweet. While the mutual attraction was evident from the very beginning, watching these two fall in love over the course of their vacation was so sweet. I loved that they gradually found things within one another that they were attracted to, that they gradually became friends, lovers and then so much more. I’m such a sucker for a sweet romance, and these two had it in spades!

I loved Simon’s family, although their need to keep everything a secret from each other started to annoy me, especially since they all seemed to trust Caroline with their secrets. While I understood them not wanting to upset their matriarch, I also wanted to smack them all from keeping secrets from one another. But I adored them. His mother and father were so cute, absolutely darling! Simon’s sister and her partner were great (and so awesome to see a f/f secondary relationship), and his brother was a riot, especially as he and Simon constantly argued and bickered.

One of the other things I really liked was that the city of Savannah seemed to play such a strong factor in the book. I love when a setting becomes another character in the book. The story just seems to be richer in some ways, and I thought that Schield did an incredible job with that.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The romance was so sweet, and the few sexy times were great as well. I loved the journey Simon and Caroline went on to discover their love for each other. The characters were all so much fun to read, and other than one or two little things, there wasn’t anything in the story I didn’t like. Harlequin category fans will want to get this book ASAP!
I give His Secret Temptation a B+

Barnes & Noble | Kindle eBook

Review – His Secret Temptation by Cat Schield is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Twenty-four-year-old small-town girl Ana Reynold serves beer at the local bar, tries to keep her beater car running, and dreams of a better life as a painter. If she can learn to make a decent steak, she might get promoted to cook—and earn enough for her real heart’s desire. Right now, that doesn’t include romance.

But when she meets a tall, dark and sexy Native American man named Kane, Ana can’t take her eyes off him—or stop thinking about him. But she’d better. Everyone knows the proud Lakota who raises horses wants nothing to do with a townie barmaid who’ll bring shame to his people.

Except Kane can’t get Ana off his mind. He proposes a red-hot weekend in bed, a no-strings affair to end Monday morning. Yet once Kane brings the outsider onto Lakota land, everything changes…
*Blurb from Goodreads*

After I read Consent to the Cowboy by Wood last year, I was anxious to read another story by her. While this book didn’t rate nearly as high for me, I still thought it was a good erotic short.

Ana has lived a little bit of a sheltered life, she hasn’t had much sexual experience but when she meets Kane, she wants to change all that. She has always wanted a simple life, someone to love and come home to, a job to keep the money coming in, and a chance to work on her art – her one true passion in life.

Kane immediately likes Ana when he first sees her. But the fact that she isn’t Lakota worries him. His last relationship didn’t end well when she wanted to move off their native lands and live off the reservations. Kane loves his home and his people, and he worries that he won’t be able to keep both Ana and his heritage.

I really wanted to enjoy this one, and while I liked it, there wasn’t anything particular about the story that really sucked me in and had me completely wrapped up in the book. I enjoyed both Kane and Ana, especially since they both had their own form of art that they loved. I liked that Ana got the chance to do something she really loved, but wasn’t a huge fan of the way Kane handled it.

The sexy times with Kane and Ana were hot, nothing super kinky unlike Consent to the Cowboy. I was happy to see Ana get the chance to branch out her sexual experiences, and both the smokin’ moments and the tender ones between her and Kane were good reading time. I was also glad to see that him being Native American and her being white wasn’t a big factor to their family and friends. I don’t usually like books with overt racial slurs and such, so I was glad to see that Kane and Ana didn’t have to go through anything traumatic.

Toward the end I wanted to smack Kane. I thought the way he handled Ana’s art and life was borderline Alphahole, and not in the good way. I was pissed that he never really gave Ana the chance to choose what she wanted, he never seemed to listen to her wants and desires, instead he just did and said what he wanted without a whole lot of concern to her. That made me a little sad.

All in all this was an okay book for me. There wasn’t anything super special, and didn’t have the super kinky moments like the last Wood book I read. At the same time, the writing was good and the characters were overall likeable. The sexy times were good as well. If you’re looking for a quick erotic read and like the Native American culture, you might want to pick this one up.
I give Consent to Love a C+

 Kindle eBook

Review – Consent to Love by Abby Wood is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Kathryn West has it all – she’s a confident, bestselling author living it up in New York City. Too bad she doesn’t actually exist, and is only timid Maddie Sawyer’s pseudonym. Determined to attend her high school reunion with a man right out of one of her racy romance novels, she plots to find a sexy bad boy who’s up to Kathryn’s standards.

She finds Mr. Perfect shooting pool in a biker bar. He’s a blue-collar hunk who just happens to look great in leather. But the mysterious Scott Brady has some rules of his own: he won’t agree to her deal unless she poses as his girlfriend in front of his family and friends first.

As the reunion nears, Maddie tries to maintain her carefree façade, knowing she’ll soon face some old ghosts. She’s torn between her growing attraction to Scott and the nagging feeling that he’s hiding something important. Will she still want him when she finds out his secret? What about when he discovers hers?
*Blurb from Goodreads*

When I first saw this cover I fell in love with it, and then after reading the blurb I was even more excited to read James’ debut. The story was very cute and sweet, but there were a few things that I wasn’t super fond of.

Maddie is looking for the perfect bad boy to take home with her to her reunion. When she walks into a bar and meets Scott, she knows she has met the perfect guy. When Maddie propositions him, he counters with a deal of his own: act as his girlfriend and he will go to the reunion with her. Since Maddie is instantly attracted to him, she readily agrees, but begins falling for him bit by bit.

Scott genuinely falls for Maddie and things quickly turn from a proposition to the real deal. But he is hiding something for Maddie that could potentially break them up for good. When Maddie realizes what it is that Scott is hiding, will their fragile relationship be able to stand the test of time?

This story started off really strong, I liked Maddie and her slightly neurotic ways. She came across as a little insecure, but willing to grow and change. When she meets Scott and starts somewhat dating him, the two come across as such a great pair. It was obvious that Scott was smitten with her and wanted to make a serious go at their relationship, despite Maddie’s crazy ways. It was once they head to the reunion that things started to kinda fall apart for me, especially since there was SO MUCH going on with the plot from that point forward.

There were two somewhat big storylines from that point forward. The first being Scott hiding his profession from Maddie, and the second being a fairly huge event from Maddie’s past. In regards to Scott keeping his job a secret from Maddie, I could totally see why he did it. He honestly liked her, wanted to be with her, and given a fairly huge prejudice that Maddie had from her past, he was worried (and rightly so) that it would cause her to run. When it turns out that Maddie ends up needing Scott and his job to save the day, she freaks even more.  I was a little bummed by all this. I understood where her dislike toward his profession came from, but thought it was a little misplaced, especially since it’s a very respected position.

The second big storyline involving a huge incident from Maddie’s past I liked and didn’t at the same time. There really isn’t a good way to explain it without giving away a ton of spoilers. Only click on the spoiler tag if you are sure you want to continue reading.

For romance fans, please note that this book is mostly centered around Maddie and her character growth. While she and Scott do get their happily ever after, to me this read more as chick lit than it did a contemporary romance novel.

All in all I thought that James’ debut was good. The writing is strong and the story, while bogged down at times with a lot going on, was well developed and kept me reading. I would have liked a little more time with Scott and Maddie before their big HEA, but was happy with how the story ends.
I give Rules of the Game a C-

Kindle eBook

Review – Rules of the Game by Sandy James is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Captain Brody has been badly burned by his ex-wife. When he orders Ryan, his star fireman, to participate in a bachelor auction, little does he know he’s the one who will lose his heart.

Melissa McGuire is a brainy local news producer trying to get her career back on track. She can’t believe she’s being set up by her grandmother, who bid on a date with a fireman at the auction. She prefers the artsy type, not the tough, commanding , though clearly attractive, fire chief.

And yet, they can’t resist each other, especially once her ambitious news anchor assigns her the “Thanksgiving with the Firefighters” news special. Add in her grandmother’s matchmaking and the combined efforts of Captain Brody’s crew…can Brody help being the first bachelor to succumb to love, and the crazy rollercoaster ride of the Curse?
*blurb taken from Goodreads*

Lou: When I saw this title being spotlighted by Avon last year, I got really excited. The series was based upon Firemen heroes, and to top it off, it would be a contemporary romance. For the most part I enjoyed the hero and heroine in this book. There were some atypical and overused character types such as the bossy, nosy, and interfering Grandmother. But Melissa and Brody’s romance was so sweet, and I really enjoyed their characters so much that I put my annoyance of the Grandmother to one side.  Unfortunately, other secondary characters and a weak plot towards the middle and ending of the book ruined my enjoyment, and therefore lowered the grade quite drastically for me.

MinnChica: Despite what May tells me on Twitter, I refuse to let my Firefighter fantasy be ruined. When I first saw this new contemporary romance series featuring firefighter heroes, I was immediately hooked. I, personally, really enjoyed the story. However, it did have a very light and airy feel to it. This would be a great beach read, something fun and not too serious and at times a little over the top, but one that I enjoyed from start to finish, especially the romance between Melissa and Brody. I thought it was fun and engaging from start to finish.

Has: I also felt the same way when I saw the book was available to review. Who could pass up a sexy and fun contemporary that involves firemen. But I totally agree with Lou about the side characters who I felt overshadowed the plot and the romance for me, although the romance between Brody and Melissa was fun and cute and that was the best factor of the book — along with the quirky tone and humour. However, at the halfway point, for me the side characters of Brody and Melissa’s exes reappearing spoiled the story for me and I felt that far too much time was spent on their shenanigans and plots than any development with Melissa and Brody.

Lou: I agree that for some this this book will be a fun read, but for me I often don’t get a lot of humour in books, and unless it’s done in a natural way, I find it very forced. This is what I felt with the humour in this book with the secondary characters, especially the news anchor Ella Joy, who Melissa worked for a producer..  Ella Joy I didn’t get as a character, and I don’t understand why we got snippets of her POV. She was rude, selfish, used people, treated them like crap, and put crudely, wanted to fuck her way to a career in LA. There was so much forced humour with the plot with Ella Joy and the news station that I felt Melissa and Brody’s romance suffered. And for me, the romance and relationship between Brody and Melissa was the strongest point in the book. Melissa and Brody had great character development, and I think their romance was then pushed along by the over the top characters and plot. I soon lost interest in the story, and really wanted to put the book down.

MinnChica: This is probably something we can all agree on: Ella Joy was a first rate beotch. From the first moment she stepped onto the page to the last moment she stepped off, I was not a fan. She was everything Lou said and more. At the same time, I understood what she added for Melissa’s character. It was sad to see Melissa struggle so much in the beginning of the book, and yet as we went on, the more of her character came out, the less she was willing to put up, and the more she really took the reigns of her life and career. When she was ready to give her big story to another news program, I wanted to cheer for Melissa. It was both great and annoying to see her growth: great she actually got there, and annoying it took her so long.

Has: I hated Ella Joy’s character. HATED. I wasn’t sure whether Melissa was frenemies or enemies and I totally got confused by the switches of tone between them. I also felt so much time was spent on that subplot with Ella Joy and with Melissa’s ex boyfriend which really spoiled the book for me because it shifted the tone of the book in a direction I didn’t like.  Although I found this subplot was not as random as Brody’s ex who was just as unlikable as Ella, and that concluded way too conveniently.  I wished more time was spent on developing the romance with Brody and Melissa instead of the forced obstacles which affected the plot and overall tone of the bool. But I do agree that Melissa standing up for herself at the end and taking control helped to save the book for me because I was this close to DNF.

Lou:  I really liked Melissa and Brody as characters, and I was happy to see Melissa progress as a person throughout the novel. The scene in which she basically told everyone to fuck off was brilliant. Brody was the steady responsible fire captain, but his love scenes with Melissa were hot. I just wanted more of Melissa and Brody and less of Ella Joy and the news station. I also thought the subplot with Ryan and Ella Joy was a little weak and seemed forced also. I also hated the ending because it seemed a little frivolous, and I wanted more emotion in the scene between Melissa and her Grandmother. Despite the problems I had with this book, I would read this author again because I feel she has promise. All in all, I give The Fireman Who Loved Me a C.

MinnChica: I really liked the romance between Brody and Melissa. It was silly and a little over-the-top at times, but it was sweet and very sexy at other times. I loved Melissa’s scheming grandmother, despite her somewhat crazy ways. She was always also a little too much at times, but I adored her. She reminded me of my grandmothers. All in all I liked this book. It was definitely a romance book that needs to be read with a fun and joking manner, not to be taken too seriously. A lot of the situations were bigger than life and wilder than normal, but for me it was a fun and relaxing read, something that lifted my spirits with it’s craziness.
I give The Fireman Who Loved Me a B.

Has: I really felt that despite the issues I had with this book, The Fireman Who Loved Me had an engaging voice and a quirky tone and I agree with you all that I will probably will pick another book by this author. However, I felt this would have been a much stronger book, without the annoying side characters and everchanging tone of the plot. But the real gem of the story was the romance between Melissa and Brody, their loves scenes were sizzling as well as the tension and yes they should be wary of any doorways. Fun and zany albeit with flaws.
I give The Fireman Who Loved Me a C.

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Joint Review – The Fireman Who Loved Me by Jennifer Bernard is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

At nineteen, Noah Di Luca was Bella Terra’s golden boy, handsome, confident, and untouched by the shadows that tormented his brothers…or so everyone believed. Driven by ambition, beautiful teenage Penelope Alonso fought her way out of the ghettos. During one hot summer, they came together in the sweetness of first love…until his past reared its ugly head and Noah walked away from her without a word.

Nine years later, Penelope returns, never imagining she’d see Noah or that one glance would wake their fiery passion. But even as she fights the impulse to love him again, their secrets betray them. As peril builds around them, Penelope has one choice: to survive, she must once again trust the man who betrayed her.

Even with terror stalking through Bella Terra’s streets, love may be the most dangerous choice of all.
This blurb came from the author’s website here.

Ms Dodd is one of those authors that once I discovered her work I have followed her across genres and through several different series. While I might not enjoy each book the same as the others they all deliver an entertaining story. I had read the first two books in the Belle Terra Deception trilogy and I really wanted to know how this was going to end. I highly recommend that you read the first two books before you start this one because they build on each other. As a result I cannot review Betrayal without spoilers for the previous installments.

As the stakes continued to rise for the Di Luca family so did the intensity of their secrets they kept from one another. At the end of the second book, while under a lot of stress, the youngest brother, Noah admitted that he was deeply mixed up in the deadly hunt for the missing pink diamonds and refused to say anything more. The combination of the three brothers’ fear for their grandmother’s safety, the safety of the two women they have come to love anger at Noah for whatever he has done and Noah’s own self-hatred and guilt have created a rather tense family atmosphere. Into this rolling boil of emotions Penelope, the one woman Noah had ever loved, returns to deal with her own painful past hoping to avoid anyone she knew before.

Penelope on her first full day back in town thinks she has unexpectedly found her dream job renovating an old house and then Noah arrives. While dealing with the shock that Noah is the brother-in-law of the woman who owns the house Penelope gets hit with the murder, mayhem, mystery, criminals without scruples and bodily harm that has happened in Bella Terra over the past few months. Like any self-respecting woman she turns down the job plans to leave town once she pays a visit to Noah’s grandmother, but then a rather well-informed old woman decides to interfere. As a result Penelope decided to stay for a little while longer, and needing the money takes the renovation job. Her visit to Noah’s grandmother included a scene that had me laughing so hard people came over to see what was so funny. It starts at Chapter 30 and is one I will go back and re-read a few more times. I really liked the tension between Penelope and Noah. The two of them had spent nine years apart and neither had remained static during that time but when they met they still held the same attraction for each other. That attraction added to the how and why their relationship ended after one summer was absolutely delightful to read.

Ms Dodd did not skimp on the suspense part of this book either. I learned that family can be your best friends, your worse enemies and sometimes a combination of both in one person. This was certainly one of those issues that started generations ago and the people who had to finish it certainly weren’t part of the cause. The bad guys did get what was coming to them in a very satisfying way and I think all Di Luca’s were able to get a few of their own back. I especially loved the resolution of the missing pink diamonds. *looks down* I admit it, since I had a paperback copy I peeked at the end. I knew I would get a HEA but I really wanted to know about that part.

Overall I think this was a very satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. I don’t know if Ms Dodd plans to set more stories in Bella Terra but if she does she certainly has some interesting characters left.

I give Betrayal a A

Links to purchase:
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Review – Betrayal by Christina Dodd is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter